BGT, a leader in infrastructure development projects, and Veea Inc. (“VEEA”), a pioneer in hyperconverged multiaccess networks integrating edge-to-cloud computing and Edge AI, have announced a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing broadband inclusion and fostering community development across North African countries. The Cooperation Agreement, initiated earlier this year, supports joint market development and network roll-out activities that commenced in 2023 in other regions. This collaboration leverages the strengths of both companies to address the urgent need for reliable Internet access in remote and underserved areas of North Africa through local and regional service providers, focusing particularly on addressing food security challenges in the region.
In today’s era, where Internet access is crucial for social and economic advancement, BGT and Veea are committed to promoting digital equity in North Africa. This partnership aims to deploy Veea’s virtual Trusted Broadband Access (vTBA) platform, designed to deliver cost-effective, secure, and high-quality Internet access and other edge solutions to communities that have traditionally been left behind in the digital revolution.
The Veea Edge Platform extends AI technologies, such as Large Language Models (LLMs) like OpenAI ChatGPT, Google Bard, Meta Llama, and others, effectively bridging educational, healthcare, and various urban-centered sectors to underserved rural communities at a reduced cost. This deployment enhances distance learning, telehealth, and supports applications like virtual agents for agriculture and first responders, among others. Moreover, locally deployed Edge AI through VeeaHub’s Internet of Things (IoT) applications enables precision agriculture, water and air quality management, energy consumption optimization, public safety enhancements, and environmental monitoring.
“Our collaboration goes beyond mere infrastructure deployment,” said Aymen Boughanmi, CEO of BGT. “Each VeeaHub installation catalyzes change, offering new opportunities in areas long neglected by technological progress.”
Empowering Communities through Connectivity
- Broadband Equity and Inclusion: The partnership aims to drive broadband equity by offering affordable, accessible Internet services to diverse populations, particularly in rural and underserved areas. Local ISPs can extend their coverage using Veea Edge Platform products, providing seamless connectivity solutions over managed Wi-Fi akin to traditional cellular infrastructure but without the high investment costs. This enables ISPs to deliver edge-managed value-added services, supporting applications like:
- Remote education, healthcare, and training access
- Precision agriculture and smart farming
- Entertainment and gaming content streaming
- Industrial IoT applications
- Enhancing Educational Connectivity: Recognizing education’s transformative power, the partnership prioritizes Internet connectivity for remote educational institutions, transforming rural schools into digital learning hubs. Schools will receive reliable Internet access, enabling real-time or cached access to educational resources via VeeaHub units, thereby connecting with educational centers at various urban levels. LLM-based AI enhances distance learning by adapting content to individual student cognitive needs in smaller communities.
- Telehealth and Telemedicine Services: Veea and BGT collaborate on developing telehealth services for multiple regions. Technology in healthcare delivery enhances access and improves the quality, safety, and effectiveness of rural healthcare. AI-based virtual consultants aid local healthcare professionals in making timely decisions, while machine learning algorithms facilitate early disease detection and community health assessments, crucial in regions like North Africa.
- Addressing Food Security Challenges: With global food production lagging behind population growth, food security becomes critical, particularly in North Africa facing extreme weather events. Veea Edge Platform offers regional water distribution, irrigation management, and precision agriculture solutions. Data-driven farming using sensors, soil probes, drone imagery, and AI at the edge significantly boosts crop yields, contributing to food security.
- Environmental Monitoring and Disaster Response: In a region prone to extreme weather events, VeeaHub’s edge applications monitor air quality, predict sandstorms, and facilitate disaster response coordination. The platform supports local communication networks for emergency responses, aiding in achieving regional sustainability goals.
“This partnership marks a paradigm shift in infrastructure development, enhancing social services, business productivity, and regional sustainability,” stated Aymen Boughanmi. “Technological advancements backed by AI models at the edge will empower unserved and underserved communities, ushering them into an era of unprecedented growth and opportunity.”
Allen Salmasi, CEO of Veea, added, “Veea Edge Platform is the catalyst for digital transformation, integrating Internet access with edge computing, IoT integration, and AI directly into unserved communities, bridging the technological gap.”
The collaboration also aims to establish AI-driven local digital marketplaces with blockchain technology for secure financial transactions, microloans, and digital banking services. This initiative will enable rural small businesses to access global markets, showcase artisan work internationally, and provide entrepreneurs with previously inaccessible resources. Discussions with ISPs, regional and international agencies, sovereign funds, and foundations further expand the partnership’s impact across North Africa.
In conclusion, the partnership between BGT and Veea represents more than a business venture; it is a call for change, demonstrating technology’s transformative potential when guided by compassion and insight.
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