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HAVAÍC leads a R12 million investment in South African startup RNR
South African-born RNR provides truck fleet managers and truck OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) with on-demand breakdown support.
[Column] Kevin Ng'ang'a: E-commerce can create a borderless and efficient market for Africa
One area that has the potential to create a borderless and efficient market as envisioned by AfCFTA is Africa’s e-commerce space which Statista estimated hit the $40 billion-mark last year.
South African logistics startup Tripplo raises $1.8m funding to scale its operations
Tripplo has closed its seed funding extension round with $1.8m equity investment.
E-commerce tech platform MarketLeap secures €2.6m to expand brands’ global reach and revenue
MarketLeap has secured €1.5m funding.
Vistry unveils conversational AI platform LumoChat for food commerce
Vistry has announced the launch of its Conversational AI platform, LumoChat.
French SaaS firm scnd raises €4m to disrupt the sales of services
scnd, the trailblazing French SaaS solution, announced a €4m funding round backed by 42Cap and Partech.
Canadian e-Commerce inventory platform Centro launches with $2m pre-seed funding round
e-Commerce inventory platform Centro, announced a $2m in pre-seed funding.
South African payments startup Revio raises $5.2 seed round to grow coverage across Africa
Revio has announced a seed investment round of $5.2m.
IFC invests in e-Commerce platform ANKA to support Africa’s creative Artisans
IFC has invested $3.4m equity investment in African e-Commerce platform ANKA.
Genus AI secures over $6m seed extension round for Generative AI in e-Commerce
Genus AI, a generative AI platform, has secured over $6m in a seed round extension
Irish Tech Challenge 2023 for tech startups launches in South Africa
The Embassy of Ireland in South Africa has opened applications for the Irish Tech Challenge 2023.
African fintech startup Lipa Later gets greenlight for public fundraising in US
Lipa Later Group is a global trailblazing innovator recognized as one of Africa's Fastest-Growing Fintech Companies by the Financial Times that continues to reshape the finance, payments, and e-commerce landscape in Africa.
Liviri launches independent e-Grocer grant program
Liviri is launching its first-ever e-Grocer grant program – an initiative that will award resources to an independent grocer.
[Column] Richard Shaw: AI-ready cloud - How hyperscalers empower businesses to thrive in the digital age
Cloud computing has undergone evolution.
On-demand logistics and delivery startup Picup opens driver training centres in South Africa
Picup has launched its Driver Training Centres in Cape Town.
[Column] Nchaupe Khaole: Unlocking South Africa's technology investment potential
Technology enabled businesses and the solutions they develop represent growth.
Israeli social commerce startup Terrific completes its seed round of financing
Israeli social commerce startup Terrific has completed its seed round of financing.
Startupbootcamp AfriTech opens cohort 4 of its ASIP accelerator program
Startupbootcamp AfriTech has opened applications its ASIP accelerator program.
World Bank awards 10 Southern African fintech startups with $5k each
10 Southern African fintech startups have each received $5,000 from the World Bank.
Kenyan agritech startup Kyosk acquires KwikBasket, expands into fresh produce market
Kenyan agritech startup Kyosk, is expanding into the African fresh produce market.
[Column] Paul Selibas: Embedded finance in the age of e-Commerce
The African online e-Commerce market has grown rapidly in recent years.
Kenyan e-Health startup MYDAWA raises $20m funding from Alta Semper Capital
MYDAWA has received $20m capital injection from private equity investor.
Kenyan fashion e-Commerce startup ShopZetu raises pre-seed funding to fuel growth of its marketplace
Kenyan fashion e-Commerce startup ShopZetu has raised $1m pre-seed funding.
[Interview] Caroline Mutuku, General Manager, Glovo, Kenya
Caroline Mutuku is Kenya's General Manager of multi-category app Glovo.
[Interview] Renate Swanepoel, COO, INC. Networking
Renate Swanepoel is an entrepreneur, global networker and inspirational speaker.
How payment technology is changing the rulebook on South African retail
The past few years have seen the proliferation of new methods of transacting.
Genetica raises $500k seed round to make cannabis shopping smarter with AI
Genetica, an AI cannabis retail platform, announced the close of its seed round.
Austrian SaaS startup Shopstory scores million-dollar investment to accelerate growth
Austrian SaaS startup Shopstory has scored another million-dollar investment.
Absa acquires minority stake in South African agritech startup Khula!
Absa Bank has acquired a minority stake in South African agritech startup, Khula!
South African healthtech startup Quro Medical raises $1.3m funding from Mineworkers
Quro Medical, the South African e-health startup has received a $1.3 million investment from leading investment firm the Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC).
South African healthtech startup Guidepost unveils chatbot for diabetic patients
South African healthtech startup Guidepost has unveiled an AI-powered chatbot to help citizens living with diabetes better manage their condition.
Kenya's B2B e-Commerce startup Wasoko expands to Zambia
Wasoko has revealed plans to invest over $1 million in Zambia. The B2B retail and e-Commerce made this announcement while announcing its official entry into the Southern African country.
Milan-based fintech startup Viceversa closes €10m Series A funding round to accelerate growth
Viceversa, the Milan-based fintech startup that introduced revenue-based financing to Italy to support the growth of digital companies, announced the closing of €10 million Series A financing round.
Africa’s mezzanine debt fund manager Vantage Capital exits Dynamic Bedding
Vantage Capital, Africa’s mezzanine debt fund manager, announced it has fully exited its investment in Dynamic Bedding, a South African specialist bed manufacturer and retailer.
Forces shaping the retail landscape in 2023, ESW
Brands and merchants are constantly adapting to the ever-changing forces that shape the retail landscape
3 key trends in retail and brand innovation, Plug and Play
Brands and the retail industry are undergoing a rapid transformation. As technology and customer expectations continue to evolve, businesses must innovate to stay competitive and provide a better consumer and user experience.
[Column] Marilyn Moodley: Conquering the biggest cloud adoption challenges with an effective strategy
As CIOs turn to the cloud to help streamline performance across key areas of operations, knowing exactly how to conquer the biggest cloud adoption challenges is more important than ever before.
[Column] David Meintjes: Unified communication and collaboration trends for 2023
As businesses continue evolving to meet changing customer behaviour, the uptake and investment in cloud unified communications platforms and tools will continue to soar.
Vue.ai announces new AI powered models to generate inclusive ad creatives through Meta's Creative Shop
Vue.ai, the retail vertical of AI startup Mad Street Den, announced its partnership with Meta to generate automated and inclusive ad creatives using AI-powered models for brands using Meta's creative services.
South African healthtech startup Envisionit raises $1.65m to expand access to medical imaging
Envisionit Deep AI, a South African healthtech startup that uses AI to bridge the gap in diagnostic imaging, has raised $1.65 million to expand access to medical imaging.
[Column] Didi Onwu: Understanding youth entrepreneurship in Kenya - why fintech is an attractive sector
Boasting one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa, Kenya is on the rise to become a powerhouse of innovation on the continent. This is largely in part due to the country’s thriving culture of entrepreneurship and its significant startup ecosystem.
Indian SaaS startup Mintoak raises $20m Series A funding round to grow its product portfolio
Mintoak, an India-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform focused on merchant services, has raised $20 million in Series A funding round led by PayPal Ventures.
South African car subscription startup Planet42 raises $100m to break car accessibility barriers
South African car subscription startup Planet42 has raised $100 million in combined equity and debt funding.
[Column] Anna Collard: ChatGPT: What cybersecurity dangers lurk behind this impressive new technology?
It is now possible to use a publicly available artificial chatbot to generate a complete infection chain, possibly beginning with a spear phishing email written in entirely convincing, human-like language.
IFC, DEG, Hollard, and Yellowwoods invest in South African insurtech startup Naked to boost insurance accessibility
IFC, the German Development Finance Institution (DEG), Hollard, and Yellowwoods, jointly announced an investment in South African insurtech company Naked to expand access to insurance products.
Tech startup Uspace fills the gap in web marketing missing from main street small business
Recent advertising by e-Commerce giants Go Daddy, Shopify, Wix and others would have the public believe that anybody can build and launch a moneymaking website with little time and effort.
South African grocery delivery startup Yebo Fresh raises 4.5m pre-Series A funding to fuel expansion
Yebo Fresh, a South African grocery delivery startup has raised $4.5m in a pre-series A equity funding round.
