Tag Resultaten

Published: 06-04-2018 16:44:00 | By: Nico Scherphuis | hits: 3780068 | Tags:













EIB Global announces $30 million investment in Seedstars Africa Ventures I, a VC fund for African entrepreneurs
Published: 11-01-2024 | 16:12:27 | By: Bob Koigi
Innovative businesses and start-ups across Africa will benefit from better access to risk capital thanks to a  US$30 million equity investment by EIB Global in the Seedstars Africa Ventures I venture capital fund. 


CENTA platform crosses 1m, becomes world's largest community of teachers
Published: 02-10-2023 | 12:47:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Centre for Teacher Accreditation recently launched its enhanced native app, CENTA.


South Korean edtech startup Mathpresso secures $8m to accelerate growth
Published: 12-09-2023 | 11:41:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Mathpresso has raised $8m from Korea's telecom giant, KT.


Upskilling startup AlmaBetter partners with Woolf to deliver accredited degrees to online learners
Published: 01-08-2023 | 13:41:00 | By: Pie Kamau
AlmaBetter has partnered with Woolf.


[Interview] Joel Daniel, Founder, Solutions Platforms, Nigeria
Published: 20-03-2023 | 14:42:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Joel Daniel is the founder of Solutions Platforms, a company that grooms young people to succeed and have global relevance by leveraging its various programs designed to foster international education.


Elgon Kenya partners with Ministry of Agriculture to reward young farmers
Published: 23-02-2023 | 13:15:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Agro input company Elgon Kenya has partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Education to reward pupils and their teachers for participating in food production in a wider scheme that seeks to motivate school going children into farming.  


CcHUB launches $15m accelerator for edtech startups in Kenya and Nigeria
Published: 21-02-2023 | 10:16:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB), touted as Africa’s largest innovation and incubation hub, announced it is launching a $15 million accelerator program for targeting edtech startups.


New Orleans edtech startup Pressto utilizes AI to revolutionize writing instruction
Published: 25-01-2023 | 10:59:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Edtech startup Pressto is releasing unprecedented teacher-driven product enhancements, including the incorporation of unique AI capabilities, at the Future of Education Technology Conference in New Orleans.


Oklahoma universities, Tulsa Innovation Labs partner to launch Canopy HealthTech
Published: 24-01-2023 | 12:23:00 | By: Pie Kamau
The University of Oklahoma, University of Tulsa, Oklahoma State University, and Tulsa Innovation Labs, announced the launch of Canopy HealthTech, a new multi-year initiative to accelerate the commercialization of virtual health innovations.


Maven Mentorship programme to equip teenagers with skills for the future
Published: 12-01-2023 | 11:00:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Former Principal Executive Director at Britam PLC  Stephen Wandera has launched a mentorship programme aimed at equipping teenagers with the necessary skills to  be prepared for the future.


Italian edtech startup Wyblo acquires college communication platform Clay to scale social learning
Published: 09-01-2023 | 09:53:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Wyblo, an Italian edtech startup creating tech to support the training industry, has acquired Clay, a Berlin-based startup that created a digital tool that helps instructors create a social classroom.


EG Capital announces anchor closing of its maiden fund to invest in startups across East Africa and Zambia
Published: 19-12-2022 | 09:04:00 | By: Pie Kamau
EG Capital, a growth-oriented private equity impact firm has announced the anchor closing of its first EG-Economic Empowerment Fund LP (EG-EEF), which will invest in medium-sized businesses.


[Column] Natalia Ahmadian: Four ways to accelerate tech transfer in Europe
Published: 23-11-2022 | 10:27:41 | By: Pie Kamau
The importance of university spin-offs has been recognized for decades. Several studies showed that Tech Transfer is beneficial for social welfare and entrepreneurial activity


AI startup Prof Jim auto-converts textbooks into cinematic lessons
Published: 16-11-2022 | 10:29:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Prof Jim is launching out of stealth with one of the first practical applications of generative AI in education. This technology transforms textbooks into visually dynamic online courses.


Finnish edtech startup Kide Science raises €1m bridge round to accelerate growth
Published: 08-08-2022 | 11:09:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Finnish edtech startup Kide Science announced it has raised €1 million, to support their new and exciting bid to expand from primarily science education, into all early years subjects.


Michigan-based edtech startup Alchemie earns $1m grant for accessible learning for STEM
Published: 15-07-2022 | 12:15:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Alchemie, an educational technology company based in Troy, Michigan, announced it has received a prestigious one-million-dollar Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant from the Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences.


Live-streaming platform Elevate K-12 raises $40m Series C to address the growing national teacher shortage
Published: 20-06-2022 | 11:57:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Elevate K-12, provider of high-quality live-streaming instruction for US K-12 classrooms, has closed a $40 million Series C round of funding led by venture capital firm General Catalyst.


Tunisian edtech startup GOMYCODE raises $8m Series A funding to expand across Africa
Published: 14-06-2022 | 13:01:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Tunisian edtech startup GOMYCODE, raised $8.85 million in series A funding, one of the highest African funding this quarter to expand across Africa.


Nigerian edtech startup Afrilearn attracts UNICEF Innovation Fund
Published: 06-06-2022 | 12:58:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Nigerian edtech startup Afrilearn has emerged as the only Nigerian startup to join the latest cohort of the UNICEF Venture Fund.


Birmingham-based startup Astound raises $1m seed round to improve university access to corporate-sponsored research funding
Published: 01-06-2022 | 09:56:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Astound, a Birmingham-based startup, secured $1 million in seed funding to develop the first marketplace to allow research institutions and universities to easily find corporate sponsors.


