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Published: 06-04-2018 16:44:00 | By: Nico Scherphuis | hits: 3822931 | Tags:









Fintech startup Zebec debuts in Japan with payroll and payments solutions
Published: 09-01-2024 | 15:58:36 | By: Bob Koigi
This strategic move not only marks Zebec's continued global expansion but also underscores its commitment to fostering collaborative financial innovation worldwide.








Japanese semiconductor firm EdgeCortix closes $20m to accelerate AI capabilities
Published: 04-10-2023 | 15:11:00 | By: Pie Kamau
EdgeCortix announced the closing of a $20m funding round.


Five Kenyan cleantech startups selected for JICA’s Project NINJA accelerator
Published: 19-09-2023 | 12:11:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Five Kenyan cleantech startups have been selected for the 3rd cohort of JICA.


Japanese startup Josys raises $93m Series B funding to revolutionize global IT operations
Published: 06-09-2023 | 09:33:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Josys announced a successful Series B funding round of $93 million.


Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital joins Israeli startup nT-Tao's Series A funding round
Published: 04-09-2023 | 14:00:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Venture Capital has joined nT-Tao's Series A funding round.


Tokyo's dynamic ecosystem for a startup company and its global impact, Plug and Play
Published: 12-07-2023 | 11:15:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Tokyo, Japan is an economic powerhouse with its thriving business landscape.


Pegasus Tech Ventures launches $100m fund with Japanese chemicals and life science company Denka
Published: 27-01-2023 | 11:34:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Pegasus Tech Ventures (Pegasus), a global venture capital firm that is headquartered in the Silicon Valley, has established a $100 million corporate venture capital fund with Denka.


Japan headquartered drone and Urban Air Mobility startup Terra Drone raises $14m funding to accelerate growth
Published: 25-01-2023 | 09:59:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Terra Drone, a drone and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) technology provider, has raised $14 million in funding from Wa'ed Ventures, the venture capital arm of the biggest oil producer in the world, Aramco.


Japanese home health lab startup Bisu collaborates with Polaris Dawn to develop new ways to monitor astronaut health
Published: 05-12-2022 | 11:36:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Traveling in space leads to bone loss, muscle loss, and an increased risk of kidney stone formation, often starting within the first 24 hours of spaceflight as calcium levels in bone and tissue decrease.


Plug and Play Japan selects 74 startups for its Winter/Spring 2023 Batch accelerator program
Published: 05-12-2022 | 10:36:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Global innovation platform, Plug and Play Japan has selected 74 startups from Japan and overseas for the Winter/Spring 2023 Batch accelerator program which will be carried out from December 2022 to March 2023.


Japanese startup TIER IV launches commercial autonomous driving software platforms for multiple operational design domains
Published: 07-11-2022 | 08:55:00 | By: Pie Kamau
TIER IV, an open source autonomous driving startup, announced it has launched commercial autonomous driving software platforms "Pilot.Auto" and "Web.Auto".


Japanese startup SUN METALON raises $5.6m funding to democratize metal 3D manufacturing
Published: 25-10-2022 | 13:36:00 | By: Pie Kamau
SUN METALON, a Japanese startup developing a metal 3D printer, announced the procurement of $5.6 million in its pre-series A funding round.


Japanese foodtech startup Yo-Kai Express partners with IPPUDO and TableMark to bring ramen and udon dishes to its autonomous restaurant platform
Published: 05-09-2022 | 14:01:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Yo-Kai Express announced new partnerships with TableMark and Chikaranomoto, to jointly develop and market varieties of new udon and ramen menu options.


Japanese healthtech startup Ubie raises $26.2m Series C funding to fuel business growth in Japan and the U.S.
Published: 22-08-2022 | 12:33:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Ubie, a Japanese healthcare AI startup with a mission to develop a healthcare guide for everyone, announced it has raised $26.2 million in the 1st round of Series C funding.


Taiwanese martech startup Wavenet raises $3m series B round to expand in Japan and North America
Published: 12-08-2022 | 12:11:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Taiwanese marketing technology (martech) startup Wavenet, announced the raise of $3 million in series B round, to expand its operations to Japan and North America, and hire more international talents to join the team.


Japanese open-source autonomous driving startup TIER IV launches $300m green autonomous driving project
Published: 19-07-2022 | 13:51:00 | By: Pie Kamau
TIER IV, an open-source autonomous driving startup, announced it has received a grant from the Green Innovation Fund Projects (GI Fund) for research and development of autonomous driving software platforms.


