Podcast appearances and mentions of erik hersman

In this episode, Erik Hersman shares his journey from being a tech advocate in Africa to becoming a key player in the Bitcoin mining space. We discuss the innovative approach of Gridless, a Bitcoin mining company that focuses on utilising stranded energy in rural Africa. Gridless are one of my favourite Bitcoin companies out there, I hope you enjoy this conversation as their work is really important.

In this episode, we discuss the Africa Bitcoin Conference, the passion for Bitcoin and human rights in Africa, and the innovative solutions tackling energy and financial inclusion. Featuring insights from Erik Hersman (Gridless) on energy infrastructure and Charlene Fadirepo on empowering African women through Bitcoin, we uncover how this technology is reshaping lives and creating opportunities for a brighter future. IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN: 00:00 - Intro 02:02 - Why the Africa Bitcoin Conference was so impactful and community-driven. 10:24 - How Erik Hersman and Gridless are solving the energy challenge in rural African communities. 15:21 - The role of Bitcoin in empowering individuals and advancing human rights. 15:36 - Key partnerships and energy sources powering Bitcoin mining in Africa. 21:40 - Secondary effects of energy infrastructure on local villages. 31:41 - Insights into Charlene Fadirepo's four laws to leap and their relevance to Africa's Bitcoin transformation. 43:17 - The financial challenges and systemic inequality historically faced by marginalized communities, and how Bitcoin offers a reset. 49:43 - How education and talent in Africa are driving Bitcoin adoption. 51:30 - Practical ways individuals can contribute to Bitcoin's growth in Africa. BOOKS AND RESOURCES Erik's X Account. Charlene's X Account. Charlene's New Book: The Bitcoin Leap: How Bitcoin is Transforming Africa. Gridless Website. B-Trust Website. ABC Conference Website. Check out all the books mentioned and discussed in our podcast episodes here. Enjoy ad-free episodes when you subscribe to our Premium Feed. NEW TO THE SHOW? Join the exclusive TIP Mastermind Community to engage in meaningful stock investing discussions with Stig, Clay, Kyle, and the other community members. Follow our official social media accounts: X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | | Instagram | Facebook | TikTok. Check out our Bitcoin Fundamentals Starter Packs. Browse through all our episodes (complete with transcripts) here. Try our tool for picking stock winners and managing our portfolios: TIP Finance Tool. Enjoy exclusive perks from our favorite Apps and Services. Stay up-to-date on financial markets and investing strategies through our daily newsletter, We Study Markets. Learn how to better start, manage, and grow your business with the best business podcasts. SPONSORS Support our free podcast by supporting our sponsors: Hardblock Found Unchained The Bitcoin Way Vanta Fintool PrizePicks Onramp SimpleMining TurboTax Fundrise Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://theinvestorspodcastnetwork.supportingcast.fm

Live from Bitcoin Beach in El Zonte, El Salvador, in this episode, I sit down with Erik Hersman, co-founder of Gridless, to talk about how Bitcoin mining is lighting up rural Africa—literally. Erik shares how Gridless uses stranded energy in places like Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia to not only mine Bitcoin but also power homes, schools, and clinics in communities that previously lived without reliable electricity. We dive into why energy is the foundation of human progress, how Bitcoin mining makes small-scale energy projects financially viable, and why this model could work anywhere in the world—including right here in El Salvador. Erik also opens up about his journey from building tech hubs in Africa to transforming energy access through Bitcoin. Find out about how Bitcoin can change lives by bringing power to people who need it most. If you've ever doubted the social impact of Bitcoin, this episode will change your mind. Don't miss it!- MikeSupport and follow Bitcoin Beach:https://twitter.com/Bitcoinbeachhttps://www.instagram.com/bitcoinbeach_sv/https://www.tiktok.com/@livefrombitcoinbeachWeb: https://www.bitcoinbeach.com/Connect with Erik:X: https://x.com/whiteafricanX: https://x.com/GridlessComputeGridless: https://gridlesscompute.com/Browse through this quick guide to learn more about the episode:0:00 - Introduction 1:04 - Why Did Erik Hersman Decide to Visit El Salvador for Bitcoin Insights?  2:10 - How Have Bitcoin Conferences Evolved Over the Years?  3:32 - What Was Erik Hersman's First Impression of El Salvador and Bitcoin Beach?  5:09 - What Is Gridless and How Does It Transform Rural Energy in Africa?  6:27 - How Can Bitcoin Mining Monetize Stranded Energy in Africa?  7:31 - How Does Bitcoin Mining Bring Financial Stability to Energy Providers?  9:13 - Why Did Erik Hersman Start Bitcoin Mining During the Bear Market?  10:07 - How Did Erik Transition from Tech to Bitcoin and Energy Solutions?  12:34 - What Are the Energy Challenges Facing Rural Africa?  14:16 - How Can Bitcoin Mining Create Opportunities in Africa?  18:29 - What Makes Financing Energy Development with Bitcoin Possible?  24:21 - Why Does Bitcoin Mining Make Small Energy Projects Viable?  30:34 - How Does Bitcoin Set Energy Prices and Benefit Rural Communities?  34:55 - What Are Examples of Bitcoin Mining Projects That Help Communities?  37:18 - What Are the Biggest Challenges in Maintaining Bitcoin Miners?  41:33 - What Are the Most Creative Bitcoin Mining Solutions Around the World?  44:02 - What Can We Learn from Large Bitcoin Mining Operations in South America?  53:08 - How Does Energy Access Improve Lives in Developing Regions?  55:41 - Why Do Experts Say Bitcoin Can Drive Global Energy Development?  1:01:47 - What Is the Future Vision for Gridless and Bitcoin-Powered Energy?  1:04:13 - How Does Gridless Plan to Expand Energy Access with Bitcoin Mining?Live From Bitcoin Beach

Harry Sudock is the Chief Strategy Officer at Griid, Will Roberts is the Co-CEO at IREN, Erik Hersman is the CEO of Gridless, Thomas Pacchia is a Board Member of Stronghold, & Dennis Porter is the CEO of Satoshi Action Fund. In this interview, they discuss bitcoin mining sustainability, accessing stranded energy and the halving. – Show notes: https://www.whatbitcoindid.com/podcast/bitcoin-mining-a-paradigm-shift-in-energy This episode's sponsors: IREN - Bitcoin Mining. Done Sustainably. Swan Bitcoin - Invest in Bitcoin with Swan Ledger - State of the art Bitcoin hardware wallet Bitcasino - The Future of Gaming is here Casa - Take control of your digital wealth Consensus - Use code WBD20 to get 20% off your pass

