🇺🇸 Ain't no "Atlantic Ocean wide enough" 🇺🇸

In a move that's caught our eyes this week, the latest edict from the US administration has directed certain French companies holding U.S. government contracts (and curiously accordinging to recruiters, even those that do not) to cease their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The directive demands these firms certify compliance with Executive Order 14173, titled "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-based Opportunities." 90% of those that have filed an annual report since Trump’s election have cut at least some references to DEI, with many ditching the term entirely with WPP joining the crew this week

While U.S. companies often implement DEI policies that track race and ethnicity data, French law—rooted in secular principles—restricts such data collection, focusing instead on gender and socioeconomic factors. This clash underscores the complexities multinational companies face when navigating divergent legal and cultural landscapes. 

The French Ministry of Foreign Trade has labeled memo distributed by the U.S. embassy as "unacceptable", criticizing it as unwarranted interference in French corporate policies. They assert that France and Europe will defend their businesses, consumers, and values against such external pressures.

Turns out Belgian Deputy PM Jan Jambon went a step further noting “We have no lessons to learn from the boss of America,” she said

You can read more of Reuter's coverage here

👀 The STEM gender gap👀

We saw a report by Linkedin and the World economic forum put together a report highlighting that Gen AI is probably going to make STEM gender gaps bigger🤔

• The white paper points to research from LinkedIn showing that, of the 35.5% who graduated in 2017, only 29.6% of women were still in STEM roles a year later. Drop-off rates have remained similar in the years since then📉

• Women are more likely to be in roles that could be disrupted by AI (57% women v 43% men)🙋🏽‍♀️

• While only 23.5% of those who listed AI engineering skills in their profiles were women in 2018, their share had risen to 29.4%📈

🎨 AI Goes Full Ghibli – And Melts a Few GPUs Along the Way🎨 

It started innocently enough: OpenAI added a new image-generation tool to ChatGPT. Users typed in prompts, and out popped dreamy, Studio Ghibli-style renderings of everything from tech bros to Taylor Swift to political figures riding dragons. Adorable, right? Until it blew up the internet—and maybe a few servers too. (TechCrunch, The Verge)🤖

Ok so lets roll back, what is "Studio Ghibli", Well it is is a Japanese animation studio responsible for making so much of your associations with Anime, look like anime🖼

According to Sam Altman Open AI's CEO, the tool became so popular that OpenAI’s GPUs started “melting”—not literally, but you get the vibe. As a result, they’ve had to put limits on how many images people can generate, proving once again that the internet will always find a way to push a good thing to its limit.😅 

Of course, once the internet starts mass-producing art in the style of a beloved studio, lawyers start paying attention. While you can’t copyright an art style, the line between homage and exploitation is getting blurrier than a Mid Journey background. The worry? That models like ChatGPT’s were trained on copyrighted material without permission. The legal grey zone is looking more like a full fog at this point.🧑🏾‍⚖️

This is where the vibes meet the values. We’re entering a moment where AI isn’t just replicating creativity—it’s commodifying it at scale, and doing it fast. If your cultural style, your aesthetic, or your vibe can be fed into a prompt and spit out in seconds, what does that mean for ownership, credit, or fair pay?🔐

Also, let’s be honest—if OpenAI can break itself over one art trend, what happens when these tools hit the mainstream in education, business, or product design? What happens when folks use Sora to create alternative endings to their favourite shows, and more so that gets uploaded to particular platforms and becomes more popular than the official versions themselves, 

This isn't just about cute images. It's about where AI ends and art begins—and who gets to profit in between.🔏

Well if a Few GPU's melt its not all doom and gloom over at Open AI, as everyone's favourite tech venture backer of first and last resort, Softbank, have you know what, you guessed it, put even more money in😅.

Yep news hit yesterday that the Japanese investor will put $10bn at first into OpenAI and $30bn more by end of 2025 if certain conditions (Probably solvency 😂) are met helping the makers of Chat GPT justify a valuation of $300bn which by some marks makes it the world's second most valuable privately held startup, behind Space X, but probably ahead of Bytedance (Tik Tok owners) (But let's see how that deal scheduled for the end of the week lands👀)💰

So what:?

This viral moment is a glimpse into a much bigger tension: as AI becomes a creative tool for the masses, we're normalising a future where original human expression can be mimicked, scaled, and monetised—without the original creators ever being involved.

• How do we protect cultural and artistic identity in an AI-first world?

• What does "fair use" look like when models can replicate style without stealing a single pixel?

• And perhaps most crucially—how do we ensure that underrepresented creators aren't once again left out of the value chain, as their aesthetic and contributions become training fodder for generative tools?