South African edtech startup FoondaMate secures $2m seed funding to accelerate growth
Published: 31-05-2022 | 11:46:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Swiss edtech startup Alphacruncher raises €1.45m for global rollout of research cloud workspace product
Published: 16-03-2022 | 13:36:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Swiss edtech startup Alphacruncher has raised €1.45 million funding from Austrian venture capital firm Alpine Equity, NGM, private investors and existing users, to enable the global rollout of its education and research cloud workspace product, Nuvolos.


Edtech startup Tutored by Teachers raises over $10m to bolster America's K-12 schools, close the opportunity gap for high-need students
Published: 25-02-2022 | 12:41:00 | By: Pie Kamau
EdTech startup Tutored by Teachers (TbT) announce it has raised over $10 million in Series A funding, led by GSV Ventures, to expand its teacher community.


Dutch edtech startup Winc Academy raises $3m to train 20,000 IT professionals in Europe
Published: 17-01-2022 | 15:00:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Winc Academy announced a $3 million funding round led by Rubio Impact Ventures and Dutch Founders Fund to increase the steep growth of its education platform.


The University of Nairobi and Elgon Kenya to develop agriculture technology and innovation centre
Published: 17-12-2021 | 17:40:11 | By: Bob Koigi
The agriculture sector in Kenya has received a major boost following a partnership between two leading institutions to set up a technology and innovation centre, the first of its kind in East Africa.


Africa-focused edtech startup Edukoya raises $3.5m pre-seed round to accelerate growth
Published: 16-12-2021 | 11:43:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Edukoya, an Africa-focused online learning platform, has raised $3.5 million in a pre-seed round led by Target Global with strategic participation from angel investors including European and African founders.


South Korea-based Edtech startup Mathpresso secures strategic investment from Google
Published: 10-11-2021 | 14:39:55 | By: Bob Koigi
South Korea-based edtech startup Mathpresso has announced that it has received an investment from Google.


Private equity firm Evegreen acquires majority stake in edutech startup DreamBox Learning
Published: 10-11-2021 | 14:29:16 | By: Bob Koigi
TPG’s The Rise Fund will retain a significant minority stake and continue to be represented on the company’s Board of Directors.


Indian education infrastructure startup Teachmint raises $78m Series B round to accelerate growth
Published: 26-10-2021 | 07:48:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Teachmint, the education infrastructure startup and the creator of India's largest teaching platform, raised $78 million in Series B round led by Rocketship.vc and Vulcan Capital.


Indian edtech startup ConveGenius raises $5m pre Series A funding to accelerate growth
Published: 19-10-2021 | 09:04:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Indian edtech startup ConveGenius AI has raised $5 million in Venture Capital funding to grow its conversational AI platform in India and South-East Asian markets.


ShipHero opens accelerator program to support emerging e-Commerce startups
Published: 30-09-2021 | 16:50:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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
Published: 30-09-2021 | 16:19:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Proptech startup Nomad Homes raises $20m to digitize residential real estate across Europe, Middle East and Africa
Published: 30-09-2021 | 15:42:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Nomad Homes, a property technology startup that offers an end-to-end buyer experience for real estate across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, has closed a $20 million Series A funding round.


South African fintech firm Ukheshe partners with Chipper Cash startup to accelerate rollout out of digital payment offerings
Published: 30-09-2021 | 15:29:32 | By: Pie Kamau
South African fintech firm Ukheshe Technologies has partnered with Chipper Cash to enhance and accelerate the rollout out of Chipper’s digital payment offerings.


Canadian precision-farming startup Semios raises $100m in capital to expand agtech platform globally
Published: 29-09-2021 | 13:53:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Semios, a precision-farming platform and one of the world's largest independent agtech solutions providers, announced it has raised $100 million in funding led by Morningside Group, a Boston-based private equity and venture capital firm.


Social learning startup Fiveable closes $10m Series A funding to fuel student-led online spaces
Published: 29-09-2021 | 13:42:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Fiveable, a social learning platform that has supported more than 7 million high school students since 2018, has raised $10 million in Series A funding led by Union Square Ventures with participation from Owl Ventures and Progression Fund.


Israeli startup Appwrite raises $10m to build open source alternative to Google's firebase
Published: 29-09-2021 | 13:23:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Appwrite, the open source Backend-as-a-Service (BaaS) platform for web, mobile and flutter developers, announced it has raised $10 million in a seed round led by Bessemer Venture Partners and Flybridge with participation of Ibex Investors and Seedcamp.


Starfish Space startup raises $7m to develop Otter space tug
Published: 29-09-2021 | 13:05:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Starfish Space, a satellite servicing company founded by former Blue Origin engineers, announced it has raised a $7 million funding round co-led by NFX and MaC Venture Capital, with participation from PSL Ventures, Boost VC, Liquid2 Ventures, and Hypothesis.


DLA Piper advises GigCapital5 in $230m IPO
Published: 29-09-2021 | 12:52:00 | By: Pie Kamau
DLA Piper represented GigCapital5, Inc. in its initial public offering of 23,000,000 units at a price of $10 per unit, including 3,000,000 units issued upon the exercise of the over–allotment option granted to the underwriters.


New York-based Art+Tech accelerator receives funding to invest in art-fueled startups
Published: 28-09-2021 | 15:45:00 | By: Pie Kamau
New York-based Art+Tech accelerator Fuelarts returns after raising $500K from philanthropic funders. Launched in late 2019 by former Christie's COO Roxanna Zarnegar and serial entrepreneur Denis Belkevich, Fuelarts was forced to scale back its operations due to the pandemic.


Africa's crypto exchange Yellow Card raises $15m Series A funding to fuel expansion across the continent
Published: 28-09-2021 | 15:32:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Pan-African cryptocurrency exchange, Yellow Card, announced a $15 million Series A, the largest ever by an African cryptocurrency exchange, to ramp up hiring and continue its expansion across the continent.


