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FORBES AFRICA 30 UNDER 30 CLASS of 2023: TOMORROW’S TITANS

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



India will overtake China to become the world’s most populous nation by this summer, data released by the United Nations on Wednesday showed, a tipping point that highlights shifting demographics between the two Asian countries collectively home to more than a third of the global population.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



India’s estimated population by mid-2023 will stand at 1,428.6 million compared to China’s 1,425.7 million,&nbsp;<a href="https://reliefweb.int/attachments/e13a9007-9523-4fd4-8bae-21f7123e6e3d/SWOP2023-ENGLISH-230329-web.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNPFA) “State of World Population Report.”



The exact date of when the shift is unclear, but a UNPFA spokesperson&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-overtakes-china-as-world-s-most-populous-country-with-2-9-million-more-people-says-un-report-101681880853544.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;the&nbsp;Hindustan Times&nbsp;that this may have already happened.



The spokesperson added that China’s population peaked in late 2022 and has been declining since, while India’s population continues to grow.



Forbes&nbsp;has contacted the agency for comment.



India’s population is not only larger than China, but also a lot younger, with 25% being in the 0-14 age group, 18% in the 10-19 group and 26% in the 10-24 group, compared to 17%, 12% and 18% respectively for China.



With an estimated population of 340 million, the United States comes in at a distant third place.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news-peg">NEWS PEG</h2>



The shifting population dynamics come at a critical time for both India and China as the two Asian giants seek to become both regional and global economic leaders. China’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/01/17/chinas-population-falls-for-first-time-in-60-years-heres-why/?sh=4de09bc12f09">aging population</a>&nbsp;and declining birth rate have raised fears of a looming demographic crisis. This is likely to lead to a shrinking of its labor force, which could in turn have a significant impact on Beijing’s status as a major world power. India, on the other hand, is scrambling to take advantage of what experts call a “demographic dividend” with a large portion of its population being young. This development will likely ramp up India’s government’s efforts to expand employment opportunities as millions of young people enter the workforce.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



8.045 billion. That is the estimate for the world&#8217;s total population by mid-2023, according to the UN data. The global population crossed 8 billion for the first time in November last year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



In a&nbsp;<a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/world/state-world-population-2023-8-billion-lives-infinite-possibilities-case-rights-and-choices-enarru#:~:text=State%20of%20World%20Population%202023,ReliefWeb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">statement</a>&nbsp;accompanying the report, the UNPFA addressed what it calls myths about the global population, including the opposing concerns that too many or too few people are being born. “There is no perfect number of people, nor should we prescribe a number of children that each woman should have. History has shown the damage this kind of thinking can cause, such as eugenics and genocide.” The statement also pushes back against the argument that higher fertility worsens the climate crisis by pointing out the fact that the wealthiest 10% of people—who tend to live in low fertility rate countries—are responsible for nearly half of all greenhouse gas emissions.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-overtakes-china-as-world-s-most-populous-country-with-2-9-million-more-people-says-un-report-101681880853544.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">India is now world’s most populous country, suggests UN data</a>&nbsp;(Hindustan Times)



<a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/world/state-world-population-2023-8-billion-lives-infinite-possibilities-case-rights-and-choices-enarru" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">8 Billion Lives, Infinite Possibilities &#8211; The case for rights and choices</a> (UNFPA)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/"></a>By Siladitya Ray, Forbes Staff

India Passes China on Population

India Will Become The World’s Most Populous Country—Overtaking China—By This Summer, UN Says

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



A new TikTok trend known as “Watertok” has made a splash in recent weeks — as users experiment with flavored water “cocktails” — but the trend has raised many questions, including a debate over whether the drinks are still technically “water” and whether there are health risks associated with the latest viral craze.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



“Watertok” videos often feature women filling up large cups—Stanley tumblers are usually the mode of choice—with ice and water, and then creating an elixir by adding different water flavorings, typically in pursuit of drinking more water throughout the day



Some of the most infamous “water recipes” include&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR3c5wPF/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birthday cake</a>&nbsp;water,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR3cwP2a/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">peach ring</a>&nbsp;water and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR3cyXrV/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">piña colada</a>&nbsp;water—the creators use powdered flavorings from brands like Skittles, Sonic, Crush and Jolly Ranchers and syrups by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.skinnymixes.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jordan’s Skinny Mixes</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kerryfoodservice.com/collections/sugar-free-syrups?scroll=780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DaVinci</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.makeitmio.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MiO</a>&nbsp;to create the drinks.



While the flavorings are typically zero-calorie and sugar free, Watertok’s popularity and the vibrant color and sweetness of the drinks have caused people to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR3c2VCD/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wonder</a>&nbsp;where to draw the line between water and juice.



Others have resorted to mocking the trend, like this TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR3cUaCY/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">video</a>&nbsp;with over 330,000 likes and 2.5 millions views, in which the creator pretends to make a water recipe, but makes a pitcher of Kool-aid instead.



The trend, which began among patients of weight-loss surgery who were advised to consume water before and after their operations, has picked up steam on TikTok, causing some health experts to praise increased water consumption while others warn that replacing meals with water could lead to disordered eating.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



134.2 million. That’s how many views the hashtag&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR3vswEU/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">#WaterTok</a>&nbsp;has accumulated on TikTok.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



“In a perfect world, [people] would be drinking just regular water, but we know some people just don&#8217;t like it or don&#8217;t don&#8217;t drink enough,” obesity medicine specialist and medical director of diabetes reversal company Virta Health, Jeff Stanley, told&nbsp;Forbes. “So, adding in a bit of [flavoring] can be helpful.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-watertok-origins">WATERTOK ORIGINS</h2>



