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Underdog Tech Award: Innovators of the world arise!

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Underdog Tech Award

Early-stage technology startups located outside major IT hubs can participate in the Underdog Tech Award selection process

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 19, 2023/APO Group/ — 

inDrive (www.inDrive.com), the global mobility and urban services platform, is proud to announce the launch of the Underdog Tech Award: a new international prize for the founders of the best tech startups outside major tech hubs and startup communities. Applications will open in September.

The Underdog Tech Award has been created to support technology startups that are successfully founded despite facing challenges due to their location, such as limited resources and lack of access to funding and important events.

Early-stage technology startups located outside major IT hubs can participate in the Underdog Tech Award selection process. To be eligible for entry, startups make a significant positive impact on their communities (or have the potential to do so) and have good prospects for rapid scaling.

The first stage – the application phase – begins on 19 September and ends on 1 December 2023. All applications submitted during this time will be considered.

We aim to support innovative startups that make the world better

During the second stage, which starts in December 2023, award nominees and the top 20 candidates will be determined and shortlisted.

At inDrive, we aim to unlock human potential and expand access to education and other social benefits. We consider it essential to support those who are initially deprived or have difficulty accessing the necessary resources: For example, we have already established the Aurora Tech Award, an award for women in IT, along with other initiatives to support those who need and deserve it”, says Mark Loughran, Group President of inDrive.

Now we have organized an award for ‘underdogs’. We at inDrive are still underdogs, and proud of it. We aim to support innovative startups that make the world better. And we are thrilled to provide them with the platform and financial support needed for their growth and development.

The Underdog Tech Award confers recognition and a monetary reward (the prize fund is $60,000) on the winner, along with other important benefits: All startups that submit applications will gain valuable feedback from various venture and investment funds, while the shortlisted candidates will also receive feedback from the award’s jury. In addition, winners will receive PR support and the opportunity to undergo training by industry experts.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of inDrive.

Business

South Africa’s Government-Business Partnership Opens New Mining Investment Opportunities Ahead of African Mining Week (AMW) 2026

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Etu Energias

African Mining Week 2026 will connect key decision-makers across South Africa’s mining sector with global investors to forge new and strengthen existing public-private investment partnerships

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 1, 2026/APO Group/ —South Africa is stepping up efforts to attract investment into its mining sector, with President Cyril Ramaphosa launching Phase 3 of the Government-Business Partnership, a public-private initiative designed to accelerate economic growth, investment and job creation. Mining has been identified as a key pillar of the new phase, alongside energy, transport and logistics, tourism, infrastructure and agriculture.
 




 

The initiative targets GDP growth of more than 3% and the creation of one million additional jobs by 2030, with the mining sector positioned to play a central role in achieving those objectives.

 

Within mining, Phase 3 targets R50 billion in capital expenditure by February 2028 and the rollout of South Africa’s national mining cadastre system by March 2027. The digital platform is expected to streamline mining-rights applications and help address administrative and project-implementation bottlenecks, supporting efforts to attract new investment and improve the sector’s contribution to economic growth.

 

Mining currently contributes approximately 6% of South Africa’s GDP and supports around 470,000 direct jobs, with each mining job supporting an estimated five to 10 dependents. The urgency of accelerating investment was underscored by President Ramaphosa, who said the country’s current growth rate remains insufficient to meaningfully expand employment, with 8.5 million people unemployed and roughly 300,000 new job-seekers entering the labor force each year.

 

Phase 3 forms part of a broader national ambition to mobilize R2 trillion over the next five years to unlock South Africa’s critical minerals potential. The country holds approximately 80% of the world’s platinum group metals and ranks as the world’s largest producer of chrome and manganese, creating significant opportunities for investors across exploration, mining, processing and related infrastructure. South Africa is also seeking to unlock an estimated R40 trillion in iron ore potential, further expanding the pipeline of opportunities for international and domestic capital.

 

Against this backdrop, African Mining Week (AMW) 2026 – the Most Influential Mining Conference in Africa – will bring together global investors, financiers, mining companies and government decision-makers in Cape Town from October 14–16. The event comes at a critical juncture as South Africa seeks to translate its vast mineral endowment into new investment, production, infrastructure and jobs while improving the regulatory environment needed to support long-term project development.

 

AMW 2026 will feature senior figures from across South Africa’s mining and investment ecosystem, including Deputy Minister of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Seiso Joel Mohai, Rand Refinery CEO Dean Subramanian, Transnet Freight Rail CEO Russell Baatjies, Gold Fields Executive Vice President: South Africa Benford Mokoatle, Minerals Council of South Africa CEO Mzila Mthenjane, Standard Bank Managing Principal and Coverage Head for Resources & Energy Shirley Webber, and Executive Head for Energy, Infrastructure and Mining, Business and Commercial Banking Deerosh Maharaj, among other industry leaders.

 

Through high-level discussions, project showcases and networking sessions, AMW 2026 will examine South Africa’s evolving regulatory environment, expanding project pipeline and investment opportunities across the mining value chain. The conference will provide a platform for investors and industry stakeholders to explore how public-private partnerships, domestic capital and international investment can accelerate the next phase of South Africa’s mining growth.

