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Conference discusses the role of nature-based solutions in healing the planet
The Global EverGreening Alliance in partnership with the Government of Zambia, AFR100, and AUDA-NEPAD has convened a global conference bringing together global thought leaders and action-takers to deliberate and come up with actionable strategies to tap into the potential of nature to address challenges.
[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.
Rwandan female researchers selected for food systems policy fellowship
The AWARD Policy Fellowship is cultivating a growing pool of African women in the policy field to catalyze the design and implementation of gender-responsive agricultural policies across Africa.
Indian agritech startup Fasal raises $12 million funding to grow its precision farming solution
Fasal's solution has already proven to improve crop yield and reduce operational costs at an affordable price to the individual farmer.
Israeli precision irrigation management startup Treetoscope closes $7m seed round to fuel growth
Treetoscope has closed $7m seed round.
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.
Indigo Ag accelerates sustainability programs for farmers with $250m fundraise
Indigo Ag has raised $250m to drive innovation and sustainability.
50 African women to benefit from fellowship on agri food policies
The two-year career development program aims to grow a pool of confident and capable mid-career African women to lead policy changes to improve African smallholders’ livelihoods, particularly women.
Ugandan Agritech startup Emata raises $2.4m seed funding
Ugandan agritech startup Emata has raised $2.4 million in seed funding.
SatSure partners with Rabo Partnerships to revolutionize cash flow-based lending for smallholder farmers
SatSure announced partnership with Rabo.
Freiburg-based constellr secures new funding to springboard US expansion
constellr has secured further investment to extend its seed round to a total of €17m.
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.
Belgian agritech startup Aphea.bio raises €70m to accelerate growth
Aphea.Bio, a Belgium-based agricultural technology company, announced the closing of its Series C funding round.
Kenyan agritech startup Kyosk acquires KwikBasket, expands into fresh produce market
Kenyan agritech startup Kyosk, is expanding into the African fresh produce market.
Aigen unveils world's first AI-driven, solar-powered, agricultural robotics platform
Agritech startup Aigen, unveiled an autonomous, scalable robotics platform.
SK networks invests $2m in AI farming Dutch startup Source.ag
SK networks announced it will invest $2m Series A funding round of $27 million for Source.ag.
[Column] Nixon Gecheo: Agtech, a pivotal force driving climate change action in agriculture
The agricultural sector is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
Pluton Biosciences raises $16.5m Series A funding to fight climate change
Pluton Biosciences announced the close of a $16.5 million Series A funding round.
Ugandan women entrepreneurs grow businesses with group saving accounts
For women and youth involved in fish trade at lakes Albert and Victoria in Uganda, having little to no savings is a thing of the past.
Absa acquires minority stake in South African agritech startup Khula!
Absa Bank has acquired a minority stake in South African agritech startup, Khula!
UK biotech startup Resurrect Bio completes seed investment round to develop disease resistant crops
Resurrect Bio, a biotechnology startup which is on a mission to revolutionize the agricultural industry by giving crops the genetic tools to defend themselves against disease, has completed its seed investment round, totaling at £1.61 million.
Start-Up Nation Central collaborates with Microsoft to promote Israeli agri-food tech startups
Start-Up Nation Central has collaborated with Microsoft to promote Israeli agri-food tech startups in the international marketplace.
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.
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.
AI crop analysis platform Inarix raises €3.1m seed funding to help farmers determine quality and value of their crops
Inarix, the AI-powered crop analysis platform, announced a €3.1 million seed round from Ankaa ventures, Label Investment, Newfund, Alliance for impact and Resiliance.
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] David Galadima, Founder, Graemoh Foods, Nigeria
Passionate about sustainable agriculture, aquaculture and food security in Africa, David Galadima is the Founder of fast growing agriculture and processing company, Graemoh Foods, operating out of the northern state of Kaduna, Nigeria.
Agritech startup IngredientWerks announces successful completion of seed round funding
IngredientWerks, an ag-tech ingredient company developing high value plant-based proteins for the alternative protein markets, announced it has secured its seed round of funding.
22 Milken-Motsepe Prize in AgriTech finalists push to the finish
The Milken Institute and the Motsepe Foundation, kicked off the final phase of the Milken-Motsepe Prize in AgriTech.
Irish agritech startup Proveye secures €1m seed funding to accelerate growth
Irish agritech startup Proveye, a pioneer in remote sensing image analysis for agriculture, announced the closing of €1 million seed funding round to advance the company’s growth strategy.
Food Foundry accelerator announces fifth cohort of early-stage foodservice startups
Food Foundry, an accelerator program built by Relish Works and Gordon Food Service for early-stage startups disrupting the food and foodservice industry, announced the five startups that will join the fifth cohort starting in January 2023.
Agritech startup EarthOptics secures $27.6m Series B funding to advance data-driven agriculture through actionable soil insights
EarthOptics, a pioneer in soil measurement and insights, announced a $27.6 million round of funding led by Conti Ventures.
Terramera creates enrichAg to commercialize transformative soil analysis platform with $6m from At One Ventures
Terramera announced the formation of its new majority-owned subsidiary, enrichAg, which will focus on commercializing its soil enrichment platform. The seed round is led with a $6 million investment from AOV.
John Deere announces 2023 startup collaborators
Deere & Company has released the names of eight companies chosen for its 2023 Startup Collaborator program.
Nigerian agritech startup Releaf secures $3.3m pre-Series A funding, unveils new technologies to drive profitability for consumer goods manufacturers
Releaf, a Nigerian agritech startup, has raised $3.3 million in an oversubscribed pre-Series A funding round.
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.
Mad Capital closes $4m seed round to finance the regenerative agriculture revolution
Mad Capital, an impact-focused lender that offers equitable, flexible funding for organic and transitioning farmers, announced it has raised a $4 million Seed round, led by Trailhead Capital.
AWARD selects 50 African women for fellowship on improving policy in the agri-food systems
Inspired by the flagship AWARD Fellowship Model, the Gender Responsive Agriculture Systems Policy (GRASP) Fellowship, aims to grow a pool of confident and capable African women to lead policy changes to improve African smallholders’ livelihoods.
Agroforestry startup Propagate raises $10m Series A funding to accelerate growth
Propagate, a commercial agroforestry platform, has closed a $10 million Series A led by Belgium-based The Nest.
Chinese web3 startup Viide shows ambition to leverage advertising through Decentralized Screen Network
Viide, a web3 startup has shown its ambition to leverage the value of web3 advertising in China through its Decentralized Screen Network.
Second Century Ventures expands REACH program to Latin America, opens applications for 2023 program
Second Century Ventures, the strategic investment arm of the National Association of Realtors, announced the expansion of the award-winning REACH technology growth program to Latin America.
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.
Nigerian fintech startup Pivo raises $2m seed round to accelerate growth
Nigerian fintech startup Pivo, announced the closing of $2 million seed round with participation from Precursor Ventures, Vested World, Y Combinator, FoundersX and existing investor, Mercy Corp Ventures.
