Wian van den Berg will be one of the first African celebrities who is part of Binance’s global NFT launch 

Durban, South Africa - Wian van den Berg, Africa’s most famous TikToker with over 13 million followers is exclusively launching his first set of NFTs on Binance NFT, the NFT marketplace of the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world. To mark the launch of Binance’s NFT platform, Wian’s NFT launch will be part of Binance NFT ‘100 Creators’ ,  a new campaign on Binance NFT Marketplace, to support and promote innovative creators from around the world and spotlight exclusive NFT pieces from different cultures.

An NFT stands for “non-fungible token”, which is just a term used to describe a  unique digital asset, whose ownership is tracked on a blockchain. A blockchain is simply a digital ledger that records transactions. NFTs can be any digital file such as an image, video, pdf or a piece of music. NFTs are important as it now provides the opportunity for people to show proof that they own a digital asset. People purchase NFTs as collectibles, financial investments or to back their favourite creators, such as Wian.

Wian’s soon to be announced NFT collection will be the first launched by one of the largest social media influencers in Africa. He is also set to be the first magician in the Southern Hemisphere to sell his own original “how-to” magic trick as an NFT. This exclusive NFT collection launch is in alignment with both successful brands - one is the largest cryptocurrency marketplace globally, while the other is the largest TikToker in Africa.

Through Wian’s NFTs, he hopes to highlight his love of magic and how it is used to entertain, shock and inspire audiences. One of the NFTs that Wian will be launching is a magic trick that he has originally developed. Once sold, to the highest bidder, they will be the only person in the world who will know how to do the trick (unless they reveal it or sell it to another buyer). Various other images and GIFs will be made available as limited editions and aims to distinguish Wian from being a “traditional magician”.

Some of the NFTs purchased will give you access to special perks such as being one of the first people to be part of his soon to be released membership community, getting a personalized video with him, a Zoom or WhatsApp call, free access to his events and being featured on his social media. A portion of the proceeds from each NFT sale will also be donated to charitable causes in education and healthcare in Africa.

“A magician never reveals his secrets, unless he sells it as an NFT!”, says Wian van den Berg, the 25-year-old social media influencer and magician. “I am delighted to work with Shivad Singh and Yoshaan Hariparsaad, the directors of Blue Tick. They have educated me on what NFTs are, their benefits, including the full spectrum solution from NFT conceptualization to the minting process and have brought this amazing opportunity with Binance to the table.”

The NFT campaign hopes to be one of the first of many exclusive drops for Wian on Binance NFT. The NFT market is still in early stages, and Wian van den Berg has the long-term vision that is making him a pioneer influencer in this space, which can inspire other creators to launch their own NFTs and add value to their followers.

Blue Tick Events (Pty) Ltd: Blue Tick is an Influencer management agency that aims to work with the largest social media influencers in Africa and globally. The company provides and executes on “out-of-the box” ideas for them to earn recurring and sustainable income streams and benefit their fans. When it comes to NFTs, Blue Tick is a pioneer in this space with their partnership with Binance. Blue Tick handles the conceptualizations and designs of NFTs, secures exclusive drops for influencers, advises and executes on NFT approaches to maximise value, provides PR and calculates detail projections using actuarial analysis. Furthermore, Blue Tick’s social arm, the Head Start Foundation, is committed towards uplifting those in need by donating a portion of revenues to improve education and healthcare in Africa.

The Impakt Fund Successfully Launches in Johannesburg, South Africa at the 12J Conference (For release after 31 January 2020) 

Many have an interest in investing in Africa-based businesses that both help the African people and deliver a financial return. The new Impakt Fund is focused on delivering just these kinds of win-win opportunities. 

31 January 2020 

The idea of solving problems while still making a profit is a remarkable and achievable one. Especially in Africa, where with experienced guidance many opportunities to support businesses with huge potential are presenting themselves. The Impakt Fund is an approved Section 12 J Company, and an impact investment platform for Africa with just this kind of powerful mission. In exciting news, The Impakt Fund recently successfully launched on January 31st, 2020 in Johannesburg, South Africa at the 12J Conference at Melrose Arch, where they presented their innovative and intriguing vision, that can revolutionize the way mindful investors approach African development. The enthusiasm surrounding the launch is high and rising. 