EMURGO launches $100m Cardano ecosystem investment vehicle for early and growth stage startups
Published: 28-09-2021 | 15:19:00 | By: Pie Kamau
EMURGO, the official commercial arm of the Cardano blockchain, announced the launch of a new Cardano ecosystem investment vehicle to invest into early startup and growth stage companies focused on building socially impactful solutions powered by Cardano.


Ugandan fintech startup Fin-e Innovations raises $300,000 to bridge funding gap of African energy SMEs
Published: 28-09-2021 | 15:12:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Fin-e Innovations, a fintech start-up based in Uganda, has closed pre-seed funding of $300,000 from an undisclosed party in the United States.


Alberta tech startups to plug into global innovation system through new business accelerator
Published: 24-09-2021 | 14:12:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Alberta tech entrepreneurs and startups will soon have access to an accelerator with worldwide reach that will help them grow their businesses.


Industrial automation startup Agtonomy launches out of stealth to address farm labor crisis with $4m seed round
Published: 24-09-2021 | 13:58:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Agtonomy, a hybrid autonomy and tele-assist service platform, launched out of stealth and announced a $4 million seed round from Grit Ventures, GV (formerly Google Ventures), and Village Global.


Canadian supplier enablement startup Convictional raises $6.7m Series A funding
Published: 24-09-2021 | 13:14:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Convictional, the first supplier enablement platform for retailers and distributors to power drop ship, marketplace and wholesale business models in one solution, announced it has secured $6.7 million in Series A funding.


Perch Mobility startup raises seed funding to accelerate growth
Published: 24-09-2021 | 12:42:58 | By: Pie Kamau
Perch Mobility, the provider of portable charging pods that fuel the micromobility industry, announced the close of its successful seed round funding, which will enable the company to expand coverage into key strategic markets across the U.S.


The Vendry raises $6.5m seed round to support corporate events industry with new marketplace solutions
Published: 24-09-2021 | 12:22:00 | By: Pie Kamau
The Vendry, a marketplace and professional community for corporate event planners, announced the close of a $6.5 million seed funding round led by Peter Boyce, Founder of Stellation Capital.


German startup Focused Energy raises $15m seed round to pursue commercial fusion energy production
Published: 23-09-2021 | 16:15:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Focused Energy, a laser fusion startup dedicated to developing fusion as a means of generating clean alternative energy, announced the successful completion of $15 million in seed funding.


Delivery startup Glovo expands its African footprints
Published: 23-09-2021 | 16:02:01 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


[Column] Patrick Ndegwa: Growing a successful tech startup in Kenya, 4 key elements
Published: 23-09-2021 | 15:55:00 | By: Pie Kamau
The tech scene in Kenya is thriving. Even amid a global pandemic, economic uncertainty, and election fever, our dynamic African country has found a way to cut through the clutter and establish itself as the world’s ‘Silicon Savannah’.


Absa partners with Melanin Kapital to launch unsecured lending for startups in Kenya
Published: 23-09-2021 | 15:49:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Absa Bank Kenya has partnered with Pan African impact investment platform Melanin Kapital, to launch an investor readiness program that places startups driving social impact on the path to accessing up to KES3 million in unsecured lending.


Nigerian fintech startup Infibranches secures $2m funding from All On to drive growth in the renewable energy sector
Published: 23-09-2021 | 15:43:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Shell-funded impact investment company All On announced a $2 million investment in fintech company, Infibranches Technologies, to help bridge the energy distribution gap in underserved rural and peri-urban areas of Nigeria.


Rose Technology startup raises $5.5m seed round to change the way companies generate revenue from data
Published: 22-09-2021 | 16:46:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Rose Technology, founded by data scientist and former global macro investor Alexander Campbell, raised $5.5 million to change the way data-driven companies collect, analyze, and generate revenue from data.


Employee wellness early-stage tech startup Three Good announces seed round to fuel growth
Published: 22-09-2021 | 16:16:00 | By: Pie Kamau
A new employee wellness technology startup based in Los Angeles, Three Good, announced its seed round of funding. The employee well-being platform leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) and traditional Psychology best practices to beat employee burnout.


Will Smith's Dreamers VC backs $4m funded fintech startup Front to take on wall street, arm investors with better insights
Published: 22-09-2021 | 14:53:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Front, a strategic investment platform and companion app to Robinhood, Coinbase, Stash, and more that helps guide better investment decisions for new investors, announced the launch of its new app with funding from Will Smith's Dreamers VC.


Healthtech startup bttn. adds PlastCareUSA to burgeoning supplier ecosystem
Published: 22-09-2021 | 14:36:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Chinese warehouse robotics startup HAI ROBOTICS secures $200m funding to accelerate growth
Published: 22-09-2021 | 14:26:00 | By: Pie Kamau
HAI ROBOTICS, a Chinese warehouse robotics startup pioneering in autonomous case-handling robotics (ACR) system, announced it has secured two new continuous rounds of financing, garnering $200-odd million in total.


Payroll-as-a-Service startup Check partners with Procare to improve payments in child care centers
Published: 21-09-2021 | 11:03:09 | By: Pie Kamau
Check, the payroll-as-a-service startup whose mission is to make paying people simple, announced a partnership with Procare Solutions, the child care management software platform.


Chinese intelligent robotics startup Agile Robots completes Series C financing to accelerate growth
Published: 21-09-2021 | 10:41:12 | By: Pie Kamau
Agile Robots, an intelligent robotics company, announced the completion of a Series C financing with a total investment of $220 million. The financing was led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2, followed by financial investors.


