StartUps
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News
JAY-Z’s VC Firm invests in 24 Year-old Founder Iddris Sandu on an innovative tech incubator shaping the metaverse
Marcy Venture Partners (MVP), the Venture Capital Firm owned by American rapper, and businessman Jay-Z is investing in 24-year-old technologist…
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News
MFS Africa signs agreement to acquire Nigerian fintech startup Baxi
Pan-African digital payments hub MFS Africa signed an agreement to acquire Baxi, one of Nigeria’s super-agent networks. The deal, which is…
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News
[This Week in Tech] Wapi Pay founders step down from their roles
This has been quite an interesting week in tech in Africa. We covered a number of great announcements here at…
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News
Kepple Africa Ventures revokes its investment stake in Kenyan fintech startup Wapi Pay
Japanese VC firm Kepple Africa Ventures has announced that it will be revoking its investment in Kenyan fintech startup Wapi…
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Startups
Nigeria’s e-commerce startup Sendbox raises $1.8 million
Sendbox has announced the completion of a $1.8 million seed round from investors including 4DX Ventures, Enza Capital, FJLabs, and…
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News
These are the 9 Kenyan startups selected to receive equity-free funding from Google
Google recently announced that it will be investing up to $50 million in African early- and growth-stage startups via its…
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Startups
Ian Lessem: The rise of African tech unicorns
African unicorns have made big news in recent months, with four startups having recently reached a $1 billion valuation or…
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News
Google to invest $50M equity-based fund in African startups
Last week, tech giant Google announced that it plans to invest up to $50 million in African early- and growth-stage startups…
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News
Sendy acquires a significant stake in West African logistics startup Kamtar
Kenyan tech-logistics startup Sendy has completed a strategic equity investment in West African logistics platform Kamtar. On the heels of…
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News
Nigeria’s B2B payments platform Verto secures $10m Series A round for expansion
Nigeria’s B2B payments platform Verto has announced that it has closed $10 million in Series A funding for expansion. The round was led…
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News
Unilever invites startups to partner through Positive Beauty Growth Platform
Unilever has announced the launch of the Positive Beauty Growth Platform, a new initiative that aims to partner with scale-ups…
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News
Kenyan-based B2B Retail Startup MarketForce appoints Arthur Bourekas as Chief Commercial Officer
MarketForce, the Kenya and Nigeria-based B2B platform for retail distribution of consumer goods and digital financial services in Africa, has…
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News
EMURGO launches $100m investment vehicle for early and growth stage startups in Africa
EMURGO has announced the launch of a new Cardano ecosystem investment vehicle to invest in early startups and growth-stage startups.…
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News
Absa partners with Melanin Kapital to launch unsecured lending for women-focused startups in Kenya
Absa Bank Kenya has partnered with Pan African impact investment platform Melanin Kapital, to launch an investor readiness program for…
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News
PATRICK NDEGWA: Growing a successful tech startup in Kenya – 4 key elements
The tech scene in Kenya is thriving. Even amid a global pandemic, economic uncertainty, and election fever, our dynamic African…
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News
Nigeria’s healthtech startup 54gene secures $25 million in a Series B round
Nigeria’s healthtech startup 54gene, has raised $25M in a Series B round funding to expand its capabilities to contribute to…
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News
Pangea Trust opens applications for its Startup Connect Programme
Pangea Trust has opened applications for its Startup Connect Programme. The programme was launched yesterday at an online event moderated by security…
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News
Nigeria’s auto financing firm Autochek acquires Cheki Kenya and Uganda
Autochek has on Monday announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire ROAM Africa’s automotive marketplaces Cheki Kenya and…
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News
Endeavor Nigeria unveils inaugural cohort for its ScaleUp program
Endeavor Nigeria has unveiled the inaugural cohort of entrepreneurs for its new 10-week Endeavor ScaleUp Program that aims to support Nigeria’s…
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News
LG Unveils Ksh 2 Billion Global Startup Innovation Contest
LG Electronics has launched Mission for the Future, a global contest for startups to unlock innovative technologies and business ideas…
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News
SWVL completes $35.5m pre-funding to accelerate growth strategy
Dubai-based provider of mass transit and shared mobility solutions Swvl has completed a $35.5m pre-funding of the aggregate PIPE subscription.…
