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Engineering firm Sandvik acquires majority stake in China-based Suzhou Ahno
The company will be reported within the business area segment Sandvik Machining Solutions.
Fintech infrastructure startup Parafin secures $125m warehouse facility from SVB and Trinity Capital
Swedish fintech Brite Payments raises $60m to accelerate instant bank payments across Europe
Brite Payments has announced a $60m funding round.
Data from 400+ startups indicates massive SVB and FRB fallout on startup banking sector
Kruze Consulting has analyzed banking data from 400+ startups.
SUNeVision launches first startup programme to advance innovations in Hong Kong
SUNeVision has announced the launch of its first startup programme.
Backbase partners with FrankieOne to provide digital onboarding solutions in Australia
Backbase announced its strategic partnership with FrankieOne.
Big name VCs back startup to solve multi-billion dollar banking problem
Fintech startup N5 has secured the backing of a number of high profile investors.
ZENCE OBJECT secures $2.5m to commercialise sustainable materials from tea residuals
ZENCE OBJECT has secured $2.5m from the AEF Greater Bay Area Fund (AEF GBA).
OKX Ventures invests $1m funding round in Hong Kong-based AI and Web3 startup Moonbox
OKX Ventures has announced a $1m investment in Moonbox.
Brex taps Jason Mok to support the next generation of founders
Brex announced that Jason Mok has joined the team to support commitment to serving startups and their founders.
The role of crypto-friendly banks in facilitating financial inclusion, Plug and Play
Financial inclusion is a key aspect of economic growth and development.
Startups flock to too-big-fo-fail banks, Kruze Consulting
Based on data from 160+ venture fund startups and more than $2 billion in cash, startups have been flocking to the major banks
FlowX.AI raises $35m to transform application modernization at large banks
FlowX.AI announced it has raised a $35 million Series A funding round.
Proptech startup NineSmart launches contactless booking solution
With the rising demand for property technology (PropTech), NineSmart is committed to becoming a prominent solution provider in the market with advanced IoT technology.
ABBANK accelerates banking transformation with Backbase Platform in Vietnam
Backbase, the global player in Engagement Banking, has partnered An Binh Bank (ABBANK) to transform the banking experiences for millions of Vietnamese customers.
Nigerian fintech startup Moni unveils new community-powered digital loans for African SMEs
Nigerian fintech startup Moni has launched a new range of business loans targeting SMEs in Africa.
Chinese electric truck startup DeepWay raises $117m Series A+ round to accelerate mass production of smart electric heavy-duty truck
DeepWay, a smart commercial vehicle developer and manufacturer, announced it had raised $117 million Series A+ financing.
Why open finance is the future, Plug and Play
In 2018, the UK made history as the world’s first Open Banking Standard was implemented, establishing the foundations for the nation’s pioneering ecosystem and setting a blueprint for other countries.
First Citizens Bank enters into whole bank purchase of Silicon Valley Bridge Bank, N.A.
First Citizens Bank, has entered into an agreement with FDIC to purchase out of FDIC receivership substantially all loans and certain other assets, and assume all customer deposits and certain other liabilities of Silicon Valley Bridge Bank, N.A.
[Column] Takalane Khashane: Building a digital, sustainable bank for the future
Banking, like many other sectors, has responded to rapid change and evolving customer needs by developing a digital strategy.
VION Investments offers immediate funding to companies affected by SVB and Signature Bank collapse
The collapse of SVB Bank and Signature Bank, the largest such failures since 2008, have sent shockwaves through the financial markets, hitting startups and companies reliant on venture capital hardest.
Chinese Venture Capital firm CCV signs UNPRI, makes commitment to responsible, sustainable living
The United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI) has admitted CCV, an Asian-based early-stage VC firm as a signatory, making CCV one of the first Asian investment-focused signatories.
How DeFi is disrupting traditional banking and financial services
The traditional banking and financial services industry has long been the cornerstone of the global economy. It has provided access to capital, enabled trade, and facilitated financial transactions for centuries.
Hong Kong insurtech startup Bowtie appoints James Lau as Independent Non-Executive Director
Bowtie, Hong Kong’s first virtual insurer, announced the appointment of James Lau to its Board of Directors as an Independent Non-Executive Director.
Hong Kong insurtech startup Bowtie revolutionalizes traditional insurance industry with technology
In today’s digital age, many industries have begun to introduce emerging technologies to develop innovative services. The transformation and upgrading of the insurance industry is also in full swing.
Decentralized finance companies are shifting from centralization, Plug and Play
Decentralized finance, commonly referred to as DeFi, is an emerging technology aimed at building a new financial system that is open to everyone and does not depend on traditional financial intermediaries, such as banks, lenders, etc.
SC Ventures partners with Yabx to expand access to financial services in Africa
SC Ventures announced it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yabx , a company incubated by Comviva and part of the Mahindra Group, to address a deep need for responsible consumer finance in Africa.
Swiss startup Taurus raises $65m to further develop its digital asset platform, fuel international expansion
Taurus, the digital asset infrastructure provider for financial institutions in Europe, announced a $65 million Series B capital raise from strategic investors.