South African digital lender Lulalend raises $35m Series B funding to accelerate growth
Lulalend, a South African digital lender offering funding options for businesses. has raised $35 million in Series B funding to accelerate the growth of its loan book and bring new solutions to the market.
Bangladeshi B2B commerce platform ShopUp secures $30m debt financing to fuel expansion, strengthen supply chain operations
ShopUp, a full-stack B2B commerce platform in Bangladesh, announced it has secured $30 million in debt financing, to drive expansion efforts and strengthen the company's supply chain operations.
[Startup Interview] Don Okoth, General Manager, Sendy, Kenya
Don Okoth is General Manager for Kenyan Fulfillment and Logistics startup Sendy. In this interview, he talks about the current state of logistics in Kenya and beyond, including Sendy's role in shaping the industry.
Climate finance trading platform Senken raises $7.5m to streamline and expand carbon markets offerings
Senken, the climate finance trading platform of on-chain carbon credits, announced it has raised $7.5 million in new funding, the most significant capital raise in its industry, led by Obvious Ventures.
Belgian SMEs management software Odoo opens local office in Australia
Belgian company Odoo, an all-in-one integrated business solution for Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), announced it is setting up shop in Australia.
Food Foundry accelerator announces fifth cohort of early-stage foodservice startups
Food Foundry, an accelerator program built by Relish Works and Gordon Food Service for early-stage startups disrupting the food and foodservice industry, announced the five startups that will join the fifth cohort starting in January 2023.
Fintech enabler Ukheshe secures Series A funding to accelerate international expansion
Ukheshe International, the UK-headquartered division of digital-first, Banking as a Service (BaaS) enabler Ukheshe, announced the conclusion of an investment agreement that will help accelerate its international expansion.
Nigerian online furniture store Taeillo raises $2.5m for expansion
Nigerian online store Taeillo, announced a $2.5 million funding round from Aruwa Capital, a growth equity and early-stage investor.
Senegalese startup Kwely launches made in Africa online store
Kwely, a Senegalese-based startup has launched a B2B e-marketplace to provide African producers and manufacturers with a global window to sell their products at scale.
South African early-stage VC firm 4Di Capital announces close of $25m seed fund
South African early-stage technology venture capital fund manager 4Di Capital has announced the close of $25 million seed fund.
[Nebulab Case] How this e-Commerce tech studio went global to fight talent shortage and improve diversity
Hiring talent has become one of the top challenges for technology companies. The global talent shortage and emerging trends have made finding and retaining skilled professionals more difficult.
Netail closes $5m seed funding to advance retail-focused AI development
Netail, a technology that enables retailers to auto-identify competitors across the internet and track their assortments, availability and optimize prices in real time, announced the closing of $5 million in seed funding.
Berlin-based AI-powered startup Faircado raises €500K to transform E-commerce into Re-commerce
Faircado, a Berlin-based startup that provides the first AI-powered second-hand shopping assistance, announced it has raised €500,000 in a pre-seed round led by BackBone Ventures.
Kenyan supply chain and logistics startup Leta secures $3m pre-seed funding to accelerate growth
Leta, the supply chain and logistics startup driving distribution optimization, announced the close of $3 million Pre-Seed equity round.
Swiss Web3 payment startup DePay partners with WooCommerce to bring payments to online merchants
Swiss Web3 payment startup DePay, announced it is joining forces with the self-hostable, open-source eCommerce plugin WooCommerce, pushing decentralization further and providing merchants with the ability to have customers send payments directly to their own wallets.
Demand for seamless, convenient way of shopping increase growth of e-Commerce in Africa
The electronic commerce (e-Commerce) transaction of goods and services between business-to-consumer (B2C), business-to-business (B2B), consumer-to-consumer, and consumer-to-business, has become rampant in this digital age.
Ultra-convenient healthy meals startup Proper Good closes seed funding to bring absurdly delicious products
PROPER GOOD, an ultra-convenient home-delivered food service company that offers nutritious prepared meals made with simple and high quality ingredients, announced the closing of $3.5 million in seed funding.
Startup Wise Guys selects the second batch of participants for Africa-dedicated fund
Startup Wise Guys (SWG), Europe’s startup accelerator and one of its most active investment funds, has selected the second batch of participants for its €7.5 million fund for African startup investment.
Vue Storefront wins best e-Commerce and retail startup at The Europas Tech Startup Awards 2022
Vue Storefront, a technology company that develops software for businesses to create fast, modern and high-performing online storefronts, was crowned a winner at The Europas Tech Startup Awards 2022.
UK-based hospitality tech startup Journey completes £5m growth capital raise
Journey Hospitality has secured £5 million growth capital investment. The funds, from private equity firm Averroes Capital, will enable Journey to deliver its vision to revolutionise e-Commerce for the hospitality industry.
Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa lead fintech growth in Africa, Mastercard
A report by payment services company Mastercard has revealed that South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya are among the most vibrant fintech markets in the continent.
Vienna-based startup Orderlion raises $4m funding to scale the global B2B food supply chain
Vienna-based startup Orderlion announced the successful closing of $4 million in preSeries A funding, including a mix of equity and debt financing, bringing the total amount of investments raised to $7.5 million since the company’s inception.
GS1 Hong Kong unlocks the next generation of trade finance service for SMEs in China
GS1 Hong Kong (GS1 HK) announced it has welcomed the launch of Commercial Data Interchange (CDI) by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA).
South African digital identity startup iiDENTIFii raises $15m growth capital to fuel expansion across Africa
Cape Town-based digital identity startup iiDENTIFii announced it has raised $15 million in growth capital to fuel its expansion across Africa.
Nigerian social commerce startup Bumpa raises $4m seed funding to build the future of commerce for African sellers
Nigerian social commerce startup Bumpa announced it has raised $4 million seed round led by Base10 Partners, the largest black-led fund in the world, with participation from Plug & Play Ventures.
Fintech startup Banyan raises $43m Series A to scale world's largest SKU data network
Banyan, the network for SKU data, announced it has raised $43 million Series A round led by Fin Capital and M13. The investment will accelerate Banyan's technology and infrastructure growth.
Logistics Startup Nuvocargo appoints Nicholas Simmons as Head of Engineering to accelerate company's growth
Nuvocargo has appointed former Shopify executive Nicholas Simmons as Head of Engineering to continue to develop the Nuvocargo platform and expand the company’s world-class engineering team.
Climate infrastructure startup EcoCart raises $14.5m Series A to accelerate sustainable e-Commerce
EcoCart, a software company building the infrastructure for e-Commerce companies to operate sustainably at scale, has raised a $14.5 million Series A round.
South African Biometrics tech firm iiDENTIFii raises $15 million growth capital
iiDENTIFii’s face authentication technology securely authenticates users via their cellphones or PCs within seconds.
German startup 35up secures €5 million to cross selling platform for SMEs
A German startup providing cross selling platform has received five million euros financing from VC firm Capnamic and other existing investors.
South Africa's home services startup SweepSouth closes $11m investment round led by Alitheia IDF
SweepSouth, an online home services platform with a presence across Africa has completed a $11 million investment round led byAlitheia IDF (AIF), Africa’s first and largest gender-lens private equity fund.
New Utah startup Oops offers doorstep return pickups for in-store and online purchases
An early-stage startup born in the heart of Utah's Silicon Slopes, Oops is offering doorstep return pickups for in-store and online purchases across the Wasatch Range.
Vendease secures $30m to transform procurement and business operations for restaurants across Africa
Vendease, a Y Combinator-backed digital platform that allows restaurants in Africa to buy supplies, access financial services and power their business operations, has raised $30 million funding round.
West african fintech startup Julaya raises $5m extension round to expand its operations
Julaya, a fintech stratup based in Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and France, announced it has raised $5 million extension round led by European venture capital fund Speedinvest to expand its operations in West Africa.
Irish e-Commerce growth unicorn Wayflyer secures $253m debt financing from Credit Suisse
Wayflyer, the revenue-based financing and growth platform for e-Commerce businesses, has secured $253 milion debt financing facility from Credit Suisse.
[Startup Interview] Tesh Mbaabu, CEO, MarketForce, Kenya
Tesh Mbaabu is a serial entrepreneur who lives to blend commerce and technology. He is the Co-founder and CEO of Kenyan-based B2B platform for retail distribution of consumer goods and digital financial services in Africa today, MarketForce.