WaterTok originated from bariatric patients who needed to spice up their water intake while on pre- and postoperative liquid diets that last no more than&nbsp;<a href="https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-treatments/c/colorectal-cancer-surgery/what-to-expect/clear-liquid-diet-guidelines.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">five days</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/watertok-tiktok-water-experts-concerned-1234714010/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to popular WaterTok creator Tonya Spanglo. Stanley told&nbsp;Forbes&nbsp;the reason for the liquid diet is for “people to lose a little bit of weight before the surgery… and shrink the liver a little, which makes the surgery easier.”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=135&amp;contentid=82#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20types%20of,the%20top%20of%20your%20stomach." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">According</a>&nbsp;to the University of Rochester Medical Center, there are three common types of bariatric surgeries: gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy (or the gastric sleeve) and adjustable gastric banding (or the lap band). During the gastric sleeve, 85% of the patient’s is removed, creating a narrow tube that resembles a sleeve, during gastric bypass the surgeon removes part of the stomach to create a pouch and the lap band involves an adjustable band being placed at the top of the stomach and a port under the skin to tighten the band. Spanglo, known on TikTok as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR3vg4uy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">takingmylifeback42</a>, is a bariatric patient with almost 800,000 TikTok followers. In a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR3cNUDN/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">video</a>&nbsp;addressing the hate she’s received, she made it clear her “dietician and surgeon approved [flavored water].” Spanglo is no longer on a liquid diet as she got her&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTR3cPLxg/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surgery</a>&nbsp;three years ago, so she drinks flavored water to meet her water intake goal of at least 64 ounces a day.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-benefits">BENEFITS</h2>



The main reason people drink flavored water is to up their water intake. TikToker Haley Staggs&nbsp;<a href="https://www.today.com/food/trends/watertok-flavored-water-recipes-tiktok-rcna79555" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;NBC’s&nbsp;Today&nbsp;show that WaterTok has helped her drink more water, and she now consumes “over 100 ounces of water a day.” Stanley said water recipes help his diabetic patients curb their sweet tooth, and he found flavored water was a good alternative to juice and soda because most flavorings use sugar substitutes. For the most part, Stanley believes the WaterTok trend is harmless and a way to “keep things interesting,” while having fun, and considers it water “for all intents and purposes.” Dietician Frances Largeman-Roth told&nbsp;Today&nbsp;“it’s a fun thing to make and drink,” and she loves how people are leveling up their water intakes, but advised against using artificially colored and flavored syrups.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-dangerous">IS IT DANGEROUS?</h2>



Just like any trend, WaterTok has become popular among people who were not originally the target audience. Some WaterTok videos are also hashtagged as weight loss videos, though the trend is not overtly related to weight loss outside of the bariatric surgery requirements. However, chief strategy officer for the eating disorder treatment organization the Emily Program and Veritas Collaborative, Jillian Lampert,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/watertok-tiktok-water-experts-concerned-1234714010/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;Rolling Stone&nbsp;flavored water is a recipe for a potential eating disorder. Lampert labels people drinking water in place of food as “long-term, old-school eating disorder behavior.” Around 28.8 million Americans will have an eating disorder in their lifetimes, the Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders&nbsp;<a href="https://anad.org/eating-disorders-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>. Abdul Matin Azizi, principal dentist at Harley Private Dental,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/watertok-hydration-flavoured-water-receipes-healthy-b2320966.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">warned</a>&nbsp;The Independent&nbsp;about the dangers the trend can pose for dental health. Azini said the additives, artificial sugars and citric acid in the flavorings can “erode tooth enamel and cause tooth decay,” and recommended rinsing the mouth after consumption. Most flavorings, like Skinny Mixes syrup, are sweetened with stevia and erythritol, both sugar alternatives used in the diabetic community. However, a recent study&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/03/01/new-warning-about-zero-calorie-sugar-substitute-what-experts-are-saying-about-erythritol/?sh=3c1ac8ca5385">linked</a>&nbsp;erythritol with an increased risk of heart disease, though the study only featured participants with heart problems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/03/01/new-warning-about-zero-calorie-sugar-substitute-what-experts-are-saying-about-erythritol/?sh=3c1ac8ca5385">New Warning About Zero-Calorie Sugar Substitute: What Experts Are Saying About Erythritol</a>&nbsp;Forbes)



<a href="https://www.today.com/food/trends/watertok-flavored-water-recipes-tiktok-rcna79555" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">#WaterTok: Why ‘water recipes’ are taking over TikTok</a>&nbsp;(Today)



<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/watertok-tiktok-water-experts-concerned-1234714010/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TikTok Is Obsessed With Water. Experts Are Concerned</a> (Rolling Stone)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/"></a>By Arianna Johnson, Forbes Staff

In this photo illustration the TikTok logo seen displayed on

Divisive TikTok Trend ‘WaterTok’: Why Some Experts Warn Against It And Others Encourage It

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Alphabet shares are on pace for their worst day in over two months following a report indicating the Google parent company is in danger of losing a key multibillion-dollar search engine contract to Microsoft, as the artificial intelligence rivalry between the two technology giants rages on.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Samsung is mulling a switch from Google to Microsoft’s Bing as the default search engine on its smartphones and tablets, the&nbsp;New York Times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/16/technology/google-search-engine-ai.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>&nbsp;Sunday, putting a contract worth a reported $3 billion per year in jeopardy.



Though that represents just over 1% of Alphabet’s roughly $280 billion in annual revenue, it’s the latest indication that Google’s search engine dominance may be fading, with the&nbsp;Times&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/16/technology/google-search-engine-ai.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reporting</a>&nbsp;there was “panic” among Alphabet employees over the Samsung contract.



Alphabet shares slid as much as 4.1% in early trading Monday, shedding $57 billion in market capitalization, while Microsoft shares climbed 1.6%.



That continues a months-long trend of Microsoft’s stock outperforming Alphabet’s, as Microsoft shares are up 21% since the November launch of ChatGPT, OpenAI’s viral chatbot incorporated into Bing; Alphabet shares are up 10% during the same period.