The tools are evolving fast. The guardrails? Not so much. And if we’re not careful, AI might not just disrupt the creative economy—it might rewrite who gets to participate in it.

🤖 Musk's xAI Gobbles Up X in a $33B Power Move🤖

In a plot twist that only Elon Musk could orchestrate, his AI venture, xAI, has acquired his social media playground, X (formerly Twitter), in an all-stock deal valued at $33 billion. Because when you're Elon, why not play chess with your own companies? 💰

Announced via a characteristically cryptic post on X, Musk detailed that the merger values xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion Musk originally paid $44 billion for Twitter back in 2022. Now, it's been acquired for $33 billion—or as Musk now says, “$45 billion minus $12 billion in debt.”💸

The math might make your head spin, but in Musk's universe, it all adds up... somehow. We think it's probably an opportunity to let those early X(~Twitter) investors have chance to get out🤑

We suppose in part its an opportunity for us to learn about the ability of synthetic data to do the job given the amount of misinformation that appears on that platform.😅 Another Translation is: expect your social media experience to get a hefty dose of AI, whether you asked for it or not🧑🏾‍💻

So what:?

This merger is a glimpse into a future where AI platforms don’t just learn from the internet, they own the internet they learn from. Perhaps the vertical integration dream, and probably somewhat necessary given how social media may need to sur monetize away from advertising

🌍What are Africa's biggest startups🌍

So we wanted to turn our gaze to a region that doesn't always get the most Column inches. Well this week TechCrunch profiled Africa's most valuable startups so we wanted to bring some of them to your attention!🌍

African “Unicorns"🦄

• Flutterwave (Nigeria) — Valued at $3B, Flutterwave offers payment solutions for individuals and businesses across Africa, facilitating local and international transactions. It has raised over $475M from top investors including Tiger Global, DST Global, and Avenir Growth. 💸

• OPay (Nigeria) — With a $2B valuation, OPay delivers digital financial services like payments, savings, and lending via app and agent networks. The Opera-backed startup has raised $500M+, including a $400M Series C led by SoftBank. 📲

• Wave (Senegal) — Focused on Francophone Africa, Wave provides affordable mobile money services and boasts a $1.7B valuation. It raised $200M in Series A funding from Stripe, Founders Fund, and Sequoia Heritage. 🌊

• Andela (Global) — Andela connects global companies with vetted tech talent across Africa and the world. The platform is valued at $1.5B and has raised $380M+ from backers like SoftBank and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. 👩🏾‍💻

• TymeBank (South Africa) — A digital bank targeting underserved communities, TymeBank recently hit a $1.5B valuation after a $250M Series D led by Nubank. It’s backed by Tencent, M&G Catalyst, and African Rainbow Capital. 🏦

• Chipper Cash (Pan-African) — Chipper Cash enables cross-border payments and offers cards and investment products, reaching a $1.25B valuation. It’s raised over $300M from investors like FTX, Ribbit Capital, and Bezos Expeditions. 🌍

• Interswitch (Nigeria) — A veteran in Africa’s fintech scene, Interswitch provides payment infrastructure and solutions across the continent. It hit unicorn status in 2019 after a $200M investment from Visa. 💳

• MNT-Halan (Egypt) — A $1B financial super app offering digital lending, payments, e-commerce, and BNPL services to the unbanked. MNT-Halan has raised $500M+ in equity and debt funding from Chimera, DPI, and others. 📦

• Moniepoint (Nigeria) — Valued at $1B in 2024, Moniepoint offers digital banking, payments, credit, and tools for African businesses. The startup raised $110M in Series C funding backed by QED, DPI, and Google’s Africa Fund. 🧾

Soonicorns🐣

• PalmPay (Nigeria) — With a potential valuation of $800M–$900M, PalmPay offers mobile payments, transfers, and credit services. It has raised $140M from investors like Transsion Holdings and AfricInvest. 📱

• Moove (Global) — Moove enables gig workers to access vehicles via revenue-based financing, operating across Africa, Europe, and Asia. Backed by Uber and Mubadala, it has raised $409M+ and is valued around $750M. 🚗

• Yassir (Algeria) — Yassir’s super app delivers ride-hailing, food, groceries, and fintech across six countries, with a valuation of $600M–$800M. The startup has raised nearly $200M from BOND and Y Combinator. 🛵

• Kuda (Nigeria) — Kuda is a digital-only bank offering savings, lending, and budgeting tools, valued at $500M. It has raised $90M+ from Target Global and Valar Ventures. 🏦

• Wasoko & MaxAB (Kenya & Egypt) — These two B2B e-commerce giants merged to form Africa’s largest digital retail platform, now valued at $500M. Collectively, they’ve raised over $240M from Tiger Global and others. 🛒