TDK Ventures invests in seed round for dry lithium-ion electrode manufacturing startup, AM Batteries
Published: 21-09-2021 | 09:45:00 | By: Pie Kamau
TDK Corporation announced that subsidiary TDK Ventures has invested in AM Batteries (AMB) to support the commercialization of its dry electrode coating technology that improves the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries.


Fantasy football startup Sorare raises $680m Series B to create next sports entertainment giant leveraging NFTs
Published: 21-09-2021 | 08:59:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Sorare, the fantasy football platform, announced it has raised $680 million in Series B financing led by Softbank, with participation from Atomico, Bessemer Ventures, D1 Capital, Eurazeo, IVP and Liontree.


Egyptian healthtech startup Sotech raises $1m in pre-seed funding to fuel growth
Published: 21-09-2021 | 08:43:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Sotech, an Egyptian e-health startup that specializes in smart IoT, trackable OOH advertising, and data gathering has raised $1 million in pre-seed funding round to scale its operations into the rest of the MENA region.


Online group therapy startup Grouport raises $1.5m series seed round to provide therapy for chronic psychological disorders
Published: 17-09-2021 | 13:04:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Grouport, an online group therapy service that's making group treatment widely accessible for chronic psychological disorders, announced a $1.5 million series seed round led by XV Venture Capital.


Plant-based food startup immi raises $3.8m seed funding to modernize instant ramen
Published: 17-09-2021 | 12:47:00 | By: Pie Kamau
immi, the better-for-you Asian American food brand that launched the world's first low-carb, high-protein, 100% plant-based instant ramen during the pandemic, announced a $3.8 million seed round fundraise led by Siddhi Capital.


Biotech startup Elevian raises $40m Series A to advance treatments for stroke recovery and age-related diseases
Published: 17-09-2021 | 12:24:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Elevian, an emerging biotech company developing medicines that restore youthful regenerative capacity with the potential to treat and prevent multiple age-related diseases, announced it raised $40 million in an oversubscribed Series A round led by Prime Movers Lab.


Pangea Trust opens applications for its Startup Connect Programme
Published: 17-09-2021 | 12:01:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Pangea Trust has opened applications for its Startup Connect Programme, to increase the deployment of diaspora remittances and networks to provide investment capital to MSMEs and startups in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia.


Berlin-based Workist exits stealth to create global AI business connectivity layer
Published: 17-09-2021 | 11:39:10 | By: Pie Kamau
Workist, the company applying cutting-edge, deep-learning technology to automate business transactions, exited stealth and introduced its flagship product WorKI, an intelligent document processing tool that leverages advanced artificial intelligence.


Construction tech startup KEWAZO raises $5m Series A funding to scale robotic fleet in scaffolding industry
Published: 16-09-2021 | 13:26:00 | By: Pie Kamau
KEWAZO, a player in construction robotics, announced it has closed a $5 million series A funding round, bringing the total amount raised to $9 million.


Nigerian agritech startup Releaf secures $4.2m funding to drive industrialisation of food processing in Africa
Published: 16-09-2021 | 13:05:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Nigeria's agritech startup Releaf, which develops proprietary hardware and software solutions to industrialize food processing, raised $2.7 million in seed funding and grants.


Canadian machine learning startup Private AI secures $3.15m seed round to streamline privacy compliance for enterprises
Published: 16-09-2021 | 12:47:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Private AI, a developer of privacy-preserving machine learning and natural language processing tools, announced it has secured $3.15 million in seed funding to improve its product offering.


Insurtech startup NEXT Insurance renews commitment to small businesses with integrated strategic rebrand
Published: 16-09-2021 | 12:13:00 | By: Pie Kamau
NEXT Insurance, the digital insurtech company transforming small business insurance, announced its strategic rebrand which will integrate small business owners from across the country into every part of the company's business, culture and ethos.


Illumina Accelerator invests in seven genomics startups for 3rd global cycle
Published: 16-09-2021 | 11:55:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Illumina has selected seven new genomics companies to join the third global funding cycle of Illumina Accelerator. The global company creation engine, focused on partnering with entrepreneurs to build breakthrough genomics startups.


Organic food startup Teatis closes seed funding round to advance production and marketing in the U.S.
Published: 15-09-2021 | 17:12:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Teatis, makers of superfood powders for diabetic consumers, announces the close of its seed funding round. The science-backed brand that specializes in sugar-blocking teas accrued $700,000 from various high-power angel investors.


ITRI partners with Arm to provide resources for innovative IC design startups in Taiwan
Published: 15-09-2021 | 16:49:37 | By: Pie Kamau
To promote Taiwanese local IC design startups, the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) is supporting the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and Arm, in providing critical resources.


Canadian machine learning startup CruxOCM raises $6m venture financing to accelerate growth
Published: 15-09-2021 | 16:31:00 | By: Pie Kamau
CruxOCM, the pioneer of robotic industrial process automation (RIPA) for control room operations, announced it has raised $6 million in venture financing to fuel growth.


Workwear startup BRUNT raises $8.4m Series A funding to accelerate growth
Published: 15-09-2021 | 15:54:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Tech startup KUDO launches live captioning for multilingual meetings
Published: 14-09-2021 | 16:23:01 | By: Pie Kamau
KUDO Inc., the multilingual meeting SaaS company built around a B2B managed marketplace powered by the largest network of professional conference interpreters, announced the addition of live captioning to its list of platform features.


Lectra joins Plug and Play open innovation ecosystem
Published: 14-09-2021 | 16:12:27 | By: Pie Kamau
Major global player in the 4.0 Industry for the fashion, automotive, and furniture market, Lectra is joining the Brand & Retail program of the Plug and Play network, the world's leading innovation platform connecting startups, investors, and pioneering companies.