Microsoft has an “early lead” in the artificial intelligence space as it exhibits a “renewed vigor” in the search market, Goldman Sachs analysts led by Kash Rangan wrote in a note to clients last month.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Microsoft&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/01/23/chatgpt-parent-open-ai-gets-game-changing-multibillion-dollar-boost-from-microsoft/?sh=7e64a4253c0c">announced</a>&nbsp;in January it made a multibillion-dollar investment in OpenAI,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/01/23/chatgpt-parent-open-ai-gets-game-changing-multibillion-dollar-boost-from-microsoft/?sh=7e64a4253c0c">reportedly</a>&nbsp;infusing $10 billion into the budding generative AI company and taking what will be a 49% stake in the firm. Just three weeks later, Microsoft&nbsp;<a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2023/02/07/reinventing-search-with-a-new-ai-powered-microsoft-bing-and-edge-your-copilot-for-the-web/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rolled out</a>&nbsp;its integration of ChatGPT into Bing and its Edge web browser. Bard, Google’s answer to ChatGPT, has received more lukewarm feedback, with Alphabet shares&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/google-ai-chatbot-bard-offers-inaccurate-information-company-ad-2023-02-08/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tanking</a>&nbsp;7% on February 8 after the chatbot provided inaccurate information during a demo.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



Microsoft is the “clear early leader” in the generative AI space and has “potential to achieve escape velocity” and separate itself from competitors, JPMorgan analyst Mark Murphy wrote earlier this month.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



20%. That’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.counterpointresearch.com/global-smartphone-share/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">roughly</a>&nbsp;the proportion of the roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gsma.com/mobileeconomy/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/270223-The-Mobile-Economy-2023-Infographic.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">4.4 billion</a>&nbsp;smartphone users worldwide that use a Samsung device, according to Counterpoint Research and GSMA Intelligence data.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/lists/ai50/?sh=1c90f134290f">AI 50</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/dereksaul/2023/03/01/ai-is-the-new-electricity-bank-of-america-picks-20-stocks-to-cash-in-on-chatgpt-hype/?sh=5a8f4d9777ac">‘AI Is The New Electricity’: Bank Of America Picks 20 Stocks To Cash In On ChatGPT Hype</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/16/technology/google-search-engine-ai.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google Devising Radical Search Changes to Beat Back A.I. Rivals</a> (New York Times)



By Derek Saul, Forbes Staff

In this photo illustration, a woman holds a smartphone with

Google Stock Loses $57 Billion Amid Microsoft’s AI ‘Lead’—And Reports It Could Be Replaced By Bing On Some Smartphones

By Colin Iles



What do all great leaders have in common?



Number one on my list is they have all achieved mastery in using storytelling to influence at scale.



The book Uncle Tom’s Cabin is widely recognized as having contributed to the end of slavery in the United States. The novel humanized slaves, portraying them as complex characters with emotions, families, and dignity, rather than just as property.



It was a powerful story which polarized opinion and catalyzed support for the abolitionist movement that eventually saw the ending of slavery in 1865.



Powerful stuff, but we shouldn’t be surprised.



Because stories are what have driven human behaviors since the beginning of time. In fact, stories have shaped our history in every regard, whether that relates to religion, politics or the underlying fabric of different cultures around the world.



It should therefore be no surprise that effective storytelling is a powerful tool in business.



By telling stories that emotionally resonate, we can influence others to do incredible things.



And business is all about influence.



Influencing investors to stay the course.



Staff to be more productive and innovative.



Customers to become advocates.



And I’m not the only one who believes in storytelling’s power.



Steve Denning, a former executive of the World Bank, said: “When it comes to inspiring people to embrace a vision or a change in behavior, storytelling isn’t just better than the other tools, it’s the only thing that works.”



Steve Jobs was perhaps one of the greatest proponents of the power of storytelling in business. As he once said, “The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller. The storyteller sets the vision, values and agenda of an entire generation that is to come.”



One of the best examples of how he inspired people with fantasy, not fact, came when he successfully asked American businessman John Sculley to leave PepsiCo and join Apple.



“Do you want to sell fizzy water for the rest of your life or come and help me change the world?” Sculley later said that question landed like a punch in the gut.



If stories are such powerful business tools, why don’t more businesses use them?



Well, purposeful organizations do, and it is central to their success.



A purpose-driven company typically sets social or environmental goals as the primary purpose or mission.



For-profits, on the other hand, follow American economist Milton Friedman’s doctrine that an entity’s greatest responsibility is to satisfy its shareholders. Interestingly, researchers are consistently showing that purposeful organizations are typically outperforming their profit-driven peers.



For example, the book Firms of Endearment showcases how purpose-driven companies like TOMS, Unilever, Ikea and Amazon have, on average, outperformed the S&amp;P500 by 14 times over 15 years from 1998 to 2013.



And if you are looking for more anecdotal evidence, just write down your 10 favorite successful companies. I’d expect the majority to be purpose-led.



The most recent case study is, of course, OpenAI.



Their flagship product ChatGPT gained 100 million users within two months, making it the fastest growing consumer application in history.



But their purpose wasn’t to make a profit. Instead, they focused on “creating safe artificial intelligence that benefits all of humanity”.



Despite their best efforts they are now worth billions! Ok, so back to the why. Why are purposeful organizations such better storytellers and, therefore, influencers?



Well, for starters, for-profits have no inspiring stories to tell.



When your goal is to make money for the sake of making money, and your dream only extends to making more money, what role can you play in a story other than that of the villain?



On the other hand, purposedriven organizations offer ample storytelling opportunities because their purpose is the story, and their staff are the heroes who all want to be part of a movement that benefits society.



And that’s the type of environment that fosters trust, collaboration and innovation.



Purpose allows for storytelling. Storytelling lets you influence. Influence is key to success.



That’s why most of the leaders profiled in this edition have probably mastered using storytelling to influence at scale.



The writer curates thought leadership events that help executive teams transform their organizations; visit coliniles.com.

Entrepreneur Using Laptop At Home Office

Why Storytelling Is A Powerful Tool In Business

Name:&nbsp;Angela Mwanza



Firm:&nbsp;UBS Private Wealth Management



Location:&nbsp;New York, NY



AUM:&nbsp;$878 million



Forbes Rankings:&nbsp;Best-in-State Wealth Advisors, Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In-State, America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors



Background:&nbsp;Angela Mwanza was born and raised in Zambia, where her family still lives. She eventually moved to Germany and learned the language there while pursuing a degree in Linguistics. While studying, Mwanza worked for a sports fashion sales company specializing in snowboarding. “I’m scared of heights and come from Africa so I had never snowboarded… but I self taught myself and still snowboard to this day!,” says Mwanza. In the late 90s, Mwanza decided it was time for a change of pace so she earned her MBA at Cornell University and then landed a job at JPMorgan Private Bank in 2000. When the financial crisis rolled around eight years later, she was working at Lehman Brothers, but was able to move to UBS in the midst of the downturn, where she has worked ever since.



