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Kenyan green entrepreneurs mark Day of Zero Waste with festival
The Fest culminated a week-long digital campaign dubbed #BeatPlasticPollution aimed at addressing the plastic pollution menace in Mombasa.
[Kenya] Livestock sector players review investment opportunities, challenges in unique forum
With the demand for livestock products projected to grow by up to 50% by 2030, there’s a clear opportunity for strategic investments to drive growth and innovation in the sector.
Kenya startups raised the highest amount of funding in Africa in 2023, report
For some time now, Nigeria has always received the biggest share of startup investments, however, in 2023, Kenya overtook the West African country, gaining the highest amount of tech funds on the continent.
EIB Global announces $30 million investment in Seedstars Africa Ventures I, a VC fund for African entrepreneurs
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.
Tech platform Vigilant Ops secures $2 million in seed funding to expand its portfolio
DataTribe, a global cyber foundry that invests in and co-builds next-generation cybersecurity and data science companies, has announced a $2 million seed investment in Vigilant Ops, an automation platform for the generation, maintenance, and authenticated sharing of certified Software Bill of Materials
Hyperlink Ventures launches $32 million debut fund to invest in next generation B2B software startups
The new fund will invest primarily in Series A and Series B stage companies, with a core focus on technology breakthroughs that help the world’s largest corporations and industries increase productivity through software.
Kenyan climate tech startup Amini raises $4 million seed funding raises to accelerate growth into new sectors
Amini’s successful raise follows a $2 million pre-seed funding round that closed in March 2023. The pre-seed round was led by Pale Blue Dot, backed by Superorganism who also participated in this seed round alongside new investors such as Satgana.
[Kenya] Mombasa innovators showcase green innovations during the royal visit
Mombasa’s young innovators addressing marine plastic pollution caught the attention of King Charles III and Queen Camilla during their royal visit to Kenya.
xtype secures $10.8m funding to amplify its impact in the ServiceNow market amidst soaring demand
xtype, the agile software delivery company, has secured $10.8m additional funding.
Roofing technology startup Roofr raises $23.5m to build end-to-end roofing software
Roofr, a roofing technology startup, has raised $23.5m in funding.
[Column] Christopher Saul: Kenya’s AI revolution can happen with the IT you already have
AI is set to become the most prolific and impactful technology trend in the world.
Copenhagen-based platform Marts secures €1.75m to launch the OS for IT management
Copenhagen-based IT management platform Marts, has secured €1.75m funding.
Cardata raises $100m capital to accelerate growth in product innovation
Cardata has announced a new round of growth investment.
STHL East Africa bets on demand for power tools to grow revenues
German power tools manufacturer, STIHL East Africa, has reported a significant increase in revenue in its first year of operation since upgrading its marketing office to a fully-fledged sales subsidiary.
Swedish startup QA.tech raises $1m pre-seed round to revolutionize software testing
Swedish startup QA.tech has raised $1m in pre-seed funding round.
Lipa Later announces close of Sh500 million privately placed debt issuance
According to the company, the journey to empower Kenyan consumers with convenient and accessible financing options has been met with enthusiasm from customers and the private capital markets.
Kenyan insurtech startup Turaco acquires Ghana’s MicroEnsure
Turaco, the Kenyan insurtech startup, has acquired MicroEnsure Ghana from MIC Global.
Five Kenyan cleantech startups selected for JICA’s Project NINJA accelerator
Five Kenyan cleantech startups have been selected for the 3rd cohort of JICA.
ReOrbit completes oversubscribed $7.4m seed funding to enable real-time dataflow in space
ReOrbit has completed an oversubscribed Seed funding round for $7.4 million
STIHL East Africa set to introduce battered powered products
STIHL East Africa has announced plans to introduce battery powered products in the East African Market as the firm celebrates its one year anniversary in the region.
The place of Kenyan startups in growing the medtech sector
Investment in the medical devices segment of Africa’s startup space has the potential to hit $259 billion by 2030. Currently, the sector has attracted $500 million in investments.
Startup Elecate acquires Synergy International to elevate the hospitality and rental software industry
Elecate has acquired Synergy International.
[Column] Mukesh Bector: How Augmented Reality is transforming print technology
The journey of print technology has been nothing short of remarkable.
Swedish SaaS startup CodeScene raises €7.5m financing round to accelerate growth
Swedish SaaS startup CodeScene has successfully raised €7.5m financing round.
bp ventures invests £4m in UK-based fleet optimization software provider Dynamon
bp ventures has made a £4 million investment in Dynamon.
Kenyan healthtech startup Zuri Health secures additional investment from Marula Square
Zuri Health has secured additional investment from Marula Square.
Safaricom Shareholders approve two new subsidiaries to invest in Kenyan tech start-ups
These significant developments, approved at Safaricom’s 15th Annual General Meeting (AGM), represent a momentous step towards supporting tech entrepreneurs, fostering innovation, and fortifying Safaricom's role as a key enabler of the Kenyan tech community.
ev.energy secures $33m funding to drive electric vehicle-grid integration in North America and Europe
ev.energy announced its $33m Series B raise.
Kenyan households bet on food MSEs for affordable meals
An estimated 60 per cent of rural and urban Kenyan households access their daily meals from micro/small enterprises (MSEs) at local markets.
Kenyan healthtech startup Zuri Health raises undisclosed funding from Five35 Ventures
Kenyan healthtech startup Zuri Health has raised an undisclosed amount of funding.
Bristol tech startup Deazy appoints Laura Wall as Head of Marketing
Developer marketplace platform Deazy has appointed Laura Wall as Head of Marketing.
Explainable-AI image recognition startup ZAC initiates medical imaging for pathology
ZAC will apply its Concept-Learning algorithms in medical imaging.
Salonkee raises €28m to fuel growth, solidify position as Europe’s provider of salon management software
Salonkee has raised €28m in growth capital.
Blackbaud's accelerator program welcomes 10 startups building generative AI solutions
Blackbaud announced the newest cohort of its Social Good Startup Program.
Kenyan agritech startup Kyosk acquires KwikBasket, expands into fresh produce market
Kenyan agritech startup Kyosk, is expanding into the African fresh produce market.
Insight Partners announces $118m Fund II for 20/20 Vision Capital
Insight Partners, announced it has raised Insight Vision Capital II, L.P. (Fund II).