Spanish fintech startup Snab closes €1.1m investment round to grow its B2B payments platform
Snab, the Spanish payment platform that allows payments and transfers between companies in one click, has raised €1.1 million in its first funding round.
South African digital lender Lulalend raises $35m Series B funding to accelerate growth
Lulalend, a South African digital lender offering funding options for businesses. has raised $35 million in Series B funding to accelerate the growth of its loan book and bring new solutions to the market.
Finance software startup Quartr signs API deal with Nordnet to enhance informed investment decisions
Finance software startup Quartr signed an API deal with Nordnet, the online broker in the Nordic region, reaching almost two million customers.
[Column] Xiao Feng: The 10 principles of Web3
What is Web3? Web3 is essentially the other side of the coin in relation to blockchain technology. When we talk about blockchain, we are also talking about Web3 to a considerable extent, and vice versa.
European digital asset platform Bitpanda launches SaaS product for banks, fintechs
Bitpanda, a European digital asset platform, announced the launch of Bitpanda Technology Solutions, the most scalable Investing-as a-service infrastructure available in Europe and globally.
Plug and Play China launches call for global startup applications
Global innovation platform Plug and Play has announced a strategic partnership with the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) and launched a call for entries for the Elevator Pitching Competition 2023 (EPiC 2023).
Nigerian fintech firm TeamApt reaches annualized payments volume of $170 billion, rebrands to Moniepoint
TeamApt Incorporated, the business banking platform in Nigeria, has adopted the name of its flagship product - Moniepoint, a testament to its success as the all-in-one digital banking solution for businesses.
Beijing-based Astro-E closes seed round financing to accelerate growth
Astro-Energy Technology (Astro-E), a Chinese provider of household new energy products and systems, raised an undisclosed amount in Seed funding led by CAS Venture Capital, followed by Asia Green Fund (AGF) and Ningbo Angel Capital Guiding Fund.
Plesion Capital invests $500,000 funding in Ugandan fintech platform Xeno
Plesion Capital announced its formation as a social impact venture capital firm focused on partnering with mission-based entrepreneurs and companies to combat poverty around the world.
Mendoza Ventures closes $100m early growth fintech fund anchored by Bank of America
Mendoza Ventures, a Latinx-founded Fintech, AI, and Cybersecurity Venture Capital firm, has achieved a first close on its third fund.
Regent Bank names Peter Mullen as Director of Venture and Tech Banking
Regent Bank has named Peter Mullen Director of Venture and Tech Banking, as the migration of talent from traditional innovation hubs like the Bay Area and NYC continues to Midwestern cities.
Fintech enabler Ukheshe secures Series A funding to accelerate international expansion
Ukheshe International, the UK-headquartered division of digital-first, Banking as a Service (BaaS) enabler Ukheshe, announced the conclusion of an investment agreement that will help accelerate its international expansion.
Season Group acquires IoT tech startup Pycom to give all connected ideas an opportunity to succeed
Season Group, an international electronics design and manufacturing services provider headquartered in Hong Kong, announced its acquisition of all assets of Pycom, a full stack Internet of Things (IoT) company.
HashKey and SEBA Bank partner to accelerate institutional adoption of digital assets in Hong Kong and Switzerland
HashKey and SEBA Bank announced a partnership to leverage their digital asset service offerings as well as custody and asset management products to accelerate institutional adoption of digital assets.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Hong Kong and Singapore lead green fintech development among the five economies in the APEC region, study
GoImpact, together with The CUHK Business School, released the findings from their working paper, Exploring the Green Fintech Ecosystem in Asia: Insights from Five Economies in APEC.
GS1 Hong Kong unlocks the next generation of trade finance service for SMEs in China
GS1 Hong Kong (GS1 HK) announced it has welcomed the launch of Commercial Data Interchange (CDI) by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA).
Kenyan fintech startup Tanda announces agency banking entry in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania
Kenyan fintech startup Tanda announced plans for agency banking entry in Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania to accelerate growth within the East African markets.
Meet female scientists who develop cellular and gene therapies in China, Jiang and Zhang
Inside Namtai Inno Park in Guangming District hides a low-profile biomedical development firm; Shenzhen Wingor Biotechnology company.
Swiss settlement banking startup Arf raises $13m seed seed round to further develop its blockchain-based technology
Arf, the VQF-regulated global settlement banking platform using Web3 technologies has raised $13 million in a seed round with the participation of industry leaders.
Mobile banking fintech NorthOne raises $67m Series B funding to accelerate growth across small business communities
NorthOne announced it has raised $67 million in Series B funding. With participation from new and existing investors, NorthOne is poised to further expand the reach of its business management platform.
African fintech startup Flutterwave launches eNaira payments for businesses in Nigeria
Flutterwave, Africa's payments technology company announced its merchants can now process payments in eNaira, the Nigerian digital currency issued and distributed by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
BRV China-backed HPC-AI Tech startup completes $6m seed and angel round financing
HPC-AI Tech, an artificial intelligence high-performance optimization startup announced the closing of $6 million seed and angel rounds, with BlueRun Ventures China (BRV China) acting as the lead investor for the angel round.