Competitive Edge:&nbsp;Mwanza is highly focused on family finances and philanthropy in her practice, honing in on the purpose and values of each client in order to be intentional about all aspects of their wealth. “The pain points I kept hearing from clients all had to do with the complexities that wealth brings—and the number one thing people care about is their family,” says Mwanza. As a result she is “always thinking generationally”, engaging the next generation and facilitating discussions throughout the entire family. What’s more, many of her clients have a passion for making a positive change in the world, so a key part of her practice revolves around socially responsible and impact investments.



Biggest Challenge:&nbsp;When she first moved to the United States for business school, Mwanza had to build up her knowledge and expertises from scratch. “I was so out of my element and completely clueless at the time,” she recalls. “I had never heard of&nbsp;The Wall Street Journal!”



Investment Philosophy/Strategy:&nbsp;Mwanza takes a holistic approach to working with clients: “I can’t be a good advisor if I’m not speaking to their other advisors and attorneys,” she says. In terms of investing, she and her team are strong believers in long-term, risk-adjusted and tax-aware returns. “Most clients who are entrepreneurial tend to have a lot of risk outside of the portfolio we are managing—so we tend to be moderately conservative when thinking about their lifetime,” adds Mwanza.



Investment Outlook:&nbsp;“Markets like this with rising rates tend to favor value over growth, so we position more defensively from a tactical standpoint,” she says. “There’s a lot of unknowns but that’s something we just<a href="https://www.forbes.com/digital-assets/assets/just-just/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">just</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/digital-assets/assets/just-just/">-0.3%</a>&nbsp;have to be ready for and resilient about when it comes to client portfolios.” Mwanza and her team like alternative investments but shuns gold, which “doesn’t make sense” as a hedge to market volatility when Treasuries are yielding nearly 5%. “Our outlook is long term, so we’re not bothered by day to day volatility,” says Mwanza.



Best Advice:&nbsp;“It’s very important not to be emotionally invested—people get antsy and feel like they have to do something but that’s when most mistakes are made,” she says.



Favorite Hobby: Mwanza loves pushing her limits outside of work, too: “Don’t tell me I can’t do something,” she says. She has run six marathons (one in Boston, five in New York) and has scaled the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Mwanza also enjoys traveling with her husband, taking trips to see endangered species like rhinos in Asia or tortoises in the Galapagos.



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/sergeiklebnikov/"></a>By Sergei Klebnikov, Forbes Staff

Mighty Dream Forum Hosted By Pharrell Williams 2022 – Day 2

Zambia-Born UBS Advisor Loves Snowboarding And Impact Investing

Nigerian footballer Ositadimma Umenyiora, who won the Super Bowl championships twice, is now identifying talented youth in the UK and Africa and providing them with training and scholarships to attend prestigious universities and play professional football.



The Superbowl, the annual football championship game of the National Football League (NFL), is one of America’s biggest sporting traditions. This year, over 113 million people reportedly tuned in to watch the game that saw Kansas City Chiefs emerge victorious against Philadelphia Eagles.



From Hollywood A-listers to music superstars, the Superbowl is perhaps the one all-encompassing sports event that literally grips Americans, bringing people from all walks of life together for the most epic football game each year.



It is such a big American tradition that it costs a staggering $7 million, according to The Wall Street Journal, to place a 30-second ad spot during the game. And not just anybody can perform at America’s biggest sports event.



You have to be a global superstar like Beyoncé or Rihanna to be able to grace the stage of the coveted halftime event. And to win the Superbowl championship means a player has reached the pinnacle of American football. So, when Ositadimma Umenyiora, or Osi, a Nigerian born in England, won this coveted championship twice, it was nothing short of a miracle. And this is his story.



It all started when he relocated from England to Lagos when he was seven years old. After completing his secondary school education, Umenyiora’s parents decided he should pursue his education in America when he turned 14.



“I got to America and that was what everybody was playing and talking about and it was the biggest thing where I went. I still wasn’t interested because it looked strange to me just seeing people running around and hitting each other but I had some friends who told me I was pretty athletic because I used to play basketball and I should go try out,” recalls Umenyiora.



Wanting to fit in with the other cool kids and most importantly to avoid being bullied for being the only African in Alabama, Umenyiora decided to try out. Even though he wasn’t exactly good at the sports initially, he was lucky enough to have the physique and raw talent to bag a scholarship to go to university to play football. And that is how he earned a college degree.



“All of a sudden it was like you can make a living and considerable amount of money playing this game. I got drafted into the NFL and it changed my life. So, for me, I can never underestimate what the game was able to do for me and for my family. It was an incredible experience.”



He played 12 seasons which equates to four times the average career of a footballer as a defensive end for the New York Giants.



“We won the Superbowl twice. The experience of that was surreal because when you are in America and you watch football and you understand the significance of that game to the country, you never really picture yourself getting,” says Umenyiora.



But that is exactly what happened and being there in that environment and not only getting the chance to play but actually winning the Superbowl completely transformed Umenyiora’s life. After he retired from the game, Umenyiora decided he would try and give other young people the same opportunity that the NFL blessed him with. He relocated to the United Kingdom (UK) to help grow the game and after a short period of time, realized most of the talent he was discovering for the sports were from Africa.



That was his Eureka moment.



“Going around scouting, we started to figure out that yes there were athletes in the UK but at the end of the day, a lot of the athletes were actually African and Nigerian. Then I remembered the entire time I was in the NFL, I kept on doing charity back in Nigeria building wells, scholarships etc. and it just never seemed to be enough because there were so many people who needed help and opportunities.



“I realized there are over a hundred players currently playing in the NFL who are either of African descent or born in Africa and we know that in terms of talent and athletic ability, Africa has an abundance of that probably more than anywhere in the world,” says Umenyiora.



For Umenyiora, Africa is the future. After a brief conversation with the chairman of the NFL, NFL Africa was created. For Umenyiora the business case was simple.



“I told him everything we are looking for; we all know that if you look at Africa especially as a population as a whole, we know that there is going to be capitalism development there. So, if you are looking for your next 100 million or 200 million, the youth population and massive population growth, that is where you are going to find it and Africans can play the game to a very high standard.”



The goal for Umenyiora is to give Africans the same opportunities that transformed his life. NFL Africa identifies talented youth in the UK and Africa and provides them with training and scholarships to attend prestigious universities and play professional football. The journey has been a difficult one. Firstly, there is little to no infrastructure for sports in Africa.