Notion Capital closes oversubscribed fifth fund at €300m
Notion Capital announced the final close of its new €300 million fund, Notion Capital V SCSp.
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.
Kenyan startup MESH grows to reach 150,000 young entrepreneurs
Kenyan startup MESH, announced it has reached 150,000 members.
Kenyan mobility startup Stima secures €100k investment
Stima Mobility has secured €100,000 investment from DEG Impulse.
Hexagon calls for startups to apply for its third Sixth Sense cohort
Hexagon's Manufacturing Intelligence division has announced a call for startups to apply for its third Sixth Sense cohort.
SAP selects YOOBIC for an exclusive startup program
YOOBIC, the all-in-one Frontline Employee Experience Platform, announced it has been selected by SAP.
[Column] Patrick Ndegwa: Journey to the centre of the cloud; why Kenya should store data locally
Kenyan businesses are migrating to the cloud en masse.
[Interview] Caroline Mutuku, General Manager, Glovo, Kenya
Caroline Mutuku is Kenya's General Manager of multi-category app Glovo.
Fintech firm LemFi expands diaspora remittance services to Kenya
LemFi announced it has formally launched its diaspora remittance services in Kenya.
[Kenya] Entrepreneurs tackling marine plastics problems feted
The awards, which showcased the most effective solutions to tackle Mombasa’s marine plastics problem, were the culmination of a six-month initiative funded by USAID and Global Affairs Canada.
[Column] Mukesh Bector: A simple place to start if you’re lagging on digital transformation
Digital transformation: we’ve all heard the phrase a thousand times.
Nigeria's regtech startup Youverify launches its full cycle compliance solutions in Kenya
Youverify has officially entered the Kenyan market.
[Column] Joanne Mwangi – Yelbert: Entice more women in tech to bridge skills gap and bolster growth
Incredible improvements in tech are rapidly reshaping our world.
STIHL EA to invest Sh100 million to boost local manufacturing
Power tools manufacturer STIHL East Africa has announced it will invest Sh100 million in local accessories manufacturing every year as it seeks to localise its product development in the region.
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.
Nigerian fintech startup Grey expands into Kenya
Nigerian fintech startup Grey has picked Kenya as its East African Hub as it expands operations in the largest economy in the East African Community.
Hilversum-based software platform Instruqt raises €15m to help companies improve product demos, trainings
Instruqt, the product-led growth platform that transforms the way tech professionals learn new technologies with interactive product experiences, announced it has raised €15 million Series A funding.
Mobile app points Ugandan stakeholders to reliable fisheries data
Trained data collectors consult with fishers to update the easy-to-use app with data such as fish catch quantity, type of fishing nets and boats used, and how much money the fishers expect to earn.
The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council appoints Elgon Kenya MD for advisory role
The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, CWEIC, has selected agro input company Elgon Kenya as its strategic partner and appointed its Managing Director Dr. Bimal Kantaria to its global advisory council.
GRASP fellowship invests in African women researchers
The Kenyan women, and others selected for the GRASP Fellowship, are set to participate in a series of interventions, including leadership and mentoring training, designed to enable them to become more effective policy practitioners
Factor[e] Ventures launches a new venture studio to transform the African startup ecosystem
Delta40 focuses on technology-driven energy, agriculture, and mobility ventures led by diverse, experienced founders.
Insurtech startup Turaco and Airtel Money launch low-cost hospital cash insurance product in Uganda
Kenyan and Ugandan insurtech startup Turaco, has partnered with Airtel Mobile and Prudential Assurance to launch a low-cost hospital cash insurance product with Funeral Benefit.
[Interview] Gharjyot Singh, CEO, Cerebrum Infotech, India
Gharjyot Singh is the CEO of Cerebrum Infotech, a software and web development company based in India.
[Column] Veerakumar Natarajan: How tech can help stimulate micro economies
Technological progression plays a crucial role in fostering economic growth. A lack of access to technology can hinder local economies, particularly in developing countries such as Kenya and other African nations.
Raft announces $100m prime contract award to support cloud native product lines for Kessel Run
Raft, a technology consulting firm focused on solving hard engineering problems, announced it has been awarded a prime contract $100 million contract to develop software applications in collaboration with AFLCMC.
[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.
Elgon Kenya partners with Ministry of Agriculture to reward young farmers
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.
[Interview] Mikhail Marchenko, Co-founder, JuicyScore, Kenya
Mikhail Marchenko is the Co-founder of JuicyScore, which recently launched its operations in Kenya. JuicyScore offers anti-fraud and risk management solutions to digital lenders, insurance companies, e-commerce and classifieds.
CcHUB launches $15m accelerator for edtech startups in Kenya and Nigeria
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.
Insurtech startup Lami joins forces with Unchorlight to provide insurance covers for Boda Boda riders in Kenya
Digital insurance provider Lami Technologies is partnering with Unchorlight Kenya (UNK), to provide boda boda riders in the country with access to suitable and reliable insurance covers.
Kenyan fintech startup Power Financial raises $3m seed funding to accelerate growth
Power Financial Wellness, a Kenyan fintech startup that seeks to advance the financial well-being of its customers has secured a $3 million seed funding.
Mombasa Plastic Prize selects 60 Kenyan innovators to tackle plastic pollution along the coastline
Aged 18-25, the finalists are grouped into 15 teams and are now in a race to be one of the top three teams to win over KES 7 million of cash prizes. The first-place team will take home KES 3.5 million.
[Interview] Seyi J. Matanmi, Founder, Hosteet, Nigeria
Seyi J. Matanmi is a technology product developer and entrepreneur. Educated in software development, research and analytics, he currently leads the cloud services outfit, Hosteet, operating out of Lagos, Nigeria.
Africa’s mobility startup eWaka secures $540K loan from SECO to accelerate growth
Kenyan mobility solutions provider eWaka has secured a $540K loan from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of the Swiss Confederation.
Kenyan government drops fraud charges against Nigerian fintech Flutterwave
The Kenyan government has dropped charges of financial impropriety against Flutterwave, according to a new report by Bloomberg.
Kenyan rural Internet Service Provider Mawingu raises $9m to scale its operations across the country
Rural Internet Service Provider (ISP), Mawingu has raised $9 million in Series B funding to scale its operations across Kenya.
[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.