Austrian SaaS startup Shopstory raises €2.2m in second round funding to back e-Commerce brands
Austrian startup Shopstory is raising a million-dollar investment from tecnet equity, Startup300 and business angels Patrick Pöschl (Co-Founder Scalable Capital) and Hansi Hansmann in its second round of financing.
Kenyan B2B e-Commerce startup Wasoko opens innovation hub in Zanzibar
Wasoko (formerly Sokowatch), an African B2B e-Commerce startup that leverages technology to transform the informal retail supply chain, announced the official launch of the “Wasoko Innovation Hub” in partnership with the Zanzibar government.
FMO partners with SBC AfriTech to support next generation of early-stage African tech startups
FMO has partnered with a pan-African tech accelerator, Startupbootcamp (SBC) AfriTech, for the third installment of the Africa Startup Initiative Accelerator Program which is designed to scout skill and scale early-stage tech startups in Africa.
Nigerian B2B e-Commerce startup Omnibiz raises $15m for expansion
Nigerian B2B e-Commerce startup Omnibiz has raised $15 million pre-Series A round ($5 million equity and $10 million debt) led by Timon Capital, Ventures Platform, Lofty Inc, Chapel Hill Denham, Chandaria Capital and Musha Ventures.
Nigerian last-mile delivery startup Kwik launches in Ibadan
Nigerian last-mile delivery startup Kwik Delivery announced it has officially launched its innovative and just-in-time delivery solutions to merchants, entrepreneurs, businesses, government agencies and social vendors in Ibadan.
South African agritech disruptor AgriKool drives down food costs for consumers, increases profits for farmers
AgriKool, a South African e-trading platform, is connecting agricultural producers to buyers to facilitate the sale of products between retailers and farmers.
Kenyan mobile commerce startup Copia unveils manufacturing unit for sugar and rice production
Copia Global, a Kenyan-based mobile commerce platform has unveiled a new manufacturing unit to enhance its output of affordable sugar and rice to the Kenyan market.
Product search engine startup Vetted raises $15m to vet trustworthy product data for consumers
Vetted (formerly Lustre) announced the launch of its AI-powered product search engine, alongside a $14 million Series A investment round led by global software investor Insight Partners.
VMG Catalyst closes $400m Fund II to scale commerce venture capital space
Venture capital firm VMG Catalyst announced the closing of Fund II at its target of $400 million, bringing the total capital raised to $650 million across both funds.
South Africa’s student housing startup DigsConnect secures investment to spearhead international growth
DigsConnect.com, South Africa’s digital student accommodation platform, announced the closure of its Pre-Series A seed extension round after securing undisclosed multi-million rand investment.
Why you should implement cryptocurrency payments into your e-Commerce website, Remuno
Crypto is one of the biggest aspects of modern finance and technology. For businesses, this revenue stream could provide major boosts to sales numbers, with crypto payments giving customers more freedom while also bringing benefits.
Ukrainian and Dutch-based startup Cloudprinter.com raises €7m seed funding to grow its global print API platform
Cloudprinter.com, the Ukrainian and Dutch-based global print API platform raised €7 missed in a seed round led by Capital Mills.
Bodybuilding.com partners with Retail Ecommerce Ventures to accelerate growth
Bodybuilding.com, the online fitness store, has struck a deal to partner with Retail Ecommerce Ventures (REV), a global leader in e-Commerce with a rapidly growing roster of well-known brands, to accelerate growth.
Indian no-code mobile startup Plobal raises $8.5m to expand presence in North America
Plobal Apps, a no-code mobile app platform for e-commerce stores, raised $8.5 million, led by Elevation Capital and Bessemer Venture Partners.
South Africa's Private equity fund PAPE acquires interest in fintech provider Entersekt
Entersekt, a global player in device identity and payment authentication, announced a new investment from PAPE Fund 3 (PAPE), a mid-market South African private equity fund.
Community-centered lifestyle startup Saysh closes $8m Series A round to scale growth
Saysh, the community-centered lifestyle brand co-founded by Olympian Allyson Felix and her brother and business partner Wes Felix, announced a Series A round closed at $8 million.
[Interview] Michelle Matthews, Director, Viridian, South Africa
Following the rising levels of unemployment among young South Africans, the UK-South Africa Tech Hub Launch League initiative undertook a research project.
B2B e-Commerce and fintech startup Bazaar raises $70m to revamp the retail industry in Pakistan
Bazaar, Pakistan’s B2B e-Commerce and fintech platform has raised $70 million in a Series B financing led by Dragoneer Investment Group and Tiger Global Management.
Utrecht-based same day and next day delivery startup Trunkrs raises €15 million in growth capital
Trunkrs, specialist in same day & next day delivery for the e-Commerce sector, has successfully raised €15 million in a series B investment round. The financing round was led by Korys, the Belgian investment company of the Colruyt family.
Amsterdam-based Instant Commerce secures €2m pre-seed funding to boost its headless storefront builder
Amsterdam-based Instant Commerce announced it has secured €2 million pre-seed funding to boost its headless storefront builder.
Text messaging startup Prokeep raises $9m to modernize distributor communications and commerce
Prokeep, the communications and commerce platform built exclusively for distributors, announced the closing of $9 million seed round.
Indonesian social commerce startup Super completes $70m oversubscribed Series C round
Super, an Indonesian social commerce platform serving tier-2 and tier-3 cities and Indonesian rural areas, announced it completed a $70 million oversubscribed Series C round led by NEA with additional investment from Insignia Ventures Partners.
Swiss Web3 payment startup DePay brings Web3 P2P payment gateway to eligible Shopify merchants
Swiss Web3 payment startup DePay, announced its official integration into omnichannel commerce platform Shopify, allowing for the very first integration of a wallet-to-wallet (P2P) payment solution for eligible Shopify merchants.
South African edtech startup FoondaMate secures $2m seed funding to accelerate growth
FoondaMate, a South African edtech startup, has secured $2 million in seed funding to increase usage of its Whatsapp and Facebook-based learning chatbot throughout the globe.
South African on-demand startup ParkUpp secures community basements for car collectors
ParkUpp, a South African marketplace startup that connects owners of parking spaces with companies and individuals who need parking has secured 'collector community basements' in convenient locations across the country.
AAEC and WAEMU renew partnership with additional funding of 10 million CFA
The support will go towards improving the performance of the Africa e-Trade Hub platform to cater for the exchange of electronic certificates of origin as well as consolidating ongoing initiatives and further support Member States in the process of simplifying procedures and formalities.
e-Commerce logistics startup Kubbo begins international expansion, starts Italy operations
e-Commerce logistics startup Kubbo, announced its first international move to expand its model of digitising logistics for brands and ecommerce companies. The operator has launched its activity in Italy.
Fintech startup BridgerPay raises $6m seed round for self-onboarding payment operations platform
BridgerPay, a Limassol, Cyprus-based payment operations platform provider, raised $6 million in seed (equity and secondary) funding, to build the world's first self-onboarding payment operations platform.
Dough Ecommerce Capital partners with Byrne Capital to scale DTC businesses online
Dough Ecommerce Capital and Byrne Capital Ventures announced a strategic partnership to invest in and acquire direct-to-consumer (DTC) ecommerce businesses.
Salaries for startup CEOs break records, Kruze Consulting
Kruze Consulting, a CPA and finance consulting company for VC-backed startups, released new data on the average salary for startup CEOs.
e-Commerce startup byrd raises $56m Series C to become Europe-wide standard for next-day delivery
e-Commerce fulfillment technology startup byrd has raised a Series C round of $56 million, bringing the funding raised within the last 10 months to $75 million.
South African gold startup Nebü Gold develops a gold bullion investment you can wear
South African gold startup Nebü Gold, is the first African jeweller to give bullion investors the option of wearing elegant 24-karat investment-grade jewellery.
Nigerian retail tech startup TradeDepot appoints Chidi Akubuiro as Managing Director for West Africa
TradeDepot, a B2B e-Commerce and embedded finance platform in Africa, has appointed former Coca Cola HBC and Hayat Kimya Nigeria Executive, Chidi Akubuiro as its Managing Director for West Africa.
South African fintech firm Hello Pay launches new mPOS device for SMEs
South African fintech firm Hello Pay has launched a new high-end Android Mobile point-of-sale solutions (mPOS) for local merchants and SMEs.
Viva Technology, IFC announce 45 emerging African startups to compete for the 2022 AfricaTech Awards
Viva Technology and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), announced the top 45 startups that have been long-listed for the first edition of the AfricaTech Awards.