“We have a horrifying shortage of demand for energy, not a shortage of supply whatsoever; we need to have more productive uses for those electrons in a flexible way so that all those revenues can flow back and continue to be reinvested in the broader economy or in the electric system itself.”— Harry SudockHarry Sudock is the Chief Strategy Officer at Griid, Will Roberts is the Co-CEO at IREN, Erik Hersman is the CEO of Gridless, Thomas Pacchia is a Board Member of Stronghold, & Dennis Porter is the CEO of Satoshi Action Fund. In this interview, they discuss bitcoin mining sustainability, accessing stranded energy and the halving.- - - - This episode's sponsors:IREN - Bitcoin Mining. Done Sustainably Swan Bitcoin - Invest in Bitcoin with SwanBitcasino - The Future of Gaming is hereLedger - State of the art Bitcoin hardware walletCasa - Take control of your digital wealthConsensus - Use code WBD20 to get 20% off your pass-----WBD808 - Show Notes-----If you enjoy The What Bitcoin Did Podcast you can help support the show by doing the following:Become a Patron and get access to shows early or help contributeMake a tip:Bitcoin: 3FiC6w7eb3dkcaNHMAnj39ANTAkv8Ufi2SQR Codes: BitcoinIf you do send a tip then please email me so that I can say thank youSubscribe on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | YouTube | Deezer | TuneIn | RSS FeedLeave a review on iTunesShare the show and episodes with your friends and familySubscribe to the newsletter on my websiteFollow me on Twitter Personal | Twitter Podcast | Instagram | Medium | YouTubeIf you are interested in sponsoring the show, you can read more about that here or please feel free to drop me an email to discuss options.

Erik Hersman is a co-founder of Gridless. In this interview, we discuss Africa, focusing on economic issues like inflation, devaluation and people's struggles to make a living. We talk about Bitcoin's potential to create economic opportunities in Africa, the importance of building products that meet the needs of people and provide real value, and the use of mobile money. Finally, we cover Bitcoin mining in Africa and its impact on energy infrastructure. - - - - On previous podcasts, we've had the pleasure of interviewing Erik Hersman to better understand how his company, Gridless, is partnering with East African communities in need of energy to provide subsidised power using Bitcoin mining. Last week we had the incredible honour of being invited to visit one of Gridless's operational sites in Malawi. This will be included in a forthcoming film we will release in 2024. But, we used the opportunity to record another interview with Erik. Being here, in person, allowed us to gain a better understanding of the context and ask relevant questions. We were not just discussing abstract concepts; we were seeing them first-hand and interviewing people on the ground. As per our previous podcast with Femi Longe, this interview has provided us with valuable insights into the Bitcoin story in Africa. We delved into the challenges and complexities of addressing the historical and current inequalities between Western countries and Africa, and why such inequalities are being allowed to perpetuate. Erik and I talk about why there is a belief in the potential of Bitcoin to create economic opportunities in Africa. We covered the challenges of implementing Bitcoin-focused initiatives, the need for a comprehensive plan and how Bitcoin adoption in Africa. Erik emphasized the importance of building products that meet the needs of people and provide value in their lives, rather than creating products based on assumptions or fantasies. We consider some of the plenty of examples of unique innovations utilising Bitcoin across Africa that address real needs. We also cover the concerns of government surveillance of mobile money that Bitcoin could help address. Finally, Erik explained how Gridless has helped communities in Kenya and Malawi increase their usage of hydropower. This has led to financial and energy sustainability for such communities, but more fundamentally, it has also provided families with electricity for the first time. Erik emphasised the amazing potential for Bitcoin mining to bootstrap renewable energy infrastructure in Africa. As he stated “There's nothing to fight against here. It's good for everyone.” - Show notes: https://www.whatbitcoindid.com/podcast/bitcoin-vs-economic-imperialism This episode's sponsors: Iris Energy - Bitcoin Mining. Done Sustainably Bitcasino - The Future of Gaming is here Ledger - State of the art Bitcoin hardware wallet Wasabi Wallet - Privacy by default Unchained - Secure your bitcoin with confidence OrangePillApp - Stack Friends Who Stack Sats SwanBitcoin - Invest in Bitcoin with Swan

“We really have to look at what people need and what people will use, and go to them and do real things that matter in their lives instead of having some fantasy of what we think people will want.”— Erik HersmanErik Hersman is a co-founder of Gridless. In this interview, we discuss Africa, focusing on economic issues like inflation, devaluation and people's struggles to make a living. We talk about Bitcoin's potential to create economic opportunities in Africa, the importance of building products that meet the needs of people and provide real value, and the use of mobile money. Finally, we cover Bitcoin mining in Africa and its impact on energy infrastructure.- - - - On previous podcasts, we've had the pleasure of interviewing Erik Hersman to better understand how his company, Gridless, is partnering with East African communities in need of energy to provide subsidised power using Bitcoin mining. Last week we had the incredible honour of being invited to visit one of Gridless's operational sites in Malawi. This will be included in a forthcoming film we will release in 2024. But, we used the opportunity to record another interview with Erik.Being here, in person, allowed us to gain a better understanding of the context and ask relevant questions. We were not just discussing abstract concepts; we were seeing them first-hand and interviewing people on the ground. As per our previous podcast with Femi Longe, this interview has provided us with valuable insights into the Bitcoin story in Africa.We delved into the challenges and complexities of addressing the historical and current inequalities between Western countries and Africa, and why such inequalities are being allowed to perpetuate. Erik and I talk about why there is a belief in the potential of Bitcoin to create economic opportunities in Africa. We covered the challenges of implementing Bitcoin-focused initiatives, the need for a comprehensive plan and how Bitcoin adoption in Africa. Erik emphasized the importance of building products that meet the needs of people and provide value in their lives, rather than creating products based on assumptions or fantasies. We consider some of the plenty of examples of unique innovations utilising Bitcoin across Africa that address real needs. We also cover the concerns of government surveillance of mobile money that Bitcoin could help address. Finally, Erik explained how Gridless has helped communities in Kenya and Malawi increase their usage of hydropower. This has led to financial and energy sustainability for such communities, but more fundamentally, it has also provided families with electricity for the first time. Erik emphasised the amazing potential for Bitcoin mining to bootstrap renewable energy infrastructure in Africa. As he stated “There's nothing to fight against here. It's good for everyone.”- - - - This episode's sponsors:Iris Energy - Bitcoin Mining. Done Sustainably Bitcasino - The Future of Gaming is hereLedger - State of the art Bitcoin hardware walletWasabi Wallet - Privacy by defaultUnchained - Secure your bitcoin with confidenceOrange Pill App - Stack friends who stack satsSwan Bitcoin - Invest in Bitcoin with Swan-----WBD749 - Show Notes-----If you enjoy The What Bitcoin Did Podcast you can help support the show by doing the following:Become a Patron and get access to shows early or help contributeMake a tip:Bitcoin: 3FiC6w7eb3dkcaNHMAnj39ANTAkv8Ufi2SQR Codes: BitcoinIf you do send a tip then please email me so that I can say thank youSubscribe on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | YouTube | Deezer | TuneIn | RSS FeedLeave a review on iTunesShare the show and episodes with your friends and familySubscribe to the newsletter on my websiteFollow me on Twitter Personal | Twitter Podcast | Instagram | Medium | YouTubeIf you are interested in sponsoring the show, you can read more about that here or please feel free to drop me an email to discuss options.

