MONACO — Ushahidi, the crowd-sourced mapping platform, which launched during the disputed Kenya elections in 2007 and has been used recently by the BBC around the Tube strike and The Guardian for the Pope's visit to London, is now in seven languages and is becoming a commercial venture, founder Ory Okolloh told Beet.TV in this video interview.
The Nairobi-based start-up, which provides its program for free, has launched a services business for organizations. Okolloh, the Harvard Law School-trained attorney, gives an update on Ushadidi and her thoughts about emerging technology in Africa.
The company has gotten attention this year for its mapping of the floods in Pakistan and the earthquake in Haiti.
She was the recipient of this year's Monaco Media Prize which was awarded Thursday evening at a gala dinner hosted by Prince Albert.
Previous prize winners include Jimmy Wales and Lawrence Lessig.
Andy Plesser