“We believe that business is the tool that can help to sustainably solve Africa’s problems in quite dramatic ways,” commented a spokesperson from the fund. “We had an amazing experience meeting potential investors, and businesses at the 12J Conference who share our vision and exciting mission, we look forward to connecting with more in the days and years to come.” 

Some of the world’s most impressive business successes have voiced support for this kind of initiative. A prime example is Sir Richard Branson, Founder of the Virgin Group, remarked, “Every risk is worth taking as long as it’s for a good cause and contributes to a good life.” 

The Impakt Fund is basing much of their drive around a very progressive concept that is inspiring increasing international interest and praise called the Business-as-a-Tool (BaaT) philosophy. This and more were discussed at the successful launch and The Impakt Fund continues their work to spread the BaaT message.

 The Impakt Fund is a proud initiative of the boutique management advisory firm the Grovation Group, who are trusted advisors for organizations looking for effective and innovative ways to solve the world’s problems. The Grovation Group is based in Cape Town, South Africa. For more information be sure to visit The Impakt Fund at http://www.impaktfund.com.

From a small grocery store opened by Luigi Lavazza in 1895, Lavazza coffee was born. It is synonymous of excellent Italian Espresso in over 90 countries and the leading brand of coffee in Italy. Lavazza coffee has been on an endless journey of innovation from blending coffees from different parts of the world to catering to the tastes of individuals, to new roasting machines that ensure aromatic excellence and allowing coffee to be prepared with beans and a capsule. Lavazza is a global leader and a premium coffee specialist true to exploring, discovering and reinventing the art of blending.

Lavazza coffee is being re-launched in October 2018 by Incobrands into leading South African retailers like Pick n Pay, Checkers and Spar. 

Retail Product Range 

Qualità Oro is the very first Lavazza blend, created in 1956 and is available in retail stores. The coffee is ideal for those who love to savour a premium blend daily. Made from a selection of the finest 100% Arabica beans, mainly from Latin America, this blend is fruity and aromatic, with hints of malt and honey suitable for all coffee makers.

Qualità Rossa is rich and full-bodied coffee, perfect for those who want to get off to a great and energetic start to their day. This uniquely blended coffee is made from a combination of Brazilian Arabica beans for body and sweetness with African and South East Asian Robusta beans fir intensity and warm notes of cocoa. It is a richly flavoured coffee ideal for an everyday coffee with its intense and energetic blend.

Crema E Gusto is ideal coffee for any occasion, with the perfect combination of intensity and full-body for the perfect latte and caffe latte. This creamy and full-bodied blend consists of a selection of high quality Arabica and Robusta beans with a fragrantly flavour and pleasant chocolatey finish. A classic Italian coffee and amongst Italy’s best sellers!

For the decaffeinated coffee lovers, Caffè Decaffeinato is the ideal decaf offer by Lavazza. Lavazza decaffeination method is natural and preserves the authentic taste of the quality coffee beans. The natural method results in a coffee rich and full in flavour and body, with notes of honey and almond. This coffee is perfect for any time of the day or night.

Lavazza Prontissimo offers more than just an instant coffee, it is a 100% Arabica blend enriched with 10% finely ground coffee to get a great premium tasting instant coffee. Prontissimo! CLASSICO presents a round and well-balanced taste with top notes of caramel. Prontissimo! INTENSO presents a strong and full-bodied taste with notes of roasted beans. For the taste lovers, Lavazza Prontissimo makes an extraordinary taste experience, in an instant!

