The eighth cohort of the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa program will include ten tech startups based in Africa. 106 firms from 17 African nations have received help from the Google for firms Accelerator Africa program since it launched in 2018. Out of around 1,000 applications, 10 entrepreneurs were picked for this year’s cohort, and…
Risk-taking, those large bets made early on as startups to differentiate themselves from the competition, is the foundation of all prosperous organizations. After they are established, businesses usually strive to capitalize on their newfound size while maintaining this spirit of entrepreneurship. The issue is that risk aversion frequently accompanies progress. Even though many big businesses…
Startups have become vital engines of change that can have an outsized impact on an economy. They are crucial in fueling innovation and enhancing economic and digital competitiveness. They improve access to products and solutions while significantly contributing to employment. In recent years, amid global economic volatility and uncertainty, Africa’s startup ecosystem has shown continued…
The last e-Track Programme concluded earlier this month with seven of the graduating startups pitching their businesses to an audience at a hybrid event hosted on the GSB campus, which was run by UCT GSB Solution Space – a specialized centre of the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business focused on high-impact early…
Pylon, an Egyptian infrastructure management business for emerging market water and energy utilities, has raised a $19 million seed round to advance water and electricity software. Endure Capital of the United States led the round, which was a mix of debt and equity, and was backed by British International Investment (previously CDC Group), the UK…
The Alexandria Angels Network, along with members of MED Angels and AUC Angels, Cubit Ventures, Challenge Fund, EdVentures, Falak Startups, and Cairo Angels, led a $1.2 million Series A fundraising round for Egypt-based edtech Sprints. “The organization has successfully given 20,000 learning sessions in the last two years.” Sprints’ co-founder and CEO, Ayman Bazraa, stated,…
V8 Capital Partners has given ShapShap, a Nigerian on-demand delivery firm, a seed extension investment to help it expand its capabilities and penetrate new markets. The fresh funds will be used to improve the startup’s last-mile delivery capabilities for businesses and individuals in Nigeria, with ambitions to expand to other African countries in the near…
ImaliPay, a $3 million seed fundraising round has been finalized for a Pan-African fintech start-up that focuses on boosting the gig economy through its one-stop-shop financial services platform. ImaliPay was founded in late 2020 in Nigeria after Tatenda Furusa (Co-founder) noticed problems with e-ride hailing drivers’ access to working capital and emergency savings in Nairobi. Upon…
Didi Chixung, the Chinese ride-hailing behemoth, has announced the closure of its operations in South Africa (SA), a year after it first opened its doors on the continent. A Didi representative in South Africa confirmed the closure to TechCrunch but did not elaborate on the reasons for the shutdown. “We have made the tough choice…
Lemonade Finance, founded in 2020 by Ridwan Olalere and Rian Cochran and a participant in Y Combinator’s W21 batch last year, allows Africans living abroad to send and receive money from their home nations in a cost-effective, timely, and efficient manner. Its software lets users keep their balances in the currencies that are important to…
America since long has dominated the world of start-ups along with buzzing activities in venture capital. However, now the craze of the start-up has increased and many cities of different continents including Asia, Europe and Africa have created many promising cities that are ideal for starting a start-up. Even though the Coronavirus impacted the startup…
For any Startup or business, it is necessary to keep in mind that no business plan or strategy is foolproof. For this reason, business schools that teach entrepreneurship teach that startups should aim to fail fast forward frequently and frugally. The key is to accept that some form of failure is inevitable but, the way…
When it comes to gender equality in the business world, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg hit the nail on the head: “Knowing that things could be worse should not stop us from trying to make them better.” While access to opportunities, funding and support has improved for women in the startup space over the last couple of decades,…
Nigeria tops as Y Combinator S21 receives the highest number of African startups so far Written by Joan Aimuengheuwa It’s an interesting fact to reiterate that the number of African startups participating in Y Combinator’s 2021 summer batch has increased beyond the usual. Compared to other cohorts, the highest number of African startups participating in the programme…
African fintech OPay valued at $2B in SoftBank Vision Fund 2-led $400M funding Written by Tage Kene-Okafor Chinese-backed and Africa-focused fintech company OPay raised $400 million in new financing led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Bloomberg reported Monday, valuing the company at $2 billion. The round, which marks the fund’s first investment in an African startup, drew…