Kenyan healthtech startup Zuri Health raises funding to expand across Africa
Kenyan healthtech startup Zuri Health announced it has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Moroccan VC UM6P Ventures. The funds will be used to support Zuri’s growth and expansion across Africa.
Workstyle Africa and SNDBX launch entrepreneurship centers in East Africa
Serviced office space provider, Workstyle Africa, has partnered with SNDBX International, a business growth ecosystem, to open five one-stop-shop entrepreneurship centres and workspaces in East Africa.
Nordics-focused LP firm Monterro announces final close of small-cap fund at €150m hard cap
Monterro, the Nordic B2B software investor, announced the final close of Monterro G1 at its €150m hard cap, including a 24% GP commitment.
Mobility startup BasiGo and AVA to assemble 1,000 electric buses in Kenya
BasiGo, the Kenyan-based electric manufacturer has partnered with the Associated Vehicle Assemblers (AVA), to assemble its buses in the country.
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.
Highland Europe closes €1 billion fund to back growth-stage tech startups
Highland Europe announced it has closed its fifth fund, raising €1 billion to double down on its strategy of backing the Continent’s most outstanding founder-led teams in software and internet businesses.
Kenyan fintech startup Kwara raises $3m seed extension
Kenyan fintech startup Kwara has raised a $3 million seed extension. The new investment was led by existing backers DOB Equity, Globivest and the founder of Kobalt Music.
Maven Mentorship programme to equip teenagers with skills for the future
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.
Kenya to host sixth edition of continental agriculture expo
Kenya will host the 6th edition of Africa Agri Expo in February 2023 , endorsed by Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development aimed at bringing the entire agricultural value chain under one roof.
The Kenya Trade Network Agency launches trade facilitation tool
The Trade Facilitation Platform facilitates trade in Kenya by reducing delays and lowering costs associated with clearance of goods at the Kenyan borders, while maintaining the requisite controls and collection of levies, fee and duties, where applicable, on imports and exports.
African tech startup SeamlessHR picks Nairobi as its East African Hub
Nigeria’s tech startup SeamlessHR has launched its offices in the Kenyan market, choosing Nairobi as its East African Hub.
Identity verification startup Verified.Africa launches in Kenya
Verified.Africa, the pioneer of ID verification, document verification and digital KYC compliance solutions, announced it has launched in Kenya.
Canadian B2B automotive trading startup TRADE X opens new trading facilities in Kenya
TRADE X, a B2B cross-border automotive trading platform based in Ontario, Canada, announced it has opened a new Kenyan trading corridor, which includes both a shared bonded warehouse in Mombasa and an office in Nairobi.
Kenyan fintech startup Hisa unveils realtime stocks trading
Fintech startup Hisa has launched an application that allows Kenyans to invest in the stock market directly from their phones using mobile money.
Canadian SaaS startup Produce8 closes $6m investment to accelerate growth in the future of workforce analytics
Produce8, a startup SaaS company aiming to reduce distractions and increase productivity for distributed and digital-first teams, announced $6 million in funding to support strategic growth.
MadKudu platform secures $18m to accelerate adoption of product-led growth
MadKudu, the Product-Led-Growth (PLG) leader disrupting the software industry, announced today its $18 million Series A led by Felicis.
London-based workforce management startup Surfboard raises $5m seed round to accelerate growth
London-based startup Surfboard announced it has raised a $5 million seed round. The investment will advance Surfboard's mission of making work more human through building collaborative software.
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.
Kenya to host international poultry expo next year
Demand for poultry products is on the rise in Kenya driven by an emerging middle-class created in existing and new urban settlements as a result of devolution.
Kenyan agritech startup Stable Foods raises $600k funding to grow its climate smart smallholder platform
Stable Foods, a Kenyan agritech startup offering a host of solutions to small-scale farmers, has raised $600k funding round, to build out its climate smart smallholder food production platform.
Big data startup OneSchema raises $6.3m funding round to make ingesting CSV data magical for developers
Big data startup OneSchema announced a $6.3 million funding round led by General Catalyst, with participation from Sequoia Capital, Y Combinator, Elad Gil and Contrary Capital.
Montreal-based BoostSecurity exits stealth with $12m seed funding to secure the software supply chain
BoostSecurity, the developer-first, zero friction DevSecOps automation platform that builds trust into every step of the software supply chain, has emerged from stealth with $12 million in seed funding.
Silicon Valley startup ArmorCode secures $14m Series A investment to scale AppSecOps platform
ArmorCode, the pioneer in AppSecOps, announced it secured a $14 million Series A investment led by Ballistic Ventures, the venture capital firm solely focused on backing cybersecurity startups.
Mobility startup BasiGo secures $6.6m funding to accelerate electric bus uptake in Kenya
BasiGo, the first company to introduce electric buses into Kenya, has announced $6.6 million in new funding led by Mobility54.
European software investment firm Round2 Capital completes first closing of €100m software lending fund
European software investment firm Round2 Capital has completed the first close of its second software lending fund with €62 million, expanding its total assets-under-management to €115 million.
SaaS startup ProsperStack raises $2m seed round to accelerate growth
ProsperStack, a pioneeer in cancellation flow software boasting the ability to reduce subscriber churn by up to 30%, announced the closing of $2 million Seed round, led by Sandalphon Capital.
ACRE Africa targets Kenyan farmers with climate smart insurance
Insurance can help cushion smallholder farmers from crop and financial losses that occur as a result of climate change, yet many are reluctant to invest in such schemes. But why?
Kenyan logistics startup Sendy raises funding from Japanese VC MOL PLUS to accelerate growth
Kenyan fulfillment and logistics startup Sendy, announced it has received funding from MOL PLUS the Corporate Venture Capital of Japanese transport firm Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL).
Munich-based startup Flowers Software secures $3.2m in seed to bring enterprise-grade workflow automation to SMBss
Flowers Software, an organizational management system that helps SMB companies improve their processes, announced it has raised $3.2 million in seed funding.
500 Global launches its Pan-African accelerator Manager Bootcamp in Kenya
Venture capital firm 500 Global, has partnered with Germany’s economic development agency Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GIZ and its Make-IT in Africa initiative, which fosters the growth of Africa’s innovation ecosystems.
Paris-based startup Mytraffic raises €30m Series B to provide digital intelligence to brick-and-mortar operators
Paris, France-based startup Mytraffic, a SaaS offering detailed insights on any location in Europe, has raised €30 million Series B funding round led by AXA Venture Partners.