Glovo announces winners of its tech startup pitch competition in Kenya
On-demand delivery platform Glovo has announced the winners of its tech startup pitch competition in Kenya.
African B2B marketplace Kwely nabs $1m seed round to accelerate growth
African B2B marketplace Kwely finalized a $1 million seed funding round with a $700,000 injection of fresh capital led by WIC Capital with participation from Loftyinc Capital, Afropreneur Angels, Haskè Ventures and other angel investors.
Estonian e-Store startup Upty acquires Finnish peer Rekki, opens up seed round
Estonian startup Upty, the resale e-Store in the Baltic region, announced the acquisition of its Finnish peer, Rekki. In addition, Upty is planning to kick-start the fundraising in the coming months in order to pursue the Company's accelerated expansion across Europe.
Kenyan mobile commerce startup Copia appoints former Amazon Executive to its Board
Copia Global, a Kenyan-based mobile commerce platform has announced the appointment of former Amazon executive Jason Murray to its Board.
Kenya-focused social e-Commerce startup Elloe raises over $1m in pre-seed round
Elloe, a US-based social e-Commerce startup focused on Kenya and emerging markets, announced the raise of an undisclosed amount in pre-Seed funding. Investors for the round were led by Philippines’ Mad Ventures, Inc.
Bridgestone Mobility Solutions joins Startup Autobahn as ‘anchor partner’
Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, Bridgestone EMIA’s business unit focused on developing and launching data-driven fleet, tyre and mobility solutions, has become an “anchor partner” of Startup Autobahn, a mobility-focused innovation network.
South African tech startup SmartWage raises $2m to bridge gap between enterprises and frontline employees
SmartWage, an innovative HR and communications technology startup, raised $2 million oversubscribed seed funding round to support its vision of transforming Africa’s workforce.
Colombian-based consumer and fintech startup Leal secures $10m Series A round to scale growth
Colombian-based consumer and fintech company Leal has raised a $10 million Series A round co-led by global internet services leader Rakuten Group – through its investment arm Rakuten Capital – and IDC Ventures global fintech investment firm.
Kenyan social commerce startup Tushop raises $3m pre-seed funding to accelerate growth
Tushop, a Kenyan social-commerce platform that enables group-buying of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), announced it has raised $3 million in pre-seed funding, led by 4DX Ventures.
AI-powered video commerce startup Vyrill raises $3m seed round to accelerate growth
VYRILL, a startup that enables video commerce with new, innovative 'in-video' search technology, announced the closing of a $3 million seed round of funding led by Noemis Ventures and Lightship Capital.
Nigerian B2B startup Kwik closes $2m Series A round to digitize informal African trade
French-Nigerian B2B startup Kwik, a fast-growing provider of SaaS logistics services to social vendors and e-commerce platforms in Africa, has announced that it successfully closed its $2 million Series A round.
Israeli data integration startup Triple Whale raises $27.7m to develop default e-Commerce operating system for Shopify brands
Triple Whale, the all-in-one operating system for Shopify brands, announced it has raised $27.7 million in an extended Series A, the company's first announced funding round since its foundation in May 2021.
Lipa Later selects Hotpoint as new retail partner
Lipa Later, a payment option that allows customers to purchase commodities through affordable monthly instalments has on-boarded Hotpoint as a new retail partner. Hotpoint appliances is Kenya’s premier supplier of Home Appliances and Electronics.
TR Tech, LocoNav unveil GPS, IoT and vehicle telematics solutions in South Africa
Integrated tech-services provider TR Tech and disruptive full-stack fleet-tech startup LocoNav have collaborated in South Africa to provide state-of-the-art GPS, IoT, and Vehicle Telematics solutions.
Kenyan e-Commerce startup Sokowatch raises $125m, rebrands to Wasoko
Kenyan based B2B e-Commerce startup Sokowatch has raised a $125 million Series B equity round, the largest venture financing round ever raised for a non-fintech startup in Africa.
Product photo performance startup Bloom raises $1.1m seed round funding to bring generative AI to e-Commerce
Product photo performance engine Bloom announced it has raised $1.1 million at the close of its seed funding round.
Colombian startup Yuno raises $10m seed round to solve online payments in Latin America
Yuno, a Colombia-based startup has raised a $10 million seed round to bring to Latin American companies an easy online checkout solution that solves the pain point of managing multiple payment methods.
Canadian tech startup Calico secures $2.1m to revolutionize modern supply chains
Calico, the developer of the first AI-powered smart supply chain management platform, announced it has raised $2 million in seed funding. The growth financing is led by Serena Ventures following 300% growth since January 2022.
On-demand delivery platform Glovo launches pitch competition for early-stage tech startups in Kenya
On-demand delivery platform Glovo has launched a pitch competition targeting early-stage tech startups in Kenya that are delivering value to SMEs.
e-Commerce startup The Host Co. raises $1.85m to revolutionize short-term rental industry
The Host Co., the first-of-its-kind digital commerce marketplace for short-term rentals, announced an oversubscribed $1.85 million seed funding round, led by HearstLab with participation from The Artemis Fund and Untapped Capital.
South African fintechs Payflex and Merchant Capital launch cash advance solution for small retailers
Two South African fintechs, alternative lender Merchant Capital and buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) specialist Payflex, have launched a cash advance solution for small and mid-sized retail sector.
South African cryptocurrency exchange VALR raises $50m Series B funding to expand across the continent
VALR.com, a South Africa cryptocurrency exchange, announced it has raised $50 million, Africa’s largest ever crypto funding round, bringing the company`s valuation at $240 million.
Israeli logistics startup PrettyDamnQuick raises $6m seed round to expand growth in the U.S.
Israeli e-Commerce startup PrettyDamnQuick, the provider of checkout-to-delivery management platforms for e-Commerce businesses, announced the closing of $6 million seed investment round.
Retailtech startup Cortina raises $6m seed round to accelerate growth
Cortina, a revolutionary software solution that gives any retailer, from big box to mom-and-pop, the power to become a player in the fast-evolving marketplace revolution, announced it has closed $6 million in seed money.
Kenyan foodtech startup Kune starts commercial operations in Nairobi
Kenyan foodtech startup Kune has officially launched commercial operations with four meal hubs located in strategic locations in Nairobi.
Cross-border fintech startup Dowsure raises $20m to fuel growth of e-Commerce sellers in China
Shenzhen-based fintech startup Dowsure Technologies, has attracted the attention of global strategic investors, fueling the growth of millions of e-Commerce sellers from China on marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, Shopee and more.
Kenyan retail tech startup MarketForce raises $40m Series A to scale up super app for Africa’s informal merchants
MarketForce, the Nairobi-headquartered B2B platform for retail distribution of consumer goods and digital financial services in Africa, announced the closing of a $40 million Series A round.
African fintech Flutterwave rebrands, introduces new products and services
African fintech startup Flutterwave has unveiled a significant re-brand and identity during the Flutterwave 3.0, virtual event held on Friday, 18th February 2022.
South African fintech Troygold digitises R300b in Krugerrands allowing owners to use value for day-to-day transactions
South Africans have an estimated R300 billion in Krugerrands hidden in drawers and safes, unaware that they could be using the value of their gold to fund day-to-day financial transactions.
[African Startup Review] Pie Kamau: Nigerian fintech Flutterwave is now Africa's highest valued Unicorn
As the African fintech industry continues to bloom, so does the funding. Flutterwave has now become Africa's highest valued startup after closing $250 million Series D funding, bringing the company’s valuation to over $3 billion.
German startup Cansativa closes $15m Series B to become the ‘Amazon’ of cannabis for Europe
Cansativa Group announced it has closed a $15 million Series B investment led by Casa Verde with participation by Argonautic Ventures and Munich-based family office Alluti.
Raydiant startup raises $30m Series B to reimagine in-store experiences for brick and mortars
Raydiant, the in-location experience management platform for brick-and-mortar enterprises, announced it has raised a $30 million Series B funding round led by 8VC and Atomic Ventures.
MENA's c-Commerce startup Zbooni launches in Egypt
Zbooni, MENA's c-Commerce (connected commerce) platform, has announced its official launch in Egypt. The rapidly scaling startup, which is backed by regional and global investors, will support the backbone of the Egyptian economy.
