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Coven Works Launches AI School, Targets 200,000 beneficiaries in 6months
As part of the efforts to democratize and encourage both young people and job seekers to embrace life-long learning and tee of their career pathway in Data Science & Artificial Intelligence, Coven Works Inc has launched into the market its AI school online learning academy which aims at onboarding 200,000 young people/ job seekers from all of the worlds within the first 6 months of its go live into the market.
As an organization hinged on a Japanese business philosophy of continuous improvement, one key element is the ability to create solutions that give an exponential effect on outcomes. Concerning the intensity in the demand for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence skillsets, and the demand for this knowledge keeps growing. Data Science enthusiasts are looking for more cutting edge means to crush time and space to gain the knowledge they need.
Coven Works – An American firm that focuses on raising the workforce for tomorrow is one of the organizations that has been known for right-skilling and upskilling young people across the globe on Data Science and Artificial Intelligence skillsets.
They have been at it since 2018 and have attracted International Affiliations from the likes of Amazon, Google, and Microsoft, Governmental support from Edo State, Ondo State, and the German Government.
With more than 100 Technical Fellows and 2500+ Alumni Network, the organization is set to scale its mandate through this online academy that will give more data enthusiasts and to access its content.at a go.
The initial plan is to admit 200,000 people within 6 months and guide them into a new career pathway in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.
Disregarding what their background might look like – new to technology or not. With the hand holding training within the platform, learners can take the Self-Paced Learning Modules or the Virtual Instructor Lead Path.
While both come with high real-time support from their technical fellows with a lot of accountability structure wired into the Online Learning School, we believe that this platform can fast track the learning rates of participants.
As a way of demonstrating the mantra: “Everyone can learn AI” – Coven Works will be given a two-week window for participants to access the platform for free.
This is for enthusiasts to download free data science resources from the members’ area. While they can upgrade into any of the learning pathways they choose to take.
Already, we have150 beneficiaries who have been given sponsored access to experience this platform. And the feedback has been mind-blowing.
According to Bolaji Yakubu, one of the beneficiaries of the sponsored access to the platform he said “I enjoy the fact that despite the simplified approach the trainers use, I also enjoy the chance I have to go over the classes over and over again.
“I don’t have to battle with Foreign English Accent. By the way, this is my first approach to Coding”.
Also lending his voice to this milestone solution, Dunsin Fatuase – The Country Director of Coven Works said “We believe that it’s not just coincidental that this platform is ready at the time when the world is almost at a standstill, everyone can leverage this platform and learn Artificial Intelligence at a click.”
As Coven Works believes that this solution is an answer to many people’s requests – private, public, and international organizations; they have mentioned that they will drive the adoption of the platform in numerous use cases and drive the results as well.
Coven Works has made provisions for people to access the resources in the members’ sections and the platform will be opened for free by 25th May 2020 till June 7, 2020. With this, interested persons can have access to open sections while they can choose to upgrade when they want.
It’s also interesting to know that there is a multicultural approach to the benefits learners get by using this platform as the platform also hosts participants from North America, Asia, and the UK.
The world is truly borderless and there is no limit to the possibilities for people interested in Data Science, Business Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence can consume local content with a systematic approach and active community to learn from.
visit www.covenworks.com/aischool to get your first share of the resources made available to the public right after you sign up at no cost for now.
As Africa and MENA’s startup ecosystems transition from post-correction resilience into a new phase of disciplined growth, the Africa Startup & VC Landscape Preview (ASVLP 2026) will convene leading founders, investors, policymakers, and ecosystem builders on January 29, 2026, for its second annual, agenda-setting virtual forum.
Following a challenging global venture cycle, 2025 marked a notable rebound across the African ecosystem, with startups raising an estimated $3.2–$3.3 billion over the full year.
The recovery was accompanied by significant structural shifts: Kenya emerged as the leading destination among Africa’s “Big Four” markets for the first time, while Nigeria recorded a year-on-year funding decline, reflecting changing investor preferences, macroeconomic pressures, and a broader recalibration toward capital efficiency and sustainability.
Sectorally, fintech remained the most funded vertical, while climate & energy, AI-enabled solutions, healthtech, and infrastructure-adjacent businesses gained increasing attention. Across Africa and MENA, development finance institutions (DFIs) and family offices played a more pronounced role in anchoring funds, deploying catalytic capital, and supporting blended-finance structures, reshaping how early-stage and growth capital is mobilized.
ASVLP 2026 is designed to translate these data points into forward-looking strategy.
The forum will bring together venture capitalists, angel investors, LPs, DFIs, family offices, founders, corporate leaders, and regulators from Africa, MENA, Europe, and North America to assess 2025 outcomes and chart priorities for 2026.
