Wrap-Up: Our pick of main stories, Tuesday June 9th, 2015

Nailab Opens up General Applications To the 6th Cycle of its Incubation Program, mobile phones ring changes in Kenya with internet access and Philips in Sh50m hospital facelift. These are just some of the stories in our wrap-up to day to get the rest, read on... Nailab Opens up General Applications To the 6th Cycle of its Incubation Program Kenya-based startup incubator, Nailab has announced it is now accepting applications for the 6th cycle of its startup incubation program. Application is currently on but will be temporarily put on hold on June 12 to allow judges review the applications. The application process will resume by June 30 for the next cycle of intakes and will subsequently run till September, as Nailab indicates that it will be accepting new entrants into the program every three months. Mobile phones ring changes in Kenya with internet access In Kenya, mobile penetration rates are 80 per cent; almost every man and woman on the street has a phone and this tool is changing lives. Many talk about how African countries are “leapfrogging” economic growth stages with the adoption of cellular and internet technologies. Kenyans are embracing mobile internet, given that 99 per cent of new internet connections last year were on mobile phones. Philips in Sh50m hospital facelift Philips East Africa has unveiled an initiative that refurbishes labour, paediatric and newborn wards. Kiambu District Hospital is the first beneficiary in Kenya. The facelift, which will cost Sh50 million, will support the well-being and recovery of expectant mothers and their newborn babies. The project is part of Philips’ annual pan-African ‘Cape Town to Cairo roadshow,’ starting in Cape Town on May 11, 2015. OLX Social Media Awards 2015 launched The 2015 edition of the OLX Kenya Social Media Awards, will be riding on the theme “social media and economic empowerment”. The third edition of the annual awards ceremony was officially launched in Nairobi last week, with the gala set for later this year. TESPOK to retain the operations of Mombasa Internet Exchange Point (MSIXP) Telecommunication Service Providers of Kenya (TESPOK) will continue operating the Mombasa Internet Exchange Point (MSIXP) formerly AMSIX-East Africa solely following the termination of the partnership between TESPOK and Amsterdam Internet Exchange Point (AMS IX) where both operated the AMSIX-East Africa POP (Point of Presence) for one year. SimbaPay launches M-Pesa PayBill SimbaPay has launched a new M-Pesa service which has been dubbed “M-Pesa Paybill.” According to the company, the new payment platform will allow citizens of Kenya to make bill payments whilst abroad.