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.
YEGO ride-sharing platform from Rwanda launches in Kenya
YEGO Global, a ride-sharing platform from Rwanda has entered the Kenyan market to take on Uber and Bolt through its subsidiary - YEGO Mobility Kenya.
Oslo-based compliance automation startup Kosli raises $3.1m seed round led by Heavybit
Kosli, the developer tools startup based in Oslo, Norway, has closed a $3.1m seed round led by Heavybit to solve dynamic change monitoring and continuous compliance.
Kenyan fintech startup Tanda announces agency banking entry in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania
Kenyan fintech startup Tanda announced plans for agency banking entry in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania to accelerate growth within the East African markets.
SwiftConnect closes $17m Series A financing to scale access control integration platform for hybrid workplaces
SwiftConnect, a software platform provider that enables flexible work by connecting the right people to the right space at the right time, announced it has closed $17 million Series A round of financing.
Kenyan home furniture startup MoKo raises $6m to accelerate growth
Kenyan home furniture startup MoKo announced it raised $6.5 million in a Series B funding round, which is a combination of debt and equity.
Kenyan start-up unveils diabetic friendly cookies
Gerassimos Fourlanos, Founder, Ofelos Limited says, the cookies are targeted to consumers with diabetes or pre-diabetes, along with other medical conditions where blood sugar levels need to be monitored.
Software firm Aptean secures growth investment to accelerate innovation and global expansion
Aptean announced that a definitive agreement has been signed through which it will receive a strategic investment from Insight Partners and existing investor TA Associates (TA).
Softeq continues growth of venture fund
Softeq Development Corporation (Softeq), a Houston-based global hardware and software services development company serving Fortune 500 companies, continues its growth trajectory following on its expansion earlier this year by welcoming 22 new startups.
Kenyan startup Kyosk Digital expands to Uganda
Kyosk Digital Services aims to address some of the challenges that vendors of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) go through in sourcing products and restocking their outlets.
Dutch VC investor Newion launches €130 million fund for early-stage software startups
Newion has been active since 2000 and, thanks to its focus and no-nonsense mentality, is one of the best-presenting fund managers in its sector.
APA insurance unveils new payment plan for comprehensive car insurance
The comprehensive car insurance payments are made over 12 months which allows clients to spread the cost over the course of a year.
Latin American NFT startup Minteo raises $4.3 million to introduce region to Web3
Minteo, a Latin American-based NFT marketplace with a mission to introduce Web3 to the region, has announced the closing of its $4.3 million seed round.
[Startup Interview] Yashu Kapila, Founder, BugRaptors, India
The startup provides a highly diversified range of services varying from standard testing services, specialized testing services, to test advisory services.
Kenyan agricultural insurtech startup Pula appoints Michael Joseph as Board Chair
Former Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph has been appointed as Board Chair of a Kenyan agricultural insurtech startup Pula.
Kenyan insurtech startup Turaco secures $10m funding to drive insurance adoption
Turaco, the insurtech driving mass market insurance adoption, has announced the close of a $10 million Series A equity round led by AfricInvest, via the Cathay Africinvest Innovation Fund.
[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.
Waya digital banking startup for African immigrants goes official
Waya, a Kenyan and US-based fintech startup has announced the official launch of its full-service digital bank and money transfer app targeting the African Diaspora.
Kenyan fintech startup Pezesha raises $11m to expand across Africa
Pezesha, a Kenyan fintech that has built a platform where small and medium enterprises can access funding, has raised $11 million in a pre-series A equity and debt funding.
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.
Kenyan startups raised $820m in VC funding in the first half of 2022, data
Kenya has secured an enviable position among the most competitive innovation and investment destinations in Africa. The country’s attractiveness has seen Big-Tech companies troop in to set shop in the capital, Nairobi.
[Startup Interview] Collins Kathuli, Co-founder and CEO, Kyanda, Kenya
Kyanda is a Kenyan fintech startup that offers Digital Financial Services to businesses, SMEs and citizens.
Dubai tech startup Educatly appoints LinkedIn's Executive Ali Matar to Board of Advisors
Dubai-based tech startup Educatly has appointed Ali Matar, Head of LinkedIn MENA and EMEA growth markets, to its Board of Advisors.
UK-based Medi-science International partners with Kenyan healthtech startup Afya Rekod to enhance healthcare delivery
UK-based Medi-science International and Kenyan healthtech startup Afya Rekod have announced a strategic collaboration to transform healthcare delivery through improved access to personal health data.
Kenyan e-Logistics startup Lori Systems raises funding from Google to facilitate expansion efforts
Kenyan e-logistics startup Lori Systems which operates across East Africa, announced it has raised an undisclosed amount of Round B funding from Google, to facilitate the company’s expansion efforts.
Kenyan agritech startup IProcure secures $10.2m Series B funding to accelerate growth
iProcure, Africa’s tech and data-driven agricultural inputs supply company, announced the close of a $10.2 million Series B funding round that raised debt and equity from a diverse group of international investors.
German manufacturer The Stihl Group enters Kenyan market
The subsidiary dubbed Stihl East Africa will be its Eastern Africa hub servicing countries that include Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, DRC, Rwanda, and Burundi among others.
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.
Kenyan insurtech startup Lami Technologies raises $3.7m to expand across Africa
Kenya-based insurtech startup Lami Technologies has raised a $ 3.7 million seed extension to expand its insurtech product across Africa.
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.
Kenyan-based startup FaidiHR secures funding, eyes expansion
The startup, which offers digital human resource solutions to African companies, said they would use the investment to expand their business in East Africa, eyeing entry into Uganda, Tanzania and DRC.
Kenyan wealth-tech startup Ndovu partners with Tulix to empower Africa’s diaspora to invest back home
Africa’s wealth management platform Ndovu has announced a strategic partnership withTulix, an Antler & Catalyst Fund portfolio company.
Oslo-based DevOps startup Kosli set to launch free tier for developers
Oslo-based software startup Kosli announced it will launch a free tier of its SaaS later this summer. Founded in 2019 as a compliance automation platform for regulated DevOps teams in sectors like fintech, Kosli will now offer a much broader set of use cases for developers in all industries.
Insight Partners announces Enterprise Technology Exchange to drive unparalleled innovation within the enterprise software sector
Global software investor Insight Partners announced the establishment of its Enterprise Technology Exchange, a council of preeminent technology leaders in Europe and North America.