The program will feature keynotes, fireside chats, panels, and deep-dive roundtables, including discussions on:
· The 2026 Africa & MENA FinTech Landscape, focusing on security, profitability, regulation, and growth frontiers
· Emerging Fund Managers, capital formation, and LP alignment
· Talent, operator depth, and institutional capacity as constraints to scale
· Regulatory evolution and cross-border market integration
A major highlight of ASVLP 2026 will be the Final DealRoom Pitch Session, where a curated group of high-potential startups will present to an experienced panel of investors.
• Founders can apply to pitch via: bit.ly/ASVLP-DR-Founders
• Investors seeking DealRoom access can request entry via: bit.ly/ASVLP-DR-Investors
Confirmed speakers for ASVLP 2026 include Khaled Ismail (HIMangel), Idris Ayodeji Bello (LoftyInc Capital), Zachariah George (Launch Africa), Tosin Faniro-Dada (Breega), Selma Ribica (FirstCircle Capital), Maha Mandour (COREangels MEA), Joe Kinvi (Borderless), Remi Prunier (Orange Ventures MEA), Karima El Hakim (Plug and Play Tech Center), Souheil Guessoum (President, The Confederation of Citizen Employers – Algeria (CAPC)), Remi Prunier (Partner, Orange Ventures, MEA), Maha Mandour (COREAngels MEA), Ali Hussein (President, Kenyan FinTech Association), Patrick Okebu (CIO, Interswitch Group) among other leading voices shaping capital, policy, and innovation across the region.
“The conversation has shifted,” said Uche Aniche, Convener of ASVLP. “It’s no longer about whether capital will return to Africa and MENA, but what kind of capital, deployed with what discipline, and in service of which long-term outcomes. ASVLP exists to help the ecosystem make sense of that transition.”
Participation in ASVLP 2026 is free but strictly by invitation.
Interested participants are encouraged to repost the official announcement on LinkedIn and comment #ASVLP2026 to receive a private registration link. They could also email [email protected] and request invite.
Major social media giants Meta Platforms, TikTok and Alphabet’s YouTube will face a landmark jury trial this week in Los Angeles County Superior Court over allegations that their addictive designs have fuelled a youth mental health crisis, marking the first such case to reach this stage.
Social Media
The pivotal personal injury lawsuit centres on a 19-year-old Californian woman identified as K.G.M., who claims her childhood immersion in Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok—engineered with endless scrolls, autoplay videos, notifications and algorithms—sparked severe anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts.
Dozens of similar suits have surged since 2022 from families, schools and states, accusing the firms of burying internal research on teen harms while prioritising ad revenue through youth-targeted engagement hooks, despite Section 230 protections for user content.
Plaintiffs seek damages and design overhauls, arguing platforms bypassed parents and preyed on vulnerable kids; defendants counter there’s no clinical “social media addiction” diagnosis, no proven causation—kids with issues often use less—and they’ve added safeguards like parental controls and time limits.
Echoing Australia’s under-16 bans, the trial will scrutinise thousands of internal documents, expert testimonies and K.G.M.’s story, potentially expanding tech liability amid debates where studies show complex links, not direct causation, between screen time and disorders like eating issues or self-harm.
A win could mandate warning labels, age gates or algorithm tweaks, reshaping global platforms as U.S. Surgeon General advisories and global scrutiny intensify pressure on Big Tech to prioritise child safety over profits.
Meta is gearing up to trial paid subscription services on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, aiming to diversify revenue streams beyond advertising while maintaining free core access for all users.
Meta
The subscriptions will offer enhanced tools tailored for everyday users, creators, and businesses, including advanced content creation, sharing, and workflow features distinct from the existing Meta Verified verification program. Unlike a uniform rollout, Meta plans varied testing formats per app to match diverse audiences, experimenting with feature bundles based on user feedback to refine the model.
A key element involves integrating Manus, the autonomous agent firm Meta acquired for $2 billion in December, into these apps alongside its enterprise sales. Manus enables complex task automation with minimal input, with early signs like Instagram shortcuts already spotted by reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi.
Video tools feature prominently: Meta’s Vibes short-form video generator in the Meta AI app shifts to freemium, where paid tiers unlock higher monthly creation limits beyond the free baseline. On Instagram, subscriptions could enable unlimited audience lists, non-follower tracking, and anonymous Story views, though specifics for Facebook and WhatsApp remain under wraps.
Drawing from Meta Verified’s 2023 launch—which provides badges, support, and protection mainly for creators—these broader plans target wider appeal amid industry shifts. Ad growth slows against TikTok competition, while Snapchat+ boasts 16 million subscribers at $3.99 monthly, proving demand for value-driven paid perks despite subscription fatigue risks from streaming and storage fees.
Meta will phase tests gradually, prioritizing feedback to shape long-term viability without alienating free users.
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