“You have all this talent and I’m talking about hundreds of millions of dollars of talent that is just there and there is nothing built specifically to train and build these athletes to be able to identify them,” says Umenyiora.



To overcome this challenge, Umenyiora and his team have set up camps to find the best talent across the continent and provide them with the requisite training to get them up to speed. The ones that are a bit older are put into the international player pathway program to directly try out for the NFL. So far, Umenyiora has placed seven African athletes on lucrative NFL rosters.



And this is just the beginning. As America gears up for the 2024 Superbowl, Umenyiora is hoping that another African will get to experience how it feels to play at the apex of American football and through the opportunities NFL Africa has provided, create a knock-on effect that transforms the lives of other impoverished youth on the African continent.

Atlanta Falcons v Buffalo Bills

Bowling Over Africa: Finding The Future Of Football

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Birth control with fewer side effects could be a possibility in the future, as a&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010073" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published Thursday found that ovulation can still be effectively prevented when the dosage of hormones in birth control is reduced by up to 92%.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Researchers examined women aged 20 to 34 with normal menstrual cycles and found that it’s possible to reduce the total dose in both estrogen-only and progesterone-only contraceptives and still prevent ovulation, for a&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010073" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;published in&nbsp;PLOS Computational Biology.



In estrogen-only contraceptives researchers were able to reduce the total dose by 92% and in progesterone-only birth control they reduced the total dose by 43%.



In contraception with both estrogen and progesterone, the study shows that each dose of the hormone could be reduced further.



PROMOTED



The study found that contraception that distributes estrogen and progesterone at different points in the menstrual cycle could prove more successful than the current norm of steady constant doses of a hormone.



Most forms of contraception— whether pill, injectable or implant—aim to administer estrogen, progesterone or both to block ovulation and stop an egg from being released into the uterus



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



65%. That’s what percentage of U.S. women aged 15 to 49 used contraception from 2017 to 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db388.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Birth control is notorious for its many varying side effects. Weight gain, mood changes, acne and headaches are among the common symptoms of hormonal contraceptives,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2010/1215/p1509.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the American Academy of Family Physicians. In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/report/contraception-in-the-united-states-a-closer-look-at-experiences-preferences-and-coverage/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">survey</a>&nbsp;done by the Kaiser Family Foundation last year, nearly one-third of contraceptive users said they experienced side effects from their current method of birth control, and more than half of those surveyed said the side effects they experienced were more severe than they expected. The effects of hormonal contraceptives on the brain, in particular, have been a focus for many researchers in recent years. A 2022 systematic review of neuroimaging studies on contraception&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7667464/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">found</a>&nbsp;that the use of hormonal birth control can alter both the structure and the function of the brain, a finding which made adolescent women who are still developing increasingly vulnerable, researchers said. If, as Thursday’s study suggests, there is a reduction of hormones in birth control, side effects from contraception could also subside.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h2>



Separately there’s been a push to broaden birth control options for sexual partners. A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-36119-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a>&nbsp;out earlier this year found a male contraceptive pill was effective in male mice 30 to 60 minutes after they took it, a finding researchers described as a “game changer” for contraceptives. The male mice received a single oral dose of a drug that immobilized sperm for up to two and a half hours, researchers said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/02/14/male-birth-control-drug-sees-game-changer-trial-in-mice-heres-what-you-need-to-know/?sh=37a540db4481">Male Birth Control Drug Sees ‘Game-Changer’ Trial In Mice—Here’s What You Need To Know</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.statnews.com/2021/12/06/patients-doctors-clashing-side-effects-hormonal-birth-control/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Patients And Doctors Are Clashing About Side Effects Of Hormonal Birth Control</a> (STAT)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/anafaguy/"></a>By Ana Faguy, Forbes Staff

TEENAGER TAKING CONTRACEPTIVE PILL FROM BLISTER PACK

Birth Control Can Be Effective With Lower Dosage Of Hormones, Study Finds

A Gambia River journey took this writer to the depths of a region rich with wildlife, culture and world heritage sites.



By Ramdas Iyer



Upstream from the Atlantic and not too far from the banks of the Gambia River, I was standing amidst a concentration of 11 circles of 200 megalith stones erected more than a thousand years ago, mostly for burial purposes. The Wassu Circle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Africa’s greatest anthropological and archaeological puzzles; the stones are all that remain of what must have undoubtedly been a great and sophisticated culture.



Sailing from the mouth of the Gambia River, I embarked on a journey of 300km to the interior from the Atlantic coast at Banjul, formerly Bathurst, the capital city, to observe a land defined by the river and ravaged by the Atlantic slave trade. One of the smaller countries of Africa, it is a strip of land 450km long and 25km to 50km wide on either side of the river. The Gambia River is a major river in West Africa, running 1,120km from north Guinea westward through Senegal and The Gambia to the Atlantic Ocean. It is only navigable for about half that length.



In Banjul, I was particularly impressed by the local museum, cramped but with memorabilia from the colonial era, including a passenger ticket from Bathurst to Liverpool on the MV Apapa. It also houses an impressive collection of masks, musical instruments and Yoruba artifacts. I got an opportunity to purchase some of the African art, mostly from Mali, Ghana and Nigeria at the Royal Albert market, a great place to observe and mingle with the local population.



A few hours sailing from Banjul brought me to St. James Island in the middle of the river. Under British presence since 1651, it became an important slave trading post in The Gambia. In 1976, St. James Island became famous due to Alex Haley’s bestseller book Roots and the story of a slave, called Kunta Kinte.



The island was renamed Kunta Kinteh Island and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I had taken a copy of the book with me and identifying the areas in the book with an actual visit was quite emotional.


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="415" height="188" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/sometime1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-57986" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/sometime1.png 415w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/sometime1-300x136.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 415px) 100vw, 415px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo by Ramdas Iyer</figcaption></figure></div>


Each day, we used motorized pirogues to reach the fishing villages or to enjoy the beautiful Bao Bolong wetland reserves that boast over 250 species of birds. Adjacent to these wetlands is the large Kiang West National Park where I went on an all-day foot safari. Lions have long been extinct in The Gambia, along with the other animals in the Big Five. But a diverse presence of hyenas, leopards, spitting cobras and pythons made for an interesting outing. Further upstream, we arrived at the bustling Gambian port town of Kuntaur, the last inland stop along the river that is navigable for ocean-going vessels like mine.