Medical software startup Optellum appoints Jason Pesterfield as CEO to drive commercial growth in the US
Published: 14-09-2021 | 16:02:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Optellum, a medical software startup based in Oxford, UK, has appointed Jason Pesterfield as CEO to lead growth in the US clinical market. Optellum is a leader in AI-based software that transforms early lung cancer diagnosis and therapy.


Silicon Valley Bank establishes physical presence in Miami
Published: 14-09-2021 | 15:38:32 | By: Pie Kamau
Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), the bank of the world's innovative companies and their investors, announced a team of commercial bankers have landed permanently in Miami to focus on Florida's dynamic innovation sector.


Huobi Ventures launches $10m fund to accelerate innovative GameFi projects
Published: 14-09-2021 | 15:13:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Huobi Ventures, the global investment arm of Huobi Group, announced the launch of a new $10 million fund to invest in emerging GameFi projects around the world.


Apto Payments acquires fintech startup Vertical Finance
Published: 10-09-2021 | 15:04:17 | By: Pie Kamau
Apto Payments, a next-generation cards and payments company, announced its acquisition of challenger credit card startup, Vertical Finance. The move expands both Apto Payments' product offerings and team.


Blockchain startup Zaimirai acquires Dash Masternode Hosting Operation from NODE40
Published: 10-09-2021 | 14:52:48 | By: Pie Kamau
Zaimirai, a startup blockchain services provider, announced the acquisition of the Dash Masternode Hosting Division of NODE40. The deal enables Zaimirai to build out its blockchain hosting services using the market-tested platform created by NODE40.


ActZero startup announces U.S. distribution relationship with Ingram Micro's Emerging Business Group
Published: 10-09-2021 | 14:43:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Managed Detection and Response (MDR) startup ActZero, announced a strategic distribution agreement with Ingram Micro Inc. and its Emerging Business Group, which offers providers high-touch services, specialization and speed to market.


Tech startup Normal receives investment to empower small businesses with innovative robo-consultant
Published: 10-09-2021 | 14:31:35 | By: Pie Kamau
As the Covid-19 pandemic and global warming continue to impact the world, Normal is building a digital platform that allows MSMEs to modernize their operations and implement sustainable and profitable growth.


Madagascar Time startup launches charity cryptocurrency $TIME to fight climate change
Published: 10-09-2021 | 13:56:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Madagascar Time startup has launched $TIME, the new cryptocurrency focused on charity work around the globe. Backed by an international team, $TIME combines unprecedented technology in the crypto space with social entrepreneurialism.


Tech startup SIMBA Chain raises $25m in Series A funding to accelerate growth
Published: 08-09-2021 | 13:13:00 | By: Pie Kamau
SIMBA Chain , the technology company that eliminated the complexities of blockchain app development and reduced energy usage, thus opening the door to a world of users, has closed a $25 million Series A funding round led by Valley Capital Partners.


Tango raises $5.7m seed round to launch workflow intelligence platform and transform documentation
Published: 08-09-2021 | 12:35:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Tango, the workflow intelligence platform that streamlines the process of creating documentation, announced it raised $5.7 million in seed funding to launch workflow intelligence platform and transform documentation.


Canadian plant-based food innovation startup TMRW Foods raises $2.6m in seed round funding
Published: 08-09-2021 | 12:09:00 | By: Pie Kamau
TMRW Foods, the growing Canadian plant-based food innovation company, announced a seed round investment of $2.6 million.


AI startup DataChat closes $25m Series A round to continue democratizing data analytics
Published: 08-09-2021 | 11:53:00 | By: Pie Kamau
DataChat, Inc., a software company that's revolutionizing data analytics, announced the closing of a $25 million Series A funding round led by Redline Capital and Anthos Capital.


Sports investing platform PredictionStrike raises $1.7m capital, launches new mobile app
Published: 08-09-2021 | 11:33:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Sports investing platform PredictionStrike announced its partnership with MaC Venture Capital and New Age Capital, as well as the launch of the company's new mobile app.


Foodtech startup GrubMarket acquires Bartolotta, further expands in Eastern US and Canada
Published: 07-09-2021 | 16:04:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Israeli insurtech startup Vesttoo joins NVIDIA Inception to further develop AI-based technologies
Published: 07-09-2021 | 15:38:30 | By: Pie Kamau
Israeli insurtech startup Vesttoo announced it has joined NVIDIA Inception, a program designed to nurture companies revolutionizing industries with advancements in AI and data sciences.


Travel adventure startup YouTravel.Me raises $1m to strengthen its position in the US
Published: 07-09-2021 | 15:29:00 | By: Pie Kamau
YouTravel.Me, an algorithm-powered online platform for booking small group adventure travel organized by travel experts, announced it has secured $1 million in funding.


Zing Health startup aligns corporate mission and philanthropy with Pledge 1%
Published: 07-09-2021 | 15:15:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Zing Health, a physician-founded-and-led provider of Medicare Advantage health plans, has made official its Pledge 1% program, raising its commitment to corporate philanthropy, community engagement, and STEM education.


[Startup Interview] Marko van Kampen, Co-Founder, Just Another Network, Netherlands
Published: 06-09-2021 | 12:18:19 | By: Bob Koigi
Just Another Network is a media company for the next generation that creates, manages and distributes news, sports and entertainment in a way that is contemporary.


[Startup Interview] Wibe van de Vijver, Co-Founder, Mohi, Netherlands
Published: 06-09-2021 | 12:02:42 | By: Bob Koigi
Mohi is a media startup that has created a platform where users can remove the clutter and build a space where they can organize a selection of their most enjoyable content experiences and share the absolute highlights with their inner circle.