African fintech startup Flutterwave secures switching and processing license from Central Bank of Nigeria
Flutterwave, Africa's payments technology company has been granted a Switching and Processing License by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), widely regarded as CBN's most valuable payments processing license.
Chinese biotech startup CellOrigin partners with Qilu Pharmaceutical to develop "off-the-shelf" CAR-iMAC cell therapy
CellOrigin Biotech has made an agreement with Qilu Pharmaceutical on strategic global collaborations to develop, manufacture and commercialize a proprietary "off-the-shelf" CAR-iMAC cell therapy.
Kenyan fintech startup Pezesha raises $11m to expand across Africa
Pezesha, a Kenyan fintech that has built a platform where small and medium enterprises can access funding, has raised $11 million in a pre-series A equity and debt funding.
Pomelo fintech launches with $20m seed capital
Pomelo announced a Series Seed of $20 million in venture capital and $50m in warehouse facility for a total of $70m in seed financing, and is the first company to combine credit and international money transfer.
Chinese Grand Pharma backs Dutch medtech Xeltis with €15m
Xeltis, a medtech company developing the most advanced polymer-based restorative cardiovascular devices, announced that a Chinese company, Grand Pharmaceutical Group, has committed to invest €15 million in equity and license fees.
Fintech startup Bizao raises €8m Series A funding to accelerate its footprint across Africa
Bizao, a fintech that facilitates payments for both local and international businesses operating in Africa, announced a €8 million Series A funding to accelerate its geographical footprint across the continent and invest in the design of new lines of products and services.
Nigerian fintech infrastructure startup Bloc acquires payments company Orchestrate
Bloc, the Nigerian fintech infrastructure provider, has announced the acquisition of Orchestrate (previously Getwallets), a proprietary payments orchestration startup that gives businesses instant access to multiple payment providers with one integration.
Social impact fintech DreamStart Labs partners with BRAC Bank to reach unbanked women in Bangladesh
DreamStart Labs, a fintech for emerging markets, and BRAC Bank, a commercial bank in Bangladesh, have entered into an agreement to provide digital financial services to unbanked women in Bangladesh.
Flagstar Bank completes third MortgageTech Accelerator program
Flagstar Bank announced it has wrapped up its third MortgageTech Accelerator program - the first and only accelerator in the United States solely dedicated to mortgage technology.
Qiming Venture Partners closes $3.2b funds to back early and growth stage tech startups in China
China based venture capital firm Qiming Venture Partners announced the closing of $3.2 billion, including USD Fund VIII at $2.5 billion and the first closing of RMB Fund VII at $700 million.
London-based fintech startup Griffin raises $15m to become the bank fintechs can build on
Griffin, a Banking as a Service (BaaS) fintech firm, announced it has raised $15.5 million funding to launch the OS for embedded finance.
African fintech Flutterwave appoints Gurbhej Dhillon as new CTO
Flutterwave, Africa’s payments technology company, announced the appointment of former Goldman Sachs’ Managing Director, Gurbhej Dhillon as Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
Nigerian fintech startup Mono launches in Kenya
Mono, a Nigerian fintech startup that builds open banking infrastructure to enable access to customer financial data and bank payments for digital businesses in Africa, announced it has expanded its services to Kenya.
Neomoon digital bank raises $850k in first seed capital investment round
Neomoon, the digital bank based on stablecoin which offers Latin Americans financial solutions to protect their money from devaluation and facilitate daily transactions, announced the closing of $850k first seed capital investment round.
Dutch-based startup Backbase raises €120m in growth equity funding
Backbase, creator of the category-leading Engagement Banking platform, raised €120 million in growth equity funding from Motive Partners.
Lummus announces successful startup of CATOFIN PDH unit in China
Lummus Technology announced the commissioning and startup of a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit at Shandong Ruize Chemical Technology's complex in China.
Chinese biotech startup Meta Pharmaceuticals raises $15m to accelerate its pipeline development
META Pharmaceuticals, China's first immunometabolism-based small-molecule drug discovery company, announced two consecutive Seed and Pre-A funding rounds totaling $15 million.
Chinese ARHUD solution provider Raythink completes Series A+ financing to accelerate mass production of in-vehicle AR displays
Raythink, the ARHUD solution provider for the automotive and transportation industry, announced it has raised around $15 million in a Series A+ funding round led by Chengwei Capital.
Dutch fintech Backbase secures €120m funding to accelerate growth
Dutch financial technology company Backbase, the creator of the category-leading Engagement Banking platform, raised €120 million in growth equity funding from Motive Partners.
BRV China-backed eVTOL startup Zerog closes $1.48m seed round to accelerate growth
Zerog, a Chinese electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developer, completed a $1.48 million seed round with BlueRun Ventures China (BRV China) as the sole investor.
Crypto Valley Venture Capital firm launches early-stage fund targeting African blockchain startups
Crypto Valley Venture Capital (CV VC), announced the launch of its African Blockchain Early-Stage Fund targeting blockchain startups from across Africa.
Banking-as-a-Service startup Unit raises $100m Series C round to accelerate product development
Unit, the banking-as-a-service platform that empowers companies to embed financial services in their products, announced it has raised a $100 million in a Series C round led by global software investor Insight Partners.