Cyndx launches Valer to generate faster and more accurate startup valuations
Cyndx, an AI-powered search and discovery engine built to simplify deal origination, has announced the launch of Valer, the company's new corporate valuation tool.
[ Lithuanian Unicorns] An insatiable hunger to prove their talent drives Lithuanian startups' growth
Smashing its records year by year, Lithuania's startup ecosystem has proved that there're no limits to growth. According to Dealroom.co, over the last five years, it has accelerated 16.6 times and is now valued at €10 billion.
Israeli foodtech startup ChickP raises dairy-free ice cream to new heights
ChickP Protein, a food-tech startup, has introduced chickpea protein isolate for plant-based ice cream. Protein from this ancient crop zeroes in on the non-dairy category to make a tasty plant-based frozen dessert.
Speech AI startup Deepgram completes $47m Series B round to define the future of speech understanding
Speech AI startup Deepgram announced it has raised $47 million in equity funding led by Madrona, with Alkeon participating as a new investor, to define the future of speech understanding.
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.
Belgian coliving startup Cohabs joins forces with real estate investors to accelerate growth
Cohabs, a Brussels-based company specializing in coliving, announced the entry into its capital of three new institutional investors: Ivanhoé Cambridge, Belfius Insurance, and the real estate arm of the Belgian Sovereign Fund (SFPIM - Real Estate).
Medical device startup Nyra Medical closes $20m Series A financing for its transcatheter heart valve repair technology
Nyra Medical, a medical device company that is developing a novel transcatheter mitral valve repair technology, announced the closing of a $20 million Series A financing.
Heidelberg-based FundaMental Pharma launches with €10m seed financing to advance a First-in-Class neuroprotectant
FundaMental Pharma (FundaMental), a preclinical neuroscience company spun out of Heidelberg University, announced it has launched with €10 million in seed financing led by BioGeneration Ventures (BGV).
eureKARE co-leads €5m seed investment in Biomemory which is advancing cutting-edge DNA-based data storage solutions
eureKARE, an innovative investment company for disruptive synthetic biology applications, announced it has co-led a €5 million seed funding round in Biomemory.
MyMonty calls to all banks, MNOs and startups: the time for digitization is now!
In 1998, Mountasser Hachem founded Monty Holding, which has since become a giant in the telco sector, achieving unprecedented global penetration.
New Adevinta Ventures report reveals that B2B Marketplaces outperform other tech segments in VC funding
Adevinta Ventures, the early-stage investment arm of Adevinta, an online classifieds specialist, is launching a new B2B marketplaces report.
Insurtech startup Surround Insurance raises $2.5m seed round to help cconsumers navigate life’s transitions
Insurtech startup Surround Insurance announced that it has closed a $2.5 million seed round led by MassMutual through the MM Catalyst Fund.
Global startups accelerator Luminate partners with Silicon Catalyst to speed development of emerging technologies
Luminate NY, the global accelerator for startups developing optics, photonics, and imaging (OPI) enabled technologies, announced it has formed a strategic partnership with Silicon Catalyst.
Berlin-based AI-powered startup Faircado raises €500K to transform E-commerce into Re-commerce
Faircado, a Berlin-based startup that provides the first AI-powered second-hand shopping assistance, announced it has raised €500,000 in a pre-seed round led by BackBone Ventures.
Check Point Software launches accelerator hub for Israeli cybersecurity startups
Check Point Software Technologies, the provider of cybersecurity solutions globally, has launched its CyberUp program, an initiative that will support Israel’s growing network of cybersecurity startups.
Tanzanian CPG startup Ramani raises $32m to digitize supply chains
Ramani, a Tanzanian startup focused on consumer-packaged goods (CPG) supply chains, has raised $32 million in Series A debt-equity funding to introduce new financial services as it expands its operations.
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.
Rosotics raises $750,000 pre-seed round for novel approach to heavy industry 3D printing
Rosotics, innovators in additive manufacturing, announced $750,000 in pre-seed funding led by Draper Associates.
Beverage startup Hangobi raises capital on StartEngine to accelerate growth
Beverage startup Hangobi announced it is raising capital on SearchEngine to expand its footprint beyond NYC, bringing its healthy drinks to the masses.
[Startup Interview] Assim Gupta, CEO, Closeloop Technologies, USA
Among the solutions it offers include website development, chatbots, ecommerce apps and mobile app development.
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.
[Column] Natalia Ahmadian: Four ways to accelerate tech transfer in Europe
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
[Interview] Jennifer Feaster, Speaker, YouTube Creators Festival
Jennifer Feaster is a Managing Partner at Age Africa, an agency that combines data and creativity to develop performance driven YouTube channels, with unique content optimized for success.
Rutgers MBA alumna Hannah Redmond realizes dream of being an entrepreneur as venture takes off
Hannah Redmond kept retrieving lessons from her MBA classes at Rutgers Business School as she built her startup, Happy Box, from an idea to a ranking on Inc.'s list of fastest-growing companies.
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.
Mental health-tech startup Resilience Lab raises $15m to address the U.S. systemic mental health access crisis
Resilience Lab, a mental health-tech company enabling communities of clinicians to collaborate to improve patient access and outcomes, announced it has raised $15 million in Series A funding.
Swiss Web3 payment startup DePay partners with WooCommerce to bring payments to online merchants
Swiss Web3 payment startup DePay, announced it is joining forces with the self-hostable, open-source eCommerce plugin WooCommerce, pushing decentralization further and providing merchants with the ability to have customers send payments directly to their own wallets.
Canadian B2B automotive trading startup TRADE X opens a trade route in Ghana
TRADE X, a B2B cross-border automotive trading platform with its headquarters in Ontario, Canada, announced it has opened a new trade route in Ghana, strengthening the company's presence in Africa.
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.
Modus expands to Sub-Saharan Africa with launch of $75m Africa-focused fund
Modus, a Venture Platform operating in MENA comprising VC funds, Venture Builders, and a Corporate Innovation arm, has announced the launch of Modus Africa – a $75 million SDG-focused VC fund that will invest in Africa’s boldest startups.
IBM announces five members selected for its Sustainability Accelerator programme
IBM has announced five global non-profits as new members of the Sustainability Accelerator programme. The programme is a global pro bono social impact program which seeks to help marginalized communities.
London-based Vektor AI raises $2.5m pre-seed round to democratize tech talent’s access to professional career advice
Vektor AI, an online platform for one-to-one mentorship and professional career enhancement, announced it has raised a pre-seed round of $2.5 million led by leading early-stage European VC firms.
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.
Paris-based sustainable deep tech startup FAIRMAT completes €34m Series A round
Fairmat, the Paris-based sustainable deep tech startup pioneering the recycling of advanced materials, announced it has completed its Series A funding round at a total of €34 million.
Silicon Catalyst names EXOKĒRYX as newest portfolio company admitted to the incubator
Silicon Catalyst, the world's only incubator focused exclusively on accelerating semiconductor solutions, announced that EXOKĒRYX has been accepted into the Silicon Catalyst Incubator program.