Kenyan startup unveils multi -company single log-in cloud solution for HR -payroll consultants
The multi-company log-in module allows an individual consultant or company to manage centralized data, which facilitates payroll processing, pay slip, and report generating for different clients, under one account.
Kenyan healthtech startup AfyaRekod launches Universal Patient Portal for worldwide health data mobility management
Kenyan-based AfyaRekod launched the fully automated Universal Patient Portal – a block-chain driven technology that will transform the face of patient care across Africa and the World.
Nigerian fintech startup Mono launches in Kenya
Mono, a Nigerian fintech startup that builds open banking infrastructure to enable access to customer financial data and bank payments for digital businesses in Africa, announced it has expanded its services to Kenya.
Nigerian Lab testing startup HealthTracka raises $1.5m funding for expansion to Kenya and Ghana
Nigerian at-home lab testing startup HealthTracka has raised $1.5 million in funding to expand its operations into Kenya and Ghana. The pre-seed funding which was led by Ingressive Capital.
Proparco completes pre-series-A investment in Moringa to fuel its expansion across Africa
Proparco announced the completion of a pre-series-A investment in Moringa to its expansion across Africa. The funding from Proparco will also facilitate the broadening of the range of courses offered by Moringa.
Gratuity management startup Kickfin closes $6m Series A to fuel growth across the hospitality industry
Kickfin, the gratuity management software for hospitality, announced it has secured its Series A funding to further accelerate the company's rapid growth.
Kenyan startup unveils innovation that supervises spending for dependents
A Supervised Payment is a Digital Escrow Payment sent by a guardian to a dependent with the former setting the parameters of funds usage and the app supervising the actual use of the funds by the dependent.
Yearly funding for Kenyan start-ups to hit Sh100 billion by 2025
In the first three months of 2022, Kenyan Startups raised Sh48 billion venture funding more than the country did in all of 2021 where start-ups raised Sh41 billion.
Kenyan insurtech startup mTek secures $3m funding for expansion across the country
On the heels of a recent $1.50 million (KSh 170 million) investment, Kenyan insurtech startup mTek has secured an additional $3 million (KSh 340 million) investment, through both debt and equity from African-focused fintech platform, Finclusion Group.
Y Combinator-backed Proper Finance raises $4.3m to create an integrated reconciliation software for fintechs
Proper Finance, the integrated reconciliation and ledger data platform that enables financial technology companies to maintain complete financial accuracy, closed a $4.3 million seed round
AfricArena partners with FMO to accelerate tech startups in Ghana, Morocco and Tanzania
AfricArena, the African series of tech events, announced a partnership with FMO Ventures Program, the Rise Open Innovation Challenge, which focuses on accelerating the growth of startups looking to improve the state of Africa.
Kenyan fintech startup Power Financial Wellness partners with Penda Health to extend healthcare services to users
Kenyan fintech Power Financial Wellness has signed a partnership agreement with private healthcare solutions provider, Penda Health, to see both companies mutually benefit from their tech services.
Seed-to-Sale software startup Canix raises $10m Series A funding to accelerate growth
Canix, a market-leading cannabis ERP seed-to-sale platform, announced it has raised $10 million in funding from venture capitalists.
Kenyan E-health startup Maisha Meds hits 1000 active facilities, expands to Nigeria
Kenyan digital pharmacy network Maisha Meds announced it has reached1,000 active facilities, making it one of the largest digital pharmacy networks in sub-Saharan Africa.
Nelson Maina: Betting on agriculture for economic transformation in Kenya
The gathering of experts drawn across the divide came amidst rising concerns over escalating costs in both production and consumer goods, an environment that doesn’t favour food security.
Bonfire Ventures raises $230m for two new funds to help B2B software startups beat the odds
Bonfire Ventures, the firm helping seed-stage B2B software companies beat the odds, announced the close of its third core seed fund at $168 million, and its second opportunity fund, at $63 million.
Kenyan fintech startup Hisa joins the NVIDIA Inception Programme
Hisa App, a Kenyan mobile investment platform that allows anyone in Kenya to invest in U.S. stocks and ETFs using mobile money, announced it was selected to join the NVIDIA Inception programme.
Pan-African fintech app Bamba raises $3.2m seed funding to scale growth
Kenyan fintech startup Bamba secured $3.2 million in seed funding to scale its app and build out its team. Venture capital firm 468 Capital led the round with participation from Presight Ventures.
Nelson Maina: Taming fertilizer prices to boost food security in Kenya
Kenya’s cost of living has hit unprecedented highs with prices of basic commodities being out of reach for many citizens.
realme addresses internet coverage gap with affordable smartphones
Phone manufacturer realme has captured the Kenyan market by making smartphones affordable hence closing a widening internet coverage gap, despite huge investments in high-speed internet across Africa.
Kenyan healthtech startup Zuri launches Whatsapp chatbot to democratize access to healthcare
Kenyan healthtech startup Zuri Health has launched a WhatsApp chatbot for its users across the country.
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.
Kenyan farmer finds fortunes in herbs farming
The herbs and spices farming has captured international markets while creating a new age farming renaissance in an area that has traditionally been synonymous with farming of traditional low yielding crops.
January Ventures closes $21m Fund II to invest in formation stage B2B software startups
January Ventures announced an oversubscribed $21 million Fund II to continue investing in formation stage B2B software startups.
Kenyan electric vehicle startup Opibus rebrands to ROAM
Kenya’s leading electric vehicle (EV) maker Opibus has changed its name to ROAM. The company was among the earliest entrants into the local electric vehicle manufacturing sector.
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.
AliExpress Co- Founder Tom Gong appointed CTO of Kenyan BNPL company Lipa Later
Tom Gong, Co-Founder AliExpress and former Technical Program Manager for Google Wallet, will be joining Lipa Later as the new Chief technology Officer effective March 2022.
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.
On-demand transport platform Bolt launches 2nd edition of its Women in Tech internship program in Kenya
On-demand transport platform Bolt announced it has rolled out the second edition of its Women in Tech internship program in Kenya.
Cambridge-based startup Sano Genetics raises $11m funding to accelerate genetic disease research
Cambridge-based startup Sano Genetics announced it has raised $11 million in a Series A funding round led by MMC Ventures, with further funding from Episode 1, Seedcamp and several experienced operators in software and life sciences.