As the market for Virtual Reality (VR) is growing rapidly, these are the 5 VR Startups to Watch in 2021 Written By Adriaan Brits The market for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technology, which uses advanced displays and movement-tracking to immerse its users in a particular experience, is set to grow at a rapid clip in the coming…
SA fintech startup Revio set for continental expansion as it powers SaaS businesses Written By TOM JACKSON South African fintech startup Revio, a subscription billing and payments platform that powers software-as-a-service (SaaS) businesses, is planning an expansion into other African markets soon. Co-founded in 2019 by venture builder The Delta and a private investor, Revio is a SaaS company…
Eight African fintech startups have been selected to participate in the latest edition of the GreenHouse Lab accelerator, securing access to funding and mentorship. Written by TOM JACKSON GreenHouse Lab is the flagship accelerator programme run by GreenHouse Capital, a Lagos-based fintech investment fund and platform focused on supporting early-stage companies and world-class emerging market entrepreneurs…
In my experience in the Startup space, I have spoken to at least 30 founders. Although it is impossible to meet the perfect person in any circumstance, it is possible to attain a level where one can be ranked as a professional and have the ability to manage a business and people effectively. Starting a…
Founders of tech startups based in Egypt and Nigeria have been accepted into the global Endeavor network, gaining access to various support services to help their companies scale. Written by TOM JACKSON The Endeavor initiative works to catalyze long-term economic growth by selecting, mentoring, and accelerating the best high-impact entrepreneurs worldwide, and has accepted a host…
How Nigeria’s Nguvu Health provides on-demand therapy sessions to Africans Written by TOM JACKSON Nigerian startup Nguvu Health is providing on-demand online therapy sessions to Africans anywhere in the world via their smartphones. Founded in March 2020, Nguvu Health utilises Android and iOS apps to connect users with licensed therapists via in-app messaging or video call, in…
MAGNiTT has announced the launch of its first quarter of 2021 reports, which shows Egypt among the top three in MENA regions with the highest startup investment rates. MAGNiTT has announced the launch of its first quarter of 2021 reports, which cuts across the eCommerce, food and beverage, fintech, delivery and logistics, and healthcare sectors….
Nigeria Innovation Summit 2021 (Virtual Edition) to Discuss Charting a New Economic Path Through Technology, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Nigeria Innovation Summit in its 6th year is an annual event that brings together stakeholders from different sectors of Nigeria’s economy to share ideas, trends, opportunities around technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship development in Nigeria. Through previous editions in…
Success in a startup is the result of the collective efforts of many individuals. While founders deserve recognition for their vision and leadership, it is important to acknowledge the critical role that operators and employees play in the company’s growth. These individuals take initiatives, work hard, and make countless contributions to the success of the…
African startup TV is proud to showcase House Of Usanga fashion collection, a contemporary African fashion label in Lagos. In a one on one chat with the founder of house of Usanga, Mrs shummailte Usanga, she told us how she found love in fashion after she escorted her friend to a fashion design training school….
Hotels.ng launched its jobs portal a process that formalized its hiring process into some of the most unusual screening questions, and since then the online hotel booking portal has seen some interesting responses from applicants and online commentators alike. One defining thread of the hotels.ng hiring process is that it is unconventional,and you will need more than…
Travelstart, a leading Internet travel booking company in Africa, has announced an investment of US$40M led by Amadeus Capital Partners (London). With the new funding comes a strategic partnership with Nigeria’s largest mobile telecommunications provider MTN which has a subscriber base of more than 40 million locally. The funding will be used for Travelstart’s growth in…
Nigeria mobile payment platform, Paga has announced a partnership with technology company, Uber. The global company that has revolutionized the way people think about travel, which accepts payments for services via its app is looking to broaden its reach across Nigeria by making its services accessible to all commuters, irrespective of how they choose to…
CradleCount App by Kesandu Nwokolo is an innovative Health care app for pregnant women in Africa,the app is set to reduce infant and maternal mortality. It’s no longer news that Africa is faced with great challenges, what is interesting is that many young Africans with technology and innovation, are beginning to provide the needed solution…
The Anzisha Prize is thrilled to announce this year’s winner of the $25,000 Grand Prize in the 5th year of Africa’s premier award for youth entrepreneurship. Chris Kwekowe (22), founder of Slatecube which offers a job-relevant skills learning platform and job placement services,impressed the judges. Slatecube has had significant success to date with potential for scale…