Pathway Homes partners with social impact technology startup Savi to address student loan debt
Pathway Homes (Pathway), a real estate platform with a mission to create more homeowners, announced it is partnering with impact tech company Savi to offer a tool to help Pathway customers manage their debt burden.
Austrian deep-tech startup Sarcura closes €7m to develop next-generation cell therapy manufacturing platform
Austrian deep-tech startup Sarcura announced the closing of an oversubscribed €7 million Seed Plus funding round to develop a next-generation cell therapy manufacturing platform.
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.
Milken Institute and Motsepe Foundation announce $2m prize competition in green energy
The Milken Institute and the Motsepe Foundation, launched the Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green Energy, a $2 million prize competition to reward entrepreneurs and innovators.
SE Ventures announces €500m Fund II to accelerate climate and industrial tech startups
SE Ventures announced a €500 million Fund II establishing the firm as one of the largest VCs focusing on climate and industrial technology.
[Startup Interview] Ganesh Verma, Founder, MoogleLabs, Canada
MoogleLabs is a Canadian startup that leverages emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, Blockchain, DevOps, and Metaverse to come up with innovative solutions that help companies become more cost-effective.
[Startup Interview] Neeraj Gupta, Founder, Salonist, Singapore
Neeraj Gupta the founder of Singapore-based startup Salonist explains the inspiration behind setting up the business.
GhanaWeb, Age Africa Agency sponsor YouTube Creators Festival in Ghana
Ghana’s leading online media platform, GhanaWeb, and Age Africa Agency, the foremost YouTube agency with a Multi-Channel Network (MCN) in Africa, are co-sponsoring the second edition of the YouTube Creators Festival.
Belgian health monitoring startup IntelliProve raises €1m to accelerate growth
Belgian health monitoring startup IntelliProve, announced receiving €1 million in investment from The White and Yellow Cross (Dutch: Wit-Gele Kruis), VLAIO, imec.istart Fund and other private investors to fund its market expansion and product development.
Healthtech startup Weo launches smart bottle that amplifies water's health benefits via electrolysis
Weo, a healthtech startup using biotechnology to alter water at the molecular level, announced its official launch of the Weo Bottle, the first-ever portable water bottle that uses electrolysis to enhance the water you drink with the touch of a button.
Healthtech company CardieX acquires wearable sensor startup Blumio
CardieX , a global health technology company focused on cardiovascular disease, today announced that it has acquired all the assets of Blumio, a Silicon Valley based developer of advanced algorithms and technology for cardiovascular sensors.
AI startup Prof Jim auto-converts textbooks into cinematic lessons
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.
Demand for seamless, convenient way of shopping increase growth of e-Commerce in Africa
The electronic commerce (e-Commerce) transaction of goods and services between business-to-consumer (B2C), business-to-business (B2B), consumer-to-consumer, and consumer-to-business, has become rampant in this digital age.
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.
Global innovation platform Plug and Play to launch crypto and digital assets innovation platform
Global innovation platform Plug and Play, together with founding partners Visa, AllianceBlock, The INX Digital Company, IGT, and Franklin Templeton, has announced the launch of their new Crypto and Digital Assets program.
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.
Mobile game startup Luckmon raises $1.3m pre-seed round to bring popular casual games reward platform
Luckmon, a casual mobile game development startup based in Irvine, California, has officially announced its early-round pre-seed fundraising has closed on a whopping $1.3 million.
Full-service marketing agency Suite Innovators launches to drive exponential growth for health and wellness tech startups
Suite Innovators announced the launch of its boutique marketing agency dedicated to driving unprecedented levels of growth and acclaim for health, wellness, and fitness technology startups.
Burns & Levinson names Robert Chow as Co-Chair of Venture Capital and Emerging Companies Group
Burns & Levinson announced that partner Robert Chow has been named Co-Chair of the firm's Venture Capital & Emerging Companies Group.
Singapore-based VentureBlick launches global search for healthcare startups
VentureBlick, a fundraising platform matching healthcare startups with medical investors, has launched its worldwide search to identify promising healthcare startups for the medical community to evaluate, advise, and fund.
Katapult launches startup accelerator in Kigali, Rwanda
Katapult Africa announced the launch of its Accelerator program in Kigali, Rwanda, welcoming 9 companies to the Katapult portfolio.
London-based zero-trust enterprise browser SURF launches out of stealth with seed investment round
New zero-trust enterprise browser SURF, announced it has launched out of stealth with an investment round led by 11.2 Capital, Okta Ventures, Mango Capital and security-focused Angel investors.
Ultra-convenient healthy meals startup Proper Good closes seed funding to bring absurdly delicious products
PROPER GOOD, an ultra-convenient home-delivered food service company that offers nutritious prepared meals made with simple and high quality ingredients, announced the closing of $3.5 million in seed funding.
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.
Gen-Z founded Voyce.Me closes seed round at $2.5m led by Torch Capital
Voyce.Me, a first-of-its-kind manga and webtoon creator platform founded by 21-year-old Dylan Telano, closed a seed round at $2.5 million led by Torch 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?
Silicon Valley based IoT startup MODE announces new funding to accelerate growth
MODE, a Silicon Valley based IoT solutions provider, announced it has raised funds from Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic), a corporate venture capital (CVC) fund jointly managed with SBI Investment.
Nigerian money app Kuda launches in the UK
Nigerian money app Kuda, announced it is launching in the UK as part of a global expansion drive with a view to serving the cross-border transfer needs of UK-based Nigerians.
Israeli DevOps startup Port raises $7m to build an internal developer portal that fits any engineering organization
Israeli DevOps startup Port announced it had raised $7 million in seed funding for its comprehensive builder-based internal developer portal. The seed round was led by TLV Partners.
Service industry career platform WorkTorch raises $2.2m additional funding and rebrand from QuickHire
WorkTorch, a fast-growing service industry career platform, announced a $2.2 million seed round, led by Tenzing Capital out of Wichita, Kansas.
Swedish startup Finch secures €2.5m funding to spearhead the shift from manual to generative workflows in the AEC industry
Swedish startup Finch announced it has secured €2.5 million funding to spearhead the shift from manual to generative and data-driven workflows in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry.
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).
Digital solutions startup Bantoo joins the Smart Africa Alliance
The Smart Africa Alliance announced it has welcomed digital solutions platform Bantoo to the alliance, to advance technological developments in the continent.
Biotech startup Avstera Therapeutics closes seed round to advance its lead programs targeting solid tumors
Avstera Therapeutics, a biotechnology company based in the Philadelphia area, has announced the completion of its seed round to advance its lead cancer programs geared towards targeting solid tumors.
Vouch partners with Capsule to support startups internationally
Capsule, a specialist insurance provider to high-growth companies in the UK, announced a partnership with Vouch, a San Francisco-based insurance platform that provides business insurance for high-growth technology startups in the US.
Dutch fintech venture Yabx expands into Nigeria
Yabx, a fintech venture headquartered at Netherlands, announced its foray into Nigerian markets with a mission to democratize credit across the country with its digital lending offerings.