Compatible Capsules 

Through dedication to innovation and quality, Lavazza has launched a new line of capsules compatible with Nespresso®* domestic machines. The creation of the capsules begins with a “Noble Dark Roasting” method — developed by the company – with the aim of extracting the most “noblest” of aromas. This is coupled with a velvety grind that yields a superior in-cup result, guaranteeing a smooth and even coffee extraction which preserves all the richness of flavours. The grinds are then blended with others from coffees of diverse origins to create a unique flavour profile for each product. Subsequently, to maintain all the freshness and aroma of the coffee, the blend is packed and sealed in a protective atmosphere with a technology called “Aroma Safe”

The new capsule line is a result of Lavazza’s expertise in leading the coffee industry with quality and innovation, combined with almost thirty years’ experience in the production and marketing of systems and products for the single serve segment. 

END

*Capsules compatible with Nespresso® domestic machines. Nespresso® is a trademark of a third party without any link with Luigi Lavazza S.p.A.

From a small grocery store opened by Luigi Lavazza in 1895, Lavazza coffee was born. It is synonymous of excellent Italian Espresso in over 90 countries and the leading brand of coffee in Italy. Lavazza coffee has been on an endless journey of innovation from blending coffees from different parts of the world to catering to the tastes of individuals, to new roasting machines that ensure aromatic excellence and allowing coffee to be prepared with beans and a capsule. Lavazza is a global leader and a premium coffee specialist true to exploring, discovering and reinventing the art of blending.From a small grocery store opened by Luigi Lavazza in 1895, Lavazza coffee was born. It is synonymous of excellent Italian Espresso in over 90 countries and the leading brand of coffee in Italy. Lavazza coffee has been on an endless journey of innovation from blending coffees from different parts of the world to catering to the tastes of individuals, to new roasting machines that ensure aromatic excellence and allowing coffee to be prepared with beans and a capsule. Lavazza is a global leader and a premium coffee specialist true to exploring, discovering and reinventing the art of blending.

Lavazza coffee is being re-launched in October 2018 by Incobrands into leading South African retailers like Pick n Pay, Checkers and Spar.

Retail Product Range 

Qualità Oro is the very first Lavazza blend, created in 1956 and is available in retail stores. The coffee is ideal for those who love to savour a premium blend daily. Made from a selection of the finest 100% Arabica beans, mainly from Latin America, this blend is fruity and aromatic, with hints of malt and honey suitable for all coffee makers.

Qualità Rossa is rich and full-bodied coffee, perfect for those who want to get off to a great and energetic start to their day. This uniquely blended coffee is made from a combination of Brazilian Arabica beans for body and sweetness with African and South East Asian Robusta beans fir intensity and warm notes of cocoa. It is a richly flavoured coffee ideal for an everyday coffee with its intense and energetic blend.

Crema E Gusto is ideal coffee for any occasion, with the perfect combination of intensity and full-body for the perfect latte and caffe latte. This creamy and full-bodied blend consists of a selection of high quality Arabica and Robusta beans with a fragrantly flavour and pleasant chocolatey finish. A classic Italian coffee and amongst Italy’s best sellers!

For the decaffeinated coffee lovers, Caffè Decaffeinato is the ideal decaf offer by Lavazza. Lavazza decaffeination method is natural and preserves the authentic taste of the quality coffee beans. The natural method results in a coffee rich and full in flavour and body, with notes of honey and almond. This coffee is perfect for any time of the day or night.

Lavazza Prontissimo offers more than just an instant coffee, it is a 100% Arabica blend enriched with 10% finely ground coffee to get a great premium tasting instant coffee. Prontissimo! CLASSICO presents a round and well-balanced taste with top notes of caramel. Prontissimo! INTENSO presents a strong and full-bodied taste with notes of roasted beans. For the taste lovers, Lavazza Prontissimo makes an extraordinary taste experience, in an instant! 

Compatible Capsules 

Through dedication to innovation and quality, Lavazza has launched a new line of capsules compatible with Nespresso®* domestic machines. The creation of the capsules begins with a “Noble Dark Roasting” method — developed by the company – with the aim of extracting the most “noblest” of aromas. This is coupled with a velvety grind that yields a superior in-cup result, guaranteeing a smooth and even coffee extraction which preserves all the richness of flavours. The grinds are then blended with others from coffees of diverse origins to create a unique flavour profile for each product. Subsequently, to maintain all the freshness and aroma of the coffee, the blend is packed and sealed in a protective atmosphere with a technology called “Aroma Safe”

The new capsule line is a result of Lavazza’s expertise in leading the coffee industry with quality and innovation, combined with almost thirty years’ experience in the production and marketing of systems and products for the single serve segment.