Foodtech startup Haofood partners Lawson to accelerate presence in China
Haofood, a food science and technology startup announced a new partnership with Chinese convenience store Lawson where customers will gain greater access to its products.
Biotech startup AskGene completes of $20m Series A financing to accelerate growth
AskGene, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on discovery and development of innovative biological drugs, announced the completion of $20 million in Series A financing.
Lithuanian fintech startup kevin. secures $65m to disrupt payments sector, unlock open banking
kevin., the Lithuanian fintech startup providing an advanced A2A (account-to-account) payment infrastructure to replace costly card transactions, announced it has secured $65 million in Series A funding.
SVB debuts fellowship program to foster next-gen of Black, Latinx and women venture capital leaders
SVB Financial Group (SVB), financial partner of the innovation economy and parent company of Silicon Valley Bank, announced the SVB Fellows Program, a fellowship program for Black, Latinx and women professionals.
Fintech startup Credrails partners with Access Bank to foster the future of finance in Africa
Access Bank has partnered with financial infrastructure startup Credrails to develop open finance rails that will dramatically improve the experience of banking customers across the continent.
African fintech Flutterwave goes live in Tanzania
African fintech Flutterwave announced it has gained approval from the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) to launch its payment service in the country.
Smart addressing startup OkHi secures $1.5m seed funding to drive smart address verification in Africa
Smart addressing startup, OkHi, has secured a $1.5 million seed extension, bringing the total of its seed funding to $3 million. This raise is supported by notable firms and individuals who, beyond funding, bring a wealth of expertise to OkHi.
[Kenya] Applications for 5th cohort of Standard Chartered Bank's Women in Tech program open
The Standard Chartered Bank has opened applications for the 5th cohort of its Women in Tech incubator program.
iCapital expands strategic partnership with Bank of Singapore
With the deal, iCapital takes over the management and operation of the bank’s private market feeder funds while Bank of Singapore retains client servicing responsibilities.
Cross-border fintech startup Dowsure raises $20m to fuel growth of e-Commerce sellers in China
Shenzhen-based fintech startup Dowsure Technologies, has attracted the attention of global strategic investors, fueling the growth of millions of e-Commerce sellers from China on marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, Shopee and more.
African fintech Flutterwave rebrands, introduces new products and services
African fintech startup Flutterwave has unveiled a significant re-brand and identity during the Flutterwave 3.0, virtual event held on Friday, 18th February 2022.
[African Startup Review] Pie Kamau: Nigerian fintech Flutterwave is now Africa's highest valued Unicorn
As the African fintech industry continues to bloom, so does the funding. Flutterwave has now become Africa's highest valued startup after closing $250 million Series D funding, bringing the company’s valuation to over $3 billion.
Brazilian fintech startup Trace Finance raises $4.3m seed investment to disrupt global banking for Latin American startups
Trace Finance, a Brazilian fintech startup that enables faster and more streamlined cross-border banking for startups, has announced a $4.3 million seed funding round.
Fintech startups hub Abaca crosses $2b in compliant cannabis commerce
Cannabis banking fintech company Abaca surpassed compliantly processing more than two billion dollars in commerce for the cannabis industry.
F-Prime Capital launches F-Prime Fintech Index to track the performance of disruptive fintech startups
F-Prime Capital announced the launch of The F-Prime Fintech Index, designed to track the performance of disruptive fintech companies enabling the delivery of core financial services across payments.
Bank of America commits $20m to Invest Detroit Ventures' early-stage startup fund
Invest Detroit Ventures (IDV) announced an investment from Bank of America to support IDV Fund IV, a newly-established $20 million fund that provides capital investment to Michigan startups during early, critical stages of development.
The Sandbox and Brinc announce $50m open metaverse accelerator program funding for 100 startups
The Sandbox, a decentralized gaming metaverse, has committed $50 million to Brinc, a global venture accelerator, for The Sandbox Metaverse Accelerator Program, which will target 100 startups to enhance the open metaverse.
SOMA.finance closes $6.5m seed funding round to accelerate growth
SOMA.finance, a Hong Kong and New York-based decentralized marketplace for digital assets, announced the completion of a $6.5 million seed funding round.
Canadian fintech startup Periculum launches in Nigeria to build credit assessment infrastructure for Africa
Canadian fintech startup and credit assessment company Periculum, has launched in Nigeria to tackle the challenge of domestic credit to the underserved markets.
Seattle-based fintech startup Seashell unveils inflation-resistant investment product alongside $6m seed round
Seashell, the fintech company dedicated to building a consumer-first, modern banking and investment experience, emerged from stealth with the announcement of Seashell Save.
British Fintech Farm raises $7.4m to launch Neobanks in 8 countries
Fintech Farm, a British fintech company creating neobanks in emerging markets, raised $7.4 million investment to develop its new project.
Fintech startup Rêv enters U.S. payments market with the launch of an app-based multi-currency debit account
The X World Wallet account is easy to load from a user's existing bank account(s) and is linked to physical and digital Visa cards that can be easily added to Apple, Google, and Samsung Pay digital wallets for tap and go convenience.