Startup Wise Guys selects the second batch of participants for Africa-dedicated fund
Startup Wise Guys (SWG), Europe’s startup accelerator and one of its most active investment funds, has selected the second batch of participants for its €7.5 million fund for African startup investment.
Climate tech VC firm Satgana announces first closing of its fund with €30m target size
Climate tech venture capital firm Satgana announced the first closing of a target €30 million VC fund to back the next generation of purpose-driven entrepreneurs building the Future of Earth.
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.
Chef-led startup meez raises $11.5m to place recipes at the heart of hospitality
meez, the first-of-its-kind digital professional recipe tool, announced it has closed a $11.5 million Series A funding round led by Craft Ventures with participation from Struck Capital.
Fintech startup Fordefi raises $18m seed round to launch institutional DeFi wallet and security platform
Fordefi, a financial technology and software company, announced a $18 million seed round and the public launch of its institutional MPC wallet built for transacting on decentralized applications (dApps).
EQT Ventures III closes Europe's largest venture capital fund committed to early-stage tech startups
EQT has closed Europe's largest venture capital fund committed to early-stage tech startups. EQT Ventures III (the "Fund" or "Ventures III") closed with total commitments of €1.1 billion.
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.
CardinalStone Capital Advisers announces $6m investment in Nigerian healthtech startup AfyA Care
West African private equity fund manager, CardinalStone Capital Advisers (CCA), has announced a $6 million investment in Nigeria's healthtech startup AfyA Care.
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.
Stellantis invests in Africar Group to create Auto24, African used vehicle startup
Africar Group and Stellantis have announced the launch of Auto24 activities in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
Nigerian lending startup Payhippo acquires Maritime Microfinance Bank
Nigeria’s credit-led SME fintech Payhippo has acquired Maritime Microfinance Bank (MFB), a financial institution specializing in saving products, demand deposits, and investments as well as micro and SME loans
Impact Venture Capital portfolio company Alef unveils Alef flying car, the only drivable flying car with vertical takeoff and landing
Alef Aeronautics, an advanced technology company creating alternative transportation solutions for surging traffic trends, introduced the Alef "Model A", the only flying car with street driving and vertical take-off.
Israeli cybersecurity startup Wib raises $16m investment to accelerate growth, tackle rising API security problem
Wib, the cybersecurity startup pioneering a new era in API security, announced a $16 million investment led by Koch Disruptive Technologies (KDT).
Jobtech Alliance launches startup accelerator programs to improve livelihoods in Africa
The Jobtech Alliance, an ecosystem-building initiative around inclusive jobtech in Africa has launched two programs; the Catalyst Jobtech Accelerator and the Jobtech Innovation Lab.
French battery startup Verkor raises more than €250m financing for its innovation centre
French battery startup Verkor announced it has raised more than €250 million, for the inauguration of its R&D lab, an integral part of the Verkor Innovation Centre.
Neurotech startup Roga launches novel wellness solution to combat stress and burnout
Neurotech company Roga, has officially launched its first stress-relieving wellness device Roga Life, for orders worldwide.
Vue Storefront wins best e-Commerce and retail startup at The Europas Tech Startup Awards 2022
Vue Storefront, a technology company that develops software for businesses to create fast, modern and high-performing online storefronts, was crowned a winner at The Europas Tech Startup Awards 2022.
Japanese startup TIER IV launches commercial autonomous driving software platforms for multiple operational design domains
TIER IV, an open source autonomous driving startup, announced it has launched commercial autonomous driving software platforms "Pilot.Auto" and "Web.Auto".
Cooperative Ventures announces first investment in agritech startup Sabanto to improve sustainability
Cooperative Ventures, a venture capital fund formed by North America's agricultural cooperatives, announced its first investment in Sabanto, a hardware and software company.
UK-based hospitality tech startup Journey completes £5m growth capital raise
Journey Hospitality has secured £5 million growth capital investment. The funds, from private equity firm Averroes Capital, will enable Journey to deliver its vision to revolutionise e-Commerce for the hospitality industry.
Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa lead fintech growth in Africa, Mastercard
A report by payment services company Mastercard has revealed that South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya are among the most vibrant fintech markets in the continent.
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.
3nets concludes $11m seed round for multi-cloud workload portability solution
3nets.io, a Delaware corporation, announced the conclusion of $11 million seed round at a post-money valuation of $20 million.
Intelligent digital coworkers startup Roots Automation raises $10m Series A funding round to accelerate growth
Roots Automation, the creator of advanced, intelligent Digital Coworkers for the insurance industry, announced the closing of $10 million in a Series A round of funding.
Application security startup Apiiro raises $100m Series B funding round to accelerate growth
Apiiro, the pioneer in Cloud-Native Application Security, announced a significant Series B round of $100 million led by General Catalyst with participation by Greylock and Kleiner Perkins.
Berlin-based startup Crowd.dev raises €2.2m to launch the open-source platform for community-led growth
Berlin-based startup Crowd.dev announced it has raised €2.2 million to improve how developer-first businesses harness online communities.
Vienna-based startup Orderlion raises $4m funding to scale the global B2B food supply chain
Vienna-based startup Orderlion announced the successful closing of $4 million in preSeries A funding, including a mix of equity and debt financing, bringing the total amount of investments raised to $7.5 million since the company’s inception.
Zest AI secures over $50m growth capital to advance the next generation of AI-automated underwriting
Zest AI, the leader in automating underwriting with more accurate and inclusive lending insights powered by AI, announced that the company has raised over $50 million in a new growth round.
Brex partners with Techstars to accelerate growth for early-stage founders
Brex announced its partnership with Techstars, a global investment business that provides access to capital, one-on-one mentorship, and customized programming for early-stage entrepreneurs.
Girls in Tech Startup Challenge 2022 now open for female entrepreneurs
Girls in Tech, a global nonprofit working to erase the gender gap in tech, has launched the Girls in Tech Startup Challenge 2022, the organization's signature entrepreneurship pitch competition.
Africa to take a common stand at COP 27
Aware of the lack of coordination between policymakers, scientists and negotiators to provide such evidence, the heads of states under the African Union decided in 2009 following COP15 that Africa should have one voice and negotiate as a block
New York startup Scent Lab personalizes the fragrance industry with immersive digital experiences and AI-tech
Scent Lab announced the launch of its online platform that’s changing the way consumers shop for fragrance. Scent Lab is the first digital destination that leverages immersive video experiences and AI tech.
Telehealth startup Options MD raises $3.8m pre-seed funding to expand its mental health platform
Options MD, a telehealth startup providing high-quality care for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), announced $2.35 million in funding, bringing the total pre-seed funding to $3.8 million.
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.
Medtech device startup MedCrypt raises $25m Series B funding round to accelerate growth
MedCrypt, the proactive cybersecurity solution provider for medical devices, announced its $25 million Series B funding round.
Globo partners with American startup HeadSpin to improve User Experience of Smart TVs
LatAm media group Globo, announced a strategic partnership with HeadSpin, the developer of a data science driven digital experience intelligence platform used to provide flawless digital experiences.