South African fintech startup Stitch raises $21m Series A funding to scale its operations
South African API fintech startup Stitch has raised a $21 million Series A funding round to scale its operations.
Fraugster partners with Dutch-based fintech startup Payaut to provide fraud prevention services to e-Commerce marketplaces
Fraugster, a German-Israeli payment intelligence company, has partnered with marketplace payout specialist Payaut, an Amsterdam-based fintech startup, to provide fraud prevention services to marketplaces.
[African Startup Review] Pie Kamau: Capital funding for tech startups gain momentum in 2022
The startup ecosystem in Africa is taking shape. A lot of technological innovations especially in the areas of fintech, e-mobility, e-commerce, healthtech, foodtech and cleantech have seen accelerated growth towards Africa’s digital transformation and innovation.
Vietnam-focused retail investing app Infina closes $6m seed funding to accelerate growth
Vietnam-focused retail investing app Infina, announced the closing of $6 million in seed funding from Sequoia Capital India’s Surge, Y Combinator, Saison Capital, Starling Ventures, Alpha JWC, and AppWorks.
Agribusiness e-Commerce startup Agrizon receives investment to expand operations in Latin America
Agrizon, a specialized cross-border e-Commerce company that connects and delivers worldwide brands of ag inputs to farmers and businesses, has received investment from Latin Leap Venture Capital Studio to expand operations in Latin America.
South African fintech Ukheshe achieves Level One B-BBEE rating
South African fintech, Ukheshe Technologies, has significantly improved its B-BBEE performance, becoming one of the only South African fintech enablers to achieve a Level One B-BBEE Contributor certification.
Docklands Ventures acquires South African proptech startup ParkUpp
Real estate investment company Docklands Ventures has acquired South African proptech startup ParkUpp for an undisclosed amount.
SaaS management startup NachoNacho raises $3m to upend the SaaS industry
NachoNacho, a single destination for businesses to manage, discover, and buy SaaS products, and for SaaS vendors to acquire net new paying customers, announced the close of $3 million seed round.
B2B marketplace startup Retailo raises $36m Series A funding to empower community commerce in the MENA region
Retailo, the B2B marketplace startup for retailers in Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan (MENAP), has raised $36 million in its Series A investment round which was a mix of equity and venture debt.
South African fintech startup CompariSure raises $980,000 pre-Series A funding to accelerate growth
South African fintech startup CompariSure, raised R15 million ($980,000) from Cape Town based HAVAÍC and 4Di in a pre-Series A funding round.
South African delivery startup Orderin raises $4.7m pre-Series B funding for expansion
South African B2B delivery-as-a-service (DaaS) startup Orderin has raised $4.7 million pre-Series B funding to scale its infrastructure and improve its last-mile delivery service.
Grocery logistics startup EasyBins raises $2m late stage seed round for expansion
EasyBins, a company solving the grocery logistics problem for suburban markets in North America, announced $2 million late stage seed round funding to expand its geographic footprint and invest in technology and staff.
Morocco fintech startup Chari closes a bridge round to pilot BNPL services with grocery stores in Francophone Africa
Aiming to take a serious step towards the Fintech space, Chari has announced the closing of a bridge round led by the Saudi-based venture capital fund Khwarizmi Ventures (KV).
Kenyan mobile commerce startup Copia raises $50m to ramp up African expansion
Kenyan-based mobile commerce platform Copia Global raised $50 million in a Series C equity round led by Goodwell Investments.
DutchFounders launches €62m seed fund to back founders building the next wave of marketplaces in Europe
DutchFounders has reached the final close for its second fund, making more than €62m ($70m) available for early-stage marketplaces and so-called marketplace enablers.
[Kenya] Sankore announces pitch competition targeting blockchain startups
Nairobi-headquartered blockchain community Sankore is launching the Sankore Pitch Competition Tour (PCT) in Nairobi.
Kenyan BNPL startup Lipa Later secures $12m funding to expand across Africa
Lipa Later, one of it’s kind buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) company operating in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Nigeria, has raised $12 million from a consortium of investors.
Irish digital food-ordering startup Flipdish raises €87m funding to transform digital consumer experience in hospitality
Irish digital food-ordering platform Flipdish has become the State’s fifth official home-grown tech unicorn following a new €87 million investment led by global technology company Tencent and Tiger Global.
Ivorian e-Commerce startup Afrikrea raises $6.2m pre-Series A funding, rebrands to 'ANKA'
Afrikrea, an Ivorian e-Commerce startup has raised $6.2 million pre-Series A funding round led by Investisseurs & Partenaires. The startup has also rebranded to 'ANKA'.
Nigerian last-mile delivery startup Kwik reaches 100,000 customers, announces over 400% GMV and revenue growth for 2021
Nigeria's last-mile delivery startup Kwik Delivery, trading name of Africa Delivery Technologies SAS, announced its GMV and revenue for 2021 grew by over 400% year on year.
CellPoint Digital secures $25 million investment to boost entry into new markets
CellPoint Digital, a global provider of digital commerce and payment solutions, has announced an equity financing round of $25M provided by Toscafund and its private equity arm, Penta Capital, to build on a series of major successes in recent years.
Alibaba announces 50 small businesses receiving $10,000 grants to catalyze entrepreneur economy
Alibaba.com, one of the world’s largest B2B ecommerce marketplaces and a business unit of Alibaba Group has announced the 50 entrepreneurs each receiving $10,000 grants from the first-ever Alibaba.com Grants Program.
Kenyan fintech startup Tanda inks deal with Twiga Foods to enable vendors vend its digital financial services
Kenya’s fintech startup Tanda announced a new partnership with Twiga Foods that will see Twiga vendors become a one-stop-shop for a variety of digital and financial services offered by Tanda.
Adanian Labs opens January 2022 cohort applications for its Venture Building Program
Adanian Labs has launched the Adanian Labs Venture Building Program call for startups for 2022. The program invites applications from tech entrepreneurs for the 2022 cohort of exceptional startups to join Adanian Labs in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Nigeria and South Africa.
Egyptian fintech startup Sympl raises $6 million to accelerate growth of its merchant network
Sympl will use the proceeds to accelerate the growth of its merchant network to serve multiple product and service categories across online and in-store merchants as well as improving the product offering to better serve the platform customers.
Kenyan-based Penda Health partners with femtech e-Commerce startup Kasha to ease contraceptive access for consumers
Healthcare solution provider Penda Health announced a partnership with Rwandan femtech e-Commerce startup Kasha, to enable increase access to contraceptive products via the Kasha digital platform.
Nigerian B2B e-Commerce startup TradeDepot raises $110m to extend ‘Buy-Now-Pay-Later’ services to African retailers
TradeDepot, the B2B e-Commerce and embedded finance platform in Africa, has raised $110 million in an equity and debt funding round to support the delivery of Buy-Now-Pay-Later services to SME retailers.
[Startup Interview] Sophie Tarif, Nina van Boxtel, Founders, BOETIEK, Netherlands
BOETIEK, a Dutch startup, works with local boutiques and brands to increase audiences and increase online sales. The platform offers a wide range of products and services from latest fashion trends to new online boutiques and concept stores.
South African fintech firm Ozow raises $48m Series B round to accelerate growth
South African fintech firm Ozow raised $48 million Series B funding round led by Chinese internet giant Tencent. Other investors Endeavor Catalyst and Endeavor Harvest Fund participating also participated in the round.
Fintech startup Rapyd partners with shopping app nate to expand eCommerce reach globally
Rapyd seeks to serve customers with the best consumer experiences and is thrilled to partner with one of the faster growing consumer shopping apps to support its global expansion.
Retail media research startup Future Commerce announces launch of weekly podcast
Infinite Shelf recognizes that digital media and eCommerce tactics and strategies are no longer confined to traditional eCommerce channels and direct-to-consumer.
London-based healthcare startup Gravitiq raises $55m seed round to expand portfolio of e-Commerce healthcare brands
Gravitiq, the doctor-founded and led healthcare brand aggregator, announced the close of its seed funding round, raising a total of $55 million.
Crypto Valley Venture Capital initiates investment strategy to build blockchain accelerator for African startups
African blockchain disruptors and early-stage startups have joined CV Labs Global Incubation Program Batch 03. The African contingent of incubatees is reflective of Crypto Valley Venture Capital’s (CV VC) global investment strategy.