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News
South African fintech startup SOL rebrands to SOLmate
South African fintech startup SOL has announced that it’s rebranding to SOLmate. The online payment platform that offers clients a digital…
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News
African-focused Payments Firm pawaPay Raises $9M Seed Funding
African-focused payments firm pawaPay has raised a $9m Seed funding led by UK-based investment fund 88mph. Vunani Capital, Kepple Ventures,…
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News
East African Startup ecosystem poised for massive growth in 2021
Africa has a very vibrant startup ecosystem. Even with the pandemic, these startups have gone ahead and raised massive funding…
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News
East Africa’s Startup ecosystem players in Nairobi to design the future of Africa Tech
Leading startup ecosystem players in Africa have today kicked off a two-day workshop to design solutions for challenges that the…
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News
Kenyan Fintech Startup Kwara Selected for Mastercard Start Path Program
Kenyan fintech startup Kwara is among the 11 startups that have been selected to join the Mastercard Start Path program.…
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News
Ecobank Opens Applications for its 2021 fintech challenge for African startups
Ecobank Group has opened applications for its 4th edition of the Ecobank Fintech Challenge. The challenge, the bank says is…
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News
Naspers Foundry leads $8.3m Series A investment in South African insurtech startup Naked
Naspers, through its early-stage tech investment vehicle Naspers Foundry, invested $8.3 million (R120 million) in Naked, the artificial intelligence (AI)-driven insurtech startup that…
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News
Bolt raises KES. 78 billion to expand its on-demand transportation network in Africa and Europe
Ride-hailing startup Bolt has raised KES. 78 billion in a Series E funding round led by Sequoia Capital. This fund…
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News
These Are The 25 African Female Founded Tech Startups Joining The CMM PR mentorship program
Twenty-five African female-founded tech startups have been selected for the second edition of The Future is Female Mentorship Program. This…
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News
Top African regions set to become leading startup and investment hubs
On the back of Cape Town being recognised as the tech capital of Africa, topping international rankings for foreign direct investment strategy,…
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COLUMNS
Tonny Tugee: Connectivity, collaboration, competition – The 3 essential Cs for Africa’s growth
Africa’s population is rapidly expanding. In fact, forecasters predict that the continent’s population will nearly triple by 2050. This could…
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News
KES 5.3 million accelerator programme launched to drive innovation in Kenya’s insurance sector
FSD Africa, the Insurance Regulatory Authority, and Tellistic Technology Services have launched BimaLab, a KES 5.3 million accelerator programme designed…
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News
Egypt’s social e-commerce startup Taager raises US$6.4 million seed round
Taager, an Egyptian social e-commerce startup, has raised a US$6.4 million seed funding round to help it scale its platform…
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News
Nigerian fintech startup Lidya raises $8.3m pre-Series B funding round
Nigerian fintech and lending startup Lidya has announced the completion of its $8.3 million pre-Series B funding round. Alitheia Capital…
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News
South African secure data collaboration startup Omnisient raises $1.4m for global expansion
Omnisient, a South African secure data collaboration platform, has achieved its second raise this year totalling USD1.4 million. The investments…
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News
Kenyan startup MarketForce raises $2m pre-Series A to scale its B2B retail marketplace, RejaReja
MarketForce, the Kenyan-based B2B platform for retail distribution of consumer goods and digital financial services in Africa has raised a…
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CLOUD
Francis Wainaina: The role of cloud in Kenya’s growing tech start-up scene
Despite a global pandemic with many business-related hurdles, the resilient African tech start-up ecosystem thrived during 2020, securing a record-breaking…
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BUSINESS
Most Kenyan MSMEs Operating Within ICT, Agricultural Sectors, Survey
ICT and Agriculture are the leading host sectors for Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in Kenya, the 2021 MSMEs…
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News
Catalyst Fund announces Circle of Corporate Innovators to accelerate startup-corporate partnerships
Global inclusive tech accelerator Catalyst Fund has announced pioneer members of its Circle of Corporate Innovators to accelerate startup-corporate partnerships.…
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News
Ivorian transport startup Moja Ride partners with O-CITY for its next phase of growth in mobility innovation
Moja Ride, an Ivorian startup providing a reservation and cashless payment system for transport services in Abidjan has partnered with…