Ghana women livestock owners boost animal health with vaccine project
The project has recruited two female vaccinators to vaccinate animals. These vaccinators are supported by 105 women ‘lead farmers’ or AHSPs, who aid in mobilizing other women and deliver vaccines to group members.
Project points East African women livestock holders to cost effective vaccines
To address these barriers faced by women in East Africa, and generate new evidence on how they can better benefit and participate in these systems, SheVax+ – a regional livestock vaccine initiative – was launched in 2019.
Ugandan agritech startup Inputi receives investment to boost inputs distribution
Ugandan agritech startup Inputi announced it received an investment funding to boost inputs distribution across the country.
Agri startup Yard Stick secures $225 million in USDA Grants for climate-smart agriculture
Yard Stick is commercializing a soil spectroscopy technology originally developed by Dr. Cristine Morgan, now the Chief Scientific Officer at The Soil Health Institute.
FNHIC launches to invest $2.5b in startups improving hunger and health outcomes through food
S2G Ventures, Food Systems for the Future and other partners launched the Food, Nutrition and Health Investor Coalition (FNHIC), a call to action to drive $2.5 billion in private investment.
Ghanaian agritech startup Farmerline raises $1.5m from Dutch investor Oikocredit
Ghanaian agritech startup Farmerline announced the second close of a Pre-Series A investment raise with an additional $1.5 million investment from Dutch social impact investor Oikocredit.
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.
India's fruits and vegetables platform Sahyadri Farms raises €40m growth capital to support smallholder farmers
India's integrated platform for fruits and vegetables Sahyadri Farms has raised €40 million growth capital from a group of impact-focused investors; Incofin, Korys, FMO and Proparco.
Industrial automation and agritech startup Agtonomy closes seed III funding round
Agtonomy, a cutting-edge software and service agritech startup, announced the successful closing of another round of funding for a total investment of $13.5 million.
Puna Bio startup raises $3.7m seed funding to restore soil health with desert microbes
Puna Bio announced $3.7 million in seed funding that will be used to commercially launch its first soybean seed treatment in Argentina that is cost competitive to existing biological solutions, expand field trials for wheat and corn.
[Startup Interview] Alfiya Kayumova, CEO and co-founder, Green Growth, USA
Green Growth is a US-based agritech startup that runs a software and hardware-based solution consisting of a set of sensors, combined in a single infrastructure.
Canadian startup Vive Crop Protection closes $26m funding round to accelerate its precision chemistry platform
Vive Crop Protection announced the close of $26 million Series C investment round, led by Emmertech with participation from the Cibus funds, and existing investors Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).
BASF Venture Capital and Dutch-based Aqua-Spark invest in Sea6 Energy as part of Series B financing round
BASF Venture Capital, the corporate venture company of BASF SE, Germany, and Aqua-Spark, a Dutch investment fund focusing on the global aquaculture industry, are investing in Sea6 Energy as part of a Series B round.
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.
South African agritech disruptor AgriKool drives down food costs for consumers, increases profits for farmers
AgriKool, a South African e-trading platform, is connecting agricultural producers to buyers to facilitate the sale of products between retailers and farmers.
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.
Agritech startup Lumo raises $2.1m to tackle the global water insecurity crisis
Lumo, a new agritech company focused on water sustainability, announced it has raised $2.1 million in pre-seed funding and plans to allocate funds toward commercialization of its irrigation technology.
Uganda entrepreneurs bet on fish project to boost incomes
To help communities reduce their post-harvest losses and access a more reliable supply of processed fish products.
Alien Invasive Fruit Flies project comes to the rescue of Southern Africa mango farmers
In a bid to tame the voracious flies, the Alien Invasive Fruit Flies project in Southern Africa has come up with five technologies as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) package.
German agritech startup CROP.ZONE secures $11m equity funding to expand to new international markets
Aachen-based integrated weed management startup CROP.ZONE announced it has secured $11m equity funding from existing shareholders and new financial investors.
CerraCap Ventures invests in soil microbiome focused agritech startup Solena
CerraCap Ventures, a Global Venture Capital fund headquartered in Southern California, announced an investment in Solena AG, a soil microbiome startup helping farmers improve agricultural yields and optimize agrarian input costs.
Decarbon8 investment opportunity open for agritech innovation and decarbonization startups
The Decarbon8 Fund, an impact investment vehicle established by the E8 climate tech investing community and platform, announced a new Request for Proposal (RFP) for companies advancing regenerative agriculture solutions.
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.
Crop tech startup moa raises $44m Series B financing to progress new generation of safe and sustainable crop protection products
moa Technology, the crop protection discovery company that is revolutionizing the future of weed control in agriculture, announced it has secured $44 million in Series B financing.
Irish agritech startup CropSafe raises $3m seed funding to support farmers globally, opens U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles
Irish agritech startup CropSafe, a platform revolutionizing the future of farming, announced it raised over $3 million in seed funding and have opened U.S. headquarters in Los Angeles.
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.
Israeli agritech startup Seed-X partners with Advanta Seeds to improve seed lot quality
Seed-X, an innovative AI-driven Agritech company, and Advanta Seeds, a UPL group company, are joining forces to apply new technology in seed processing.
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.
Solana-based DeFi startup Delta One raises $9.1m to build 'set-and-forget' yield farming protocol
Delta One, a Solana-based DeFi protocol, announced it raised $9.1 million seed round led by Alameda Research and Ship Capital, with participation from Solana Ventures.
What Africa requires to attain sustainable and effective food systems
A variety of factors constrain those who are reliant on farming for their livelihoods – particularly smallholders, including women and youth – from stepping up or stepping in to agriculture.
French insect farming startup Ÿnsect acquires Nebraska-based Jord Producers to open first mealworm farm in the US
Jord Producers, based in Nebraska, has been incorporated into Ÿnsect’s production portfolio, signifying the global leader’s entry into North American mealworm production.
Soil water sensors, detectors to the rescue of Mozambique farmers
More than 3 million smallholder farmers contribute 95% of Mozambique’s agricultural production.
Achieving inclusive cocoa and palm oil commercialization in West Africa
Abugre also noted that questions remain with regards to the future of cocoa production given global price trends, climate change, farmers stepping into the sector, and income distribution effects at the local level.
Gender and social dynamics in smallholder groundnuts commercialisation in Southern Africa
Following these insights, expert commentator Kezia Batisai, Associate Professor at the University of Johannesburg, highlighted key shifts required to support agricultural transformation in the region.
Agribusiness e-Commerce startup Agrizon receives investment to expand operations in Latin America
Agrizon, a specialized cross-border e-Commerce company that connects and delivers worldwide brands of ag inputs to farmers and businesses, has received investment from Latin Leap Venture Capital Studio to expand operations in Latin America.
Solar-powered robotics startup Aigen raises $4m seed round to accelerate growth
Aigen, a company developing a scalable, solar-powered robotics platform for agriculture and soil regeneration, raised a $4 million seed round led by NEA with participation from AgFunder, Global Founders Capital, and ReGen Ventures.