Chinese autonomous driving startup Haomo.AI raises nearly RMB 1 Billion, reaches Unicorn status
Beijing-based autonomous driving startup Haomo.AI has raised nearly 1 billion yuan (close to $150 million) in its Series A financing round, giving itself strong financial momentum to expand this new year.
Kenyan fintech startup Paylend raises $2m seed investment to accelerate growth
Paylend, a Kenyan fintech startup focused on providing access to finance and digitizing MSMEs in Kenya announced it has raised $2 million seed investment from Next Chymia Consulting HK Limited.
Philanthropi startup raises $4m to power charitable giving legacies of everyday donors
Philanthropi, the company revolutionizing charitable giving by democratizing philanthropy through its "giving-as-a-service" platform, announced it raised $4 million in funding from lead investor Amex Ventures.
WNS launches a suite of banking solutions to drive scalable operations for fintechs
WNS, a provider of global Business Process Management (BPM) solutions, has announced the launch of WNS FINSIBLE, a suite of banking solutions enabling FinTechs to efficiently streamline, manage and scale operations.
Dutch development bank FMO partners with VC4A to launch a Ventures Lifecycle Support project across Africa
FMO has partnered with VC4A to work with local partners across Africa to create a more efficient network of support for early-stage ventures.
Chinese gaming and entertainment startup Talon closes $5m Series A funding to accelerate growth
Talon, the Hong Kong headquartered competitive gaming, entertainment and culture brand announced it has secured $5 million in equity capital in its Series A financing round.
Illumina and Sequoia Capital select first startups to join Genomics Incubator in China
Illumina and Sequoia Capital China, an investment firm, jointly announced the selection of the first two startup companies joining the Sequoia Capital China Intelligent Healthcare Genomics Incubator, Powered by Illumina.
Israeli startup EasySend raises $55.5m to help enterprises build, maintain digital customer journeys with its no-code platform
EasySend, a no-code digital customer journey platform announced a $50.5 million Series B funding round led by Oak HC/FT. Existing investors Vertex IL, Intel Capital, and Hanaco Venture also participated in the round.
Chinese SEI Robotics partners with Silicon Valley's Medtrics to bring telemedicine service to Android TV
SEI Robotics, a global innovator of smart IOT devices & provider of Android TV platforms for Pay-TV operators (MVPD), announced its strategic partnership with Medtrics, the Silicon Valley startup, player of digital health service.
Chinese autonomous driving startup WeRide releases next-gen small, lightweight Sensor Suite 4.0
WeRide, a Chinese L4 autonomous driving company released WeRide Sensor Suite 4.0 (Suite 4.0), marking another key step towards the mass production of self-driving vehicles.
Chinese startup MioTech raises additional financing to develop sustainability innovations that support net-zero global economy
MioTech announced it has secured investments to further its commitment to develop sustainability innovations that support a net-zero global economy.
Nigerian fintech startup Brass secures $1.7m financing round
Brass, a Nigerian digital bank delivering easy access to affordable premium banking services for SMEs, secured $1.7 million in funding to address the heavily underserved banking needs of local entrepreneurs, traders, and fast-growing businesses.
Texas-based fintech startup CollateralEdge emerges from stealth with an oversubscribed $3.5m seed round
CollateralEdge, a Texas-based fintech company providing banks with a risk-mitigation tool to efficiently increase lending capacity without compromising credit quality, emerges from stealth mode with an oversubscribed $3.5 million seed round.
Chinese autonomous driving startup WeRide named "AutoTech Startup of the Year" in 2021 AutoTech Breakthrough Awards Program
WeRide, a world autonomous driving company, has been named "AutoTech Startup of the Year" in the annual AutoTech Breakthrough Awards conducted by market intelligence organization AutoTech Breakthrough.
Absa partners with Melanin Kapital to launch unsecured lending for startups in Kenya
Absa Bank Kenya has partnered with Pan African impact investment platform Melanin Kapital, to launch an investor readiness program that places startups driving social impact on the path to accessing up to KES3 million in unsecured lending.
Chinese warehouse robotics startup HAI ROBOTICS secures $200m funding to accelerate growth
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.
Chinese intelligent robotics startup Agile Robots completes Series C financing to accelerate growth
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.
Silicon Valley Bank establishes physical presence in Miami
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.
Oddup raises $12.8m Series C funding to increase access to pre-eminent global startup ecosystem insights
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.
Arab Bank launches its fintech accelerator program for startups in Egypt
Arab Bank launched its fintech-focused corporate accelerator program “AB Accelerator” in Egypt, following its successful launch in Jordan back in 2018.
Ecobank launches 2021 edition of its fintech challenge for African startups
The pan-African banking group, Ecobank group, is inviting African fintech entrepreneurs to join the 4th edition of the Ecobank Fintech Challenge.
HUAWEI partners with Singapore-based healthtech startup Plano to tackle global problem of myopia
Huawei Technologies and Plano announced a partnership to address the global problem of myopia. Through this partnership, Huawei and Plano will provide Huawei users with easy-to-use, innovative, and science-based technological solutions.