Israeli tech startup Run:ai completes proof of concept with NVIDIA
Run:ai, the company simplifying AI infrastructure orchestration and management, announced details of a completed proof of concept (POC) which enables multi-cloud GPU flexibility for companies using NVIDIA GPUs in the cloud.
Konza Technopolis and ASSEK sign MoU to support startups in Kenya
Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA) and the Association of Startups and SME Enablers in Kenya (ASSEK) have signed an MoU to enhance innovation and support startups in Kenya.
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.
Kenyan fintech 4G Capital raises $18.5m Series C funding to scale lending to MSMEs
Kenyan fintech credit provider 4G Capital has raised $18.5 million in Series C funding from global private equity firm Lightrock.
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.
EV startup BasiGo flags off first electric buses in Kenya
Nairobi headquartered e-mobility startup BasiGo flagged off the first electric buses in the country for passenger use.
[Kenya] Applications for 5th cohort of Standard Chartered Bank's Women in Tech program open
The Standard Chartered Bank has opened applications for the 5th cohort of its Women in Tech incubator program.
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.
GE Healthcare partners with Kenyan healthtech startup Afya Rekod to simplify access to medical records in Africa
GE Healthcare and Kenya-based startup Afya Rekod have announced a collaboration that seeks to transform care delivery through improved access to personal health data in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa.
FunFair Technologies launches new blockchain venture capital business
FunFair Technologies announced the launch of a new blockchain venture capital business, FunFair Ventures, with the aim to plug a gap in the funding process for early-stage blockchain projects.
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.
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.
German healthtech startup Climedo raises €5m funding for product development, expansion within Europe
Munich-based healthtech company Climedo, received €5 million in a seed financing round. The lead investor is pan-European VC firm Nauta Capital. Westtech Ventures from Berlin and existing business angels.
London-based m3ter launches from stealth with $17.5m funding to expand into new markets
m3ter, a metering and pricing engine for SaaS companies, launched from stealth with the announcement of $17.5 million in funding. The investment will support m3ter as it builds on significant early traction to expand into new markets.
Wealthtech startup Ndovu launches in Kenya
Wealthtech startup Ndovu officially launched in Kenya. Founded by Radhika Bhachu, Ro Nyangeri, and Gianpaolo De Biase, Ndovu is an investment platform that provides easy access to financial markets.
Kenyan insurtech startup Lami acquires Bluewave Insurance Agency
Kenyan insurtech startup Lami Technologies has acquired Bluewave Insurance Agency, another Kenyan-based insurtech startup, for an undisclosed amount.
Kenyan healthtech startup Afya Rekod raises $2 million in seed funding to scale across Africa
Afya Rekod has seen interest from various health parties in Africa, Europe, Asia and the United States increase significantly since its launch in April 2020.
Kenyan logistics startup Amitruck raises $4m seed funding to accelerate digital solutions across Africa
Kenya-based digital trucking logistics startup Amitruck has announced it has secured $4 milllion in a seed funding round that had the participation of investors from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S.
JICA’s NINJA Accelerator completes 2nd Demo Day in Kenya, sends delegation to Silicon Valley
Shamba Pride, Saada Tech, Kijenzi, M-Paya Energy, and MyMovies.Africa are the five startups that shined during the 2nd Demo Day of the NINJA Accelerator in Kenya.
[Startup Interview] Venkatesh C.R., CEO, Dot Com Infoway, India
Dot Com Infoway (DCI) is a CMMI Level 3 multi-national IT company and a player in custom software development, Web Development, Internet Marketing, Open Source Solutions, mobile application marketing with offices in India and the USA.
Prophecy startup raises $25m to accelerate availability of its low-code platform for data engineering
Prophecy, the enterprise low-code data engineering platform that brings the speed of DevOps to data engineering, announced it raised a $25 million Series A round.
Call for startups to Pitch Live at 2022 Africa Startup Summit in Nairobi, Kenya
Africa Tech Summit has opened applications to the 2022 edition of Pitch Live at the fourth Africa Startup Summit.
Online platforms lift the fortunes of Kenyan artists
Kenyan artists have not been left behind and are embracing digital platforms with impressive results.
Swedish-Kenyan electric vehicle tech startup Opibus launches first electric bus designed and developed in Africa
Swedish-Kenyan electric vehicle technology startup Opibus has introduced the first all-electric bus in Kenya as well as the first African designed electric bus ever.
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.
Kenyan fintech startup Zanifu closes $1m seed financing round to accelerate growth
Kenyan fintech startup Zanifu announced it has successfully closed a $ 1 million seed financing round to scale its business and improve on its platform.
Kenya's Poa Internet announces first close of $28m financing round by Africa50
Poa Internet and Africa50 announced the completion of Africa50’s equity investment into Poa. This funding is part of the $28 million financing round led by Africa50.
[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.
Kenyan ride-hailing startup MARAMOJA opens its API to fintechs and insurtechs
Kenya's ride-hailing platform MARAMOJA Transport has opened its API to local fintechs and Insurtechs. Through a new partnership with Switchlink Africa, service providers will be able to connect with MARAMOJA's drivers and customers.
Munich-based startup Alasco raises $40m Series-B funding to revolutionize the real estate industry
Munich-based startup Alasco has raised $40 million in Series-B funding to follow the vision of creating the Real Estate Success Software and bringing the real estate industry up to par with leading digital industries.
Enterprise device management startup ManageXR raises $4m seed round to scale XR for business
ManageXR, an enterprise device management platform designed for VR and AR devices, announced it raised $4 million in Series Seed financing from Rally Ventures.
Global cloud computing company Esker to acquire majority stake in UK-based startup Market Dojo
The agreement states that Esker will acquire 50.1% of the shares and voting rights in the company effective Q1 2022 and the remainder of Market Dojo shares after a period of four years.
Intuit acquires Israel-based cybersecurity startup Imvision
Based in Israel, Imvision develops technology that enables enterprises to automatically discover, test and protect against attacks, by monitoring API traffic to identify threats and vulnerabilities. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
African scientists make a case for home grown research on continent’s food systems
A storytelling event organized by African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), saw four accomplished African researchers working on agriculture and food security share their personal journeys in agricultural research, and discuss how they are working to transform farming on the continent.