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News
Three local InsurTech receive Ksh 1.25 million each from IRA, Prudential innovation hub
Three local startups have each received Ksh 1.25 million in cash awards from the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) innovation hub…
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News
CMM PR launches 2nd edition of mentorship programme for African female tech founders
C. Moore Media International Public Relations (CMM), a New York-headquartered PR agency focusing on the US, UK, and African markets,…
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News
Kenyan startup MarketForce acquires Digiduka to consolidate distribution of consumer goods with digital financial services in Africa
MarketForce, the Kenyan end-to-end retail distribution startup for consumer brands in Africa, announces the strategic acquisition of Digiduka, a startup…
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News
Healthtech startup BASMA.com raises $3m funding to scale up its platform in the MENA region
UK-based, MENA focused, startup BASMA.com has closed a $3 million Series to scale up its healthtech platform in the region.…
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News
Nigerian e-health startup Helium Health launches in Kenya
Lagos-based e-health startup Helium Health has launched its operations in Kenya. The startup is partnering with three local providers, including Philips…
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News
Toyota AI Ventures rebrands to Toyota Ventures, adds $300m to invest in emerging tech and carbon neutrality
Toyota’s first standalone, early-stage venture capital firm, Toyota AI Ventures, will change its name to Toyota Ventures. The VC firm…
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News
IFC launches program to support startups across North Africa
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has launched a new advisory program aimed at making it easier for startups in Algeria,…
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News
WhereIsMyTransport, South Africa’s mobility startup announces a $14.5 million Series A extension round
South African-based mobility startup WhereIsMyTransport has announced a $14.5 million Series A extension round to expand to other markets. This…
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News
[Column] Ian Lessem: Venture Capital trends shaping the African investment landscape
As the second half of 2021 approaches and Covid-19 vaccinations roll out across the globe, albeit at varying rates, Ian…
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News
BMZ expands its developPPP Ventures programme to Kenya to support local startups
German-based Federal Development Ministry (BMZ) has expanded its developPPP Ventures programme in Kenya to support local startups. Under this programme,…
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News
Industrialization Ministry launches Startup Savanna, a business acceleration programme for local early-stage startups
The Kenyan Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development (MoITED) has launched Startup Savanna, a business acceleration programme that will…
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News
Dream VC Launches Fellowship Program For Aspiring VCs Africa
Dream VC Launches Fellowship Program For Aspiring VCs AfricaDream VC, a Remote Venture Capital Upskilling Institute, has launched a new…
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News
[Kenya] Pangea announces upto $3 million scale-up program for local startups
Norwegian-based accelerator Pangea has unveiled a scale-up program offering private funding of up to Ksh 300 million and business support…
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News
Satgana launches first portfolio startup in Kenya, Mazi Mobility
Venture builder Satgana announced its first portfolio startup from Nairobi, Kenya, Mazi Mobility, to address the issues faced by the public transport…
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News
IMPACC to invest up to $150k in social businesses in Africa
IMPACC today announced plans to provide smart equity investment of between $30,000 – $150,000 with a period of 6 to…
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News
UN launches hunt for startups and enterprises changing the face of food systems
The UN Food Systems Summit has announced a competition to identify startups and SMEs from across the world who are…
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News
Kenyan fintech startup Kwara selected for Japan-led Ninja Accelerator Programme
Digital banking platform and fintech company Kwara has been selected for the first cohort of the Ninja Accelerator programme in Kenya.…
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News
Google to offer Android and cloud development scholarships to developers across Africa
Google has announced a new programme to offer new scholarships for Android, Web and Google Cloud development to developers across…
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WomenInTech
Mastercard announces new investment in Rwandan female-focused eCommerce platform Kasha
Mastercard has today announced a new investment in Rwandan female-focused eCommerce platform Kasha. The companies say they will continue their…
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News
[Interview] Zahra Baitie-Boateng, Head of Partnership and Programs, Africa’s Business Heroes