--End--

*Capsules compatible with Nespresso® domestic machines. Nespresso® is a trademark of a third party without any link with Luigi Lavazza S.p.A.

Badplaas, a well-known treasure within the Forever Resorts South Africa portfolio has recently spent millions on the upgrade of their Hydro and Spa facility. This upgrade has been on the books for the past two years and upgrades begun in October 2017 with the official construction commencing in January 2018. On the 26th of March the Coffee Shop which also underwent a total renovation along with the Hydro re-opened. The Spa re-opened two days later, on the 31st of March 2018. The official exclusive launch of the Hydro and Spa took place yesterday, 7 June 2018 and was attended by elite guests and VIPs including Honourable MEC Eric Kholwane and Executive Mayor Councillor Nkosi of Chief Albert Luthuli Municipality. 

Sandra Rath from the South African Association of Health and Skincare Professionals (SAAHSP) and from SDV Pharmaceuticals who attended the exquisite launch of the Badplaas Hydro and Spa said that the Spa industry in South Africa is still showing growth regardless of the Economic climate. “Being in the industry for the past 30 years, I can only say that the standard of this Spa exceeds expectations in all aspects. From ambiance to style, staff to treatments, this Spa is a must experience”, Rath added.  

The new buzz word, “Hydro”Hydro’s are often confused with Jet Baths and Jacuzzis. The reason for this is two common  elements, water and pulsing jets. A Hydro is however a treatment rather than an experience, an underwater massage which stimulates your body’s blood circulation. Over and above that, the water is warm therefore it opens pores cleaning your skin leaving you feeling refreshed. The Hydro assists with the treatment of stiff, sore muscles and joints by focusing on typical problem areas such as your neck, back, legs and limbs. It is for this reason that Hydro treatments are often recommended with products and treatments maximising the benefits.

What makes the Badplaas Hydro and Spa unique? There are only a few resorts in South Africa that can boast with natural warm water springs – Badplaas is one of those select few. The spring water is filled with a variety of 32 natural minerals. This water is them pumped into the Hydro pools, from the Hydro pools the water is pumped into the heated pool outside, from there the water is distributed to the other pools on the property cooling down as it travels from one pool to the other. The spring water is also used in the spa for various water based treatments offered at Badplaas. 

The Spa has Specialist Therapists who take care of the needs of customers individually in tranquil and beautiful surroundings. The relaxation area consists of a 12 seat sauna and relaxation pool with spring water. The Spa offers a range of Facial and Specialised Facial Treatments, Brow and Lash Treatments, Massage Therapy, Specialised Body Treatments, Hand and Foot Therapy, Nail Treatments, Waxing and even kiddies treatments including Facials, Massages, Manicures and Pedicures. 

The origin of the springsHot springs in South Africa originates from seepage-water that joins a subterranean water system, the more the water sinks the warmer the mineral water gets. If the mineral water moves fast enough it can still be hot when it moves back to the earth’s surface.  Mineral water contains a large amount of trace elements such as sodium, chloride and fluoride; however the mineral water’s chemical compound will differ from one source to the next. The spring water mainly consists of surface water (rain and snow) seeping through layers of rock which contain the minerals, as the water moves between these rocks its trace elements are dissolved by the water before it moves back to the surface of the earth. 

The spring water at Badplaas rises from approximately 4300 metres below the earth’s surface. The spring itself has a capacity of 34 000 litres of mineral water per hour and a water temperature of 53˚C. A rift valley from Badplaas to the Swaziland Spa in Mbabane has formed in the earth’s crust causing hot bubbles at various places in this valley’s trail.

