Startups

News updates on startups in Africa. Send tips to info@techtrendske.co.ke.

1 day ago

African Market Intelligence Startup Rwazi Raises $4 Million Seed Funding

African market intelligence startup Rwazi has raised a $4 million seed funding round that was led by Bonfire Ventures and…

3 days ago

Kenyan e-commerce startup Zumi is shutting down

Zumi, a Kenyan B2B e-commerce marketplace connecting retailers of non-food products to suppliers is reportedly closing shop after failing to…

4 days ago

Dream VC Opens Applications for its 2023 Talent Accelerator Program in Africa

Dream VC, a Remote Venture Capital Upskilling Institute, has opened applications for its 2023 Accelerator Program for VCs in Africa. …

4 days ago

Kenyan insurtech startup Turaco and Airtel Money launch low-cost hospital cash insurance product

Turaco, the Kenyan insurtech startup has partnered with Airtel Mobile and Prudential Assurance to launch a low-cost hospital cash insurance…

4 days ago

Factor[e] Ventures launches new venture studio for African startups

Factor[e] Ventures has launched a new venture studio targeting tech startups in Africa. Known as Delta40, the studio aims to…

4 days ago

Kenyan startup ecosystem has a significant competitive edge globally, report

A comprehensive, in-depth report funded by the UK government has given Kenya’s startup ecosystem a thumbs up, noting that it…

5 days ago

Flutterwave Secures Two Additional Licenses to Operate in Rwanda

Nigerian remittance company Flutterwave has announced that it has received its Electronic Money Issuer and Remittance Licenses from the National…

6 days ago

[Nigeria] Fintech startup OnePipe raises $4.8m to reach more SMEs

Nigerian fintech startup, OnePipe, has secured $4.8 million in debt funding from TLG Capital to drive the company’s inventory finance…

6 days ago

Microsoft ADC launches Season 4 of university students’ coding competition

University students from across Kenya and some parts of Africa can now apply to participate in season 4 of the…

1 week ago

ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator Concludes Inaugural Program with Demo Day

Techstars, in partnership with Lagos-based innovation program ARM Labs, marked the completion of its inaugural ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator…

1 week ago

[Nigeria] Government launches a $672 million fund to support tech startups

Nigeria has set aside a $672 million fund to support young investors in the tech and creative industries, The introduction…

1 week ago

African fintech Chipper Cash reportedly searching for a buyer

Nigerian remittance company Chipper Cash is reportedly considering a sale, according to a report by Bloomberg. The company, which is…

2 weeks ago

Startups Invited to Apply for iHub and Mastercard EdTech Accelerator Program

iHub Kenya has announced a partnership with Mastercard Foundation, aimed at empowering Edtech startups in Africa through an Accelerator Program.…

2 weeks ago

13th edition of Orange Social Venture Prize in Africa launched

Orange has opened applications for the 13th edition of its Social Venture Prize in Africa and the Middle East (POESAM).…

2 weeks ago

Google opens applications for 3rd cohort of Black Founders Fund 2023 for Africa

Google has opened applications for this year’s Black Founders Fund for Startups in Africa and Europe. Startups from Africa applying…

2 weeks ago

Andela acquires technical skills assessment platform Qualified for an undisclosed sum

Andela, the Tech talent company has announced that it has acquired Qualified, a technical skills assessment platform for an undisclosed…

2 weeks ago

Kenya’s Elizabeth Mwangi wins the $30k Aurora Tech Award 2023 for her ‘Mama Fua’ app

Elizabeth Mwangi, the founder of Gwiji, the Kenyan startup that economically empowers women from the slums of Nairobi is the…

3 weeks ago

Flutterwave reportedly lost $4 million to hackers in early February

Nigerian fintech Flutterwave has reportedly lost $4 million to hackers who penetrated the company’s systems in early February. The money…

3 weeks ago

Empowering African SMEs: Cladfy’s innovative approach to accessing capital

Sub-Saharan Africa is currently home to 44 million micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). All of which serve as a…

4 weeks ago

Kenya’s alphabloQ is helping more Africans secure their future through real estate investments

Following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, economic uncertainty heightened when global stocks and bonds lost more than $30 trillion…

4 weeks ago

[South Africa] HealthTech startup Envisionit raises $1.65M to expand medical its imaging services