Venture capital firm Eudemian Ventures debuts $10 million fund targeting software startups
Eudemian Ventures, a Silicon Valley venture capital firm with offices in San Francisco, California, and Munich, Germany, has announced the close of its $10M debut venture capital fund to support early-stage, U.S.-based software startups.
Kenyan fintech startup Paylend raises $2m seed investment to accelerate growth
Paylend, a Kenyan fintech startup focused on providing access to finance and digitizing MSMEs in Kenya announced it has raised $2 million seed investment from Next Chymia Consulting HK Limited.
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.
The University of Nairobi and Elgon Kenya to develop agriculture technology and innovation centre
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.
Kenyan tech startup Wowzi raises $3.2m seed funding to expand across Africa
Kenyan tech startup Wowzi has raised $2 million in seed funding to expand its digital marketplace across Africa.
African mobility fintech Moove enters Kenyan market, broadens vehicle financing to bikes and trucks
Moove, an African mobility fintech, has launched operations in Nairobi, its first city in East Africa and sixth on the continent.
Liqid raises $100 million to drive scalable and sustainable software-defined data centers
Liqid, the global software company delivering data center composability, today announced $100 million in Series C funding.
Kenyan smallholder farmers insulated from weather vagaries by picture-based insurance
A climate-smart crop insurance scheme introduced in Kenya has come to their rescue by combining satellite data and smartphone imagery to provide farmers with much needed protection.
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.
Kenyan e-health startup Zuri Health launches in Senegal
Kenyan health tech startup Zuri Health has launched its operations in Senegal. The startup has partnered with Expresso Senegal to launch its operations in the country.
AUDA-NEPAD, JICA, Afreximbank & BCG partner to support 5 East African healthcare startups
The 5 healthcare startups were feted for their completion of the Home Grown Solutions (HGS) Accelerator for Pandemic Resilience.
Subscription Management startup Chargebee opens new office and data center in Australia
Chargebee, the subscription management platform, announced it has opened a dedicated office and data center in Sydney, Australia to support SaaS and subscription businesses and ensure APP compliance.
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.
Kenyan e-pharmacy platform MYDAWA receives $1.2 million funding in fight against HIV & AIDS
This grant is aimed at increasing access to PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) services through MYDAWA’s award winning e-pharmacy model, supporting the fight against HIV& AIDS in Kenya.
Kenyan fintech startup Asilimia raises $2 million funding to expand into new markets
The startup raised $1 million in pre-seed funding from a wide range of investors, including two-time unicorn founder, Fredrik Jung Abbou (co-founder of Kry and Lendo), Norrsken Impact Accelerator and other prominent founders from across Europe.
Fintech startup and shareholder loyalty pioneer TiiCKER launches Android app
TiiCKER hit the trifecta with the addition of an Android app to its web and iOS portals, giving America's estimated 130 million retail investors instant access to loyalty rewards.
Kenyan gaming startup Usiku Games develops Africa’s first mobile football game
Kenyan gaming startup Usiku Games unveiled an amateur football mobile game to promote outdoor physical activities and encourage sportsmanship among youths in East Africa.
Tech startup wowzi to create one million jobs for African youth
Kenyan tech startup Wowzi has announced plans to create one million gig jobs for African youth in 2022 through its online marketplace, after successfully delivering over 150,000 paid jobs in 2021.
Kenyan fintech startup Kwara launches regional offices to reach SACCOs across the country
Kenyan fintech startup Kwara opened regional offices in the Western, Central, Rift Valley and Coastal regions of Kenya as part of its expansion in the country.
Kenyan entrepreneurs reap returns from rearing insects for feeds
Aware of this fact, the Insect Feed for Poultry, Fish and Pig Production (INSFEED) project has been exploring the use of insects, such as black soldier flies (BSF) and crickets, within animal feeds.
Investor Advisor Seed Ventures closes first round
Investor Advisor Seed Ventures (IA Seed Ventures) announced the first closing of its new venture fund with investments in five companies. These deals mark the beginning of active investment for this new network of accomplished investors.
Kenyan Mental health startup Shamiri Institute raises $1m, expands to the rest of Africa
Shamiri Institute, a Kenyan mental health startup has raised $1 million in funding from the Templeton World Charity Foundation to tackle the scourge of mental health in Kenya and the rest of the African continent.
Kenyan fintech startup Kwara and Lami Technologies partner to provide insurance products for SACCO members
The partnership will allow SACCO members to conveniently access innovative insurance products ranging from health, general, life, business, and property coverage through the Kwara platform.
Kenya-based electric mobility startup Opibus secures $7.5 million funding
Opibus says it will use this new funding to scale its operations in electric motorcycle and bus manufacturing.
Compliance startup Laika raises $35m Series B to help companies ace security audits
Laika, the industry's first unified compliance-as-a-service platform, announced it has closed $35 million in Series B funding led by J.P. Morgan Growth Equity Partners with participation from PayPal Ventures.
Kenyan fintech startup Kwara partners with Lami Technologies to give SACCO members access to insurance products
Kenyan digital banking fintech startup Kwara has partnered with insurance technology company, Lami Technologies, to provide SACCO members with affordable and transformational insurance products.
Kenyan-based payroll startup Workpay expands to Nigeria
Workpay, a Nairobi-based YC graduate, is expanding its operations to Nigeria. The cloud-based workforce management startup will now offer Core HR, Payroll, and employee record services to organizations in the country.
JICA kicks off 2nd Cohort of its NINJA Accelerator in Kenya
The NINJA Accelerator in Kenya, powered by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in partnership with Double Feather Partners, Deloitte Tohmatsu and Kenyan implementation partner GrowthAfrica, is kicking off its 2nd cohort with five tech-enabled Kenyan startups.
London-based AI startup Humanising Autonomy raises $11m Series A funding to change how machines understand people globally
Humanising Autonomy, a behaviour AI company using modular, low-power computer vision technology to ethically understand and predict human behaviour raised an $11 million Series A funding round.
Subscription Management startup Chargebee partners with Worldline to improve customer engagement and retention
Worldline and Chargebee announced collaboration to provide an end-to-end payment, subscription and revenue operations solution for merchants operating in a subscription model.
Google selects nine Kenyan startups to receive equity-free funding via its Africa Investment Fund
During its very first “Google for Africa” event held early this month, Google announced it will be investing up to $50 million in African early- and growth-stage startups via its Africa Investment Fund.