This week it was my pleasure to interview Erik Hersman of Gridless. He and his co-workers are building bitcoin mining centers in remote parts of Africa working in conjunction with other companies to supply cheap renewable energy (hydropower) to villagers. Not only are they getting quality energy for mining Bitcoin it is improving the lives of the African villagers. A great win-win!BTC Daily Close: $27,929Block height at time of recording 811,314News and Links@whiteafrican@GridlessCompute@GAMA_alliancePodcasting 2.0 Apps Available at http://newpodcastapps.com/ and Value4Value information page available here: https://value4value.info/I can be reached by email at mcintosh@gen-btc.com and on twitter at @McIntoshFinTech. My mastodon handle is @mcintosh@podcastindex.social. I'm also on matrix at @mcintosh1775:matrix.org. Looking forward to hearing from you!Websitehttps://gen-btc.comMusic CreditsProtofunk by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4247-protofunkLicense: https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseThe following music was used for this media project:Music: Ethernight Club by Kevin MacLeodFree download: https://filmmusic.io/song/7612-ethernight-clubLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist website: https://incompetech.com

On today's episode we are joined by Erik Hersman, co-founder of Gridless, and discuss sustainable energy generation in Africa and what Gridless is doing to propel bitcoin mining forward. Today's episode is sponsored by Trust Machines, building the largest ecosystem of applications on Bitcoin. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Trust Machines Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Tune in live every Tuesday from 2PM Eastern to 3PM. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy our NFT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join our Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Give us your thoughts on the show by leaving a rating. -- DISCLAIMER: You should never treat any opinion expressed by the hosts of this content as a recommendation to make a particular investment, or to follow a particular strategy. The thoughts and commentary on this show are an expression of the hosts' opinions and are for entertainment and informational purposes only. This show is never financial advice.

This conversation was recorded at Bitcoin Park's September 2023 Open House, a monthly meetup event at Bitcoin Park in Nashville, TN featuring panel discussions on various Bitcoin-focused topics. September 2023's Open House topic: Working In Bitcoin Recorded: September 13, 2023 with: Erik Hersman, CEO - Gridless Compute Rockstar Dev, Open Source Core Contributor - BTCPayServer Christian Keroles, Former COO - Bitcoin Magazine Rod @bitkite, Co-Founder - Bitcoin Park Bitcoin Park is a community supported campus in Nashville, TN focused on grassroots bitcoin adoption and a home for bitcoiners to work, learn, collaborate, and build. Our aim is to produce and publish conversations from future events, so please like and subscribe on your favorite podcasting app to stay up to date. To learn more, please visit and join: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bitcoinpark.com⁠⁠ and/or join our Discord where we are most active: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bitcoinpark.com/discord⁠⁠  Bitcoin Park: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/bitcoinpark_⁠⁠ Odell: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ODELL⁠⁠ Rod @bitkite: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/bitkite Bitcoin Park Telegram: ⁠⁠https://bitcoinpark.com/telegram⁠⁠ Bitcoin Park on nostr: ⁠⁠https://bitcoinpark.com/nostr

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Erik Hersman, co-founder of Gridless Mining, explains how the company is using spare power from independent power producers in Africa to set up bitcoin mines, and explores whether private solar power in SA can be turned to profit. Moneyweb Crypto news articles

Erik Hersman is the co-founder of Gridless, & Marshall Long is the Head of Architecture for Rhodium Enterprises. In this interview, we discuss Bitcoin in Africa: the need, the use and the support the wider community can give. We also talk about energy poverty in Africa, Bitcoin's role in supporting mini-grids, and how Gridless's business model & Marshall's financing plan accelerate this process. - - - - There are around 800 million people in the world without access to electricity. Around 75`% of those live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Given populations are distributed over vast areas in Africa, and governments have limited access to capital, grid connections can be economically unviable. But mini-grids are also challenging because of the difficulty of getting a return on the high initial investment costs: demand in these poor communities takes time to build. To date, the only option has been well-meaning but unsustainable charitable ventures that can have unintended negative second-order effects. But then Bitcoin mining showed how curtailed energy can be monetised, and a problem has suddenly become an opportunity. It is estimated Africa could produce 2.5 million terawatt hours of wind and solar energy per year (the US uses around 4,000 terawatt hours of energy per year). The business opportunity is huge. In the fascinating interview, Eric Hesman of Gridless discusses how his company is partnering with communities in need of energy to provide subsidised power. Marshall Long sets out how his family office is helping with much-needed finance for energy projects in Africa that utilise Bitcoin mining. Together they set out the transformational impact such initiatives could have for the continent.