Envisionit Deep AI, a South African health-tech startup that uses AI to bridge the gap in diagnostic imaging, has raised $1.65m…

4 weeks ago

Electric vehicle Roam partners with Europe’s Hitachi for transport electrification

Kenyan-based electric vehicle manufacturer Roam has signed a partnership with Hitachi Europe Ltd to make electric transport accessible in Africa.…

February 23, 2023

SA car-ownership financing startup Planet42 raises $100 million to scale its business

South African Car Subscription Startup Planet42 has raised $100 million in combined equity and debt funding. Launched in 2017, Planet42…

February 22, 2023

Kenyan HR payroll startup WorkPay raises $2.7M funding to scale across Africa

WorkPay, a Kenyan HR management startup launched in 2019 has raised $2.7M to scale its operations across Africa. The full-stack…

February 22, 2023

AfricaGoGreen Fund closes $47 million to support tech-focused green projects in Africa

The AfricaGoGreen Fund (AGGF) has raised $47 million in combined investments from top financial organizations, including the International Finance Corporation…

February 21, 2023

Kenyan construction tech startup Jumba has raised $4.5M seed funding

Jumba, Kenya’s construction startup has raised $4.5M in a seed funding round. The startup facilitates retailers of construction materials to…

February 20, 2023

CcHUB to launch $15 million accelerator for the ed-tech startups in Kenya and Nigeria

Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB), touted as Africa’s largest innovation and incubation hub, has announced it is launching a $15 million accelerator…

February 18, 2023

Chipper Cash reportedly lays off more than 100 employees

After laying off 13% of its workforce in December last year, cross-border payments startup Chipper Cash is reportedly sending more…

February 16, 2023

South Africa’s AI-based insurtech startup Naked raises $17 million Series B round

There have been significant efforts to increase insurance uptake across Africa, where reports show a very low market penetration for…

February 15, 2023

Kenyan fintech Power raises $3 million in seed funding

Power Financial Wellness, a Kenyan fintech startup that seeks to advance the financial well-being of its customers has secured a…

February 15, 2023

Nigerian mobility startup Treepz launches its operations in Kenya

Treepz, a Nigerian-based mobility startup that offers diverse car-renting options for its customers has announced its entry into the Kenyan…

February 13, 2023

Kenya’s BuuPass raises $1.3m to digitise transport ticketing in East Africa

BuuPass, a digital bus ticketing company founded in 2016, has raised $1.3m in pre-seed round to expand its transport solutions…

February 13, 2023

Flutterwave obtains license to operate in Egypt

Flutterwave, the Nigerian fintech company has obtained licenses to operate in Egypt as a payment service provider. This allows the…

February 13, 2023

Saudi Arabia-based HR tech platform, Palm.hr raises $5 million to expand across MENA

Palm.hr, a Saudi Arabian HR firm that automates payroll, tracks leaves and absences and monitors employee performance has secured $5…

February 9, 2023

Egyptian fintech MNT-Halan is Africa’s newest Unicorn after raising $400M

Egyptian fintech startup MNT-Halan has become Africa’s newest unicorn after raising $400 million in debt and equity funding, raising its…

February 9, 2023

Tech Nation, a UK-Based non-profit tech talent acquisition firm is shutting down

For slightly over one decade, Tech Nation, a non-profit UK-based organization has been providing assistance to global tech talent, outsourcing…

February 8, 2023

India’s Food supply chain startup WayCool Foods is expanding its tech arm CENSA to Africa

WayCool Foods, India’s leading food and agri-tech platform is expanding its tech arm CENSA into the African market. The strategic…

February 8, 2023

Africa’s mobility startup eWaka has secured a $540k loan from SECO

Kenyan mobility solutions provider eWaka has secured a $540,000 loan from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of the…

February 7, 2023

Nigerian fintech startup Trade Lenda has raised $520k in pre-seed round

Trade Lenda, a Nigerian fintech startup that helps micro, small, and informal retailers with access to financing for their business…

February 6, 2023

South African grocery delivery startup Yebo Fresh raises 4.5 million in pre-Series A

Yebo Fresh, a South African grocery delivery startup has raised $4.5m in a pre-series A equity funding round. The pre-series…