• Clickatell (South Africa) — Clickatell powers commerce via messaging apps like WhatsApp and SMS, with a valuation around $500M. It has raised $100M+ from Sequoia and Endeavor. 💬

• M-KOPA (Kenya) — M-KOPA provides pay-as-you-go access to phones, e-motorcycles, and microloans, valued between $500M–$600M. It has secured $500M+ in funding from Lightrock, IFC, and Sumitomo. 🔌

• Yoco (South Africa) — Yoco offers card machines and online payments for SMEs and is valued at $400M–$500M. It has raised $107M+ from Dragoneer and Breyer Capital. 💳

• Onafriq (Pan-African) — Formerly MFS Africa, Onafriq runs the continent’s largest cross-border mobile money network, valued at $300M–$500M. It’s raised over $300M, including a $100M Series C. 🌐

And as techcrunch puts it some of the "Soonicorn's" to note

You can read their full write up here

💡 So What?

Innovation isn't just something that happens in Silicon Valley 

📷📱 Gen Z to MPs: Banning Social Media? Computer says no.

In a rare but refreshing turn, actual teenagers were invited to speak to UK lawmakers about youth violence and social media—and surprise: they had some pretty sensible takes. The Youth Select Committee, made up of 14–19-year-olds, told MPs that banning young people from social media is “neither practical nor effective.”🤔 

We tend to agree too. Prohibition does not appear to have a great track record, and with that magic liff edge of stuff happening to you as soon as you hit 18, that may not be the most responsible way to introduce folks to social media (We've all met that kid that suddenly has a story about their first alcoholic drink at university)😅

Instead, they suggested something radical: hold tech companies accountable for their algorithms. (The Guardian)👀 

The teens didn’t mince words. They made it clear that the belive platforms aren’t neutral—they promote content, and should be held responsible for what they push. They called for:

• Better regulation of how platforms moderate and recommend content🧑🏾‍⚖️

• A youth advisory panel within Ofcom (yes, they want a seat at the table)👶🏾

• And a safety rating system for platforms, like a nutrition label but for your feed (Ok let's be real about this one, its unlikely to make a difference)🔞

Ultimately this is a reminder that young people aren’t just users of tech—they’re some of its most clear-eyed critics. While adults panic about screentime, Gen Z is asking better questions: Who controls what we see? Who profits from polarisation? Why are platforms designed like this in the first place?🧐

💡 So What?

If we’re serious about building safer, more inclusive tech ecosystems, youth voices need to be in the room—not just in the user data. And maybe, just maybe, folks will stop blaming kids for the mess grownups built.

📈 The tools behind the tech📉

📦Product📦

• Open AI's new image generation tool

📏Design📏 

• Past present and future of UI design

• Dithering in colour

👩🏿‍💻Code👩🏿‍💻

• The role of developer skills in agentic coding 
• Improving Recommendation Systems & Search in the Age of LLMs 
• A love letter to the CSV

🏢The business behind the tech🏢

• What It Really Means to be a Manager, Director, or VP

🎓A free PHD🎓

Unlock a career in Data Visualization via a fully funded PhD with DIVERSE CDT

Gain in-demand skill & cross-sector experience with a diverse cohort

UK students: receive £23,158/year tax-free.

Apply here | info@diverse-cdt.ac.uk

🙌🏾Our next event for founders🙌🏾

On April 24th, Colorintech is hosting a founders focused event all about investment insights with Atomico, where experts will answer questions like:

• What are the different types of investment available, and what are the key trends?

• What should founders planning a raise be preparing for (including understanding investor/investee relationships)?

• Is investment even the right choice or is there another way?

AND we'll have dedicated time for Q&A with our outstanding speakers:

• Gina Farra - Founder of Glaize

• Joe Kinvi - Founder of Borderless

• Demi Ariyo - Founder of Lendoe

• Rita Cherradi - Investor at Sie Ventures

This event is a great opportunity for founders who are fundraising or are considering fundraising in the near future, particularly at pre-seed to seed stage.

Check out the key details below: 

Date: 24th April

Time: 18:30 - 21:30

Where: Atomico - London Offices

Sign Up Link: https://lu.ma/investment-insights

🙌🏾Grants focused on those challenging racial inequity🙌🏾

This programme is for small local charities and CICs which are led by and working with people who are experiencing economic inequity because of their race or ethnicity. 

Under this programme we will support charities to strengthen their capacity and capabilities and become more resilient through a range of tailored development support offers alongside a three-year unrestricted grant of £75,000.

Apply here if you're interested

😃What we are consuming😃

🧠Lessons learned since hitting 30

👶🏾The response to migration - Child labor?

💸Rejecting $800m from Meta

😅Tech's Best April fool jokes