“There's a new way to think about this as a new paradigm for energy in Africa, you bundle the mini-grids and the Bitcoin mining together, and you get your return on investment in seven years instead of 20, or, if ever because they weren't sustainable.”— Erik HersmanErik Hersman is the co-founder of Gridless, & Marshall Long is the Head of Architecture for Rhodium Enterprises. In this interview, we discuss Bitcoin in Africa: the need, the use and the support the wider community can give. We also talk about energy poverty in Africa, Bitcoin's role in supporting mini-grids, and how Gridless's business model & Marshall's financing plan accelerate this process.- - - - There are around 800 million people in the world without access to electricity. Around 75`% of those live in Sub-Saharan Africa. Given populations are distributed over vast areas in Africa, and governments have limited access to capital, grid connections can be economically unviable. But mini-grids are also challenging because of the difficulty of getting a return on the high initial investment costs: demand in these poor communities takes time to build. To date, the only option has been well-meaning but unsustainable charitable ventures that can have unintended negative second-order effects. But then Bitcoin mining showed how curtailed energy can be monetised, and a problem has suddenly become an opportunity. It is estimated Africa could produce 2.5 million terawatt hours of wind and solar energy per year (the US uses around 4,000 terawatt hours of energy per year). The business opportunity is huge.In the fascinating interview, Eric Hesman of Gridless discusses how his company is partnering with communities in need of energy to provide subsidised power. Marshall Long sets out how his family office is helping with much-needed finance for energy projects in Africa that utilise Bitcoin mining. Together they set out the transformational impact such initiatives could have for the continent. - - - - This episode's sponsors:Iris Energy - Bitcoin Mining. Done Sustainably Ledn - Financial services for Bitcoin hodlersBitcasino - The Future of Gaming is hereLedger - State of the art Bitcoin hardware walletWasabi Wallet - Privacy by defaultUnchained - Secure your bitcoin with confidence-----WBD675 - Show Notes-----If you enjoy The What Bitcoin Did Podcast you can help support the show by doing the following:Become a Patron and get access to shows early or help contributeMake a tip:Bitcoin: 3FiC6w7eb3dkcaNHMAnj39ANTAkv8Ufi2SQR Codes: BitcoinIf you do send a tip then please email me so that I can say thank youSubscribe on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | YouTube | Deezer | TuneIn | RSS FeedLeave a review on iTunesShare the show and episodes with your friends and familySubscribe to the newsletter on my websiteFollow me on Twitter Personal | Twitter Podcast | Instagram | Medium | YouTubeIf you are interested in sponsoring the show, you can read more about that here or please feel free to drop me an email to discuss options.

Erik Hersman, CEO of Gridless, joins Josh and Dan to discuss how Bitcoin mining can improve Africa. Erik is a serial entrepreneur who has founded and led several successful companies, including iHub and BRCK. He is now the CEO of Gridless, a company that is using Bitcoin mining to improve access to electricity in rural Africa. In this conversation, Erik discusses the challenges of providing electricity to rural Africa and how Bitcoin mining can help to address these challenges. This is an important conversation for anyone who is interested in the future of Bitcoin and its potential to improve the lives of people around the world. Other topics covered include: African life Bitcoin assisting energy generation Dan's experience with prison wallets How Gridless is improving African grids How energy waste can be monetized Lifting Africa without a handout BCB Pod disclaimer here Watch video of this chat on YouTube here ITEMS MENTIONED: Gridless iHub BRCK Ushahidi SHOW SPONSORS: BITCOIN 2024: promo code “BCB24” for 10% off tickets early bird ticket sales for Nashville, July 25-27, 2024 b.tc/conference SWAN — The place we choose to buy Bitcoin. Dollar cost average daily, weekly or monthly with a company that's Bitcoin only and encourages you to hold your own private keys. Visit Swan.com. For Swan PREMIUM FREE go to https://www.swanbitcoin.com/premium/blue-collar-bitcoin-experience-swan-premium-for-free/ and use PASSWORD: bluecollarbitcoin COINKITE — PROMO CODE “BCB” for discount on ColdCard. Industry leaders in Bitcoin security hardware and fun devices, makers of the COLDCARD and other prominent items including opendime, satscard, tapsigner, the seedplate, coldpower, blockclock mini & blockclock micro. All available at coinkite.com START9 — Sovereign computing. Take back control of your data. Run a Bitcoin & Lightning node. Embassy One: A small uncompromising personal server, capable of running BTC Core. Embassy Pro: The most powerful, secure, and reliable private server in the world. Visit Start9.com CROWDHEALTH BTC — Use CODE BLUE to get 1st 3 months massively reduced at $99/month. Harness the Power of Bitcoin + Health Care. Join other Bitcoiners on a crowdfunding platform while accumulating Bitcoin in the process. Bitcoin specific crowd joincrowdhealth.com/bitcoin SUPPORT THE BCB PODCAST: Podcast 2.0 streaming on our favorite pod app, Fountain: You can earn & stream sats on Lightning Network while listening to pods! Also share and listen to standout clips with the Fountain community. SOCIAL MEDIA Twitter: you can follow us @blue_collarbtc, follow Erik @whiteafrican Blue Collar Bitcoin on NOSTR: npub1a3hrd4wfawr578d5y5l0qgmh7lx8q6tumfq0h7eymmttt52veexqkcfg37 Video on YouTube, Subscribe Here EMAIL: Send questions or comments to bluecollarbitcoinpodcast@gmail.com

Erik Hersman is the CEO of Gridless, a bitcoin mining company that leverages bitcoin production to make mini grids and last mile energy production economically viable in Africa. The company has pilots in Kenya and Malawi and recently raised a seed round led by Block and Stillmark. In this episode, NLW and Erik talk about their shared social entrepreneurship background, how Erik and Gridless came to bitcoin, and how bitcoin transforms energy economics around the world.    Bitcoin Builders is produced and hosted by Nathaniel Whittemore. Lead researcher is Scott Hill. Edited by Kyle Barbour-Hoffman. Images by Midjourney. Theme music is "Everybody Dance" by True Ripper, licensed via Track Club. Ad music is "Easy's First Tiger" by Bossfight   To join the discussion: bit.ly/breakdownpod Thanks to our sponsor: In Wolf's Clothing // Wolf is the first startup accelerator focused exclusively on Bitcoin and Lightning // Learn more at wolfnyc.com 