February 5, 2023

[Kenya] Government drops fraud charges against Nigerian fintech Flutterwave

The Kenyan government has dropped charges of financial impropriety against Flutterwave Inc. This is according to a new report by…

February 3, 2023

South African digital lender Lulalend has bagged $35M Series B funding

Lulalend, a South African digital lender offering funding options for businesses has raised $35M in Series B funding. The round…

February 2, 2023

Two Kenyan startups among 12 selected for ARM Labs Techstars Accelerator

Two Kenyan startups, Cladfy and alphabloQ have been selected to join the inaugural class of ARM Labs Techstars Accelerator, a…

February 1, 2023

Women founders in Africa invited to apply for Google’s new accelerator program

Google on Tuesday announced a women accelerator program aimed at providing resources and opportunities for women founders in Africa. The…

January 31, 2023

SWVL cancels its $40 million acquisition deal of Turkey’s Volt Lines

Egyptian transport company SWVL has had a mix of good and bad fortunes in different markets. It has attempted to…

January 30, 2023

[Interview] Sendy’s Don Okoth on shaping the future of logistics and fulfillment in Africa

The logistics and fulfillment sector in Africa continues to thrive, driven by innovative technology that boosts efficiency and propels business…

January 27, 2023

Kenya’s Zuri Health raises an undisclosed amount of funding from Moroccan VC UM6P Ventures

Zuri Health has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Moroccan VC UM6P Ventures. The funds will be used to…

January 25, 2023

Kenyan startup iGas wants to revolutionalize the LPG industry through digitization

iGas, a Kenyan startup that was founded in 2021 is on a mission to turn around the LPG industry which…

January 24, 2023

BasiGo and AVA to assemble 1,000 electric buses in Kenya

BasiGo, the Kenyan-based electric manufacturer has partnered with the Associated Vehicle Assemblers Ltd (AVA) to assemble its buses in the…

January 23, 2023

Nigeria’s Commodities Exchange Firm AFEX Expands to Uganda

After expanding its commodities exchange business in Kenya in June last year, Nigeria’s AFEX is now expanding to Uganda. Similar…

January 23, 2023

11 Startups Selected to Join Cohort 3 of ASIP Accelerator Program

Eleven African startups have been selected to join the third cohort of the Africa Startup Initiative Program (ASIP). The accelerator…

January 23, 2023

South African Cleaning Tech Startup SweepSouth Exits Kenya

SweepSouth, a South African cleaning startup that recorded quick growth through several funding rounds has informed its customers that it’s…

January 23, 2023

South Africa’s digital enabler Flow has raised $4.5 million to facilitate strategy growth

Flow, a South African company that helps businesses to gain online presence and leverage on digitization has raised $4.5 million…

January 19, 2023

South Africa’s gaming firm Carry1st raises $27M

The gaming market in Africa continues to grow as more creators, gamers and other stakeholders make significant investments in the…

January 18, 2023

New social-media platform African Stream seeks to change how African Stories are told

African Stream, a newly created social-media platform with its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya brands itself as a tool that seeks…

January 17, 2023

Two Kenyan firms among 10 African startups selected for $2m Catalyst Fund

Pre-seed venture capital (VC) fund and accelerator Catalyst Fund has announced a US$2 million investment into 10 startups building solutions…

January 16, 2023

Kenya Fintech startup Kwara Raises $3M Seed Extension

Kenyan fintech startup Kwara has raised a $3 million seed extension. The new investment was led by existing backers DOB Equity,…

January 13, 2023

Bolt is Pioneering Ride-Now Pay-Later Services in Nigeria

Ride-hailing company Bolt has partnered with Nigerian fintech CredPal to introduce ride-now pay-later services to its customers. CredPal is a…

January 12, 2023

Kenyan ﬁntech Kwara acquires software company IRNET from KUSCCO for an undisclosed sum

Kenyan fintech firm Kwara has acquired IRNET, a software company which is a subsidiary of the Kenya Union of Savings…

January 11, 2023

Women-led startups in Africa raised $203.2M in 2022

There has been a significant focus on funding for African-led startups across the globe. Across the continent, several venture capital…

January 10, 2023

[Ghana] Logistics startup Jetstream raises $13m for expansion

Ghanaian e-logistics company Jetstream Africa has announced it raised $13 million in equity and debt pre-Series A financing. The debt…