Indonesia's Hypefast emerges from stealth mode as the largest house of e-Commerce native brands in Southeast Asia
Hypefast, Southeast Asia's (SEA) largest house of e-Commerce native brands, announced it has grown its portfolio to more than 25 brands and has been achieving full profitability.
South Africa's emergency marketplace startup AURA secures R62m Series A funding for global expansion
AURA, the African-based security and medical response marketplace secured R62 million in a Series A funding round, led by MultiChoice Group (MCG), KLT Holdings and Buffet Investments, positioning AURA favourably for its global expansion plans.
Home fashion startup Modern Matter raises $1.2m seed round to accelerate growth of its e-Commerce platform
Modern Matter, a design company and manufacturer of decorative and architectural hardware, raised $1.2 million in seed capital. Modern Matter collaborates with leading designers to develop exclusive hardware designs for luxury homeowners.
South African fleet-tech startup KeyTec and LocoNav enter Africa's video telematics market
South Africa fleet-tech startup KeyTec has partnered with LocoNav to capture the emerging and high-growth video telematics market throughout Africa.
South African fintech startupJumo raises $120 million to expand into new African markets
The latest funding round brings JUMO’s total funding raised to date to c$200 million. Prior investment rounds have included Leapfrog, Goldman Sachs, Finnfund, Proparco, Vostok Emerging Finance and Brook Asset Management.
Digital payments startup MFS Africa raises $100 million to expand across the continent
MFS Africa, Africa’s digital payments network, has raised $100 million through an equity and debt financing round.
South Africa based fintech startup SOLMate launches prepaid debit cards for consumers
In its ongoing effort to offer clients a fully-fledged financial ecosystem in their pockets, SOLMate has further enhanced its solutions with the launch of this new generation debit card.
Indian full-stack agritech startup DeHaat raises $115m Series D round
DeHaat, the technology-based platform offering end-to-end agricultural services to farmers in India, announced it has raised $115 million in Series D funding, led by Belgium based investment firm Sofina and Lightrock India.
Four Ghanaian startups join the Catalyst Fund Inclusive Digital Commerce accelerator
Four startups from Ghana have joined The Catalyst Fund Inclusive Digital Commerce Accelerator, a programme that supports innovators building digital commerce solutions.
Indian e-Commerce startup LoveLocal raises $18m Pre-Series B investment round to accelerate growth
LoveLocal, India's hyper-local e-Commerce platform empowering local retailers, has raised $18 million in a Pre-Series B investment round.
South African e-Health startup RecoMed concludes $1.5m funding round to scale its online healthcare marketplace
RecoMed, the online healthcare marketplace and booking platform in sub-Saharan Africa concluded a highly successful funding round of $1.5 million with a strong and diversified group of leading local and international investors.
Berlin-based on-demand delivery startup Gorillas secures close to $1b Series C funding, the largest European round in its sector to date
Gorillas, the European market player in instant on-demand grocery delivery, has successfully raised close to $1 billion in Series C funding round, being the largest funding of a non-listed business Europe's grocery delivery sector has seen to date.
Nigerian e-Commerce startup Sendbox raises $1.8m to digitize deliveries for African SMEs
Nigerian e-Commerce fulfillment startup Sendbox announced the completion of $1.8 million seed round from investors including 4DX Ventures, Enza Capital, FJLabs and Golden Palm Investments.
ShipHero opens accelerator program to support emerging e-Commerce startups
ShipHero, the shipping and logistics provider for over 5,000 e-commerce brands and 3PLs, announced a new accelerator program for e-Commerce startups looking to supercharge their businesses with best-in-class warehouse management software.
Unilever invites startups to partner through Positive Beauty Growth Platform
Unilever announced the launch of the Positive Beauty Growth Platform, a new initiative which aims to partner with scaleups and startups to drive innovation and brand growth.
South African fintech firm Ukheshe partners with Chipper Cash startup to accelerate rollout out of digital payment offerings
South African fintech firm Ukheshe Technologies has partnered with Chipper Cash to enhance and accelerate the rollout out of Chipper’s digital payment offerings.
Delivery startup Glovo expands its African footprints
Leading multi-category delivery platform Glovo recently announced the expansion of its operations in Africa, to include Ghana and Tunisia, bringing its current operations to a total of seven countries on the continent.
Healthtech startup bttn. adds PlastCareUSA to burgeoning supplier ecosystem
bttn., a Healthtech startup providing a B2B e-Commerce platform for purchasing medical supplies, announced an expansion to its product catalog with the addition of 93 PlastCare USA products for dental practitioners.
Workwear startup BRUNT raises $8.4m Series A funding to accelerate growth
BRUNT Workwear, a modern work boot and apparel brand designed for today's construction workers and tradespeople, closed an $8.4 million Series A round to accelerate its growth and meet demand as the company disrupts a $12 billion-dollar category in the US.
Foodtech startup GrubMarket acquires Bartolotta, further expands in Eastern US and Canada
Food technology startup GrubMarket announced it has completed the acquisition of Bartolotta, a full-service provider of fresh fruits and vegetables to customers in New England, the Mid-Atlantic and Eastern Canada.
[Startup Interview] Nicolas d'Audiffret, Co-Founder, Ankorstore
Ankorstore is an online B2B marketplace connecting brand and retailers, all around Europe.
Wine & spirits e-Commerce startup Speakeasy Co. raises $2m seed round to accelerate growth
Speakeasy Co., a technology company and e-commerce platform for the wine & spirits industry, announced a $2 million seed round led by Trog Hawley Capital LLC with participation from other notable investors.
South African fintech startup SOL announces rebrand with new virtual card offering
South African fintech startup SOLmate, an online payment platform that offers clients a digital wallet facility, has unveiled a new product offering together with an extensive rebrand and renewed corporate vision.
Kenyan retail tech startup MarketForce raises $100,000 funding from Harambeans Prosperity Fund
The Harambeans Prosperity Fund, a donor advised investment vehicle formed through the Harambe Entrepreneur Alliance’s network of prominent families and corporations co-invested $100,000 in Y Combinator Harambean venture MarketForce.
South African fintech firm Ukheshe partners with dzcard to expand digital payment solutions in Asia Pacific
South Africa“s fintech startup Ukheshe which has been on a rapid expansion to different markets has announced a new partnership with global next-generation card solutions and digital security company, dzcard.
Egyptian B2B e-commerce startup MaxAB acquires distribution platform WaystoCap
MaxAB, Egyptian B2B e-commerce platform that serves food and grocery retailers, has acquired WaystoCap, the Morocco-based B2B e-commerce and distribution platform that connects retailers with suppliers across Africa.
End-to-end e-Commerce startup Cart.com raises $98m Series B to deliver integrated solutions for e-Commerce brands
Cart.com, the end-to-end e-Commerce services provider, announced the close of a $98 million Series B round, bringing the company's total funding since its launch eight months ago to more than $140 million.
Ghanaian startup Plendify launches B2B e-Commerce marketplace
Ghanaian startup Plendify has launched a B2B e-Commerce marketplace to connect customers with small and large African wholesalers, manufacturers, exporters, and importers.
[Startup Interview] Dylan Pfeil, Co-Founder, Business Solutions Centre, South Africa
Business Solutions Centre is a South African-based telecommunication startup that has embraced a business model of providing a one-stop shop for all digital needs of clients.
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 offers full digital insurance to cars, homes, and valuables.
Full-stack delivery scale-up Merqueo raises $50m Series C to expand its grocery delivery service across Latin America
Merqueo, a full-stack delivery scale-up, landed a $50 million series C round led by IDC Ventures, Digital Bridge and IDB Invest. The company is the first and largest full-stack grocery delivery player in Latin America.
Fintech startup Rapyd raises $300m Series E to further enhance its service offering
Rapyd, a global Fintech as a Service company, announced a $300 million Series E funding round led by Target Global.
South African payments startup Yoco raises $83m Series C funding to accelerate growth
South African payments startup Yoco has raised a Series C funding round of $83 million (R1.23 billion) to accelerate product development and reach more merchants in South Africa and beyond.
[Startup Interview] Dimitri Kalamoudacos,Co-founder, Entrepreneur Suite, South Africa
Entrepreneur Suite is a South African startup targeting micro retailers with an application that records valuable sales information that is then served back to the business owner as demand forecasting suggestions which are designed to provide profiting opportunities.
Hospitality tech startup Bbot raises $15m Series A to expand platform capabilities, improve support for restaurants
Bbot, a hospitality tech startup dedicated to simplifying and improving the ordering and payments process for restaurants, announced $15 million in Series A funding led by CRV.