Erik Hersman is an entrepreneur and the co-founder of Gridless. In this interview, we discuss how half of all Africans are without access to electricity, the affordability issue affecting the rest who do have access, and how Gridless aims to alleviate this situation by helping to build out cheap sources of stranded renewable energy. - - - - Africa has an energy problem. It has been estimated that the continent has the potential to produce approximately 2.5 million terawatt hours of energy per year from solar and wind energy. To put that into context, the US uses around 4,000 terawatt hours of energy per year. And yet, approximately half of all Africans lack access to electricity. Furthermore, a large number of those with access struggle with the relatively high costs. There are a multitude of reasons why this situation has been allowed to develop. But, despite the focus of major NGOs and developed nations, the issue is getting worse: whilst access to electricity is increasing around the world, it is declining in sub-Saharan Africa. And, without access to energy, any plans to improve Africa's economic future will always be constrained. While some have seen this as a tremendous challenge, others have recognised it as a tremendous opportunity. Whilst the issue of stranded renewable energy was being mitigated by Bitcoin mining, the costs for the associated equipment were prohibitively high. That was until last year when the problems that beset the mining industry in the US, opened the doors for those looking to harness the power of Bitcoin mining in Africa when the price of ASICs dropped sharply. The thesis is simple: Bitcoin miners help subsidise the build-out of mini-grids, providing electricity to dispersed and remote communities. As supply and demand find an economic equilibrium, the Bitcoin miners can be redeployed and the process starts in a new location. It is a market-driven solution that provides a return to all stakeholders. The aim is to catalyse the electrification of Africa. It may result in Africa becoming a new home to Bitcoin miners.

“There's 600 million people in Africa that don't have access to electricity. That's a lot. That's two-thirds of the world's total that don't have access to electricity that's here. And so what we all should be trying to do is focus on how can we help electricity proliferate across this continent. Bitcoin mining just happens to be the missing link.”— Erik HersmanErik Hersman is an entrepreneur and the co-founder of Gridless. In this interview, we discuss how half of all Africans are without access to electricity, the affordability issue affecting the rest who do have access, and how Gridless aims to alleviate this situation by helping to build out cheap sources of stranded renewable energy.- - - - Africa has an energy problem. It has been estimated that the continent has the potential to produce approximately 2.5 million terawatt hours of energy per year from solar and wind energy. To put that into context, the US uses around 4,000 terawatt hours of energy per year. And yet, approximately half of all Africans lack access to electricity. Furthermore, a large number of those with access struggle with the relatively high costs.There are a multitude of reasons why this situation has been allowed to develop. But, despite the focus of major NGOs and developed nations, the issue is getting worse: whilst access to electricity is increasing around the world, it is declining in sub-Saharan Africa. And, without access to energy, any plans to improve Africa's economic future will always be constrained.While some have seen this as a tremendous challenge, others have recognised it as a tremendous opportunity. Whilst the issue of stranded renewable energy was being mitigated by Bitcoin mining, the costs for the associated equipment were prohibitively high. That was until last year when the problems that beset the mining industry in the US, opened the doors for those looking to harness the power of Bitcoin mining in Africa when the price of ASICs dropped sharply. The thesis is simple: Bitcoin miners help subsidise the build-out of mini-grids, providing electricity to dispersed and remote communities. As supply and demand find an economic equilibrium, the Bitcoin miners can be redeployed and the process starts in a new location. It is a market-driven solution that provides a return to all stakeholders. The aim is to catalyse the electrification of Africa. It may result in Africa becoming a new home to Bitcoin miners.- - - - This episode's sponsors:Gemini - Buy Bitcoin instantlyLedn - Financial services for Bitcoin hodlersBitcasino - The Future of Gaming is hereFidelity - Careers in cryptoLedger - State of the art Bitcoin hardware walletWasabi Wallet - Privacy by default-----WBD607 - Show Notes-----If you enjoy The What Bitcoin Did Podcast you can help support the show by doing the following:Become a Patron and get access to shows early or help contributeMake a tip:Bitcoin: 3FiC6w7eb3dkcaNHMAnj39ANTAkv8Ufi2SQR Codes: BitcoinIf you do send a tip then please email me so that I can say thank youSubscribe on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | YouTube | Deezer | TuneIn | RSS FeedLeave a review on iTunesShare the show and episodes with your friends and familySubscribe to the newsletter on my websiteFollow me on Twitter Personal | Twitter Podcast | Instagram | Medium | YouTubeIf you are interested in sponsoring the show, you can read more about that here or please feel free to drop me an email to discuss options.

Bitcoin mining has long been seen as a form of energy intensive process. According to a Bloomberg report, some studies estimate that the annual energy consumption involved in mining exceeded the amount used by countries such as Belgium.  But did you know, one startup called Gridless is taking advantage of this energy intensive process to unlock cheaper and more sustainable sources of energy in Africa? Here's how it works. Africa is a haven for renewable energy but a lot of it has not been harnessed due to the costs involved in building the infrastructure needed to make them usable.  With Bitcoin miners looking to find ways to access energy at lower costs to create new tokens, Gridless is co-locating miners with renewable sources to create a financial incentive for renewable power production in Africa.  On Market View, Prime Time's finance presenter Chua Tian Tian spoke with Erik Hersman, Co-founder and CEO of Gridless on the road ahead for the business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Arguably the most important step in digital and financial inclusion is getting people online in the first place. The largest provider of free public wifi in sub-Saharan Africa is BRCK, a truly remarkable Kenyan start-up that has grown from its revolutionary first BRCK v1 to a SupaBRCK to connect rural villages in Rwanda to its brilliant Moja free public wifi. Co-founder Erik Hersman, who also co-launched renowned tech firm Ushahidi and the iHub in Nairobi, tells Stuff Studios editor-in-chief Toby Shapshak about why the internet should always be free. Read more on Stuff Studios.