January 10, 2023

Fintech is the most vibrant sector in the Kenyan startup landscape, report

A report released by pan-African publication and research firm Disrupt Africa has pointed out fintech as the most vibrant subsector…

January 5, 2023

Burning Heroes opens applications for its African Edition of Startup Awards

Burning Heroes (BH) Founders Association has announced the launch of its Africa Edition of startup awards. BH says the contest…

December 22, 2022

Zuri Health’s new Continuous Care Program to offer support to persons with Chronic illnesses

Health-tech startup Zuri Health has launched its Continuous Care Program to offer support to persons with Chronic illnesses. The program…

December 21, 2022

Kenya’s Clean Energy Startup Mukuru Clean Stoves awarded $1.2 million Earthshot prize for 2022

Mukuru Clean Stoves, a clean energy startup providing alternative energy sources to low-income earners in Kenya’s informal settlements has been…

December 21, 2022

Tanzania’s fintech NALA has expanded to 19 European countries

NALA, a Tanzanian fintech startup known for its remittance services to Africa has expanded to 19 more European countries. The…

December 20, 2022

Solar energy provider Sun King Raises $70M investment to expand throughout Africa and Asia

Pan-African producer of solar energy Sun King has raised $70 million equity investment from LeapFrog Investments and other investors. Sun…

December 20, 2022

Wara Farm wins Moringa School’s Tech for Climate Action Hackathon

Wara Farm has been named the winner of the Technology for Climate Hackathon by Jacob’s Ladder Africa and Moringa School.…

December 15, 2022

VC fund Ventures Platform closes its pan-African and early-stage fund at $46M

Ventures Platform, a pan-African early-stage Venture Capital firm has today announced the final close of its intercontinental fund, at $46M. …

December 14, 2022

Nigeria’s online furniture store Taeillo raises $2.5 million for expansion

Nigerian online store Taeillo has announced a $2.5 million funding round from Aruwa Capital, a growth equity and early-stage investor.…

December 14, 2022

Africa’s Mobility Financing Startup Moove Raises $30 Million

African mobility fintech startup Moove has raised $30 million just a few months after raising $18.4 million to scale its…

December 13, 2022

Kenyan Edtech company Zeraki Raises $1.8 Million in Seed Funding

Kenyan Edtech company Zeraki has raised a $1.8 million seed funding round to enable product catalog growth and regional expansion.…

December 13, 2022

MEST Africa Opens Applications for its 2024 Training Program

After announcing five African tech startups that made it to the grand finale of the 2022 Africa Challenge pitch competition,…

December 9, 2022

Nigeria’s ThriveAgric crowned winner of Visa Everywhere Initiative

ThriveAgric, a Nigerian startup that champions technology to transform the payments landscape for smallholder farmers, was crowned winner of the…

December 8, 2022

African producer of kids content Ubongo receives $27.8 Million from Lego Foundation

Africa’s leading creator and producer of children’s educational media, Ubongo has received a $27.8 Million Dollar Award from Lego Foundation…

December 7, 2022

Nigerian fintech Chipper Cash is the latest company to conduct massive layoffs

Nigerian cross-border payments startup Chipper Cash has laid off nearly 13% of its workforce, reports indicate. Many employees from various…

December 6, 2022

Local startups to showcase at the UK-Supported Kenya Innovation Week

Kenya Innovation Week kicked off in Nairobi on Tuesday to showcase UK-funded programmes that are breaking ground with emerging technologies…

December 6, 2022

South African VC firm 4Di Capital announces the second close of a new $25 million seed fund

South African- based early-stage technology venture capital fund manager 4Di Capital has announced a close of a new US$25 million…

December 6, 2022

Egyptian supply chain solutions provider OneOrder has raised $3 million

Egyptian supply chain solutions company OneOrder has raised $3 million in seed round funding led by Nclude, with participation from…

December 6, 2022

Leading Identity Verification Startup, Verified.Africa Launches in Kenya

Verified.Africa, a leading provider of ID verification, document verification, and digital KYC compliance solutions, has launched in Kenya. With this…

December 5, 2022

Lipa Later acquires SkyGarden for an undisclosed sum

SkyGarden, the e-commerce platform has been acquired by Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) Lipa Later for an undisclosed sum. Lipa…