Israeli agritech startup Greeneye Technology raises $22 million funding to grow its offerings
Greeneye has developed proprietary AI-enabled precision spraying technology that enables farmers to seamlessly transition from this hugely inefficient practice to precise application of herbicides and other chemicals.
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.
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 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.
Biotech startup Tiamat Sciences raises $3m to manufacture plant-based biomolecules
Biotechnology startup Tiamat Sciences announced its $3 million seed financing round led by Silicon Valley venture capital firm True Ventures with participation from Social Impact Capital and Cantos.
Agritech startup FarmSense receives $2.2m SBIR funding for development of biosecurity measures against native and invasive pests
FarmSense, the agritech startup and creator of Smart Flight Sensors, announced it has been awarded Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funds in the amount of more than $2.2 million.
Kigali-based agriculture startup AflaSight, partners launch innovative projects to improve maize quality in Rwanda
The World Food Programme, IFC, Kigali-based agriculture startup AflaSight, and research firm Vanguard Economics launched innovative projects to help farmers and grain traders reduce the prevalence of aflatoxins in crops and grains in Rwanda.
GROWMARK and CHS launch Cooperative Ventures to drive technology advancements for agritech startups
GROWMARK and CHS announced the formation of Cooperative Ventures, a new capital fund that will focus on creating advancements in breakthrough technologies for the agriculture industry.
GrowMark and CHS unveil a new capital fund targeted at agtech startups
Agricultural cooperative firm GrowMark and global agribusiness company CHS have announced the formation of Cooperative Ventures, a new capital fund that will focus on creating advancements in breakthrough technologies for the agriculture industry.
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.
Indian full-stack agritech startup DeHaat raises $115m Series D round
DeHaat, the technology-based platform offering end-to-end agricultural services to farmers in India, announced it has raised $115 million in Series D funding, led by Belgium based investment firm Sofina and Lightrock India.
North Carolina's SAS and Pappas Capital partner to propel agritech startups with analytics
Two North Carolina companies, analytics leader SAS and venture investment firm Pappas Capital, are joining forces to help advance the state as a global leader in agricultural technology.
Start-Up Nation Central signs MoU with TiE to boost technological innovation of Israeli and Indian startups
Israeli not-for-profit Start-Up Nation Central signed a Memorandum of Understanding with TiE to achieve full implementation of sustainable Israeli and Indian technologies in the foodtech sector.
Canadian precision-farming startup Semios raises $100m in capital to expand agtech platform globally
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.
Industrial automation startup Agtonomy launches out of stealth to address farm labor crisis with $4m seed round
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.
Nigerian agritech startup Releaf secures $4.2m funding to drive industrialisation of food processing in Africa
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.
Foodtech startup GrubMarket acquires Bartolotta, further expands in Eastern US and Canada
Food technology startup GrubMarket announced it has completed the acquisition of Bartolotta, a full-service provider of fresh fruits and vegetables to customers in New England, the Mid-Atlantic and Eastern Canada.
Agricorp raises $17.5 million to become the largest spices export startup in Africa
Agricorp International, Nigerian based spices producing, processing, and exporting company has raised $17.5 million in Series A funding to increase its processing capacity up to 7000 metric tonnes.
Jiddu acquires CerraCap Ventures portfolio company Nirveda Cognition
CerraCap Ventures, a Global Venture Capital fund, announced acquisition of its portfolio company Nirveda Cognition by Jiddu Inc for an all-stock deal. The transaction is one of a slew of recent exits from CerraCap's investment fund.
John Deere acquires agritech startup Bear Flag Robotics to accelerate autonomous technology on the farm
Deere & Company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire agritech startup Bear Flag Robotics for $250 million. Founded in 2017, the Silicon Valley-based startup develops autonomous driving technology compatible with existing machines.
UN announces 50 best small business winners providing “Good Food for All”
Fifty small- and medium-sized enterprises around the world have been announced as the Best Small Businesses of the “Good Food for All” competition, held in conjunction with the UN Food Systems Summit.
Oxford Foundry partners with FMDQ Private Markets to accelerate Nigeria’s startup ecosystem
Oxford Foundry and FMDQ Private Markets have launched a global partnership to accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s startup ecosystem.
Agritech startup Adaviv raises $2.3m seed round to scale its AI-driven plant intelligence platform for indoor farming
Adaviv, a cultivation technology company surfacing actionable insights for Controlled Environment Agriculture, announced the raise of $2.3 million in an oversubscribed Series Seed financing led by Delta Emerald Ventures.
Agritech startup GrowFlux selected to join Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator program
The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator, a technology incubator and platform funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation, has selected GrowFlux and four other startups to participate in the program's ninth cohort.
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.
Ghanaian agribusiness startup Green Gold Farms raises $1.6 million to tackle food import challenge
Green Gold Farms is tackling the problems of poverty, lack of economic opportunity, and malnutrition and related illnesses in Northern Ghana through large-scale agricultural production.
AI startup LLENA (AI) partners with Southern University to support (USDA/NIFA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative
LLENA (AI) Health Solutions, announced a partnership with Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to support their "Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life" initiative to address diet-related health disparities.
Farmtech startup Iron Ox hires first CFO, Head of Marketing as company prepares for growth
Iron Ox, a farming innovation company with deep expertise in robotics and artificial intelligence, hired its first Chief Financial Officer and its first Head of Marketing as the company accelerates growth and expands its commercial footprint.
Nigeria agritech startup Thrive Agric targets 50,000 farmers with new project
A natural partner for the Trade Hub, Thrive Agric has already helped over 140,000 farmers in Nigeria increase their capacities to meet supply, quality, and food safety standards required by domestic and export markets.
The UN Food Systems Best Small Business competition: Startups time to shine
Small businesses around the world that help provide healthy food that is good for the environment, good for their communities and create jobs for people locally are being invited to share ideas and suggestions for how their countries and economies can maximize their positive impact.
The nexus between gender-responsive research and agricultural productivity in Africa
Smallholder farmers across Africa are looking to science to boost farm productivity and to tackle emerging threats, partiuclarly with regards to climate change and pandemics as demonstrated by COVID-19, the report further noted.
AlphaCode announces four startups taking part in the second phase of its incubate programme in South Africa
AlphaCode has announced the four fintech startups that will be part of the second phase of the AlphaCode Incubate programme.
UN launches hunt for startups and enterprises changing the face of food systems
The UN Food Systems Summit has announced a competition to identify the best small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from across the world who are transforming food systems for a better tomorrow.
Rice sector players set for conference on boosting research and inclusivity
Rice sector players in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia are set to lead discussions on accelerating progress in rice research & development, inclusive markets & value chains.
FarmTogether, Backstage Capital join forces to generate grater access to diverse farmland investments
FarmTogether, the technology-enabled investment platform democratizing access to farmland, announced a partnership with Backstage Capital, an investment firm focused on startups founded by people of color, women, and members of the LGBTQ community.
