Chatbots—artificial intelligence (AI) systems that enable customer engagement via SMS, speech, or chat applications like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp—are becoming a popular way for businesses to interact with their customers. While chatbots are not widely used by businesses in Africa at the moment, a number of African startups are working to expand this AI use…
Carry1st, one of Africa’s leading mobile game publishers, today announced a partnership with PayPal and Chipper Cash, a cross-border payments company recently valued at $2 billion, to enable people across Africa to purchase virtual goods and services online in an easy and secure manner. Following these collaborations, consumers across Africa will be able to purchase…
According to four people familiar with the situation, at least nine US State Department employees’ Apple iPhones were hacked by an unknown assailant using sophisticated spyware developed by Israel-based NSO Group. The hacks, which occurred in the last few months, targeted US officials who were either based in Uganda or focused on issues concerning the…
In September 2021, EMURGO announced the establishment of a $100 million Cardano investment vehicle comprised of two separate entities, EMURGO Africa and EMURGO Ventures, to invest in early startup and growth stage companies focused on developing socially impactful Cardano-powered solutions. The investment thesis of EMURGO Africa is to support the development of three hundred regional…
Square is changing its name to Block as it expands beyond its credit card reader business and focuses on blockchain technology. According to the company, the new name, which will take effect on December 10, “acknowledges the company’s expansion” and “creates an opportunity for further growth.” Block will continue to trade on the New York…
Apple has announced the top apps and games that have helped consumers tap into their passions, explore creative outlets, connect with new people and experiences, and simply have fun for the 2021 App Store Award winners. The winners this year are global developers whose apps and games were chosen by Apple’s worldwide App Store editorial…
Facebook Messenger announced today that it is beginning to test a new “Split Payments” feature that allows users to split the cost of bills and expenses via the app. According to the company, the new feature is a “free and quick” way to manage finances through Messenger. The new feature will be available to US…
Norrsken Foundation, a Swedish coworking space and investment fund, announced the opening of its first entrepreneurship hub outside of Scandinavia in Rwanda in 2019. The center, which is located in Kigali, has finally opened to the region, though it is being done in two stages. The first event, held yesterday, will host 250 entrepreneurs. The…
BadgerDAO, a DeFi protocol, has been the victim of a large hack. The protocol’s users were robbed of $120.3 million, according to security researchers PeckShield. BadgerDAO is a DeFi protocol aimed at increasing bitcoin yield. The idea is to wrap your bitcoin and transfer it to a smart contract platform like Ethereum, which you can…
Flex Finance, a mobile ecosystem that helps MSMEs and solo entrepreneurs better manage and track their daily business expenses and finances, is a Nigerian fintech startup that has raised a six-figure US dollar pre-seed funding round to support its growth. Flex enables businesses to digitize their day-to-day operations through a simple, user-friendly mobile platform. The…
Microsoft has adopted a new aggressive strategy to discourage users from downloading Google’s Chrome Web browser. When users try to download Chrome using Microsoft Edge, the Redmond-based company now displays prompts that discourage them from downloading and installing Google’s Web browser. The prompts are available for both Windows 10 and Windows 11, though only a…
Zindi is all about using artificial intelligence to solve real-world problems for businesses and individuals. And the crowd-solving startup from South Africa has done just that in the three years they’ve been in business. Last year, a team of data scientists led by Zindi used machine learning to improve air quality monitoring in Kampala, while…
Raseedi, an Egyptian fintech startup that helps users make cheaper calls, pay less, and get advance credit, has raised a pre-Series A funding round of $850,000 to help it build on its impressive early traction. Raseedi is a multi-purpose fintech app that helps anyone in its community communicate cheaper, pay less, and pay later for…
MYDAWA, a Kenyan e-health startup, has been awarded a US$1.2 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to increase access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) services through its e-pharmacy model, thereby aiding the fight against HIV/AIDS in Kenya. MYDAWA, which was founded in 2017, enables consumers to purchase authentic high-quality medicines, health and wellness…
Shamba Pride, a Kenyan agri-tech startup, has raised US$1.1 million in funding to support its national expansion and roll out its solution to over 1,000 shops. Shamba Pride is a one-stop online-to-offline platform that connects smallholder farmers to high-quality inputs, services, and information via technology-enabled “DigiShops.” The startup recently received a US$1.1 million funding round…