Egyptian social e-Commerce startup Taager raises $6.4m seed round
Taager, an Egyptian social e-Commerce startup raised a $6.4 million seed funding round to help it scale its platform and expand across the Middle East.
unybrands startup raises $300m in growth capital to acquire and scale e-Commerce businesses
unybrands, an integrated platform for e-Commerce businesses looking to scale their operations on and off Amazon, announced the closing of up to $300 million in growth capital with Crayhill Capital Management.
Kenyan startup Marketforce appoints Ore Omolaja as Country Manager, Head of Business for Nigeria
Marketforce, the Kenyan-based B2B platform for retail distribution of consumer goods and digital financial services in Africa, announced the appointment of Ore Omolaja as the Nigeria Country Manager and Head of Business, effective 15th July 2021.
Kenyan startup MarketForce raises $2m pre-Series A to scale B2B retail marketplace, RejaReja
MarketForce, the Kenyan-based B2B platform for retail distribution of consumer goods and digital financial services in Africa, announced a $2 million pre-Series A round, bringing total funding to-date to $2.5 million.
South African startup Omnisient raises $1.4m for global expansion
Omnisient, a secure data collaboration platform, has achieved its second raise this year totalling $1.4 million. The investments will be used to expand the Omnisient team, accelerate product development and drive international expansion.
FDJ announces partnership with Plug and Play Brand & Retail France
FDJ announced the beginning of a partnership with Plug and Play, world's open innovation platform.
Seven South African legal startups to pitch for €10,000 grant
The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) kicked off its annual global Innovating Justice Challenge in search of the region’s best justice-related social entrepreneurs in March this year.
Codat startup raises $40m, expands its API infrastructure for SME data
Codat, the technology company that enables small businesses to seamlessly share business and financial data with financial and other service providers, secures $40 million from investors, following 3x annual growth and doubling of headcount.
South African fintech startup Ukheshe Technologies announces boostXB joint venture with ForexPeople
South African fintech startup, Ukheshe Technologies has partnered with ForexPeople, one of the country’s names in forex with over 20 years of experience, to seamlessly facilitate cross-border payments from South Africa into Africa.
NYC creator economy startup Pietra raises $15m to champion creators, streamline entrepreneurship
Pietra, the new platform that gives Creators the tools to bring an idea for a product line or brand to life from start to finish, today announced it has raised $15 million in a Series A funding round.
South African delivery startup Picup introduces premium driver network for businesses
South Africa's crowdsource delivery tech startup Picup has introduced a premium service aimed at businesses that require drivers to represent their brand.
Catalyst Fund announces Circle of Corporate Innovators to accelerate startup-corporate partnerships
Global inclusive tech accelerator Catalyst Fund, managed by BFA Global, today formally announced its Circle of Corporate Innovators, with its first members, Fidelity Bank, Ecobank, Sterling Bank, Access Bank and the VFD Group.
Cannabis marketplace and purchasing platform MainStem named Microsoft Partner for Startups
MainStem, the cannabis industry's only marketplace and combined integrated purchasing platform, announced it has been selected as a Microsoft Partner for Startups.
Predictive Kids' e-Commerce startup Ten Little raises $5m to disrupt children's marketplace with personalized guidance
Ten Little, the predictive e-Commerce platform helping parents navigate the cluttered kids product space, announced the close of its $5 million seed round led by Kindred Ventures.
MarketForce acquires Digiduka startup to consolidate distribution of consumer goods with digital financial services in Africa
MarketForce, the end-to-end retail distribution platform for consumer brands in Africa, announced the strategic acquisition of Digiduka, a startup on a mission to bring informal retailers in Africa into the digital economy.
Brazilian logtech startup Uello concludes $4m Series A investment deal led by the Btomorrow Ventures
Uello, a Brazilian logtech startup that uses technology and a collaborative network to provide express freight services with superior experience, concluded its Series A investment deal with an investment injection of $4 million.
SaaS startup Synder raises $2m in late seed round to revolutionize accounting for e-Commerce
TMT investments venture fund invested $2 million as a lead investor in a late seed round into Synder, an easy accounting solution for e-Commerce businesses.
Floral tech startup Something Borrowed Blooms raises $1.5m Series A funding to accelerate growth
Something Borrowed Blooms, the pioneer of the silk wedding flower revolution, announced a $1.5 million Series A funding round led by Callais Capital. This investment brings the total raise by the company to just over $2 million since 2015.
Rapyd launches venture arm to propel digital commerce and payment innovation globally
Rapyd, a global Fintech-as-a-Service company, announced today the launch of Rapyd Ventures, its new venture arm that will focus on investing in early and growth stage businesses that are delivering the next wave of financial services innovation.
Healthcare fintech startup Green Feather secures $1.5m in seed round
Green Feather, an Atlanta-based healthcare fintech company, announced a seed capital raise of $1.5 million. The capital will bolster customer acquisition and engineering resources for Feather Pay, Green Feather's next-generation patient payments platform.
South African biotech startup LifeQ secures $47m in Series A funding
South Africa and US-based biotech startup LifeQ secured $47 million in Series A funding from One Bio Venture Studio, a Cape Town-based VC and several other investors.
AlphaCode announces four startups taking part in the second phase of its incubate programme in South Africa
AlphaCode has announced the four fintech startups that will be part of the second phase of the AlphaCode Incubate programme.
South African fintech startup Ukheshe expands into Asia-Pacific region
South African fintech startup Ukheshe Technologies announced it will be expanding its footprint into the Asia-Pacific region as it introduces innovative digital-first payment solutions.
Plug and Play Canada selects 12 startups to participate in Toronto Supply Chain and Logistics Program
Plug and Play Canada announced the selection of 12 startups into the first batch of the Toronto Supply Chain & Logistics Program.
Consumer warranty startup Upsie secures $18.2m Series A round to accelerate growth
Upsie, a consumer-centric platform for purchasing product warranties, announced it has raised a $18.2 million fundraising round led by True Ventures.
On-demand delivery management startup Cartwheel raises $1m seed round to accelerate growth
Cartwheel, an on-demand delivery management platform for restaurants and retailers, announced it has raised a $1 million seed round led by TenOneTen Ventures with participation from Act One Ventures and Portillo's Hot Dogs,
DBSA launches second edition of the Youth Challenge in South Africa
The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), launched the second edition of the DBSA Youth Challenge, a competition aimed at harnessing innovative solutions from young people in South Africa to help address infrastructure challenges.
Foodtech startup GrubMarket acquires Vaccaro & Sons to expand to St. Louis, Missouri
San Francisco-based food technology startup GrubMarket announced it has completed the acquisition of Vaccaro & Sons in St. Louis, Missouri.
Mastercard invests in Rwandan femtech e-Commerce startup Kasha Global
Mastercard announced a new investment in Rwandan female-focused e-Commerce platform Kasha Global, to continue shared efforts to ensure women across emerging markets have essential access to health.
Subscription Management startup Chargebee raises $125m Series G funding to accelerate global shift to subscriptions
Chargebee, the subscription billing and revenue management platform, announced a fresh round of $125 million in series G funding, co-led by new investor Sapphire Ventures and existing investors Tiger Global and Insight Venture Partners.
Nigerian last-mile delivery startup Kwik Delivery releases Prestashop plugin
After the release of its plugins for Shopify and Magento, Kwik Delivery has released its plugin for Prestashop.
Twenty-two startups join second cohort of UNICEF StartUp Lab in Ghana
UNICEF announced the launch of the 2021 cohort of the UNICEF StartUp Lab, a co-creation space and accelerator, that engages young startups in the development of innovative, open-source, market-driven products and solutions.
Kenyan logistics startup Amitruck and Sky.Garden announce last mile goods pick-up and deliveries partnership
Logistics platform Amitruck and e-Commerce platform Sky.Garden have partnered to form an end-to-end digital chain for goods pick-up and deliveries to the last mile.
Grindstone accelerator programme opens applications for South African startups
Applications for this year’s Grindstone’s accelerator programme are now open. Grindstone is an equity-free structured entrepreneurship development programme that assists high-growth innovation-driven SMEs in South Africa.
South African digital health startup Quro Medical secures $1.1m seed funding to accelerate growth
Quro Medical, a South African digital health startup, emerged from stealth mode to announce the closure of its seed funding round to accelerate growth for Africa’s first technology-driven Hospital at Home offering.
