Where is Generative AI and MERL Now? What Is Happening in 2026?

Where is Generative AI and MERL Now? What Is Happening in 2026?

Published on: Jan 20 2026 by Linda Raftree - 1 Comment
Where we are with GenAI and MERL? Back in November 2024, I wrote a post outlining some trends and learning from 2024. Picking up from there, here are some key trends and happenings worth noting now: The world (or maybe just...
Apply Now: $1 Million for Free and Open Source Software Projects

Apply Now: $1 Million for Free and Open Source Software Projects

Published on: Jan 19 2026 by Wayan Vota - Leave a Comment
The IndiaAI Mission is spending taxpayer money for open-source LLMs. India is also a strong advocate of Digital Public Goods and Digital Public Infrastructure on the global stage, both of which are deeply intertwined with...
African Countries Should Demand Better than $150M Zipline Deal

African Countries Should Demand Better than $150M Zipline Deal

Published on: Jan 15 2026 by Wayan Vota - 5 Comments
The State Department’s $150 million grant to Zipline represents everything wrong with current “America First” aid policy. This deal positions African governments as paying customers for a proprietary American...
What the Top 10 ICTworks Posts in 2025 Say About 5 ICT4D Trends in 2026

What the Top 10 ICTworks Posts in 2025 Say About 5 ICT4D Trends in 2026

Published on: Jan 13 2026 by Wayan Vota - Leave a Comment
I started ICTworks seventeen (17!) years ago to engage digital development leaders, and help us all implement technology solutions more effectively in international development programs. This humble website is now the blog...
Apply Now: $5,000 for Your African Telecom Hardware Startup Idea

Apply Now: $5,000 for Your African Telecom Hardware Startup Idea

Published on: Jan 12 2026 by Wayan Vota - Leave a Comment
African startups raised just $2.2 billion in 2024. That is only 0.6% of global startup funding. Worse, most startups primarily focused on software-driven solutions, while hardware and semiconductor ecosystem remains underdeveloped. For...
How Will You Respond? 6 Forces Reshaping Global Health in 2026

How Will You Respond? 6 Forces Reshaping Global Health in 2026

Published on: Jan 08 2026 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
The global health sector faces its most dramatic transformation since the creation of multilateral institutions 70 years ago. While most organizations are still planning for recovery, the data reveals something entirely...
An African AI EduTech Moment: Move Forward with Intention

An African AI EduTech Moment: Move Forward with Intention

Published on: Jan 06 2026 by Wayan Vota - Leave a Comment
We’re at a critical inflection point for artificial intelligence in African education. The conventional wisdom in our community is that AI represents an unprecedented opportunity to leapfrog traditional educational...
Apply Now: Digital Health Leadership Fellowship for Africans

Apply Now: Digital Health Leadership Fellowship for Africans

Published on: Jan 05 2026 by Wayan Vota - 2 Comments
Africa’s health systems are undergoing unprecedented digital transformation, yet digital health initiatives often remain fragmented or misaligned with national priorities. The continent needs health leaders who can...
Can Digital Therapeutics Unlock Better Health Outcomes in LMICs?

Can Digital Therapeutics Unlock Better Health Outcomes in LMICs?

Published on: Jan 01 2026 by Guest Writer - Leave a Comment
Over recent decades, Moore’s Law predicting the doubling of microchip processing power potential every two years has driven the integration of transformative technologies across all aspects of our daily lives, from professional...