Timnit Gebru, one of the leaders of Google’s ethics in AI team and a leading expert in the field, was fired almost exactly one year ago after sending a concerned email to her team. She has now established her own research institute, DAIR, focusing on the topics she felt were being neglected at Google. According…
MTN Nigeria, Nigeria’s largest telco, has announced that beginning on Wednesday, 1 December 2021, retail investors will be able to purchase up to 575 million shares held in MTN Nigeria at 169 per share, which is lower than its stock market share price. This public offering is consistent with MTN Group’s commitment to gradually reduce…
In a future update, Android Auto will receive a slew of new features. Following the update, users will be able to send quick replies to messages via their vehicle’s touchscreen. Previously, Android Auto users could only respond to messages with their voice. Furthermore, Google announced that Android Auto can now be set to launch automatically,…
OfferZen, a South African tech talent marketplace, has raised a EUR4.5 million (US$5.1 million) Series A funding round to further its expansion into European markets. OfferZen, based in Cape Town, was founded in 2015 and launched in 2016. It assists tech companies such as Luno, Absa, MMI Holdings, Takealot, WeTransfer, Adyen, and Catawiki in hiring…
Modern smartphones and tablets allow us to explore new worlds. Regardless of where we are, we can watch YouTube videos, work, and even try in-play betting without making mistakes due to slow Internet connections. Our phones, on the other hand, can be useful for self-development. Do you want to improve and become more skilled? Then…
According to reports, YouTube Premium subscribers on Android and iOS will soon be able to use the ‘Listening Controls’ feature. The new feature gives users more control over their music listening experience on the platform. It allows you to play, pause, fast forward, and rewind videos. When you enable this new feature, it will replace…
The second edition of Africa Creator Week has begun on YouTube. As part of the #YouTubeBlack Voices program, the program seeks to showcase and support content creators from across the continent, as well as to extend YouTube’s commitment to nurturing black creators and artists. YouTube Africa Creator Week 2021 takes place from November 29 to…
Tesla has quietly launched the Cyberquad for Kids, just in time for the holiday season in the United States. The Cyberquad for Kids is an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) based on the Tesla Cybertruck. It is powered by a lithium-ion battery that can travel up to 15 miles (24 kilometers) on a single charge. Tesla‘s Cyberquad…
Being a part of the tech industry has provided many women with successful and rewarding careers. This is the story of Ikiokaye Idowu, a Lagos State University Biochemistry graduate who began her career in banking but is now an Operations Manager with Tek Experts, a company that provides deep technical support and professional services to…
Last Friday was a memorable event for the team as Data Science Nigeria (DSN) celebrated five years of innovation and impact while pursuing its overall goal of raising one million Artificial Intelligence (AI) talents and leading the development of AI solutions that improve the quality of life and wellbeing of over two billion people in…
YouTube Music reaffirmed its commitment to supporting African creative voices today by providing financial grants, capacity development training, and advisory services to two organizations that nurture and export African creative talent. Briteswan and iManage Africa Entertainment Limited will receive funding to help them scale up their initiatives to develop African music creatives. This change is…
Twitter implemented new policies on Tuesday that prohibit users from sharing private images of other people without their permission, tightening the network’s policy just a day after it changed CEOs. People who are not public figures can now ask Twitter to remove photos or videos of them that they claim were posted without their permission,…
Fixit45, a Nigerian autotech platform, has announced the acquisition of Parkit, a platform that provides a wide range of auto care services. The move, according to the startup, was made to help it fulfill its commitment to facilitate value-creating interactions among stakeholders in the automotive industry. Following the acquisition, Fixit45 will now focus on repairs…
Arnergy, a leading distributed utility company that provides solar energy solutions, has announced the launch of the Diaspora Initiative – a ground-breaking program that allows the global Nigerian diaspora to invest in solar energy solutions on behalf of local individuals and businesses. The Diaspora Initiative, the first of its kind from an African solar company,…
Google was fined $40,155 on Monday for failing to delete content deemed illegal by a Moscow court, as part of a larger dispute between Russia and the Alphabet-owned US tech giant. In October, Russia threatened to fine Google a percentage of its annual Russian turnover for repeatedly failing to remove banned content from its search…