[Startup Interview] Tom van Bentheim, Co-Founder, Opt Out Advertising, Netherlands
Published: 06-09-2021 | 11:47:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Opt Out Advertising is a startup that helps publishers, agencies and advertisers with the transition to cookieless advertising by offering a clean, privacy-friendly way of monetizing opt-out inventory in the online advertising industry.


[Startup Interview] Nicolas d'Audiffret, Co-Founder, Ankorstore
Published: 06-09-2021 | 11:29:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Ankorstore is an online B2B marketplace connecting brand and retailers, all around Europe.


[Startup Interview] Marcel van der Heijden, Co-Founder, GoodKarma, Netherlands
Published: 03-09-2021 | 15:23:44 | By: Bob Koigi
GoodKarma is a Dutch startup that works with brands to create unique experiences by offering them a host of services across branding, content, marketing, commerce and social media among others.


[Startup Interview] Marco Abele, Co-Founder, OneFor, Netherlands
Published: 03-09-2021 | 13:44:00 | By: Bob Koigi
OneFor is a fintech startup that offers various mobile money applications and technical services, including account, payment and card services. Its card solution is supported by Mastercard International. The startup’s Co-Founder Marco Abele elaborates.


[Startup Interview] Marsha Goei, Co-Founder, Breeze, Netherlands
Published: 03-09-2021 | 13:35:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Breeze is a Dutch-based startup that seeks to make online dating revolve around offline encounters again. It embraces technology to enhance human connection instead of replacing it.


Tech startup Spinach raises $2.75m pre-seed round for Zoom meeting integration
Published: 02-09-2021 | 13:49:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Spinach, one of the first Zoom Apps partners aimed at helping distributed teams be more effective, announced $2.75 million in pre-seed funding led by Cardumen Capital.


Wine & spirits e-Commerce startup Speakeasy Co. raises $2m seed round to accelerate growth
Published: 02-09-2021 | 13:29:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


CB Insights launches algorithm to score the quality of startup's founding and management team
Published: 02-09-2021 | 13:05:15 | By: Pie Kamau
CB Insights, which enables world's leading companies to make smarter technology decisions, announced Management Mosaic, the first-ever algorithm to demystify the quality of a startup's founding and management team.


Next-gen research platform Litmaps closes $125K seed-stage investment from Quidnet Ventures
Published: 02-09-2021 | 12:55:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Litmaps, a Science software company based in Wellington, New Zealand has received NZ$125,000 in funding from Quidnet Ventures, a New Zealand-based venture capital fund with operations in Auckland, NZ, San Francisco and New York.


LG announces global startup competition to recruit new businesses for innovation center
Published: 02-09-2021 | 12:30:00 | By: Pie Kamau
LG Electronics (LG) announced the launch of Mission for the Future, a global challenge competition for startups to identify innovative technologies and business ideas that pave the way to the future.


Sharp Alpha Advisors announces sports betting startup pitch competition in partnership with Sportradar
Published: 01-09-2021 | 13:50:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Sharp Alpha Advisors, a firm specializing in early-stage sports betting technology, and Sportradar, a global provider of sports betting and sports entertainment products and services, have partnered to announce a sports betting startup pitch competition.


Videogame startup Nifty Games raises $38m capital to redefine mobile sports games
Published: 01-09-2021 | 13:32:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Nifty Games, a videogame developer and publisher focused on quick-session, head-to-head sports games for mobile, raised $26 million in a Series B round of equity funding led by Vulcan Capital. In addition, the company has secured $12 million in connected debt financing.


DLA Piper advises investment analytics platform Aumni in $50m Series B financing
Published: 01-09-2021 | 13:17:00 | By: Pie Kamau
DLA Piper represented Aumni, an investment analytics platform that provides the data infrastructure for private capital markets, in a $50 million Series B funding round led by J.P. Morgan.


Oddup raises $12.8m Series C funding to increase access to pre-eminent global startup ecosystem insights
Published: 01-09-2021 | 13:07:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Oddup, an international provider of data-driven insights for the startup and cryptocurrency ecosystems, announced the close of a $12.8 million Series C funding round.


Shuttle-hailing startup SWVL completes $35.5m pre-funding to accelerate growth strategy
Published: 01-09-2021 | 12:44:00 | By: Pie Kamau
SWVL, a Dubai-based provider of transformative mass transit and shared mobility solutions, announced that several investors, including Agility and Chimera Abu Dhabi, have completed the pre-funding of $35.5 million of the aggregate PIPE subscription.


South African fintech startup SOL announces rebrand with new virtual card offering
Published: 01-09-2021 | 12:31:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


FedTech leverages Converge, a startup studio event to expand access to deep tech
Published: 25-08-2021 | 13:11:17 | By: Bob Koigi
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science & Technology Directorate (S&T) is partnering with FedTech to provide equal and inclusive access to government and university-sourced next-gen deep technologies for entrepreneurs with diverse backgrounds.


UNest acquires Kidfund, the savings app designed for children
Published: 18-08-2021 | 13:32:00 | By: Bob Koigi
The acquisition of Kidfund will further accelerate UNest’s growth and deepen the company’s goal to simplify and streamline how parents save and invest for their kids’ future.


LearnWorlds secures $32m in growth funding to help educators create and sell online courses
Published: 16-07-2021 | 14:32:00 | By: Pie Kamau
LearnWorlds, an all-in-one platform for creating and selling online courses, has secured a $32 million minority investment by global venture capital and private equity firm Insight Partners.


Seoul-based edtech startup Mathpresso secures $50 million in Series C funding
Published: 02-07-2021 | 13:51:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Seoul-based edtech startup Mathpresso announced it has raised $50 million in a Series C funding round last week, bringing the company's total funding to $105 million.