Dutch impact investment firm Goodwell Investments launches €50 million fund to support African SMEs
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.
UN targets startups transforming food systems in new competition
The UN Food Systems Summit has announced a competition to identify the best small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from across the world who are transforming food systems for a better tomorrow.
Milken Institute and Motsepe Foundation launch $2 million AgriTech competition for African entrepreneurs
The Milken-Motsepe Prize in AgriTech is a $2 million global competition for innovative solutions to increase economic value to farmers, from seed to sale.
Insurtech startup OKO raises $1.2m to bring innovative insurance to smallholder farmers across Africa
OKO, an insurtech startup that provides inclusive agricultural insurance to secure farmers’ income across Africa, closed a seed investment round of $1.2 million, led by Newfund and ResiliAnce.
SWARM Engineering startup raises $2.7m in seed funding led by S2G Ventures and Serra Ventures
SWARM Engineering, the next generation of cognitive software for the food supply chain, announced it closed funding for a $2.7 million seed round.
Grow-NY startup business competition kicks off year 3
The application window for the 2021 Grow-NY million-dollar top prize business competition is now open for submissions. Grow-NY, a unique initiative which connects innovators and investors in the food, beverage and agriculture.
Zimbabwe agritech startup Farmhut secures investment to scale operations
Zimbabwe agritech startup Farmhut has received $US100 000 investment from the Hult Prize Foundation. This follows through the Hult Prize accelerator program of the 2020 cohort.
Texas-based Precision Livestock Technologies completes $600K seed round on Harvest Returns agriculture crowdfunding platform
Harvest Returns announced that Dallas, Texas-based Precision Livestock Technologies has successfully completed a seed round raise totaling $600,000 on the Harvest Returns agriculture crowdfunding platform.
Investing in mentorship to inspire women in agribusiness
Jolenta Joseph, a Tanzania entrepreneur has built her business tackling malnutrition, an endemic problem in Tanzania, thanks in part to the support she has received since winning the 2020 SUN Pitch Competition.
BioPhero startup raises $17m Series A for sustainable pest control
BioPhero, the insect pheromone company, announced it has raised $17 million in Series A funding led by DCVC Bio with participation from new investor FMC Ventures, as well as existing investors Syngenta Group Ventures and Novo Holdings.
Western Kenya farmers cash in on traditional vegetables
Western Kenya have found new fortunes by investing in the cultivation, consumption, preservation and sale of traditional vegetables and seeds.
Union Bank of Nigeria to support startups through UnionX Innovation Challenge
Union Bank, one of Nigeria’s foremost financial institutions, has unveiled the 2021 UnionX Innovation Challenge, as part of efforts to support young startups and boost innovation in the startup ecosystem.
Lux Research names top food and agriculture startups of 2020
In recent years, the majority of growth in the food and beverage industry has gone to companies outside the top 20 players, with smaller and more agile brands capitalizing on the demand for personalized products.
From grass to cash: Harnessing the power of climate smart forage grasses in Western Kenya
Kenyan researchers have been working with farmers in Western Kenya to test new varieties of fodder grasses known to have higher protein, low fiber and are fast maturing.
Kenyan young agripreneurs reel under impacts of COVID-19
Kenyan agribusiness enterprises run by young people experienced a 48 per cent failure rate last year at the height of the novel corona virus a new study has shown.
Kenyan organics recycling startup Sanergy receives funding to scale operations regionally
With AXA IM Alts’s support, Sanergy would be well-positioned to scale its operations in Kenya and across the region.
One Planet Fellowship: Investing in the next generation of African scientists
African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) has announced that the call for third cohort of the One Planet Fellowship is now open as it seeks to invest in the next generation of African scientists.
John Deere adds new companies to its 2021 Startup Collaborator program
John Deere & Company announced the companies that will be part of the 2021 cohort of the Startup Collaborator program.
Agritech startup Bear Flag Robotics raises $7.9m seed extension round
Bear Flag Robotics announced a $7.9 million seed extension funding round led by True Ventures. The Silicon Valley-based agritech company is developing autonomous technology for farm tractors, which enables growers to increase productivity.
CropIn raises $20 million funding to deepen machine learning application in agriculture
CropIn, a global artificial intelligence and data-led agri-tech organization empowering stakeholders to reimagine agriculture with data, has raised $20 million in a Series C funding.
South Africa agritech startup Aerobotics raises funds for global expansion
FMO and Cathay AfricInvest Innovation have invested in Aerobotics, a South African AgriTech startup developing intelligent tools to the feed the world.
AgTech startup SeeTree raises $30 million funding to expand into new crops
SeeTree, an AI-powered, end-to-end service that provides growers with intelligence on trees and tree clusters, has raised $30 million in a Series B funding round led by the International Finance Corporation
Flagship summit to support growth of digital agriculture start-ups in Africa
African entrepreneurs in digital agriculture will have new opportunities to secure support and investment as the African Green Revolution Forum takes on the AgriHack Talent project.
Peer-to-peer solar leasing startup Sun Exchange announces African expansion in Zimbabwe
South African peer-to-peer solar leasing startup Sun Exchange marked its official expansion into sub-Saharan Africa with the first of three crowdsales for a multiphase, 1.9 megawatt (MW) solar-plus-storage project for Nhimbe Fresh.
Kenyan agritech startup Farmers Pride raises $220k funding from Gray Matters Capital’s coLABS
US-based impact investor Gray Matters Capital announced its funding in Kenya's agritech startup Farmers Pride, a one stop e-commerce platform that connects village level farmers to quality inputs, services and information.
Plug and Play partners with Evergy to foster new relationships, innovation in Topeka
Global innovation platform Plug and Play announced that Evergy will be a founding partner for its Topeka location, which is centered around animal health and agriculture technology
Nufarm, German agritech startup CROP.ZONE partner for alternative weed control across European markets
Australian crop protection and specialty seed company Nufarm and the German agritech startup CROP.ZONE have partnered to launch Nufarm's and CROP.ZONE's hybrid herbicide solutions across major European markets.
Rabobank unveils 45 food & agriculture startups selected for FoodBytes! Pitch 2020
Rabobank unveiled the 45 startups selected to participate in FoodBytes! Pitch 2020, its global food and ag startup discovery program that helps entrepreneurs scale their impact through mentorship and connections to corporate leaders and investors.
[Zambia] Good Nature Agro secures $2.1 million funding to scale production in legume value chains
Good Nature Agro, a Zambian company working from end-to-end within the specialised legume value chains, has closed Series A equity funding totaling $2.1 million.
S2G Ventures, CDPQ announce funding for startups in sustainable food business
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) and S2G Ventures (S2G) have announced creation of a co-investment partnership that will target ventures that aim to make the food and agriculture industry more sustainable.
Cannabis cultivation software startup Trym closes $3.1m seed round to accelerate growth
Trym, a pioneering cannabis cultivation software company announced the completion of its $3.1 million seed funding round of financing to accelerate growth.