Paxos adds Bank of America, Coinbase Ventures, Founders Fund & FTX to Series D funding round
Paxos, the first regulated blockchain infrastructure platform, announced it has added strategic investors including Bank of America, Coinbase Ventures, Founders Fund and FTX to its Series D round of funding.
Hong Kong-based insurtech startup YAS MicroInsurance features in TOP 10 of Plug and Play Insurtech Batch 5 startups
Hong Kong-based next-generation Insurtech startup YAS MicroInsurance, has been featured as one of the TOP 10 of the Insurtech Batch 5 in Plug and Play APAC, a well-known global startups accelerator and innovation platform.
Banque Misr partners with Microsoft to support fintech startups in Egypt
Banque Misr signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with Microsoft Egypt to launch the first open innovation program in the Egyptian market, enabling a spurt in fintech startup growth.
Catalyst Fund announces Circle of Corporate Innovators to accelerate startup-corporate partnerships
Global inclusive tech accelerator Catalyst Fund, managed by BFA Global, today formally announced its Circle of Corporate Innovators, with its first members, Fidelity Bank, Ecobank, Sterling Bank, Access Bank and the VFD Group.
Banking as a service startup Unit raises $51m Series B funding to expand the team, accelerate growth
Unit, the banking-as-a-service startup that empowers companies to embed financial services into their products, announced it has raised a $51 million Series B led by Accel.
B9 raises $1.7m in pre-seed round to launch fintech platform to deliver full suite of personal financial services
Fintech startup B9 Inc., announced it is launching a full suite of app-based financial services. The company raised $1.7 million in an ongoing pre-seed funding round and is building out a platform to address the needs of a huge market of potential customers.
QIMA acquires stake in London-based supply chain resiliency startup Kavida.ai
QIMA, the provider of quality control and supply chain compliance solutions, announced it has invested in Kavida.ai, a London-based startup that builds supply chain digital replicas and uses artificial intelligence.
Speedaf express completes Round A+ financing to build China-Africa express brand
Speedaf express, a China-Africa integrated logistics service provider, officially announced the completion of its Round A+ financing, led by TRUSTBRIDGE, followed by Northern Light VENTURE CAPITAL, and VISION+CAPITAL on the basis of Round A.
Conquer Accelerator selects six startups for 2021 cohort
Conquer Accelerator announced its sixth season and summer 2021 cohort. The 10-week accelerator welcomes six selected teams to its East Lansing program: CrossBraining, Frizzmo, Nickels, Rebound AI, SafetySit, and Tandem.
South Korean AI startup Riiid raises $175m from SoftBank Vision Fund 2 to accelerate growth
Riiid Inc (Riiid), an AI education company and a member of Born2Global Centre, has raised $175 million investment from SoftBank Vision Fund 2.
Chinese AI robotics startup Mech-Mind completes Series C funding
Chinese AI industrial robotics startup, Mech-Mind Robotics (Mech-Mind), completed Series C funding led by tech giant Meituan, bringing Mech-Mind's total funding to over $100 million, making Mech-Mind one of the world's most funded AI+ industrial robotics startups.
Railsbank partners with UK fintech startup Finadvant to offer digital banking to SMEs
Finadvant takes advantage of Railsbank's innovative BaaS platform to secure GBP and EUR ledger technology, offering the ability for their customers to receive, send and convert payments via SWIFT and UKFP.
Treasury Prime raises $20m in insider round
Treasury Prime, the Banking as a Service (BaaS) company, announced it has completed a $20 million Series B insider round co-led by Deciens Capital and QED Investors and with participation from SaaStr Fund, and Susa Ventures.
Chinese biopharma startup Alebund Pharmaceuticals raises $60m in Series B financing round
Alebund Pharmaceuticals, a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative therapies for the treatment of renal diseases and related chronic conditions, announced the raise of $60 million in its Series B financing round.
AI-powered fintech startup Expend announces impressive start to crowdfunding campaign
Expend, the AI-powered fintech startup changing the way businesses manage expenses and spending, announced a great start to its crowdfunding campaign on Seedrs.
Revere VC raises $1.35 m seed round to give venture capital its vanguard moment
Revere VC, a San Francisco and Hong Kong based asset management firm, announced the launch of its flagship products and services; "The Portal,' a curated VC platform, and its inaugural fund strategy, 'The Prime Access Fund.'
Kenyan fintech startup Kwara selected for Japan-led Ninja Accelerator programme
Digital banking platform and fintech company Kwara has been selected for the first cohort of the Ninja Accelerator programme in Kenya.
DBSA launches second edition of the Youth Challenge in South Africa
The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), launched the second edition of the DBSA Youth Challenge, a competition aimed at harnessing innovative solutions from young people in South Africa to help address infrastructure challenges.
Fortú launches Latino digital bank, raises $5m led by Valar Ventures
Fortú announced the launch of its digital bank account focused on Latino and Hispanic U.S. residents who remain underserved by the "one size fits all" approach of traditional financial institutions.
CBK partners with E4Impact Foundation to support Kenyan fintech startups
The MoU will leverage on programs run by the two organizations. These include the E4Impact Accelerator Program, the Afro-Asia Fintech Festival and the Annual Hackathon hosted by CBK and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).