GG4L acquires edtech startup Stackup
Published: 24-06-2021 | 13:31:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Global Grid for Learning (GG4L), announced the acquisition of Stackup, an edtech startup with a focus on learning outcomes in K-12 education.


Fintech startup The Beans announces $2m in funding to simplify the path to financial success
Published: 04-06-2021 | 10:01:00 | By: Pie Kamau
The Beans, a financial technology startup built for America's Caring Class, announced $2 million in funding, led by Precursor Ventures.


Base10 Partners raises advancement initiative to grow HBCU endowments and catalyze wealth creation
Published: 28-05-2021 | 14:15:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Building on their VC Diversity Pledge, Base10 Partners announced the raise of a new $250 million fund with the mission of aligning the success of technology companies with wealth creation for underrepresented minorities.


South Korean AI startup Riiid raises $175m from SoftBank Vision Fund 2 to accelerate growth
Published: 25-05-2021 | 14:10:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Riiid Inc (Riiid), an AI education company and a member of Born2Global Centre, has raised $175 million investment from SoftBank Vision Fund 2.


UC Berkeley SkyDeck selects 17 companies for Batch 12 startup cohort
Published: 19-05-2021 | 10:57:35 | By: Bob Koigi
The new group of startups specializes in a wide range of industries including AI, life sciences, semiconductor chips, HR, robotics, and enterprise software. The acceptance rate for the new cohort was 1.3%.


DBSA launches second edition of the Youth Challenge in South Africa
Published: 05-05-2021 | 16:02:56 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Dutch impact investment firm Goodwell Investments launches €50 million fund to support African SMEs
Published: 30-04-2021 | 13:04:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Goodwell V will build a new portfolio of companies across various sectors in Africa: at least a third will be invested in financial inclusion, a quarter in agriculture, and the remainder in mobility and other impact sectors such as education and healthcare.


Ericsson launches Graduate Programme in Kenya
Published: 20-04-2021 | 10:47:30 | By: Bob Koigi
The programme aims to grow the technical skills of the graduates, training them on the Ericsson technology, solutions and, delivery and providing them with an understanding of Ericsson’s processes, methods and tools.


EdCraft startup raises $1m pre-seed round to expand its edtech platform in the U.S.
Published: 14-04-2021 | 10:52:00 | By: Pie Kamau
EdCraft, an early education platform launched by former McKinsey executives, raised $1 million from a group of Silicon Valley based angels. The startup aims to equip its students, aged 6-13, with essential 21st-century skills.


Cincinnati startups Abre and Pay Theory partner to transform education
Published: 13-04-2021 | 15:25:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Abre.io (Abre), and Pay Theory announced their partnership to help them better achieve their shared mission of breaking down socioeconomic and technical barriers to education.


SchooLinks startup lands $8.3m Series A for college, career success for diverse student population
Published: 18-03-2021 | 12:49:00 | By: Pie Kamau
SchooLinks, an Austin, TX startup founded by Forbes 30 under 30 entrepreneur Katie Fang to democratize access to modern career and college planning resources for the broader student population, raised an $8.3m Series A funding.


African Edtech startup Kabakoo receives funding from Zoom, launches first no-code training in Africa
Published: 17-03-2021 | 14:17:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Committed to democratizing access to tech education for the African youths, Kabakoo has launched the first no-code training in West Africa for a batch of twenty learners at its Bamako campus.


Edtech startup Quizizz raises $12.5m in Series A to empower teachers around the world
Published: 09-03-2021 | 13:51:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Quizizz, an edtech startup with a presence in India and the U.S., announced a $12.5 million Series A funding round led by Eight Roads Ventures with participation from GSV Ventures, Rocketship VC and existing investors Nexus Venture Partners.


Tech startup Mokusei offers 100% funding aid for individuals to cover their education and travel expenses
Published: 04-03-2021 | 12:14:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Incorporated on 17 Feb 2021, Mokusei Intelligence (Mokusei), is a social impact & education centric tech startup focused on developing AI/ML based algorithms and solutions.


Union Bank of Nigeria to support startups through UnionX Innovation Challenge
Published: 26-02-2021 | 15:09:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Blockchain startup Vaionex Corporation completes seed funding round with Two Hop Ventures
Published: 17-02-2021 | 13:55:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Vaionex Corporation, a blockchain startup founded by students from the University of Cambridge, announced it has completed a seed funding round with Two Hop Ventures, a Dutch venture capital firm focused exclusively on investing in Bitcoin SV startup.


Panoramic Ventures launches with $300m fund
Published: 09-02-2021 | 07:08:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Panoramic Ventures announced its formation through a partnership between highly successful entrepreneur and investor Paul Judge and BIP Capital.


Career development startup Careerist raises $1.25m in seed round at $21m market cap
Published: 05-02-2021 | 11:41:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Careerist (ex JobEasy), a Silicon Valley-based career development platform which adapts US labor to the new economy for a share of the future salary, has raised $1.25 million in seed financing.


Canadian edtech startup Wize raises $3m to enhance online learning experience
Published: 29-01-2021 | 13:54:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Wize, a fast-growing online education platform that delivers course-specific video tutorials and exam-like practice problems for high school, college, and university students across North America, announced it has raised $3 million in funding.


University of Chicago’s Polsky Center launches tech accelerator programme for early-stage startups
Published: 20-01-2021 | 12:39:54 | By: Bob Koigi
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago has launched the Compass, a first-of-its-kind deep tech accelerator program for early-stage startups.


Edtech startup Sketchy announces Andrew Sugerman as President
Published: 22-12-2020 | 13:44:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Sketchy, an online education company that teaches complex concepts through visual memory techniques has named seasoned media executive, Andrew Sugerman, as President.