Japanese healthtech startup Ubie launches AI-powered symptom checker in the U.S.
Published: 26-04-2022 | 12:11:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Ubie, Inc., a healthcare AI startup with the mission to develop a healthcare guide for everyone, has launched in the United States an AI-powered symptom checker that allows users to enter symptoms and discover related diseases.


U.S.-based food tech startup Yo-Kai Express launches autonomous restaurant platform in Japan
Published: 08-04-2022 | 13:16:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Yo-Kai Express, a Silicon Valley-based food tech startup announced the official debut of the Yo-Kai Express autonomous restaurant platform in J.R. East Tokyo.


Plug and Play Japan kicks off 3rd Smart Cities accelerator program in Osaka and Tokyo
Published: 29-03-2022 | 13:48:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Plug and Play Japan has selected 25 startups from Japan and overseas for their accelerator program that promotes open innovation in Smart Cities theme. From the Batch 3 program, it will expand and operate at two locations, Tokyo and Osaka.


Japanese SocialGood App raises $14.2m for patented crypto back platform
Published: 08-03-2022 | 10:57:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Japanese SocialGood App, which gives users cryptocurrency rewards for shopping, has raised $14.2 million in Series A funding from a venture capital firm.


Energy-efficient AI semiconductor startup EdgeCortix closes over $8m Series A funding
Published: 01-03-2022 | 11:58:00 | By: Pie Kamau
EdgeCortix the AI-focused fabless semiconductor company, announced the closing of over $8 million in series A funding.


Japanese powerhouses mixi and DAZN partner to create a sports NFT marketplace on Flow
Published: 07-02-2022 | 12:04:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Media powerhouse mixi, Inc. and global sports streaming service DAZN Japan Investment GK today announced that DAZN MOMENTS, a sports NFT marketplace, will launch on Flow, a Web3 platform designed for consumer-friendly applications.


JICA’s NINJA Accelerator completes 2nd Demo Day in Kenya, sends delegation to Silicon Valley
Published: 31-01-2022 | 14:10:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Japanese VR startup HIKKY raises $57m Series A funding to expand its services domestically and abroad
Published: 16-11-2021 | 12:59:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Virtual reality (VR) startup and organizers of VR events in the world HIKKY raised 6.5 billion yen ($57 million) in an initial stage of its Series A funding round.


JICA kicks off 2nd Cohort of its NINJA Accelerator in Kenya
Published: 28-10-2021 | 16:35:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Japanese startup Autify raises $10m Series A to advance software testing automation through no-code solution
Published: 06-10-2021 | 13:29:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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
Published: 30-09-2021 | 16:50:00 | By: Pie Kamau
ShipHero, the shipping and logistics provider for over 5,000 e-commerce brands and 3PLs, announced a new accelerator program for e-Commerce startups looking to supercharge their businesses with best-in-class warehouse management software.


Unilever invites startups to partner through Positive Beauty Growth Platform
Published: 30-09-2021 | 16:19:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Unilever announced the launch of the Positive Beauty Growth Platform, a new initiative which aims to partner with scaleups and startups to drive innovation and brand growth.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


Delivery startup Glovo expands its African footprints
Published: 23-09-2021 | 16:02:01 | By: Pie Kamau
Leading multi-category delivery platform Glovo recently announced the expansion of its operations in Africa, to include Ghana and Tunisia, bringing its current operations to a total of seven countries on the continent.


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


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


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


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


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


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


Healthtech startup bttn. adds PlastCareUSA to burgeoning supplier ecosystem
Published: 22-09-2021 | 14:36:00 | By: Pie Kamau
bttn., a Healthtech startup providing a B2B e-Commerce platform for purchasing medical supplies, announced an expansion to its product catalog with the addition of 93 PlastCare USA products for dental practitioners.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


Workwear startup BRUNT raises $8.4m Series A funding to accelerate growth
Published: 15-09-2021 | 15:54:00 | By: Pie Kamau
BRUNT Workwear, a modern work boot and apparel brand designed for today's construction workers and tradespeople, closed an $8.4 million Series A round to accelerate its growth and meet demand as the company disrupts a $12 billion-dollar category in the US.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


Foodtech startup GrubMarket acquires Bartolotta, further expands in Eastern US and Canada
Published: 07-09-2021 | 16:04:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Food technology startup GrubMarket announced it has completed the acquisition of Bartolotta, a full-service provider of fresh fruits and vegetables to customers in New England, the Mid-Atlantic and Eastern Canada.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


Wine & spirits e-Commerce startup Speakeasy Co. raises $2m seed round to accelerate growth
Published: 02-09-2021 | 13:29:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Speakeasy Co., a technology company and e-commerce platform for the wine & spirits industry, announced a $2 million seed round led by Trog Hawley Capital LLC with participation from other notable investors.