Walking around town and its adjoining villages revealed the importance of peanuts as the chief cash crop of The Gambia. Not too far from Kuntaur, I was excited to visit a quintet of uninhabited islands that constitute the Gambia National River Park.



The southernmost, Baboon Island , is the home of the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project established by American anthropologist Janis Carter in 1979, to provide a home for chimpanzees released from the laboratories of the western world. Over 100 of these primates live on these islands where no one is allowed to set foot except scientists. I photographed several of the apes including younger generations that are now free in a land where they had become extinct a century ago. At this point in the protected river, one could see a plethora of wildlife including hippos, crocodiles, and the red colobus and green vervet monkeys. 



At the Kuntaur pier, we were met by the ‘Kankurang’ and a local dance group. Believed to have spiritual powers, the Kankurang dispense justice and ward off evil spirits.



I tired dancing with the Mandinka women and the Kankurang at the pier to the sound of drums and whistles. With local river pilots familiar with the topography of the river bottom, we made our way back to Banjul.



Gambians, who still suffer economically from the ravages of slavery four centuries ago, showed me that poverty alone cannot destroy the human spirit and the ability to deliver a sparkling smile.

sometime12

Wondrous Waters: A Gambia River Journey

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Researchers on Wednesday hailed a groundbreaking new test that can detect Parkinson’s disease, a major breakthrough in the quest to accurately diagnose the progressive and incurable condition and a “game-changer” that clears the way for new treatments, preventatives and even cures.



Researchers have praised a breakthrough in diagnosing Parkinson&#8217;s disease.GETTY



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



The new test can accurately identify Parkinson’s disease using samples of the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, according to a study of more than 1,100 people&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(23)00109-6/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;Lancet Neurology.



It marks the first time scientists and clinicians can monitor, detect and define Parkinson’s disease using objective, biological terms—as opposed to clinical assessments and patient reports—since the condition was first characterized more than 200 years ago.



The technique, known as the alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay, analyzes the build-up of abnormal proteins linked to Parkinson’s, which evidence suggests happens in the disease’s early stages and before the loss of certain nerve cells that is the only other biological change signaling Parkinson’s.



The molecular test managed to successfully identify nearly 90% of people diagnosed with the disease, the researchers said, even before diagnosis or the onset of symptoms like smell loss or problems with movement.



Writing in a linked commentary, neurologists Daniela Berg and Christine Klein, who were not involved in the study and are based at Germany’s University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, said the test finally “lays the foundation for a biological diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease” and lauded its ability to detect the condition before any other clinical or physical changes are detectable.



Dr. Kenneth Marek, who co-led the research and is a scientist at the Michael J. Fox Foundation’s Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative and the Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders, said the test’s validation ”launches a new, biological era in Parkinson’s research” that will “transform” clinical care and the search for treatments, preventions and cures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative neurological disorder with no cure. It largely affects people over 50 years of age and, after Alzheimer’s, is the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder in the U.S. Treatments, which include brain implants and drugs, aim at addressing symptoms rather than slowing down or reversing the disease’s erosion of cognitive faculties, which vary between people but can include trouble walking, movement issues, tremors, memory loss, loss of smell and depression. In the U.S. alone, the cost of treating Parkinson’s is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/current-research/focus-disorders/focus-parkinsons-disease-research/parkinsons-disease-challenges-progress-and-promise" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimated</a>&nbsp;to be $14 billion annually, and as the population ages—the number of people diagnosed with Parkinson’s is projected to double by 2040—these costs are expected to climb.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">CRUCIAL QUOTE</h2>



Actor Michael J. Fox, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s decades ago and advocates research into the condition, said he is “deeply moved” by the breakthrough and grateful to all involved. Fox is the namesake to the country’s largest foundation supporting Parkinson’s research, including this work, and said “we weren’t casting about for fish — we were going after a whale” when the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ppmi-info.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">group</a>&nbsp;set its sights on biological markers of the disease. “Now, here we are,” Fox said, adding: “together we are making a cure for Parkinson’s inevitable.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



500,000. That’s how many Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ninds.nih.gov/current-research/focus-disorders/focus-parkinsons-disease-research/parkinsons-disease-challenges-progress-and-promise" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according</a>&nbsp;to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. This figure likely underestimates the true prevalence of the condition, the institute said, as many people are likely to go undiagnosed or are misdiagnosed. Some experts believe as many as 1 million Americans have Parkinson’s, the group said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



While a biological marker of Parkinson’s is a major breakthrough, the process of sampling cerebrospinal fluid is invasive and more onerous than many other standard medical tests. In order to harness the full potential of using the abnormal proteins to signal Parkinson’s, Berg and Kline said a “less invasive approach,” notably blood tests, will be needed to scale the approach. Nevertheless, they said the discovery “is a game-changer in Parkinson’s disease diagnostics, research, and treatment trials.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kerryadolan/2023/03/28/exclusive-michael-j-fox-foundation-announces-winner-of-parkinsons-disease-research-prize-funded-by-billionaire-ken-griffin/?sh=2178c7107842">Exclusive: Michael J. Fox Foundation Announces Winner Of Parkinson’s Disease Research Prize Funded By Billionaire Ken Griffin</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/oct/07/the-scientists-working-to-defeat-parkinsons-disease" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘It’s hugely complex’: the scientists working to defeat Parkinson’s</a> (Guardian)



By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff

Testing Tissue Samples

Game-Changing New Parkinson’s Test Paves Way For Treatments And Cure

The beauty industry is growing by leaps and bounds, and as data says, so also the demand for minimally invasive aesthetic treatments in the Middle East and Africa.



This has been good news for Dr Wedu Tose Somolekae, who has become a sought-after expert in Botswana in the field of aesthetic medicine.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="#FORBESAFRICA30Under30 Class of 2023: Meet COVER STAR Dr Wedu Tose Somolekae" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_bTc6StnYPQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



And to think this was not her initial plan.



