Name: Meet BRCK, Internet access built for Africa
Uploaded: 2013-06-18T15:02:14Z
Duration: 9 min 20 s
Description: Tech communities are booming all over Africa, says Nairobi-based Juliana Rotich, cofounder of the open-source software Ushahidi. But it remains challenging to get and stay connected in a region with frequent blackouts and spotty Internet hookups. So Rotich and friends developed BRCK, offering resilient connectivity for the developing world.

Tech communities are booming all over Africa, says Nairobi-based Juliana Rotich, cofounder of the open-source software Ushahidi. But it remains challenging to get and stay connected in a region with frequent blackouts and spotty Internet hookups. So Rotich and friends developed BRCK, offering resilient connectivity for the developing world.

Meet BRCK, Internet access built for Africa

African tech communities are tackling unreliable electricity and costly internet head-on, inventing solutions for problems others rarely face. When frequent blackouts in Kenya threatened productivity, a team created BRCK, a rugged modem providing internet for eight hours without power. This device helps users stay online even when infrastructure fails, supporting everything from crisis mapping to rural businesses. Building resilient technology in this environment turns adversity into a launchpad for global digital progress.