Zahra Baitie-Boateng, is the Head of Partnership and Programs, Africa’s Business Heroes, Jack Ma Foundation’s flagship philanthropic program in Africa to support…
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News
Applications for the HiiL Justice Accelerator to close on 30th April
Southern African justice startups looking for the opportunity to take their business to new heights have until 30 April 2021…
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News
African tech startups invited to apply for the Smart Cities Innovation Programme
African tech startups in the fields of mobility, housing, and fintech have been invited to apply for the Smart Cities…
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Startups
Applications for 2021 Grindstone Accelerator programme now open
Applications for this year’s Grindstone’s accelerator programme are now open. Grindstone Accelerator is an equity-free structured entrepreneurship development programme that…
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News
HiiL opens applications for Justice Accelerator for Southern Africa startups
The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) has opened applications for this years HiiL Innovating Justice Challenge. Successful applicants will…
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News
Kenyan agency banking startup Tanda secures funding to expand regionally
Kenyan agency banking startup Tanda has announced that is expanding its operations regionally after closing a funding round in February…
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News
Solar energy startup Jirogasy launches fundraising to finance its expansion in East Africa
After a year marked by the launch of its solar computer Jirodesk II, Malagasy startup Jirogasy has joined the Seedstar…
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News
AECF Launches US$1.2 Million Fund to Support Renewable Energy Startups in Africa
The African Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF) has today launched a US$1.2 million Innovation Fund to support entrepreneurs using renewable energy…
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Startups
Nigerian Fintech startup TeamApt launches internship program to support women in tech
Nigerian fintech startup TeamApt has launched an internship program to support women in Technology. The internship program is targeting female…
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News
Fintech VC firm Flourish Ventures Opens new Office in Kenya
Flourish Ventures, a global fintech venture capital firm, has opened a new office in Kenya to support fintech startups across Africa.…
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News
Lendable Passes $100 Million Investment Mark in Fintech Startups
Lendable has announced that it has invested over US$100 million in credit to help fintech startups in emerging and frontier…
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News
Three Kenyan startups among recipients of $2-million African Jua fund
Three startups from Kenya are among the recipients of the inaugural $2-million Jua Fund, the largest African venture capital fund…
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News
South African fintech startup Ukheshe confirms Middle East, Europe and Asia Pacific expansion
South African fintech startup Ukheshe Technologies has confirmed its global expansion. Having established itself as a formidable payment technology specialist…
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Startups
Kenyan-based fundraising platform Raise secures $25k investment from Nigeria’s Microtraction
Kenyan fundraising and equity management platform Raise, has raised $25,000 funding from Nigeria’s Microtraction to help African startups fundraise and…
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Startups
Nigeria’s Union Bank Launches 2021 UnionX Innovation Challenge To Support Local Startups
Nigeria’s Union Bank has unveiled the 2021 UnionX Innovation Challenge to support young startups in the country. Tagged ‘A New…
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News
Nigerian fintech startup ImaliPay Raises Pre-Seed Funding from Australian VC firm TEN13
Nigerian fintech startup ImaliPay has raised an undisclosed amount of pre-seed funding from Australian venture capital firm TEN13. ImaliPay, which…
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News
DFS Lab Announces Fintech and Digital Economy Design Sprint for startups in Egypt
Early-stage investor DFS Lab has announced that it will facilitate a virtual design sprint in March 2021 for fintech startups…
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News
Teleporter mobile app 360VUZ joins first “Google for Startups Accelerator” in the MENA region
360VUZ, the immersive video mobile app has been selected to join the first ever “Google for Startups Accelerator” in the…
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Startups
HAVAÍC expects bumper year for African tech startups
As one of South Africa’s most active Venture Capital investors, HAVAÍC says 2020 saw the commercial adoption of technology increase at unprecedented…
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News
Bolt raises Ksh.19.8 Billion funding from D1 Capital To Improve Security on its Platform
Ride-hailing app Bolt has raised Ksh.19.8 billion funding from D1 Capital Partners to bolster safety and security measures on its platform. The…
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News
KeNIA Establishes Technical Committee To Support Local Startups