“When I started medical school in 2011, I dreamed of eventually becoming a pediatrician,” Tose Somolekae says to FORBES AFRICA. “Aesthetic medicine and entrepreneurship were the furthest thing on my mind. Little did I know that a weekend trip to Johannesburg with my friends would change all of that!”



After visiting a clinic in bustling Johannesburg, South Africa, Tose Somolekae immediately began her research on the concept of aesthetics and medicine. Like any millennial, the good doctor took to Instagram to directly speak to other medical aesthetic doctors in the field.



After many obstacles (being stuck in the small village of Masunga, Covid-19 and not enough fees to pay for her dream), Tose Somolekae took the plunge in the beginning of 2021 and resigned from her position as a medical officer in Masunga with a severance package of P50,000 ($380,000).



A move that led to Medi-Glow Aesthetics, the first full-time Medical Aesthetic Practice in Botswana.



“Watching me grow has definitely inspired those around me to chase their dreams and reach for the stars,” Tose Somolekae adds. “The tenacity and determination to introduce something new to the medical and beauty in.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-2023-forbes-under-30-summit-africa">2023 Forbes Under 30 Summit Africa</h2>


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/U30-Africa-Summit-Email-Header-6Speaker-1024x538.png" alt="" class="wp-image-57846" width="607" height="319" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/U30-Africa-Summit-Email-Header-6Speaker-1024x538.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/U30-Africa-Summit-Email-Header-6Speaker-300x158.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/U30-Africa-Summit-Email-Header-6Speaker-768x403.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/U30-Africa-Summit-Email-Header-6Speaker.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 607px) 100vw, 607px" /></figure></div>


In April 2023, the Under 30 Summit will return to the world’s greatest growth market, Africa. Following the first-ever Forbes Under 30 Summit Africa held in April 2022, the world’s most elite young entrepreneurs and game-changers will again convene in one of the world’s most beautiful countries, Botswana.



Across four days in the country’s capital, Gaborone, we’ll harness the power of entrepreneurial capitalism amid the continent whose growth will help define the 21st century. As with every Under 30 Summit, the social and cultural opportunities will be world-class. You’ll hear from government, venture capital and business role models, providing inspiration for the newest—and next—generation of leaders. We will welcome local performers, chefs and entrepreneurs, allowing us to experience the sounds, cuisine and staples of local culture while engaging in unbeatable networking and pitching opportunities.



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/connect/event/2023-forbes-under-30-summit-africa/?promo=LPAFRICA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Register here</a>

#FORBESAFRICA30Under30 Class of 2023:Meet COVER STAR Dr Wedu Tose Somolekae “Aesthetic medicine and entrepreneurship were the furthest thing on my mind.”

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Moderna on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://investors.modernatx.com/news/news-details/2023/Moderna-Announces-Clinical-and-Program-Updates-at-4th-Vaccines-Day/default.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unveiled</a>&nbsp;plans to develop vaccines against tick-borne Lyme disease and norovirus, a notorious stomach bug, the Massachusetts-based biotech’s latest efforts to bolster its pipeline and expand its offerings ahead of a steep drop in demand for its Covid-19 vaccines.



Moderna announced plans to develop a Lyme vaccine.&nbsp;GETTY IMAGES



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



Moderna said it is developing multiple vaccines targeting&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs_symptoms/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lyme disease</a>, a serious infection spread by tick bites that can cause a range of symptoms including fever, facial paralysis, arthritis and rash.



There is no vaccine for Lyme disease on the market in the U.S.—the only approved shot was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/vaccine.html#:~:text=A%20vaccine%20for%20Lyme%20disease,2002%2C%20citing%20insufficient%20consumer%20demand." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pulled</a>&nbsp;in 2002—and infections are rising, largely spurred on by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/14-percent-world-population-lyme-disease-rcna33279" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">climate</a>&nbsp;change&nbsp;<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/lyme-disease-climate-crisis-ticks-b2136409.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">expanding</a>&nbsp;the range of the ticks that carry it.



There are around 120,000 Lyme disease cases reported in the U.S. and Europe each year and Moderna said the proposed vaccines target key species of the tick-borne bacteria responsible for most infections in the regions.



Vaccinating against bacterial infections like Lyme is generally more complicated than protecting against viral infections like Covid, and the effort marks the first time Moderna has applied its mRNA technology to bacterial threats.



Moderna also announced plans to develop mRNA vaccines targeting norovirus, which is highly contagious and the leading cause of diarrheal disease globally.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-news-peg">NEWS PEG</h2>



Moderna&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statnews.com/2016/09/13/moderna-therapeutics-biotech-mrna/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">struggled</a>&nbsp;for years to commercialize its mRNA technology before achieving stellar success with its Covid-19 vaccine during the pandemic. With demand for those shots waning, it is under intense pressure to diversify its offerings. In addition to respiratory diseases like Covid, flu and RSV, Moderna has shots targeting various cancers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/02/22/moderna-hopes-to-build-on-mrna-tech-used-in-its-covid-shots-by-targeting-genetic-diseases/?sh=76b4f6452692">genetic&nbsp;</a>conditions and infectious diseases like HIV, herpes simplex virus and cytomegalovirus in the pipeline.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h2>



Moderna said it expects six “major vaccine” launches in the “next few years.” On Tuesday, Moderna said it plans to seek regulatory approval for its latest RSV vaccine this quarter. The company pushed back its timeline for its flu shot, however, citing the need to gather more data.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



$15 billion. That’s how much Moderna estimates the annual global market for Covid booster shots is worth. The company said it expects to make up to $9 billion in profit from sales of respiratory products, which include its Covid booster shots and possible upcoming shots for illnesses like RSV.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2023/02/22/moderna-hopes-to-build-on-mrna-tech-used-in-its-covid-shots-by-targeting-genetic-diseases/?sh=76b4f6452692">Moderna Hopes To Build On mRNA Tech Used In Its Covid Shots—By Targeting Genetic Diseases</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/04/06/first-fda-approved-rsv-vaccines-expected-later-this-year-the-top-vaccines-and-their-effectiveness/?sh=7cb25dd65f81">First FDA-Approved RSV Vaccines Expected Later This Year: The Top Vaccines And Their Effectiveness</a> (Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/"></a>By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff

COVID-19 Vaccination in Colombia

Vaccines For Lyme Disease And Norovirus? Moderna Working On Shots Targeting Tick-Borne Infection And Vomiting Bug

In 2018, Oluwatosin Ajibade, better known as Mr Eazi, made the FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 list. The journey to that began in 2016, when Ajibade took the world by storm with his Afrobeats hit single Leg Over.