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 




 

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Energy

Halliburton Repositions for Venezuela’s Upstream Revival at Venezuela Energy Week 2027

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Etu Energias

Halliburton will join Venezuela Energy Week as a Platinum Sponsor as international operators accelerate efforts to restore production, reactivate drilling capacity and rebuild the oilfield services ecosystem

CARACAS, Venezuela, August 27, 2026/APO Group/ –Halliburton has joined Venezuela Energy Week 2027 as a Platinum Sponsor, bringing one of the world’s leading oilfield services companies into a market where international operators are moving to restore production and expand upstream activity. Taking place February 22–25 in Caracas, Venezuela Energy Week comes as a new investment cycle is creating fresh demand for drilling, well services, reservoir evaluation and production technologies.
 




 

Halliburton has already begun repositioning its Venezuelan operations for the changing market. In April, Chairman, President and CEO Jeff Miller said the company was discussing commercial terms with customers and had visited its Venezuelan facilities, which he said were in better condition than expected. In July, Venezuela’s Supreme Court ordered the restart of Halliburton’s operations and the return of previously seized assets, removing a significant legal obstacle to the company’s reactivation. Halliburton has since posted new positions in Venezuela, including roles in Maturín covering logging and perforating maintenance and supply-chain procurement, as well as a technical sales position in Zulia.

The timing reflects growing demand for oilfield services as Venezuela moves to reactivate mature fields, expand drilling and bring new investment into production. Halliburton’s capabilities span the full well lifecycle, including drilling, formation evaluation, well construction, completion and production, with services such as well intervention, cementing and stimulation increasingly important as operators work to restore aging wells and infrastructure. As new investment moves from agreements into field activity, Halliburton is positioned to provide the technical expertise and equipment required to translate Venezuela’s resource potential into additional production.

The investment environment is also changing. Venezuela’s January 2026 reform of the Organic Hydrocarbons Law opened new avenues for private participation in primary hydrocarbons activities, including operating and production contracts under which private companies can assume technical, operational and financial management. Subsequent regulations issued in July established the framework for royalties and the integrated hydrocarbons tax, while oil companies have been working to migrate existing agreements into the new regime.

This evolving framework is creating an increasingly important role for international oilfield service companies capable of supplying technology, equipment and technical expertise at scale. Halliburton’s renewed engagement comes as Venezuela moves from regulatory reform and investment agreements toward the practical work of drilling wells, restoring production and expanding field capacity.

At Venezuela Energy Week 2027, Halliburton will bring its renewed Venezuelan presence into discussions on the practical requirements of production growth, from drilling and well construction to completion and intervention. Its Platinum Sponsorship will place the company at the center of conversations around how Venezuela can rebuild oilfield capacity and translate new investment into additional barrels.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 




 

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Energy

Welligence Joins Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 as Associate Sponsor as Angola Enters New Production Cycle

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Etu Energias

As gas commercialization, deepwater developments and a shifting exploration landscape reshape Angola’s upstream sector, Welligence will bring its market intelligence expertise to the Angola Oil & Gas 2026 Conference and Exhibition

LUANDA, Angola, August 27, 2026/APO Group/ –Angola’s upstream industry is entering a new investment cycle, with gas commercialization, deepwater development, renewed exploration activity and an expanding independent operator base creating new opportunities across the market. Against this backdrop, energy intelligence firm Welligence has joined the Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2026 Conference and Exhibition as an Associate Sponsor.
 




 

Welligence provides upstream intelligence covering assets, reserves, production, economics, mergers and acquisitions and emerging investment opportunities, combining analyst expertise with data and AI-driven analytics. Its platform includes more than 4,000 asset-level reports and a database covering 40,000 M&A transactions, supporting companies evaluating upstream markets and investment decisions.

Angola represents an increasingly dynamic market for this type of intelligence. Welligence has identified the country’s upstream sector as entering a new phase of growth and repositioning, supported by gas developments, new oil projects, renewed exploration and rising activity among independent operators.

On the gas front, the start of Angola’s first non-associated gas project, led by the New Gas Consortium, is paving the way for increased feedstock supply to Angola LNG. Meanwhile, the country’s landmark dedicated gas discovery at Block 1/14 in 2025 has strengthened the role of gas commercialization within Angola’s broader upstream strategy.

At the same time, new oil developments are supporting production growth, although Welligence highlights the continued need for greenfield investment as mature assets decline. Recent milestones include the start-up of the Begonia and CLOV Phase 3 projects in 2025, the commissioning of the Agogo FPSO last August and continued progress at the Kaminho project, which is expected to begin production in 2028.

The operator landscape is also evolving. Welligence has highlighted renewed exploration activity by international majors alongside growing participation from independent companies, particularly as Angola’s onshore sector opens and operators seek to reactivate mature assets and build new portfolios.

Recent transactions reinforce this trend. Equinor entered TotalEnergies’ Block 17 in June 2026, while Afentra expanded its onshore footprint through operatorship of KON 5. Woodside Energy’s three-block deal signed in May further underscored growing confidence in Angola’s frontier opportunities, while Etu Energias strengthened its position through acquisitions in Blocks 14 and 14K.

These shifts are increasing the importance of reliable market intelligence as companies assess acreage, transactions, project economics and production potential. Welligence’s participation at AOG 2026 comes at a time when investors and operators are seeking greater visibility into the opportunities shaping Angola’s next phase of upstream growth.

As Associate Sponsor, Welligence will contribute an analytical perspective to discussions at AOG 2026, where industry leaders will examine the investments, partnerships and strategies driving Angola’s energy sector forward. With new entrants entering the market and established operators advancing major developments and exploration programs, data-driven insights will remain critical to guiding future investment decisions.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

 




 

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