The Kenya National Innovation Agency (KeNIA) has established a National Innovation Technical Committee that will help build a comprehensive and…
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News
JICA expands its startup NINJA accelerator program to Kenya
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is expanding its startup accelerator program (NINJA Accelerator) to Kenya. NINJA Accelerator is part…
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Startups
Google to Invest $5 million in Kenyan Start-Ups
American tech giant Google has pledged to invest $10 million in Kenya – about Ksh 1.1 bn – to support…
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News
Algerian Private Incubator IncubMe to support tech startups in Kenya
Algerian Private Incubator IncubMe has announced plans to launch in Kenya in March this year. Under the patronage of the…
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News
Echelon Capital to invest $1 million in early-stage tech startups in Nigeria
Venture Capital Echelon Capital has announced plans to inject US$1 million in funding in Nigerian tech startups beginning February 2021.…
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News
VC-backed free money transfer service Taptap Send is now live in Kenya
Taptap Send, a venture-backed fintech startup that lets immigrants send money back home to emerging markets instantly has launched in…
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News
Mobile Retail Platform Copia Global hosts MIT Global Entrepreneurship Lab project
Mobile retail platform Copia Global was among the startups from around the world selected to host a Global Entrepreneurship Laboratory…
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News
Kinyungu Ventures Research calls for Changes to Cut-and-paste VC Strategy In Africa
There continues to be a wide misalignment between traditional venture capital models and the African market, this is according to…
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News
Egypt’s Fintech startup Cassbana raises $1m pre-seed funding from Disruptech Ventures
Egypt-based fintech startup Cassbana has raised $1 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Egyptian fintech-focused venture capitalist fund Disruptech…
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News
Kenyan-based digital bank Umba raises $2m seed funding to scale its product offerings
Kenyan-based digital bank for emerging markets Umba has raised a US$2 million seed funding round to help it expand product…
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News
Kenyan e-health startup Damu-Sasa receives a $20,000 grant funding from Villgro Africa
Kenyan e-health startup Damu-Sasa has received a $20,000 grant funding from Villgro Africa to enable it to enhance its contributions…
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News
Ivory Coast based Media Startup StarNews Mobile Raises $1.8m Funding
StarNews Mobile, an Ivory Coast based Media Startup has raised funding from Investors & Partners (I&P), a pioneering impact investing…
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News
Six Emerging FinTech Trends in Africa
Africa is quickly becoming the centre of new fintech innovations and adoptions. Many financial technology start-ups are coming up across…
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News
Kenyan e-health startup Ilara Health raises $3.75 million in Series A funding
Kenyan e-health startup Ilara Health has raised $3.75 million in Series A funding led by TLcom Capital, with participation from…
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News
[Column] Patrick Ndegwa: Celebrating startups and digital businesses that are uplifting African communities
The digital economy has opened up many opportunities for global businesses. Large enterprises and small businesses have seen increased profits…
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News
These are the startups shortlisted for the AppsAfrica.com Innovation Awards 2020
The final shortlist for the AppsAfrica Innovation Awards 2020 which celebrate the best startups in mobile and tech from across Africa has been…
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News
IBM supports African agricultural startups through Digital4Agriculture Initiative
IBM has announced that it is supporting the Digital4Agriculture Initiative (D4Ag), which aims to foster African start-ups in the agricultural…
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News
South African tech startup LetMeIn.to raises R2.2-million to scale its visitor and access management platform.
South African tech startup LetMeIn.to has raised R2.2 million in funding from an undisclosed impact investor to scale up and expand…
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News
Nigerian fintech startup CredPal raises $1.5million funding round
Nigerian consumer credit startup CredPal has raised a $1.5million funding round. The funding came as the startup prepares to launch its…
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Startups
These are the 25 African tech startups that have qualified for Seedstars 2020 regional competition
25 African tech startups have qualified for the Seedstars World Competition 2020. The startups are among the 94 from emerging…
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News
African fintech startup Chipper Cash raises $30 Million backed by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos
African fintech startup Chipper Cash has secured a $30 Million Series B funding round led by Ribbit Capital with participation…
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