Pan-African fintech platform Appzone secures $10m Series A funding
Appzone, the Pan-African fintech software provider building proprietary solutions for the continent’s banking and payments industries, announced the close of its $10 million Series A round.
EBRD invests in Turkish fintech startup DgPays
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing a fresh boost to Turkey's technology sector by investing in DgPays, a digital payment system provider, alongside Goldman Sachs.
Kenyan agency banking startup Tanda secures funding for regional expansion
Kenyan agency banking startup Tanda announced its expanding its regional operations after closing a funding round from HAVAÍC, Zedcrest Capital, DFS Lab, Victor Asemota and 3 more investors.
Fintech startup Greenwood raises $40m in funding to provide Black and Latino banking services
Greenwood, the digital banking platform for Black and Latino individuals and business owners, announced it has closed $40 million of Series A funding from six of the seven largest U.S. banks and the top two payment technology companies.
Chinese biotech startup Bioheng raises $80m in Series B financing to advance allogeneic immuno-cell therapies
Bioheng Biotech, a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated on developing novel cellular immunotherapy for cancer, announced that it had secured $80 million in Series B Financing.
Plug and Play, Finastra partner to expand FusionFabric.cloud platform for open innovation
Plug and Play announced a collaboration with Finastra, global financial technology provider, to help expand its FusionFabric.cloud platform for open innovation.
Chinese logistics startup Duckbill closes $50m funding
Duckbill, the world container trucking/drayage service platform featuring intelligent dispatching and transportation management, announced the closing of fund raising of $50 million which marks the biggest funding in the industry.
Fintech startup Cube raises $10m Series A to expand next-geneneration CFO intelligence platform
Cube, the next-generation Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) platform for modern Finance teams, announced a Series A round of funding led by Mayfield, with participation from Bonfire Ventures and Operator Collective.
Digital payments startup AeroPay raises over $5 m venture round
AeroPay, a Chicago-based digital payments platform powering bank transfer payments for businesses, announced the closing of a $5+ million Venture Round led by Chicago Ventures, a firm that leads investments in early-stage startups.
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.
Early-stage investor DFS Lab announces fintech and digital economy design sprint for startups in Egypt
Early-stage investor DFS Lab announced it will facilitate a virtual design sprint in March 2021 for fintech startups in Egypt. The sprint is hosted by the Central Bank of Egypt, in collaboration with the Financial Regulatory Authority.
Adjuvant Capital announces $300m venture fund to improve global public health
Adjuvant Capital announced an oversubscribed $300 million fund focused on accelerating the development of medical innovations for historically overlooked public health challenges.
Proxima Ventures, Co-win Ventures invest in Bioelectronica to accelerate pharmaceutical discovery and development
Bioelectronica announced the closing of an investment by Proxima Ventures and Co-win Ventures to advance the company's innovations in digital biochemistry, from novel assay development to scalable electrofluidics.
Kids and family finance startup Goalsetter raises $3.9m seed round to accelerate subscriber growth
Goalsetter, a Black-owned kids and family finance app that provides a next-generation, education-first banking experience for U.S. kids and teens, announced its seed capital raise of $3.9 million.
Chinese venture capital firm Qiming closes RMB Fund VI at RMB 2.852 billion
Chinese venture capital firm Qiming Venture Partners announced the final closing of its RMB Fund VI at RMB 2.852 billion.
TransUnion partners with South Africa's fintech startup Fincheck to improve access to finance for consumers
Global information and insights company, TransUnion, has partnered with South Africa’s financial marketplace, Fincheck, to make credit application process easier and less frustrating for consumers.
Genomics startup NuProbe closes $42m fundraising for expansion
NuProbe, a genomics and molecular diagnostics company specialized in ultrasensitive sequencing panels, announced the closing of its oversubscribed $42 million fundraising.
Chinese iQIYI's VR startup completes Series B funding to drive innovation, expand content ecosystem
iQIYI Inc., an innovative market-leading online entertainment service in China, announced it has recently completed a multi-hundred million RMB Series B funding round for its virtual reality (VR) division iQIYI Intelligent.
[Column] Patrick Ndegwa: Celebrating startups and digital businesses that are uplifting African communities
The digital economy has opened up many opportunities for global businesses. Large enterprises and small businesses have seen increased profits and enhanced productivity due to digital innovation.
Bamboo Capital, Government of Madagascar, World Bank launch $40m energy access fund for Madagascar
Bamboo Capital Partners has been appointed by the Government of Madagascar and the World Bank as the international fund manager for the Off-Grid Market Development Fund, a $40 million renewable energy access fund.
UAE fintech startup Sarwa unveils next gen Sarwa X, announces partnership with Saxo Bank
Sarwa, online investment advisory platform for young professionals has unveiled its next-generation Sarwa X, a new product powered by a strategic partnership with Saxo Bank, a Fintech and Regtech specialist focused on multi-asset trading and investment.
Chinese autonomous truck startup Inceptio Technology raises $120m to accelerate volume production
Inceptio Technology, an autonomous truck company, announced a $120 million funding led by Contemporary Amperex Technology, developer and manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries.
