Driving diversityLeaping aheadThe power regarding socialBeating competitionGoing across bordersCreat...

1. The African company that trumped Apple to launch first
black emoticons
Driving diversity
Leaping ahead
The power regarding social
Beating competition
Going across borders
Creating a new brand
Changing the narrative
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Oju Africa has launched a manufacturer new range of emoticons for you to tackle lack of racial
diversity
Company boss Alpesh Patel says your icons have been a huge hit
There are already a lot more than 16,000 downloads, with the vast majority coming from your U.S.
Celebrities had urged Apple to launch racially diverse emojis
Every week, African Start-Up follows entrepreneurs in a selection of countries throughout the
continent for you to find out how they're working to create their particular business desires grow for
you to be reality.
(CNN) -- While throughout nearly all aspects of life, timing in operation is essential.
About 1 month ago, subsequent complaints by celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Tahj Mowry over any
absence a new racial diversity in Apple's emojis (the cartoon-like icons utilized to liven up text
messages), the company executive told MTV the tech giant ended up being working to be able to
update its group of characters.
The news rapidly had Twitter buzzing as individuals joined the #EmojiEthnicityUpdate discussions --
however in which wasn't the end in the story.
Without wasting any kind of time, the Mauritius-based app business known as Oju Africa announced
a few hrs later that will it had previously tackled the particular not enough racial diversity simply by
introducing its pair of Afro emoticons about Google Play Store.
The organization said it ended up operating about the icons since late 2012 as well as was planning

2. to become able to officially launch all of them on April 10. Yet, your social media hype right after
Apple's response prompted them to speed up their own release date -- trumping market-leading
companies inside the process.
"Within a new couple of hrs of seeing that, we put our press launch out and we previously claimed
ownership -- that will we've really developed this already," chief executive Alpesh Patel advised
CNN. "It's very important with regard to us, as a tiny African company, to create it recognized to the
globe that people were the initial to do it."
The emoticons are designed to work on just about all Android platforms, and can shortly be available
about iOS. the company, a division regarding mobile devices manufacturer Mi-Fone, says in which to
date there've been a lot more than 16,000 downloads, the majority of that have arrive in the United
States.
CNN's African Start-Up caught up with Ugandan-born Patel to locate out what's been the response
for the Afro emoticons, his plans for the future along with why he desires to notice Oju around the
packet associated with cereal boxes.
CNN: The purpose why did you opt to launch the Afro emoticons?
Alpesh Patel: It's a factor that we thought regarding since late 2012. We determined to complete it
because of our core business, Mi-Fone. We stood a take a peek at your offerings within the
marketplace and said what can we do to produce our phones more African; what are we able to do
with just about all the software, simply because all with the phones tend to be kind of looking the
identical now.
We actually looked at it and said "you know what, there's truly a new insufficient black smilies" --
every phone that individuals checked out had yellow smilies and then we said "why can't we possess
some smilies, as well as some emoticons, which are more relevant towards the folks that we provide
to?"
The purpose we launched it three weeks in the actual past happens because involving this petition
coming from Miley Cyrus http://thetribe.wikia.com/wiki/Ebony and also MTV -- petition to become
able to Apple CEO complaining in regards in order to the insufficient racially diverse emoticons and
Apple said "yes, we're likely to consider it." Nevertheless within any couple of hrs regarding viewing
that, we place our press launch out as well as previously claimed ownership -- in which we have
actually developed this already. We're the first ones inside the world to accomplish it the ones must
function with us and make use of our emoticons because they will represent folks associated with
colour inside a very nice way, they're not derogatory from all.
Alpesh Patel, CEO Oju Africa
Pierre Bosch
CNN: How can you really feel about beating tech giants?
AP: I don't feel truly it's concerning beating anybody with it -- I just feel that it's essential for people
as, a tiny African company, to make it identified to the world that individuals had been the extremely
first to accomplish it. Huge companies function along with tiny companies all regarding the time. We
would such as the big companies for you to perform along with us.

3. We've developed one thing extremely unique, very innovative. It's been a large hit over the last three
weeks and we believe it will truly help http://ebonywebcam1.com lift African innovation to the global
audience because actually certainly not significantly things come out associated with Africa which
you can offer overseas, most of your stuff will start via overseas along with straight into Africa.
We believe it'll actually aid lift African innovation to the global audience.
Alpesh Patel, Oju Africa
CNN: Are Generally an individual reluctant your emoticons may well fall from favor when bigger
companies release their very own icons?
AP: No, the important companies hold the muscle mass anyway, they'll do whatever they want to do.
In the finish with the day, we will just carry on along with what we're doing, we don't have got these
budgets and also resources such as they do therefore actually nowadays it's about which makes the
loudest noise, nevertheless no much less than i was your ones to create the actual noise first.
We're just planning to keep in stating to people, "why would you like to really go along with develop
along with waste funds when you will go at this time for the Google Play store
http://ebonywebcam1.com throughout Android as well as download your Oju Africa app regarding
free?" There's simply no have to go and reinvent the actual wheel -- it's currently accessible as well
as it's from Africa exactly where it's even better when compared with somebody throughout London
as well as new York performing this. We've really carried this out inside Africa.
CNN: How many downloads perhaps an individual have had so far?
AP: We've had 16,000 downloads and most of them are generally from your U.S. -- we've had
downloads via extremely seasoned markets and they've checked out it and also mentioned "hang on
the minute, wow, this can always be a really cool innovation but it's via Africa." An Individual
recognize innovation just isn't a factor that belongs to the West, therefore we're extremely satisfied
with what's happened nevertheless obviously we have a considerable ways to be able to go.
CNN: Perform you think which there ought in order to be more cartoon characters through Africa?
Mobile is actually basically the thing which makes Africa go round today, why is Africa function
today.
Alpesh Patel, Oju Africa
AP: Oju is an iconic African character -- should you examine the primary logo with all the tongue
sticking out, he's a cheeky, really friendly, cool African character that will in addition works
throughout digital by the smilie, but additionally works within non-digital by a standard character
licensing.
Today Africa does not have its own Mickey Mouse, will not have got access to its Hello Kitty, there is
absolutely no African character brand, and that we mentioned "hang on minute, we're sitting about a
factor that provides huge prospective worldwide. I suggest in the big event you may imagine an Oju
cereal packet like Coco Pops with Oju collectibles, should you may imagine Oju nappies with regard
to babies, an Oju chocolate bar, an Oju toy -- the possibilities are endless and also this is precisely
what I think really can help lift Africa.

4. CNN: Exactly what will become the role involving mobile in assisting inside the progression of
African countries?
AP: Mobile will be basically the thing that makes Africa go round today, what makes Africa perform
today. We by zero means had any fixed infrastructure consequently Africa features result from
nothing to wireless plus in which process we've been capable of develop a range of superior
networks inside Africa in contrast for the ones within the western world.
The cell phone is becoming central to become able to everyone's life -- contrary to well-liked belief
the world is not round anymore, it's really any four-inch screen for many mass industry African
customers simply because this is exactly where they're likely to do all their business.
Milena Veselinovic contributed in order to this report.