Berkeley-based incubator Batchery announces new cohort of startups, "Batch 12"
Eleven early-stage startups have joined the Batchery's three-month Deep Dive program for entrepreneurs. The program focuses on helping startups get over their first set of growth hurdles.
[Interview] Esinam Yevu, Co-Founder, PayBox, Ghana
Esinam Yevu is Co-Founder and Communications Lead at Ghanaian fintech startup, PayBox
ASIP Accelerator Program open for applications from disruptive startups in Africa
To develop the potential of startups driving the internet economy, Telecel Group has opened applications for the ASIP Accelerator Program powered by Startupbootcamp AfriTech.
Snap acquires tech startup Fit Analytics
Snapchat's parent company Snap has acquired Fit Analytics, a technology startup that has built technology to help shoppers pick the right-sized clothing and footwear when they shop online.
Kenyan startup Ajua, MTN Nigeria launch Customer Management mobile app for SMEs
Kenyan based startup Ajua has partnered with MTN Nigeria to launch EnGauge, a digital e-Commerce customer engagement management mobile app to support SMEs.
Nigerian startup Kwik Delivery officially launches its just-in-time delivery service in Abuja
Nigerian startup Kwik Delivery announced it officially made available its breakthrough, just-in time delivery service to businesses, government agencies and merchants in Abuja.
IFC invests in Savannah Fund to support Africa’s tech startups funding growth
IFC announced an investment in the Savannah Fund, a technology seed fund in Africa, to increase lending to startups across sub-Saharan Africa with a focus on supporting women entrepreneurs and disruptive companies in high-growth sectors.
Digital payments startup AeroPay raises over $5 m venture round
AeroPay, a Chicago-based digital payments platform powering bank transfer payments for businesses, announced the closing of a $5+ million Venture Round led by Chicago Ventures, a firm that leads investments in early-stage startups.
Text message marketing startup Postscript raises $35m to fuel the future of customer communication via SMS
Postscript, the text message marketing platform for Shopify stores, announced a new round of Series B funding of $35 million led by Greylock, with participation from YC Continuity Fund, OpenView, and others
Interlace Ventures adds new venture partners to expand strategic investments in tech-enabled commerce
Interlace Ventures announced it has expanded its team with two commerce technology luminaries. Vibhu Norby and Sydney Werber will join as venture partners while retaining their respective roles at b8ta and Avise.
Silicon Road Ventures announces $31m close of fund
Silicon Road Ventures today announced the close of its $31 million fund focused on commerce tech. Silicon Road invests in US-based technology startups ranging from seed to series A across e-commerce, retail and CPG.
Nigerian startup Kwik Delivery expands its delivery service to 4-wheels vehicles
Kwik Delivery has announced today that it is expanding its app-based breakthrough delivery service to 4-wheels delivery vehicles.
Enygma Ventures targets Southern Africa women entrepreneurs with funding opportunities
Enygma Ventures, is looking for passionate women entrepreneurs to invest in. The venture capital fund was established by two successful women entrepreneurs who now invest in women entrepreneurs in Southern Africa.
Union Bank of Nigeria to support startups through UnionX Innovation Challenge
Union Bank, one of Nigeria’s foremost financial institutions, has unveiled the 2021 UnionX Innovation Challenge, as part of efforts to support young startups and boost innovation in the startup ecosystem.
Horizon Technology Finance provides $9m venture loan facility to Primary
Horizon Technology Finance Corporation, a specialty finance company announced it has provided a $9 million venture loan facility to Primary Kids (Primary), of which $6 million has been initially funded.
Early-stage investor DFS Lab announces fintech and digital economy design sprint for startups in Egypt
Early-stage investor DFS Lab announced it will facilitate a virtual design sprint in March 2021 for fintech startups in Egypt. The sprint is hosted by the Central Bank of Egypt, in collaboration with the Financial Regulatory Authority.
Emotive startup raises $50m Series B funding to accelerates growth of its conversational text message platform
Emotive, the first and only conversational text message platform for eCommerce brands, announced the closing of a Series B funding round of $50 million led by CRV, bringing the company's valuation to $400 million.
Software startup FloorFound raises raises $4m to turn oversized goods returns into resale profit
FloorFound, a software platform that facilitates returns and resales of oversized products for eCommerce retailers, closed a $4 million seed round led by LiveOak Venture Partners.
Cloud infrastructure startup Pipe17 raises $8m to help high-growth e-Commerce merchants close demand and operations gap
Pipe17, the connected infrastructure company for e-commerce, announced the closing of an $8 million round of funding led by GLP Capital Partners, the U.S.-based investment arm of GLP.
DFC invests $1m in femtech e-commerce startup Kasha Global to support women’s health in East Africa
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), disbursed a $1 million equity investment in Kasha Global, an e-commerce company that provides women’s health and personal care products to customers in Rwanda and Kenya.
Livestream commerce startup talkshoplive raises a $3m to further scale its network
talkshoplive (TSL), a Los Angeles-based livestream commerce company, announced it has closed a $3 million seed round of financing led by Spero Ventures LLC, to further scale the livestream network.
HAVAÍC predicts 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 rates, as illustrated by the performance of HAVAÍC and its portfolio companies.
January sees record number of investments in Israeli startups despite the pandemic, SNC reports
Analysis by Israeli NGO Start-Up Nation Central (SNC), has revealed that January 2021 saw record investments in Israel during a single month. Six startups raised more than $100 million each (mega rounds) during the month, totaling 73% of the total.
Venture philanthropy platform Sparo joins Microsoft for Startups program
Maryland-based early-stage company Sparo has joined the Microsoft for Startups program to scale its trademarked Purchase with a Purpose platform on Microsoft Azure.
African startup StarNews Mobile launches incubator for South African youths interested in digital film
StarNews Mobile launched its grassroots Youth Initiative incubator in partnership with Solutions on Point to empower young individuals interested in the digital film industry in South Africa.
South African VC firm Knife Capital launches 2nd 12J Venture Capital Fund
South Africa’s VC firm Knife Capital announced the launch of its second Section 12J Venture Capital Fund to allow new investors to participate.
Canadian tech startup Vegano disrupts meal-kit delivery services market
Vegano, Canada's first plant-based meal-kit delivery service, is helping Canadians take plant-based living beyond Veganuary. Following its official launch on January 4, 2021, Vegano has delivered over 800 meals.
e-commerce startup Sturish raises $3.2m to build AI based growth platform for SMBs
Sturish, an AI driven e-commerce growth platform that establishes and grows online businesses across multiple channels and global markets, closed a $3.2 million seed funding round to hire additional talent and build out its technology platform.
Investcorp acquires SaaS based e-commerce solutions provider Unilog
Investcorp has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Unilog, a Software as a Service (SaaS) based e-commerce solutions provider to small and medium businesses based in the United States.
TransUnion partners with South Africa's fintech startup Fincheck to improve access to finance for consumers
Global information and insights company, TransUnion, has partnered with South Africa’s financial marketplace, Fincheck, to make credit application process easier and less frustrating for consumers.
Interviews.
[Interview] Caroline Mutuku, General Manager, Glovo, Kenya
Caroline Mutuku is Kenya's General Manager of multi-category app Glovo. Caroline joined Glovo in December 2022 from Swvl Kenya where she also served as the General Manager from December 2021. In this interview...read more here
[Interview] Renate Swanepoel, COO, INC. Networking
Renate Swanepoel is an entrepreneur, global networker and inspirational speaker that has helped thousands of people around the world to find their purpose. She has gained significant networking and communication...read more here
[Interview] Anne-Marie Chidzero, Chief Investment Officer, FSD Africa
Anne-Marie Chidzero is the Chief Investment Officer at the Financial Sector Deepening Africa (FSD Africa) Investments. In this interview, she talks about the risks and opportunities in backing Africa’s early-stage startups...read more here
[Interview] James Kilpatrick, Chair, Gravitilab, UK
Gravitilab is a "Space as a Service" business providing research, testing and qualification facilities to space agencies, government, academia and commercial enterprises. The company’s Chair and Chief Finance Officer...read more here
[Interview] Ramanjeet Singh, CEO, Woosper, USA
Woosper is a US-based digital advertising and marketing agency focused on creating experiences that help clients discover their place in the digital world. The CEO Ramanjeet Singh...read more here