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


South African fintech startup SOL announces rebrand with new virtual card offering
Published: 01-09-2021 | 12:31:00 | By: Pie Kamau
South African fintech startup SOLmate, an online payment platform that offers clients a digital wallet facility, has unveiled a new product offering together with an extensive rebrand and renewed corporate vision.


Tokyo-based AI startup Attuned launches writer fellowship on Substack
Published: 29-06-2021 | 13:52:39 | By: Pie Kamau
Attuned, a Tokyo-based tech startup that uses psychology and AI to track intrinsic motivation and boost employee engagement, announced the launch of a global writing competition on digital newsletter-publishing platform Substack.


Plug and Play Japan selects 91 Startups for its Summer/Fall 2021 Batch
Published: 01-06-2021 | 11:28:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Global Innovation Platform, Plug and Play Japan has selected 91 Japanese and international startups into its Summer/Fall 2021 Batch, which will be carried out from June to September 2021.


Kenyan fintech startup Kwara selected for Japan-led Ninja Accelerator programme
Published: 06-05-2021 | 10:56:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Digital banking platform and fintech company Kwara has been selected for the first cohort of the Ninja Accelerator programme in Kenya.


U.S.-based food tech startup Yo-Kai Express expands partnerships with Japan
Published: 26-04-2021 | 13:16:00 | By: Pie Kamau
While restaurants and small businesses everywhere have struggled to survive the pandemic, U.S.-based foodtech startup Yo-Kai Express (YKE) has leveraged its technology and ideas to evolve and transform its business models to broader platforms.


Japanese startup Paidy raises $120m in Series D round
Published: 06-04-2021 | 15:36:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Paidy Inc., Japan's "Buy Now, Pay Later" (BNPL) service provider, announced it completed the Series D round of funding, raising a total of $120 million.


Australian AI startup HIVERY partners with JR East Water Business to optimize vending machines in Japan
Published: 16-12-2020 | 15:52:24 | By: Pie Kamau
Retail AI pioneer, HIVERY and JR East Water Business, have agreed to rollout HIVERY Enhance, an AI-driven vending machine optimization solution, to 6,000 vending machines across East Japan Railway's train stations.


Plug and Play Japan selects 103 startups for its Winter/Spring 2021 Batch accelerator program
Published: 03-12-2020 | 14:16:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Plug and Play Japan has selected 103 startups in IoT, Fintech, Insurtech, Mobility, Brand & Retail, Hardtech & Health, and newly launched vertical, Smart Cities, for the Winter/Spring 2021 Batch accelerator program.


Toyoda Gosei Invests in Tohoku University startup Ball Wave
Published: 01-12-2020 | 13:47:49 | By: Bob Koigi
Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd. has invested in Ball Wave Inc., a startup from Tohoku University that develops practical applications of ball SAW sensors.


Equinix invests $55m to build its third data center in Osaka, Japan
Published: 25-11-2020 | 14:48:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Equinix, the world's digital infrastructure company, announced an initial investment of $55 million to build its third International Business Exchange (IBX) data center in Osaka, Japan.


Toyota AI Ventures invests in Canadian robotic kitchen startup YPC Technologies
Published: 21-10-2020 | 11:50:09 | By: Pie Kamau
Toyota AI Ventures, Toyota's early-stage venture capital fund, announced its investment in YPC Technologies, a robotic kitchen startup based in Montreal, Canada.


Alfa Bank, Plug and Play collaborate on innovation in Fintech
Published: 30-09-2020 | 14:39:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Along with 80 other financial institutions across the United States, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Milan, Paris, Abu Dhabi, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo, Alfa Bank will join Plug and Play's global ecosystem.


Virtual reality startup Nanome partners with Fujitsu to bring drug design software to Japanese market
Published: 15-09-2020 | 08:28:00 | By: Pie Kamau
San Diego-based virtual reality (VR) startup Nanome, has entered into an agreement with Fujitsu to bring their signature product, an immersive scientific design and collaboration platform to the Japanese market.


Kenyan startup PayGo Energy announces strategic investment from Saisan
Published: 21-07-2020 | 15:25:00 | By: Pie Kamau
PayGo Energy, an Energy Access Ventures portfolio company, has secured a strategic investment from Saisan, a leading Japanese energy company.