Everyone knows something that the next person doesn’t thus it is important that everyone shares their experiences with the world.

Spurred by a deep yearning for freedom of expression and for the African story to be told from the African perspective, Edzai Zvobwo, founder of NdiribhoTV set out to create a video hosting and distribution platform primarily geared for Africans to share their knowledge with world and stand a better chance at optimally monetizing their video assets.

Coming from Zimbabwe, a country that has seen its ruling elites trample upon basic liberties like freedom of speech and association, Edzai sought to correct the wrongs that have been committed by politicians in the country and the continent of Africa as a whole by facilitating p2p knowledge transfer through video. The name NdiribhoTV came out of need to proclaim that even as the people’s rights have been denied, people are still fine and live another day to fight for justice and development of the continent. “Ndiribho” is a Shona statement that translates to “I am fine”.

NdiribhoTV currently has offices in Johannesburg and will be opening up feeder offices across Sub-Saharan Africa during the course of 2018. The feeder offices will serve as client liaison centers for content developers. NdiribhoTV will strive to sign up all the influencers in the video content development space as anchor creators whilst also harnessing the power of the ordinary African citizen. As long as an African has a device with a camera then they are welcome onto the NdiribhoTV platform.

The platform is a user generated vehicle that connects video content creators and consumers by providing an easy to use live streaming and video on demand platform.NdiribhoTV lets anyone with a channel broadcast live videos and upload videos straight from their camera device. This allows African people to share or watch in real-time when news is breaking, visiting a new place, or meeting people and sharing interests - all in real-time.NdiribhoTV seeks to add value to Africans and differentiate itself from YouTube by:

• Focusing on African continent.
• Monetizing live video streams using a pay-per-view model which enables content creators to earn a living.
• Monetizing video on demand content on behalf of content creators through channel-centric micro-subscriptions.
• Integrating with ERP and CRM systems such that it is easier for corporate clients to integrate video into their workflow.

NdiribhoTV is currently in talks with several established platforms like Kwese play to help distribute content across the continent. 31 January 2018 is the date that NdiribhoTV will officially launch. "Once we solve the speed and latency issues with a reputable CDN and finalised our algorithms for our reccommender systems then it is a done deal", said Edzai Zvobwo.

Currently there is a beta version on https://ndiribho.tv which you can test out and give feedback on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Female African doctor creates premium facial product range for African women 

JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng, Sandton City, 2017/11/28

African Dermal Science, a black South African female owned startup has developed and launched a premium facial product range for fellow African women which is the first local premium skincare range for women with darker skin tones.Uso, by African Dermal Science is an advanced skincare range scientifically formulated for darker skin tones. This is the first local premium skincare range for women with darker skin tones.

Dr Theo Mothoa-Frendo, an African Medical Doctor and   Pharmaceutical Expert founded African Dermal Science and her founding partner Kagiso Musi an experienced marketing and communications executive have over the past 3 years, worked with renowned local Cosmetic Scientists, medical doctors and women with darker skin tones to research and develop a world class proudly South African skincare range: Uso by African Dermal Science.Both women are holders of MBAs and have extensive experience in the corporate world thus form a formidable team to take this brand internationally and grow the company. In an exclusive interview with NdiribhoTV, Dr Theo Mothoa-Frendo mentioned that the business really took shape as she based her GIBS MBA on cosmetic affinity studies. “We need products for African women by Africans and we are taking Uso internationally”, said Kagiso, the founding partner.

The launch of the brand is being held in the plush Sandton City Diamond Walk and will be available through a luxurious launch retail skinbar where they will introduce customers and retail brands to their range of products. African Dermal Science is inviting all beauty and lifestyle bloggers, vloggers and enthusiasts to come and be the first to experience the beauty of science for African Skin.  The retail skinbar will be situated in Sandton City South Court, on the top floor, next to Mont-Blanc.It will be open between 28th November and 4th December from 9am to 8pm daily.Let’s support African entrepreneurs for economic success.