Erik Hersman, co-founder and CEO of BRCK (a 'backup generator for the internet'), technologist, investor, writer, Marine, and advocate of technological and entrepreneurial innovation in Africa, joins Michael on the podcast today. “I like solving big problems, and there’s big problems to solve.” - Erik HersmanThey discussed Erik’s amazing life growing up in South Sudan and Kenya, the surprisingly difficult cultural transition he faced when moving back to the United States for college, and his spectacular entrepreneurial career.Erik is an incredibly humble man, particularly for someone who has accomplished so much in his life. He displays a quiet kind of grit, one that’s infectious in a different way than we usually see from the flashy and charismatic leaders of Instagram. But make no mistake, Erik is an absolute world-class leader.In this episode Michael and Erik talked about:What Betting on Yourself means to himThe culture shock of moving from Africa to AmericaHis drive to build his own companyWhat it takes to build something meaningfulFacing failure, then going at it againHow COVID affected his businessWhat drew him to entrepreneurshipHow he looks for opportunitiesThe immense talent that’s waiting for the world in AfricaThe future of technology in AfricaThe absolute necessity of entrepreneurshipIf you're a fan of the show don’t forget to follow to hear new episodes and Rate or Review us wherever you tune in!To ask a question, read the transcript, or learn more, visit MichaelRedd.com.Resources:Erik Hersman on TwitterMichael Redd on Instagram

It ends here. Well not really. Erik Hersman on what is now, and what will be the next thing he works on. And the other important conversation that will be had in time...Music: Sun El Musician: Ntaba Ezikunde (feat. Simmy)

How do you sit with yourself when the product you thought about in the forest, that was coded overnight for starters, has founders that have met once in person and has a "strange name" is deployed in the largest natural disasters in the world? It's like driving in a storm, on the wrong lane, with your car on fire, a bear in the back seat and your tummy having the runs. Well...you get some more tea. And improve the code.Music: Sun El Musician: Ntaba Ezikunde (feat. Simmy)

A big part of the African tech scene was ignited by stories. Many of these stories were synonymous with ambition, adventure and the grit that led to success, when forcing your way through stereotypes, privilege and a lack of access that was technology a decade ago. For a continent in a world where was never meant to be for us, we have come a very long way. Many voices were part of the choir and few as loud and glaring as Erik Hersman's keyboard. He tells his story with as little pazazz as possible. But he knows, as do many people in the tech space, there's a lot that would not have happened if the renegades he was a big part of did not exist. Music: Sun El Musician: Ntaba Ezikunde (feat. Simmy)

The man leading BRCK, a team of dedicated individuals trying to connect Africa to the internet. BRCK is a rugged wireless WiFi device designed and engineered in Kenya for use throughout the emerging markets. He is also a co-founder of iHub, Nairobi's innovation hub for the tech community, and co-founder of Ushahidi, the free and open-source software for crowdsourcing crisis information.—Recorded live at the global event in Cardigan, west Wales in 2019.Watch Erik's full talk here: www.thedolectures.com/talks/erik-hersman-its-possible-to-do-hard-things-in-difficult-places

Frank Gruber catches up with John Guidos and the two discuss Frank’s recent trip to Chicago where he was the keynote speaker at the NASA iTech event and his reconnecting with Jonathan Ozeran at Tempus. There’s a lot to celebrate this time around, so they discuss some of those latest happenings. The discussion was loosely based on the latest newsletter which is shared below.  I was in sweet home Chicago last week to speak at the NASA iTech event. It was great to be back in my hometown to share and debunk “Startup Myths” with this keynote talk. While in town I also caught up with Jonathan Ozeran at Tempus. We reconnected over my last email update and he invited me over to show me around. Tempus is a technology company that has built the world’s largest library of clinical and molecular data and an operating system to make that information accessible and useful for patients, physicians, and researchers. I got a tour of the Tempus office which is in the old Montgomery Wards building which is also home to Groupon and others. It’s pretty impressive to see the labs and medical work being done by a startup in a corporate environment. While the facilities were impressive, it was a simple sign in the men’s restroom that explained the importance of “daily gratitude” that left the most lasting impression of this company in my mind. Gratitude can change everything. What are you thankful for?   Lots of exciting news and articles this time so get ready… here. we. go!!!  Celebrating (People in My Network) —Gavin Purcell is taking over as showrunner at ‘Tonight’ show for John Bell who is leaving NBC.  —Meredith Fineman on the pre-order of her new book titled, Brag Better: Master the Art of Fearless Self-Promotion coming out in May 2020. Learn how to talk about your accomplishments and champion yourself – because no one is going to tell your story for you. —Aubrie Pagano the co-founder of Bow & Drape on her company being acquired by Win Brands Group.  —Max Crowley on cofounding the new beverage bar and app called Bandit which is currently serving customers in midtown Manhattan.  —Arlan Hamilton of Backstage Capital also has a book coming out in May 2020 titled, It’s About Damn Time: How To Turn Being Underestimated Into Your Greatest Advantage. —Emily Slade and her co-founders Kobie Fuller and Lamer Walker on the launch of Valence, a new tech platform and community focused on connecting Black professionals globally with mentorship, job opportunities, and capital.  —Leslie Jump on her company Different Funds with support from Schmidt Futures announces a new effort to increase capital for scientific entrepreneurs. —Erik Hersman launches BRCK, free Wi-Fi, in South Africa. —Maya Baratz is helping to bring Founders Factory to the US with NYC version.  —Steve Jang and Kanyi Maqubela launch a new firm, Kindred Ventures, to form and fund startups.  —Eric Lunt is joining VSCO the photography app and community as Director of Engineering in Chicago.  —Jamie Amaral on the launch of the children’s clothing brand, The Simple Folk, offering organic and high quality play clothes for the wild-hearted minimalist.  Listening My personal podcast, Somewhat Frank, is back! Special thanks to my old friend and colleague Johnny “Goodtimes” Guidos for his help in the refreshed new podcast format and co-hosting the show with me. If you haven’t heard it before take a listen on Apple or Google or wherever you listen to Podcasts. We’ll be talking more depth about some of the things I’m highlighting in these updates. Reading Has time changed? —The 2010s Have Broken Our Sense Of Time Another way to fast. —‘Dopamine fasting’ is a new Silicon Valley trend, but some people are already taking it too far Alone time is important. —Why You Should Find Time to Be Alone With Yourself Grabbing drinks may be a thing of the past. —Alcohol consumption will soon follow smoking and meat-eating in becoming a social evil Great insights on how Dick’s Sporting Goods turned from mom and pop shop to larger retailer. —Why Ed Stack of Dick’s Sporting Goods stood up to the gun lobby Automated home systems are not uncompromisable. —Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa can be hijacked with a $14 laser pointer to open garage doors, start cars, and shop online Katie Couric talks with Dr. Hyman who equated Impossible Burgers to Twinkies. —Are Impossible Burgers healthy? This is not to be ignored. —More than 11,000 scientists declare a “climate emergency” 4 Day work week anyone? —Microsoft experimented with a 4-day workweek, and productivity jumped by 40% Unlimited means unlimited!!! —AT&T Fined $60M for Throttling Unlimited Data Plans Congrats to our 2019 Startup of the Year! —This Military Captain Is Changing The World With 3D Printing Technology Robot delivery is invading college campuses. —Burrito Delivered by Bot, as Long as Students Don’t Trap Don’t drink the water on airplanes! —Water on most US airlines is unsafe says study And so it begins. —Japan approved experiments that would allow for animal-human hybrids to be born for the first time ever Breast cancer drug could be on it way —How A Trial Vaccine Helped Wipe Out A Woman’s Breast Cancer In 7 Months Scary stuff. —China is exporting killer drone robots to Mideast This is motivating for anyone who’s younger than 82 years old and hasn’t gotten their plunkers going to pedal one million miles yet – there is still time! —He’s done it! 82-year-old cyclist ‘overwhelmed’ as he hits one million miles Eureka! —Blind Man Sees Birthday Candles Again Thanks To Bionic Eye Watching With the launch of Disney+ this past week coupled with a bunch of travel without Wi-Fi, I had a chance to catch up on Mandalorian, the new original Star Wars series. It is well done and I highly recommend it. I don’t want to spoil it so I’ll leave it at that. And of course, we’re going to see Frozen 2 today with our little one because it has been a long-awaited return to the big screen for this epic Disney tale of mystery and adventure.  Traveling In the last three weeks, I’ve been in DC, Chicago, Shreveport, Atlanta, and Philly. The next couple of weeks I’ll be in warmer weather in southwest Florida, before retreating to southern Maine to take in the annual Christmas Prelude – so if you’re going to be in the area too, please let me know. Thank you for listening and remember, as Frank always says, “Sharing is caring. Positive vibes only. Bring happiness to life. I’m thankful for you.” Get updates like this right in your inbox before they hit the web by subscribing to the newsletter here.  