British fintech startup ilumoni raises $450,000 to transform borrowing behaviours, help people repay debt
ilumoni, the fintech startup helping people to borrow better, save on unnecessary interest and time in paying off debts has raised $450,000 pre-seed investment backed by Move Ventures.
Mastercard co-innovates with 10 new fintechs to reshape the future of commerce
Mastercard has welcomed 10 fintechs from around the world to participate in its startup engagement program, Start Path, to scale the future of commerce.
Luxury e-commerce startup ShopWorn enters Asia with Hong Kong satellite
ShopWorn, e-commerce destination for well-priced, guaranteed authentic luxury brands opened a Hong Kong satellite location to directly service APAC countries, with an initial focus on the Greater China area.
[Startup Interview] Jeremy Mah, CEO, NeuXP, Malaysia
NeuXP is an integrated digital banking startup based in Malaysia that is positioning itself as the amazon of banking by providing a complete ecosystem with innovative services and leading-edge financial management tools.
Greenwood closes $3m seed round to build online banking solution for Blacks and Latinx
Greenwood has secured $3 million in seed funding from private investors as the first digital banking platform for Black and Latinx people and business owners.
Texas-based startup Viva First launching new mobile bank for Latinos in the U.S.
Texas-based startup, Viva First, is launching a new mobile bank with the Latino community in mind, all 52 million in the United States.
U.S. fintech startup DoubleChec appoints Bill Amelio as Co-CEO and Executive Chairman
DoubleCheck, financial technology startup, announced the appointment of Bill Amelio as Co-Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman.
Alfa Bank, Plug and Play collaborate on innovation in Fintech
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.
Fintech startup KodyPay raises £1.8m to transform payments industry
London based fintech startup KodyPay, raised £1.8 million to transform the payments industry, allowing users to pay for goods in-store without queueing thereby making shopping a prompt and effortless process.
Flagstar Bank now accepting applications for MortgageTech Accelerator Program
Flagstar Bank and the Fintech Consortium are accepting applications for the Flagstar MortgageTech Accelerator Program now through Sept. 30.
Spain's Banco Santander spins out fintech venture capital arm, doubles allocated funds to $400m
Banco Santander announced the launch of Mouro Capital, a new, autonomously managed venture capital fund focused on fintechs and adjacent businesses linked with the financial services industry.
Smart consumer technology startup Dreame raises $14.6m in Series B+ funding
Dreame Technology (Dreame), a smart consumer technology company specializing in cordless vacuum cleaners, robot vacuum cleaners and mops, announced it raised $14.6 million in its Series B+ funding led by IDG Capital.
CaixaBank launches open innovation program to support startups in Spain and Portugal
CaixaBank has launched a new open innovation program to support startups in Spain and Portugal called the DayOne Open Innovation Program.
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.
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.
New York fintech startup CMG raises $25m to digitally connect equity capital markets participants
Capital Markets Gateway (CMG), a New York based financial technology firm modernizing the equity capital markets (ECM) announced it received a strategic investment of $25 million from several financial firms.
Nigerian fintech startup Wallets Africa raises undisclosed amount for African expansion
Nigerian fintech startup Wallets Africa has raised an undisclosed amount of funding to expand its operations and continue its quest to become Africa’s foremost borderless digital payments platform.
Egypt fintech startup MoneyFellows nabs $4 million to drive financial inclusion
Egyptian fintech startup MoneyFellows has secured $4 million in Series A investment from venture capital firms Partech and Sawari Ventures.
French based startup ubble raises €10 million, partners with Bpifrance
ID verification startup ubble successfully raised funds from Partech and Breega to complete its seed round, bringing its total financing to more than €10 million.
Memo Bank becomes first independent bank launched in France, closes $23 million funding round
French startup Memo Bank has become the first independent bank to emerge in France in half a century and it aims to support the growth and digital transformation of French and European small and medium-sized enterprises.
Paypal invests in Sweden fintech startup Tink to grow European footprint
Paypal has invested €90 million in Stockholm-based fintech Tink and entered into a strategic agreement with the startup.
EBRD, Wise Guys startup enter Fintech accelerator partnership
Start-ups across the regions where the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) invests will benefit from a new partnership between the Bank and Startup Wise Guys, a leading start-up accelerator with a presence across the Baltic states.
Iceland startup Meninga raises €8.5 million to grow digital banking offering
Iceland-based Meniga has closed a €8.5 million strategic investment that will be used for continued investment in its research and development activities.
Mitsui Chemicals, UNEP support Asian startups helping reduce plastic waste
Mitsui Chemicals announced that it has selected three innovative Asian startups to receive support under the Asia–Pacific Low-Carbon Lifestyles Challenge (APLCLC), a program run by the United Nations Environment Programme.
Nigeria fintech startup Carbon launches new social banking service
Carbon in an effort to improve the experience of its customers, has launched Carbon Express - A keyboard extension that allows customers to access Carbon services from within whatever app they are using.
Intel Capital invests $132 million in 11 disruptive technology startups
Intel Capital, the global investment arm of tech giant Intel has invested $132 million in 11 technology startups.
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