Airsmat raises $100,000 investment to deepen AI application in agriculture
AirSmat, a Nigeria-based Pan-African Software company, has received a boost of $100,000 from Zetogon as pre-seeding investment to help the organization on the journey to deliver world-class service in Africa.
Phytolon secures $4.1 million funding for natural food colour tech
Israel-based Phytolon, a portfolio company of The Trendlines Group Ltd has announced that it secured $4.1 million in funding for its fermentation-based technology for the production of plant-based food colours.
German urban farming startup Infarm raises $170m to grow urban vertical farming network in the world
Infarm, German urban farming network announced $170 million investment raised in the first close of a Series C funding round expected to reach $200 million.
Cellular agriculture startup Wildtype launches salmon in sushi restaurants
Cellular agriculture startup Wildtype has unveiled its latest cell-based salmon. This version is "sushi-grade" and crafted with the sushi industry's favorite raw salmon applications in mind.
Infarm announces $170 million financing to grow innovative urban farming model
Berlin urban farming network Infarm has announced $170 million investment raised in the first close of a Series C funding round expected to reach $200 million.
GreenTec invests in Cameroon digital farm startup Freshbag
GreenTec has announced its investment in Freshbag, an innovative digital Cameroon platform that connects farmers and vendors to ensure a fair and reliable food supply network.
West Africa's Miro Forestry raises $48 funding close led by CDC to combat climate crisis
CDC Group, the UK’s publicly owned impact investor announced a further $12 million commitment to Miro Forestry, a sustainable forestry and timber business with plantations in Ghana and Sierra Leone.
Tanzania startup tackles hidden hunger with bio fortified foods
An upsurge in cases of malnutrition among children in rural Tanzania, combined with the issue of poor markets for farmers, inspired Jolenta Joseph to venture into the nutrition business in 2017.
Irish agtech startup MagGrow raises €6m Series A round
Irish startup MagGrow, the agtech innovator that specialises in delivering crop protection products where they matter most while protecting the environment, has completed a €6m Series A round.
Kenyan women and youth agritech startups invited to apply for $100k FoodTech Africa accelerator
Kenyan youth and women-led agribusinesses have been awarded an opportunity to access $100,000 as investment for their companies through the FoodTech Africa accelerator.
US startup Atomo Coffee raises $9m to bring molecular coffee to the market
Seattle based startup Atomo Coffee announced it has closed an additional $9 million in Seed funding to bring its molecular coffee to market.
[Startup Interview] Tracy Mapfumo, CEO, Eny's Treats, Zimbabwe
Eny's Treats, a startup based in Zimbabwe, manufactures seed-based gluten free snacks that are topped up with natural and unrefined sweeteners for the upmarket urban health-conscious consumers. The startup’s CEO Tracy Mapfumo elaborates.
African startups win big at the 2020 SUN Pitch competition
The founder of Baby Grubz Nigeria, Oluwaseun Sangoleye, led Africa in winning this year’s 2020 SUN Pitch Competition.
Kenyan agritech startup Lentera, MCFI ink deal to provide satellite based crop analysis for Mauritian farmers
The Mauritius Chemical and Fertilizer Industry (MCFI), and Lentera Africa have signed a partnership that will see Lentera provide satellite-based crop health analysis and crop modelling services for Mauritian customers of MCFI.
Africa and Asia startups set to showcase innovations in nutrition pitch competition
Twelve African entrepreneurs are among 21 finalists in this year’s SUN Pitch Competition where entrepreneurs will pitch their innovative business ideas to address malnutrition.
Evonik invests in Chinese tech startup to support intelligent, healthier pig farming
Evonik’s venture capital arm has invested in SmartAHC, a Chinese technology startup that enables more intelligent and healthier pig farming.
Dutch startup PlantLab raises €20 million to grow its vertical farming technology
Dutch scale-up PlantLab has raised a first external investment of € 20 million from De Hoge Dennen Capital.
Healthy Maisha startup tackles nutrition gap in Tanzania
Neema Lugangira’s enterprise Healthy Maisha, meaning Healthy Life, operates in Tanzania’s commercial city of Dar es Salaam and seeks to bridge the nutrition gap, and iron deficiency in particular.
IFC helps boost clean tech startups in Egypt, enables farmers switch to solar
IFC is joining forces with the National Bank of Egypt and MSMEDA to strengthen the clean technology entrepreneurship sector and boost Egyptian farmers’ access to finance for solar irrigation.
Nigeria's FCMB, Passion Incubator partner to launch FCMB Agritech Epic Pitch 2020
Nigeria's First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has partnered with Passion Incubator, a Lagos-based early-stage incubator and accelerator that has invested in some Agritech startups, to launch the virtual edition of the FCMB Agritech Epic Pitch 2020.
Dutch agritech startup Connecterra lands €7.8m to accelerate industry digitization
Amsterdam based startup Connecterra, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) leader for the dairy sector has secured €7.8 million in a Series B funding round. The round adds new AgTech and industry insiders as investors in the Company.
Greenlight Biosciences secures $102 million financing to expand agriculture and life sciences applications research
GreenLight Biosciences has raised an oversubscribed $102 million round of funding from new and existing investors to rapidly expand production of its RNA products for agricultural and life sciences applications.
Naspers Foundry invests R100 million in South African agri-tech startup, Aerobotics
Naspers announced a R100 million investment in agritech business Aerobotics, through its early-stage business funding initiative Naspers Foundry. Aerobotics is a subscription-based artificial intelligence (AI) company that provides intelligent tools for the agricultural industry to manage its crops.
[Startup Interview] Dumisanie Mambiya, CEO, FADC, Malawi
Malawi-based Food & Agribusiness Development Company, FADC, is an agriculture startup that is working with horticulture and groundnut farmers to boost their earnings through offering an array of services.
[Startup Interview] Timi Oke, Founder, AgroEknor International, Nigeria
Timi Oke is the founder of AgroEknor International Limited in Nigeria that trades and exports processed agricultural products `agricultural products to clients in 9 different countries globally.
Six agritech startups selected for Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator programme
The Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator has selected six new participating startups focused on agriculture technology solutions to join the programme.
[Startup Interview] Yassir Ali, CEO, Hasania Foods, Nigeria
Hasania Foods Ltd, a startup in Nigeria is assisting farmers by adding value to a variety of agriculture products and introducing new ways of packaging foods. Yassir Ali the founder and CEO of the startup explains the model, the challenges and the plans to expand to West Africa.
Reinvestment Fund announces $3 million financing for agriculture startups
Reinvestment Fund is inviting applications for financial and technical assistance through the 2020 round of the Healthy Food Financing Initiative (HFFI) Targeted Small Grants Program.
Nigeria agriculture startup Tomato Jos secures €3.9 million financing to bolster growth
Tomato Jos, an agro-processing company focused on the local production of high-quality tomato paste for the African market, has completed a €3.9 million Series A round.
Kenya's Apollo Agriculture secures $6 million funding to reach more farmers
Kenya’s agritech and financial services startup Apollo Agriculture has raised $6 million in Series A financing to bolster its resolve to empower small-scale farmers to maximize their profits.
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