Autocheck, a Nigerian auto-tech firm, has purchased KIFAL Auto, a Moroccan competitor, to help it expand into the North African market. Autocheck’s goal is to create digital solutions that will improve and enable a seamless and secure automotive commerce experience throughout Africa. By developing a single platform for consumers’ automotive needs, from sourcing and financing…
Mastercard and fintech firm OPay have launched a strategic relationship that will bring digital commerce to millions of people across Africa and the Middle East, paving the way for greater financial inclusion and economic development. Thanks to a Mastercard virtual payment solution linked to the OPay eWallet, OPay users and merchants throughout the area –…
The ShelterTech Sub-Saharan Africa accelerator program, run by the global non-profit Habitat for Humanity, is now accepting proposals from entrepreneurs with scalable solutions to today’s affordable housing concerns. ShelterTech is an affordable housing innovation platform that works across sectors, industries, and geographies to support and grow cutting-edge products and services that can help low-income households…
With Timbuktu, the home of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) new innovation funding hub, Rwanda is quickly becoming Africa’s first significant digital hub. The UNDP’s goal for the new hub is to jumpstart Africa’s startup boom. It also seeks to debate early-stage risk capital gaps, as well as cultivate global-class entrepreneurs and create the…
Apple intends to make accessibility tools available to people with disabilities. In honor of World Accessibility Day on Thursday, Apple introduced innovative software advancements that give consumers with disabilities new ways to explore, interact, and get the most out of Apple devices (May 19). Door Detection Thanks to developments in technology, software, and machine learning,…
The fifth batch of innovators, ventures delivering digital AT or using digital to expand access to AT products or services, has been unveiled by Innovate Now, Africa’s Assistive Technology (AT) Accelerator. The digital AT and entrepreneurship initiative, led by Global Disability Innovation Hub (GDI Hub), is a collaboration between GDI Hub, ICT Norway, Norad, and…
LinkedIn, an American job-search social networking site, has raised membership fees and tariffs for premium services by up to Sh 1,400 ($12.03) each account. According to Business Daily, Kenya implemented a 16 percent value-added tax (VAT) on digital transactions for international corporations through the Finance Act of 2019. “We’d like to give you a critical…
Nile, a South African agri-tech firm that uses its platform to allow purchasers to buy directly from Africa’s top food producers, has raised a ZAR83 million (US$5.1 million) equity fundraising round headed by Naspers Foundry. Nile was founded in 2020 with the goal of providing farmers with digital solutions to address several pain points associated…
RapidDeploy, a South African emergency response platform, has raised equity capital from Nedbank CIB, the Nedbank Group’s corporate and investment banking division, one of the country’s four main banking companies. RapidDeploy is an open and integrated response technology founded by Steven Raucher and Brett Meyerowitz that transforms any size first responder communications center into a…
Victory Farms, a tilapia fish aquaculture firm with hatcheries, nursery ponds, and deep-water cages, has raised $5 million in new capital. Ed Brakeman, a senior managing director at Bain Capital, and Hans den Bieman, the founder and former CEO of Mowi, one of the world’s largest fish companies, led the investment. Following seven internal angel…
Meta Pay is rumored to be a cryptocurrency-friendly payment platform from Meta. The parent company of social media behemoths Facebook and Instagram has submitted five patent applications with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Meta is looking for licenses to operate as a “online social networking service for investors that allows financial trades and…
Bamba, a mobile-first business software for African micro-merchants, has raised $3.2 million in venture capital to help it scale its app and expand its team. Presight Ventures, Jigsaw VC, and high-profile angels Mato Peric, Leonard Stiegeler, Laurin Hainy, and Thomas Stafford all participated in the round, which was led by venture capital firm 468 Capital….