For more information Contact:

Name of Media Contact: Dr Theo Mothoa-Frendo
Title of Media Contact: CEO
Company Name: African Dermal Science
Contact E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website URL: http://uso.africa
Facebook: African Dermal Science
Instagram: Uso_by_africandermalscience
You can see the lauch video on https://ndiribho.tv/video/628

Lemaitre, a brand in the BBF Safety Group stable, today announced the launch of two new general purpose safety footwear products. With the introduction of the Maximus boot and the Spartacus shoe, Lemaitre aims to set a new standard in general purpose safety footwear with a focus on product quality, durability and comfort.  

The introduction of the Maximus boot and Spartacus shoe expands Lemaitre’s product portfolio to provide customers with greater choice when it comes to selecting general purpose safety footwear. With product design guided and inspired by Lemaitre’s top-selling Maxeco safety boot and Robust shoe, Maximus and Spartacus sport the features that made Maxeco a household name in general application safety footwear – as well as various product enhancements and innovations.  

 “Customers have come to know and trust Lemaitre’s Maxeco safety boot as the de facto standard in general purpose safety footwear. With the launch of Maximus and Spartacus we’ve taken the best of Maxeco and added various new features that address the needs of today’s customers. These include updated stylings, a padded leather collar, reflective strips and a host of other enhancements for improved wearer comfort and safety,” says Peter Gerbrands, Group Marketing Manager, BBF Safety Group.    

Lemaitre’s latest general purpose safety footwear products were developed based on constantly evolving customer needs and workplace safety requirements. “Across our safety footwear brands, we continue to innovate and invest in research and development to bring to market products that help our customers create safe working environments that in turn, boost productivity and profitability.”  

Key Product Features

The Maximus safety boot and Spartacus safety shoe provide an ideal solution for clients who require protection for an array of environments and applications. Key features of the newly launched products include: 

• Comfort: Maximus and Spartacus feature several enhanced wearer comfort features. These include a lighter sole unit, a padded leather collar that provides ankle support, a heel grip counter lining to prevent the shoe slipping off and D-rings for quick and easy lacing and unlacing.  
• Durability: Full leather uppers allow the wearer’s feet to breathe and increases the durability and longevity of the product. This enables the employer to extract maximum value from his workplace safety footwear investment.    
• Quality: Maximus and Spartacus are locally manufactured in an ISO9001 factory and bear the SANS 20345 quality mark.  
• Safety: A wide sole design not only provides increased wearer comfort, but provides improved slip resistance, better stability and reduced shock impact. In addition, a bellows tongue prevents dirt, liquid and foreign objects from entering the shoe. 

With a heritage spanning three decades, Lemaitre has sold more than 8.7 million pairs of Maxeco safety boots to date and remains a trusted brand for customers across multiple industries.  

Maximus and Spartacus are available in sizes 3 – 13 and can be purchased from authorised BBF Safety Group distributors nationwide. For more information, visit www.lemaitre.co.za. 

Images: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mely81chings4wh/AABwRnXcmI-Zd7d0vw_q5tmka?dl=0

EduOne is an education technology startup that has captured the attention of over 1.5 million South Africans, 2000 teachers and has been recognised by a number of exclusive international startup societies for their work.

A big day has arrived for the team at EduOne, based in Cape Town, to launch new versions of two of their most popular websites. This is the biggest single launch for the company to-date and includes major structural and design changes to both EduConnect and EduFunding.

The redesign and development of new features on these sites began in late 2016. Inspired by user generated insights and industry best practices, the redesign is aimed at improving user experience, data usage and usability for site visitors. 

“It has been a number of late nights and early mornings over the past few months, but I’m very glad to be at the launch date with two quick, stable and ridiculously good looking  websites. It’s a job well done by the team,” says James Kieser, the company's CTO.

This launch is one of the first of what will be many iterations in a new design approach for the company’s products. In addition, one can expect a number of new features and entire products to be released in 2017.

For a more detailed view on the changes to EduOne’s sites on 31 March 2017, see a previous press release for the launch. The EduOne team encourages users to continue sending through feedback on their work through this form.