December 5, 2022

Ex-Jumia executives launch new e-commerce platform

Former Jumia executives have teamed up to launch a new e-commerce company called “Kapu”. Launched on Monday, the new platform…

December 5, 2022

Asset Recovery Agency drops fraud charges against Nigerian fintech Kora

Kenya’s Asset Recovery Agency (ARA) has dropped fraud charges against Nigerian fintech Kora. The startup was in July accused of…

December 2, 2022

Lipa Later to acquire popular e-commerce Startup Sky.Garden

Buy Now Pay Later (BNLP) company Lipa Later is acquiring troubled Kenyan e-commerce startup Sky.Garden. This comes about three weeks…

December 2, 2022

Kenyan Smartphone Reseller Badili Has Raised $2.1 Million in Pre-Seed Funding

Badili Africa, a company that allows customers to trade in their old phones for new ones at friendly prices has…

November 30, 2022

Nigerian food-tech Orda raises $3.4 million seed round to digitize African restaurants

Nigerian food-tech platform Orda announced has raised a $3.4 million seed round to further digitize food businesses across the continent.…

November 29, 2022

Twiga Foods Launches Fulfillment Centre To Serve the East African Region

Agri-tech startup Twiga Foods has launched a multi-million dollar distribution centre aimed at serving manufacturers, brand owners, and farmers across…

November 29, 2022

M-TIBA Partners With Sweden’s BYON8 to Expand Telehealth Services

Kenyan health-tech platform M-TIBA has partnered with Sweden’s online doctors’ platform BYON8 to expand access to telehealth services for its…

November 29, 2022

Autochek has launched a vehicle financing subsidiary for customers across Africa

Autochek, the automotive technology company that is simplifying car ownership across Africa, has announced the launch of Autochek Financial Services.…

November 28, 2022

Fintech startup Hisa unveils real-time online stocks trading platform

Fintech startup Hisa has launched an application that allows Kenyans to invest in the stock market directly from their phones…

November 28, 2022

Kenyan Supply Chain and Logistics Startup Leta Secures $3M Funding

Kenyan supply chain and logistics startup Leta has secured a $3M pre-seed equity round led by 4Di Capital, Chandaria Capital,…

November 28, 2022

Tanzanian supply chain solutions startup Ramani has raised $32M in equity and debt

Tanzanian supply chain solutions provider Ramani has raised $32M in debt and equity in a Series A round that was…

November 27, 2022

Pan-African solar company Solarise Africa raises $33.4M

Solarise Africa, a pan-African Energy-as-a-Service company that provides reliable and affordable energy solutions across Africa has raised $33.4M to expand…

November 21, 2022

Modus Africa sets aside $75M to support African AI and blockchain startups

African AI and blockchain startups are set to benefit from Modus Africa fund, an African –focused venture capital firm under…

November 21, 2022

Kenyan health-tech startup MYDAWA launches online platform to help in HIV prevention

Kenyan health-tech startup MYDAWA famous for its e-pharmacy platform has launched the first Kenyan online solution for HIV prevention. The…

November 19, 2022

Kenya’s agri-tech startup Stable Foods has raised $600k in funding

Stable Foods, a Kenyan agri-tech startup offering a host of solutions to small-scale farmers has raised $600k in funding. The…

November 17, 2022

How the fall of FTX impacted Nigeria’s Web3 startup Nestcoin

It’s now emerging that the collapse of American crypto platform FTX last week has had an impact on Nigeria’s Web3…

November 17, 2022

IFC has launched a $225 million VC subsidiary to fund early-stage African startups

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has launched a $225 million venture capital subsidiary to invest in early-stage startups across Africa,…

November 16, 2022

Kenya-based Electric Vehicle Manufacturer BasiGo has raised $6.6 million in funding

BasiGo, the Kenyan-based electric manufacturer working to bring EVs for public transportation has raised $6.6 million (Sh804.5 million ), in…

November 15, 2022

Nigerian Fintech Kuda Wants To Make Remittance From UK To Africa Cheaper

As remittances to Africa increase, several firms are finding ways to make it easier, cheaper and more convenient to send…

November 14, 2022

Sky.Garden will not fold up, it has found a new buyer

In September, news of the impending extinction of popular e-commerce website Sky.Garden caught the tech industry by surprise. When we…

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