The second cohort of the Black Founders Fund for Africa has accepted applications, according to Google for Startups. Google has extended its financial commitment to eligible businesses by investing an additional $1 million. For this cohort, Google for Firms will invest $4 million in 60 qualified black-founded startups in Africa. The Black Founders Fund Africa…
Instabug, an Egyptian software company that offers bug reporting, app performance monitoring, crash reporting, in-app chats, and user surveys for mobile apps, has raised $46 million in Series B funding led by global software investor Insight Partners, with participation from existing investor Accel and new investors Forgepoint Capital and Endeavor. The new funding will allow…
Zuri Health, a digital healthcare firm, has raised $1.3 million in seed capital to further develop its digital platform, expand its product offerings, and commence operations in additional areas across Africa. DOB Equity, Launch Africa, and Founders Factory Africa led the $1.3 million investment, which also included V8 Capital, Platform Capital, Villgro Africa, Asime Ventures,…
Edves is an Edtech with strong adoption and usage in Africa’s EdTech and digital infrastructure arena, with over 1,200 schools, 22K+ educators, 130K+ parents, and 250K+ students across six African countries. After raising $575,000 in a Seed round, the premier SaaS startup has grown to four African nations in the previous six months. Dimeji Falana…
The ICT Authority (ICTA) and Kodris Africa, an online publishing company, have agreed to establish a coding curriculum in a few Kenyan schools. This comes after the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development approved the country’s coding curriculum as a way to improve kids’ digital literacy. The Kenyan government has provided 1.2 million computers to students…
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has chosen six African digital startups among the 100 most disruptive Technology Pioneers of 2022, companies that are changing industries ranging from healthcare to retail and beyond. The WEF Technology Pioneers are early to growth-stage firms from around the world that are using new technologies and innovation to revolutionize business…
Topship, a Nigerian digital freight company, has raised $2.5 million in seed capital. Flexport led the investment round, which included Y Combinator, Olive Tree Capital, Capital X, and True Capital as well as additional investors. According to the startup’s release, fresh funding would be critical in its expansion efforts. This comes just months after the…
Nearly 900,000 apps have been removed from the Google Play Store. The IT giant announced that it is removing Android apps that it considers outdated. Staying in the Google Play Store requires your app to support the platform’s most recent features, and Google is removing apps that have been neglected. Nearly 869,000 Android apps failed…
The 5G rollout in Nigeria will be overseen by MTN Nigeria in conjunction with Mafab Communications. According to the Nigeria Communication Commission’s release, the exercise will begin in August 2022. When releasing license letters to the two businesses that won the 5G Spectrum Licences auction, the NCC made this declaration. Spectrum distribution: After Airtel withdrew…
Bridgecard, a Nigerian fintech firm, has acquired $440,000 in pre-seed capital to expand its user base and develop its platform. Bridgecard, which was co-founded by Owumi Festus and Tunde Adewole, combines a user’s cards, bank accounts, and fintech wallets into a single card and app, allowing users to conduct online transactions, pay bills, and withdraw…
Eko Innovation Centre, one of the leading tech hubs in Nigeria, curators of events like Art of Technology Lagos, and The Lagos Smart Meter Hackathon amongst others, together with GDM Group, Nigeria’s leading marketing and innovation company is changing the narrative around innovation in media and marketing. To achieve their goal of creating lasting and innovative solutions…
Android Auto is being updated. The latest version takes into account the ever-changing screen sizes of new autos. The split-screen view is the standout feature, allowing users to access various features at once. Drivers will be able to access crucial functionality such as navigation, media player, and messages from a single screen. Previously, the option…
The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has established a US$2 billion facility to promote bank-driven economic recovery in Africa and the resilience of African economies in the face of global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and, more recently, the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The AFC will fund up to half of the facility and raise the balance…
Cybersecurity has become a requirement in the digital age, when everything is digital. Data breaches and cyberattacks have occurred in both small and large firms on occasion, raising awareness regarding cybersecurity for businesses. If you use the internet to manage your organization, cybersecurity is an absolute essential. There is no need to invest a lot…
Africa lags behind all other continents in terms of economic development. Some may believe that African countries lack resources, however, this is not true. Although African countries have the necessary resources, there are several other issues impeding economic progress, which we will explore below: Inadequate Educational System In Africa, the level and quality of education,…
According to a statement made by the two private investment firms on Wednesday, Interswitch has received $110 million in a combined investment from LeapFrog investments and Tiana Africa Capital. The digital payment firm is Africa’s second unicorn, and its current funding will help it expand its digital payment services across the continent. Interswitch, which was…
The SAB SHARP Awards, created in collaboration with the SAB Foundation, are aimed at innovators and social entrepreneurs with creative ideas or prototypes that empower women in at-risk communities. The SAB SHARP Awards are seeking for ideas that help these women become economically self-sufficient or address challenges like Foetal Alcohol Syndrome and gender-based violence. Applicants…
The Alexandria Business Angels Network led an undisclosed bridge round for Egyptian company Teegara, a B2B e-commerce platform focused on household and FMCG products. Teegara is a B2B2C e-commerce marketplace founded in 2019 by Ahmad Kayyali and Nader Ibrahim with Ahmed Samir as the first investor. It seeks to help everyone trade, starting with small…