This week on the Finding Impact Podcast, we are continuing our second series on hardware entrepreneurs, this one with Mike Hahn of PayGo Energy about his hardware development journey. This is the first episode in our second 3-part series on invention-based entrepreneurs, supported by The Lemelson Foundation. The series aims to provide unique insights into some of the challenges and workarounds faced by entrepreneurs creating hardware products in emerging markets. As many will know, from episode 44 with Mike's Co-Founder Fausto, PayGo Energy has created a smart meter that sits on an LPG gas cylinder, that lets customers pay on a PAYG basis. On this podcast, you will learn: How the idea of PayGo came about: started in 2015 with an observation that, on a daily basis, lots of people were lining up at petrol stations to buy kerosene or diesel fuel for cooking and they were bringing small vessels to carry this fuel home, despite there being a liquified petroleum gas (LPG) option 10 meters away. This spurred our question about why aren't people cooking with LPG? It's clean, fast, and convenient. This idea came about while all of the co-founders were working for different organizations within the informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya.  What their first basic prototype looked like: technical discovery "can we turn gas on and off with a text message?" How their diverse group of co-founders with diverse skill sets helped: technology development, understanding the market/operations, etc. and this blend of personalities and experiences gave them an advantage early on. For their first prototype they used BRCK components (see episode 111 with Erik Hersman, Co-founder of BRCK https://findingimpact.com/fip-111-hardware-entrepreneurs-3-3-creating-a-modem-cum-router-device-aimed-at-solving-last-mile-connectivity-issues-in-africa-with-erik-hersman/)  in order to test how to get some level of accuracy of measuring gas vapor (actual flow) to the stove, and then send that data remotely to a server while including the ability to shut that gas flow off.  Why he uses SolidWorks for designs and recommends GrabCad for downloading files that other people have made based off of the real object. It makes it easy to plug into My Assembly so you can build something around it, and spatially you are in the right ballpark.  Why he decided to buy a 3D printer instead of using 3D printing services: it's incredibly fast and convenient to do it by yourself, especially if you aren't sure how many iterations will be needed, and you're learning about the design as you're making it.  How they raised their seed round: having a physical prototype and a real functioning unit in someone's home along with comprehensive market research and a business modeling effort prepared them for that seed round. Also having a couple backers from very early before the seed round helped instill confidence.  When working with manufacturers it's a good indicator when you get to meet directly with the CEO.  Advice for those in the hardware development process: get yourself into it, fake it until you make it. (But his design background at Rhode Island School of Design also helped.) Don't be afraid to ask for help. Talk to people, work with in the past who are willing to pick up the phone. i.e. how to do contract with a contract manufacturer.  Links to resources: PayGo Energy https://www.paygoenergy.co/  SolidWorks http://www.solidworks.com/  GrabCAD https://grabcad.com/ Connect with Mike: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mhahndesign/  Twitter https://twitter.com/paygo_energy?lang=en 

