Sponsors

Pan African Information Communication  Technology Association (“PAICTA”) aims to create an integrated and inclusive digital society and economy in the Africa that improves the quality of life for African citizens. It does this by advocating for Africa’s socio-economic development and sustainability, fostering digital inclusion and increased cooperation in the ICT digital ecosystem, and acting as a digital transformative body for communities, ICT innovation hubs, SME development and sustainability, women, youth, and persons with disabilities. This organization aims to work with governments, corporates, multinationals, public and private organizations, academic institutions to achieve its mandate and purpose. Overall, this organization offers a unique and important unemployed youth digital developmental service in the African continent by promoting digital innovation, IP commercialization, digital transformation, and economic emancipation.

ACM brings together computing educators, researchers, and professionals to inspire dialogue, share resources, and address the field’s challenges. As the world’s largest computing society, ACM strengthens the profession’s collective voice through strong leadership, promotion of the highest standards, and recognition of technical excellence. ACM supports the professional growth of its members by providing opportunities for life‐long learning, career development, and professional networking.

The ACM Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction is the world’s largest association of professionals who work in the research and practice of computer-human interaction. We are an interdisciplinary group of computer scientists, software engineers, psychologists, interaction designers, graphic designers, sociologists, multi-media designers, and anthropologists, just to name some of the domains whose special expertise come to bear in this area. What brings us together is a shared understanding that designing useful and usable technology is an interdisciplinary process, and when done properly it has the power to transform persons’ lives. SIGCHI has close to forty active local chapters across five continents, to promote local support networks for HCI professionals. 

Lelapa.AI is a socially-grounded Africa-centric AI research & product lab built upon three primary intentions, Wisdom, Family and Home: Lelapa is a concentration of Africa’s niche skills in resource efficiency. This wisdom around resource efficiency is imperative for the advancement of AI technology globally – and especially for solving the complex problems posed by the Global South (the Majority World). Lelapa’s mission is to develop technology for the global family. We explore how contemporary challenges can be solved through centering technology on humanism based on relationality – advancing global Responsible AI practices on the continent and beyond. African AI talent needs a home – an opportunity to contribute to solving problems that represent their best interests, in a place that facilitates them doing their best research, without compromising the kind of remuneration warranted by the application of such critical skills. Lelapa is that home.

Tobii is the global leader in eye tracking and pioneer of attention computing. With over 20 years of experience, Tobii develops cutting-edge technology that understands human attention and intent. Through machine learning and advanced signal processing, Tobii decodes head and eye movements, generating valuable insights into what impacts a person’s attention and how it can be interpreted. With offices in Asia, Europe, and North America, Tobii offers solutions for a range of industries, including scientific research, consumer research, training, extended reality, personal computing, healthcare, automotive, and gaming.

The International Network for Post Graduate Students in the Area of ICT4D (IPID) is an academic network doing research in Information and Communication Technology and Development which operates through inter alia support to doctoral as well as masters students. The network is funded by the Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions (SPIDER) which drives digital international development in innovative yet sustainable ways.

The Southern African IPID chapter was established in 2019 by the SARChI Chair in ICT4D, Judy van Biljon, and has since been hosted at the University of South Africa. The chapter hosts seminars, symposiums, and workshops in collaboration with universities in Southern Africa, Eastern Africa and Asia. The events are aimed at empowering novice researchers undertaking their Masters, or PhD studies and at building national and international academic research networks.  The next event will be hosted by Samwel Mwapwele at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) on 15 September 2023. Please contact our chapter administrator Cecile Koopman (ict4d@unisa.ac.za) if you would like to get more information or become involved in any way.