Japanese startup Autify raises $10m Series A to advance software testing automation through no-code solution
Autify, a no-code AI-powered software testing automation platform, announced today that it has raised $10 million in Series A funding. Leading the round is World Innovation Lab (WiL).
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.
Israeli startup Appwrite raises $10m to build open source alternative to Google's firebase
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.
[Kenya] Mavazi Elevate program targets fashion industry creatives with business skills
A training initiative is empowering creatives in the fashion industry and small local businesses across the 47 counties in Kenya.
[Column] Patrick Ndegwa: Growing a successful tech startup in Kenya, 4 key elements
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
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.
Pangea Trust opens applications for its Startup Connect Programme
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.
Canadian machine learning startup CruxOCM raises $6m venture financing to accelerate growth
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.
Lectra joins Plug and Play open innovation ecosystem
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
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.
Tech startup Normal receives investment to empower small businesses with innovative robo-consultant
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.
Kenyan female entrepreneurs embrace digital platforms to power operations
A group of trailblazing Kenyan women are carving their own paths to success. From doctors to content creators, they are using the power of online platforms to amplify their voices and help others flourish.
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.
Varicent acquires commissions software startup Concert Finance
Varicent, a provider of incentive compensation and sales performance management solutions, has acquired Concert Finance (Concert), an innovative provider of commissions software designed by compensation experts.
Kenyan fintech startup Kwara selected for Mastercard Start Path program
Kenyan fintech startup Kwara is among the 11 startups that have been selected to join the Mastercard Start Path program.
Ampere to acquire technology startup OnSpecta to accelerate AI inference on cloud-native applications
Ampere Computing announced it has agreed to acquire AI technology startup OnSpecta, strengthening Ampere Altra performance with AI inference applications.
Middle East startup Workfam joins disruptive tech portfolio of GELLIFY and Azimut
UAE based startup, Workfam, the employee engagement SaaS platform that supports organizations with their mission to create a happy, healthy, and highly engaged workforce, has joined the portfolio of GELLIFY.
Workflow startup Symbolic Frameworks launches from stealth to debut Protagonist, a visual and collaborative decision-making app
Symbolic Frameworks (Symbolic), a provider of workflow applications that help make idea generation, decision making, and prioritization more collaborative, faster and higher quality, is launching from stealth.
BimaLab accelerator programme launches to support Insurtech startups in Kenya
FSD Africa, the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) and Tellistic Technology Services have launched BimaLab, a KES 5.3 million accelerator programme designed to support insurance startups in Kenya.
Wearable robotics startup Verve Motion raises $15m Series A funding
Wearable robotics startup Verve Motion has raised $15 million in Series A funding, led by Construct Capital as well as follow-on investments from existing investors, Founder Collective, Pillar VC, Safar Partners, OUP, and a number of angel investors.
Frisco-based startup Apty raises $7.5m Series A funding to grow its DAP software
Digital Adoption Platform (DAP) Apty secured $7.5 million in Series A funding. Apty develops DAP software catering to Enterprises with complex business processes, enabling them to maximize the adoption of software and processes.
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.
Forum advocates for collaboration to strengthen African food systems
Speaking during the Alliance for a Green Revoluton in Africa (AGRA) organized Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) Summit, speakers reiterated that food security cannot be achieved without a gvernment facilitated enabling environemnt for agribusiness to thrive.
AI-powered recruiting startup TopFunnel acquires Teamable to offer end-to-end sourcing platform
TopFunnel, the AI-powered recruiting startup that high-growth companies use to scale, announced the acquisition of Teamable to supercharge referral-based recruiting.
Canadian space-tech startup SkyWatch partners with Wyvern to deliver next-gen earth observation data
SkyWatch Space Applications, a Waterloo-based space technology startup, signed an agreement to deliver data management capabilities to Wyvern, a commercial space data company headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Food and beverage tech startup Botrista closes $10m Series A to make craft beverages accessible via robotic automation
Botrista Technology, a company revolutionizing the beverage industry with the Botrista DrinkBot, announced it has raised $10 million in a Series A funding.
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.
Tech startup Drata raises $25m Series A to accelerate rapid growth of its security and compliance automation platform
Drata, a next-gen security and compliance automation company, announced $25 million in Series A funding led by GGV Capital. The new financing comes six months after the company's initial seed round and launch out of stealth.
B2B news wire startup Zenger raises $10m in Series Seed funding round
World's first digitally native wire service, Zenger News, announced it has closed a Series Seed round, raising $10 million. The investment is being used to enhance Zenger's propriety software and onboard an ever-growing number of news outlets.
Ethiopian-based startup Gabeya launches its revamped marketplace
Gabeya, the Pan-African source for freelance professional talent, has expanded its revamped marketplace, the first of its kind in terms of reach in Africa.
Kenyan insurtech startups benefit from IRA, Prudential innovation hub
Three Kenyan insurtech startups each received Ksh 1.25 million in cash awards from an innovation hub steered by the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA) in collaboration with Prudential Life Assurance and other partners, to promote insurance inclusivity.
SynFutures startup raises $14m Series A funding to democratize derivative markets
Decentralized derivatives exchange SynFutures, announced the close of a $14 million Series A round of financing led by Polychain Capital with participation from Framework, Pantera Capital, Bybit, Wintermute, CMS, Kronos, and IOSG 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.
Workflow management startup MaintainX raises $50m to accelerate revenue growth
MaintainX, the mobile-first workflow management platform for industrial and frontline workers, announced a $39 million Series B round led by Bessemer Venture Partners.
B2B AI-driven startup MetaSpark secures initial seed round to accelerate growth
MetaSpark, a B2B AI-Driven Productivity Hub SaaS platform for enterprises, announced the closing of an initial seed round of funding. The funding was secured from an undisclosed partner and is the first round of funding raised by the company.
Kenya's Industrialization Ministry launches Startup Savanna, a business acceleration programme for early-stage startups
The Kenyan Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development (MoITED), launched Startup Savanna, an international business acceleration programme that will link Kenyan startups to global angel investors.
BMZ launches startup support programme for Kenyan entrepreneurs
The Federal Development Ministry (BMZ), has expanded its developPPP Ventures programme in Kenya to support local startups.
Aussie legaltech startup goes global wiith COVID-19 diagnosis tool
Australian legaltech startup Rulestar is demonstrating how its software, built to automate complex legal documents, can improve COVID-19 decision-making.
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