This is part three of a 3-part series on invention-based entrepreneurs, supported by The Lemelson Foundation. The series aims to provide unique insights into some of the challenges and workarounds faced by entrepreneurs creating hardware products in emerging markets. This third part episode is with Erik Hersman, co-founder of BRCK, which creates a modem-cum-router device aimed at solving last-mile connectivity issues in Africa. We're going to talk about the early prototypes, how they funded manufacturing and validated the market, some of the challenges they had along the way, and how the product evolved into what it is today. On this episode you'll learn:  Erik's mantra about why “Experience is knowing what not to do.” “Managing expectations.” It took 15-16 months to get a prototype working, then another 12-18 months to build it for the market. It could be done quicker if you: 1) really know what you're doing (ie. what materials should be used, 2) if you're well capitalized (have the money), and 3) if you're not based in Africa (increases costs and time). How to validate the market to make sure people will buy it? Kickstarter, the crowdfunding platform, is a great way to find out. Raised $170,000 then created a for-profit company to raise additional capital. Early stage companies (particularly in hardware) have to find a balance of when to pull the trigger on shipping. Internal message was that it is not acceptable to miss deadlines. External message to stakeholders that you try to deliver when you say you're going to. Some of the initial problems (that went wrong) and why initial timelines were pushed back: “end of life” manufacturer (ie. they don't make it anymore), testing at scale, user experience, etc. Internal conversation within the company on whether they are solving the real problem of how do you get people online? Resulted in business model innovation (more so than technology innovation) which led to Moja wifi in Kenya and Rwanda which serves up free internet to half a million people. Linear versus non-linear growth: when you're getting venture backed finance or choose to take venture funding, they are looking for non-linear growth. Why they became a vertically integrated company—discovered value in building everything in house—helps with risk mitigation, agility, and the ability to respond to customer needs. How Moja wifi is funded. What Erik knows now that he wished he knew back then: Realize earlier that they needed to build a platform on top of the hardware since the hardware is just a means to an end. Focus more capital on the super brck earlier (their next generation device) since it was delayed 6 months. Hiring the right people: maybe hired too fast in some positions and didn't get the right people.  Links to Resources: Company website https://www.brck.com/ Connect with Erik: Email: Info@brck.com Twitter https://twitter.com/brcknet?lang=en

"I think this is just the beginning of a revolution in terms of what internet can do for society," said David Bunei, Cisco's country manager for East Africa. "The more we have low-cost devices that are able to access WiFi, the more we'll see society shifting economically as well as socially." Across the African continent, low-cost or free public WiFi services are playing a key role in bridging the digital divide - as tech giants and startups alike find innovative solutions for the unique challenges that Africa presents. Along the way, they are helping to jump start a far-reaching cultural and economic transformation. In this podcast, Connected Futures executive editor Kevin Delaney speaks with a number of experts with hands-on experience connecting the unconnected in Africa, particularly through WiFi. Featuring: Kendall Ananyi, founder and CEO of Tizeti, which is building solar-powered WiFi towers in African countries. David Bunei, Cisco's country manager for East Africa Gordon Feller, founder of Meeting of the Minds, a knowledge-sharing platform for connected technologies and smart cities Erik Hersman, CEO of BRCK, a Nairobi-based startup that's bringing public WiFi to a number of African countries. Olakunle Oloruntimehin, general manager in Nigeria for Cisco, Steve Song, communications entrepreneur who has written extensively about connectivity in Africa

Technologist. Blogger. TED fellow. Serial Entrepreneur. Passionate advocate and patron of Africa’s tech startups. Erik Hersman is a well-known elder of Kenya’s tech scene, having helped to found some of Kenya’s leading tech companies and ecosystem institutions. In response to the outbreak of post electoral violence in Kenya in 2008, he set up with three other co-founders Ushahidi, a crowdsourcing mapping tool deployed in crisis situations. In 2010, he founded the iHub, Nairobi’s innovation hub, which is the nexus for Kenya’s entrepreneurs, hackers, designers, researchers and investors. In 2014, he helped to set up BRCK, a manufacturer of a rugged Internet router for Africa and a provider of free Internet via its Moja service. He spends most of his time at BRCK these days where he’s CEO. He also helped to found Gearbox, a hub for hardware development, and is a principal at Savannah Fund, an African venture capital fund. He is the founder of the influential Africa technology blogs, The White African, and Afrigadget. Erik is also a Senior Ted Fellow and Pop!Tech Social Innovation Fellow. You can connect with Erik at @White_African on Twitter.

Episode 006 of Young African Entrepreneur features Nivi Sharma,  Managing Director of BRCK and co-founder of eLimu. You can connect with Nivi at @AmkaKenya on Twitter “You can do hard things” is the motto painted on the main wall of the famed iHub in Nairobi, Kenya. And it’s a message that Nivi has taken to heart in her impassioned quest to use technology to improve education. She got the idea for her first edtech startup after bumping into a government official outside an elevator. He had just gotten back from India, which was rolling out affordable educational tablets for schools. And, why couldn’t Kenya do the same? He wondered. And that’s exactly what Nivi set off to do. In 2010, she and her partner Marie Githinji founded eLimu – which has become the leading digital educational content provider in East Africa. Five years later, Nivi stepped away from an active role in eLimu to join BRCK as president and managing director of its education division. BRCK is a hardware provider with a wonderfully audacious goal: connecting Africa to the Internet. I had a great conversation with Nivi.I had a great conversation with Nivi. We talked about her early days at the iHub, the critical importance of teacher engagement in any edtech company, and BRCK's "infrastructure as a service" approach. She also shares what she’s learned from iHub founder Erik Hersman who is an invaluable mentor. Without further ado, here’s my conversation with Nivi Sharma.

The second part of my conversation with Erik Hersman looks at how Africa is becoming the nexus of the tech revolution and what Erik and his team are doing for education. 

I recently had a conversation with Erik Hersman, an African instigator, entrepreneur and innovator whose work is widely recognized among the technology, development and humanitarian communities. And, I’m inviting you to join in. For those of you who don’t know Erik, he co-founded the heroic open source project called Ushahidi (which means "testimony" in Swahili), a crowdsourcing site which launched in 2007. Ushahidi was instrumental in mapping the violent attacks that were taking place during the Kenyan crisis. In 2008 Erik was named a Pop!Tech Social Innovation Fellow and has become a Senior TED Fellow. The backdrop to our conversation for the show is Erik’s latest project: BRCK – a 'portable, rugged, on ramp to the internet for the many who as yet aren’t connected.   Full show notes available at: Instigating.co/4 Episode 4 Released November 9, 2015 Edited by Moondogmarketing.com

When does big become too big? How do you stay nimble and avoid groupthink as your company grows? These are amongst Sam and Simon's ponderings this week as Take Back The Day returns from hiatus. They also discuss entrepreneurial competitiveness, innovation in Africa and why Kenya rocks right now. PEOPLE Erik Hersman Malcolm Gladwell Nassim Taleb BOOKS David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell ORGANISATIONS Dimension Data iHub JoziHub Contextuall OTHER STUFF Dunbar's number The two-pizza rule