Following his success as an artist, as a serial entrepreneur and founder of emPawa Africa (a talent incubator program that funds and mentors emerging African artists), Ajibade is back in South Africa. For this interview from his sun-sea-sand base in Cape Town, he talks about his business ventures and upcoming albums.



Q. What can fans expect from your forthcoming albums?



A. A lot of things changed since the last time [FORBES AFRICA] spoke to me [which was when I had just made the 30 Under 30 list]; things even changed for me musically. Part of it has been that I founded something known as Chop Life Ministries. I was tired of doing the same thing; I was bored of the routine, and needed a new challenge. So I went to spend more time working on my entrepreneurial activities… It was like Chop Life (which had a massive turnout in Rwanda and Sweden) is an African Tomorrowland (electronic dance music festival), you know, with me as host and MC. So this album, Chop Life Volume One, which for the first time is dropping on March 31, is like that whole spirit [of Tomorrowland]…



Q. A lot of young people who enter the music industry do not realize they need to understand the business side of things. How important is it to be business-savvy in the entertainment industry?



A. I think in fairness to most artists, they know they need to be savvy, or they want to be savvy, but it&#8217;s not an easy job mixing, you know, the creativity and the business because both are actually creative endeavors. And both take a toll on the mind. You must write this record and you must focus on writing these beautiful melodies and focus on representing yourself as a creative, as an artist, and as a superstar. But at the same time, you still have to be thinking about some emails, being on some Zoom calls and all of those things. But I feel my talent really is creating stuff. Whether it&#8217;s in the boardroom, or on the Zoom call, it’s business, it’s music. I was just born to create.



Q. What does the future of music in Africa look like?



A. I think the future for African music is very great. It continues to be a growing market. We see more artists breaking globally, undiluted, which gives more power to the creatives. By power I mean for them to have more freedom to create what they want to create, and then be in a better position to not just take any deal. Because I think it&#8217;s just amazing how 90% of African artists are still independent in some form or the other. So, I think it&#8217;s positive.

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‘I Was Just Born To Create’: Mr Eazi On The Future Of African Music

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



The price of bitcoin rose past $30,000 for the first time since June on Tuesday, as the cryptocurrency continues a rally that has seen its price nearly double since the start of the year.



Bitcoin breached the $30,000 mark for the first time since June 2022 on Tuesday.GETTY IMAGES



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h2>



The price of the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency stood at $30,100 early on Tuesday morning, up more than 6.5% in the previous 24 hours.



The value of bitcoin has risen by more than 80% since the start of the year.



Ether, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency, also saw its value climb on Tuesday as it moved past $1,900 for the first time since August.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



The price of bitcoin nosedived sharply last year after the crypto industry became mired in multiple scandals, including the collapse of the Terra/Luna tokens, the bankruptcies of crypto lender Celsius, and crypto exchange FTX. The reason behind bitcoin’s current recovery is partially attributed to the expectation that upcoming inflation numbers could prompt a pause in the Federal Reserve’s ongoing rate hikes,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/11/bitcoin-tops-30000-for-the-first-time-since-june.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to</a>&nbsp;CNBC. In addition to this, Bloomberg&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-04-11/bitcoin-btc-climbs-to-30-000-for-the-first-time-since-june?srnd=premium-asia" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>, the cryptocurrency’s current lower volume of trading of the cryptocurrency may also be magnifying the surge in prices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">BIG NUMBER</h2>



$68,789.63. This was the price of bitcoin in November 2021, when its value was at an all-time high.



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/"></a>By Siladitya Ray, Forbes Staff

Digital Composite Image Of Cropped Hands Using Computer Keyboard By Bitcoin Icons

Bitcoin Breaches $30,000 For The First Time In Ten Months

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In 2008, while the world marveled over Facebook, the new fascinating platform that would change the way one approaches mass communication, Mutethia ‘Tesh’ Mbaabu’s only thought about Facebook was: “Who built this platform and what is their background? And how can I do something similar?”



Mbaabu set out to learn everything he could about technology and building startups; he read up biographies and profiles of entrepreneurs and consumed news about top startups across the globe. A vision began to form: he wanted to build something as impactful as Facebook, but specific to Africa.



Which is what led to MarketForce, a B2B commerce platform that empowers over 200,000 neighborhood merchants across five African markets to source, order and pay for inventory, access financing and earn more by reselling financial services in their communities.



He seems to have all the support – judging by the number of people who nominated him for this list.



“What makes you so popular?”



“I think it’s because it’s because I represent a young black African entrepreneur who comes from an average family but who has been able to break into the tech ecosystem and raise funding, which is very hard. And then build a company that operates several African companies.”



“Mutethia&#8217;s story is testament to the importance of perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity,” says 2023 30 Under 30 external judge Bright Jaja. “It&#8217;s truly inspiring to see how he has turned his setbacks into opportunities for growth and innovation. In a world where we face so many



challenges, it&#8217;s important to have role models who demonstrate that it&#8217;s possible to make a positive difference and achieve success by pursuing one&#8217;s passions.”



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<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-2023-forbes-under-30-summit-africa">2023 Forbes Under 30 Summit Africa</h2>


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In April 2023, the Under 30 Summit will return to the world’s greatest growth market, Africa. Following the first-ever Forbes Under 30 Summit Africa held in April 2022, the world’s most elite young entrepreneurs and game-changers will again convene in one of the world’s most beautiful countries, Botswana.



Across four days in the country’s capital, Gaborone, we’ll harness the power of entrepreneurial capitalism amid the continent whose growth will help define the 21st century. As with every Under 30 Summit, the social and cultural opportunities will be world-class. You’ll hear from government, venture capital and business role models, providing inspiration for the newest—and next—generation of leaders. We will welcome local performers, chefs and entrepreneurs, allowing us to experience the sounds, cuisine and staples of local culture while engaging in unbeatable networking and pitching opportunities.



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/connect/event/2023-forbes-under-30-summit-africa/?promo=LPAFRICA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">REGISTER HERE</a>

Tag: Coronavirus

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