[Startup Interview] James Adebisi, Founder, Xpora Academy, Nigeria
Published: 15-12-2020 | 09:41:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Xpora Academy is a Nigeria-based e-learning platform that equips the youth with in-demand digital skills relevant to the present and future of work.


Cincinnati-based startup Pay Theory launches new purpose-built payment solution for education
Published: 07-12-2020 | 19:39:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Pay Theory, a Cincinnati-based startup, launched a new payment processing platform with the mission of making school fees and payments straightforward for all involved parties: families, educators, and administrators.


Zimbabwe startup Phenomenon Technologies partners with MEL Science for applied learning solutions in Africa
Published: 26-11-2020 | 13:53:09 | By: Bob Koigi
Zimbabwean startup Phenomenon Technologies has partnered with global science kits giant MEL Science in a strategic move meant to enable applied science learning in Zimbabwe and Africa.


Tech startup Nestlings raises $1.5m to help international students through college application process
Published: 26-11-2020 | 10:52:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Nestlings, an online portal that guides international students through the process of applying to colleges in the US, Canada, and the UK, has raised $1.5 million in a Seed Round of funding from Candid Ventures.


Dutch non-profit start-up Spacebuzz awarded  four international Lovie Awards
Published: 19-11-2020 | 12:25:00 | By: Bob Koigi
ESA astronaut André Kuipers’ SpaceBuzz won four prizes during the 10th annual international Lovie Awards presentation: Two Jury Lovie Awards – Best Narrative experience and Virtual Reality – and two People’s Lovie Awards from public votes.


[Startup Interview] Almasi Ndangili, Founder, Imarisha East Africa Productions, Kenya
Published: 10-11-2020 | 11:57:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Almasi Ndangili is the founder of Imarisha East Africa Productions Ltd, a Kenya-based talent academy promoting education through edutainment. The startup has invested in TV Shows, event organization, book launches, talent development, TV Script writing, Africanized animations, digital publishing and branding.


Mohammed VI Polytechnic University partners with Plug and Play to launch accelerator programme in Morocco
Published: 09-11-2020 | 09:13:33 | By: Pie Kamau
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), an academic and research institution, has partnered with global innovation platform, Plug and Play, to launch an Open Innovation Hub in Morocco, with the support of OCP Group.


Nigerian CcHUB acquires Kenyan edTech startup eLimu
Published: 04-11-2020 | 08:46:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Kenya’s technology Incubation and Accelerator space iHub owned by Co-creation Hub (CcHUB) has announced the acquisition of edtech startup and digital educational content provider eLimu.


[Algeria] Sonatrach invests in university incubator for startups
Published: 22-10-2020 | 08:17:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Algeria state owned oil company Sonatrach has partnered with the National Agency for the Promotion of Research and Technological Development Results (ANVREDET), to establish a university incubator for start-ups.


Unacademy acquires exam prep startup Coursavy
Published: 25-09-2020 | 12:23:17 | By: Bob Koigi
India edtech company Unacademy has acquired Coursavy, a platform for Union Public Service, UPSC exams preparation.


Online sales program startup Virtanza closes $1m in private investment funding round
Published: 21-09-2020 | 14:26:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Sales2Job Academy, DBA Virtanza, an Orange County-based company that offers higher education a scalable sales training solution directly connected to employers, announced it has raised seed round funding totaling $1 million from private investors.


Sanbox acquires UK education startup Teachit
Published: 09-09-2020 | 17:21:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Sandbox, an operating platform for digital educational products and services has announced that it has acquired Teachit, a UK-based teacher resource provider from education charity AQA.


Paris-based startup Klassroom raises $3m to expand from France to other countries including the U.S.
Published: 01-09-2020 | 17:00:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Klassroom, the Paris-based company that reinvents parent-teacher communication in pre-kindergarten and all elementary school grades, raised a $3 million seed round led by Bpifrance.


San Francisco edtech startup Springboard raises $31 million Series B funding
Published: 05-08-2020 | 15:42:00 | By: Pie Kamau
San Francisco edtech startup Springboard has raised $31 million in Series B funding led by Mark Sherman and Albert Bielinko from Telstra Ventures, Arrun Kapoor from SJF Ventures, and YB Choi from Vulcan Capital.


Moroccan learning startup KoolSkools raises $417,000 for local, international expansion
Published: 22-07-2020 | 13:59:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Moroccan learning platform KoolSkools has raised $417,000 from Maroc Numeric Fund II an unnamed business angel.The investment will be used to finance the development of KoolSkools both in Morocco and internationally.


CirrusHQ announces £400,000 investment, appointment of Alastair Mills as new Chairman to drive business growth in the UK
Published: 01-06-2020 | 17:36:00 | By: Pie Kamau
CirrusHQ, a leading Amazon Web Services (AWS) Advanced Consulting and Solution Provider partner, announced it has secured a £400,000 growth capital investment plus the appointment of Alastair Mills as the company’s new Chairman.


Finnish startup Kide Science raises €1.5m in seed round to accelerate international growth
Published: 28-05-2020 | 16:14:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Global early childhood science learning provider startup Kide Science has secured €1.5m funding in a seed round led by Sparkmind.vc, with selected existing investors including Zanichelli Venture also participating.


Flat6Labs Tunis hosts Fifth Demo Day, graduates 8 startups digitally
Published: 25-05-2020 | 10:19:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Flat6Labs Tunis celebrated it’s fifth Demo Day online, with 8 innovative startups presenting their businesses to hundreds of registered attendees.


[Startup Interview] Julius Masaba, Co-Founder, Ablestate, Uganda
Published: 18-05-2020 | 13:03:09 | By: Bob Koigi
Ablestate, a Ugandan startup works with businesses to point them to the right software developers while offering digital training to institutions of higher learning. In the process the startup is addresings youth unemployment in the East African nation.