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San Francisco, London among most developed venture capital cities in the world, report
This dashboard leverages PitchBook data and PitchBook Institutional Research Group methodology to provide a consistently updated ranking system for the size, maturity, and growth rates of the VC ecosystem in leading cities around the world.
Global co-working spaces market to reach $48.1 billion by 2030, study
The global market for coworking spaces is experiencing rapid growth, driven by the evolving dynamics of today's workforce, technological advancements, and shifts toward more agile work cultures.
[Kenya] Livestock sector players review investment opportunities, challenges in unique forum
With the demand for livestock products projected to grow by up to 50% by 2030, there’s a clear opportunity for strategic investments to drive growth and innovation in the sector.
Rwandan female researchers selected for food systems policy fellowship
The AWARD Policy Fellowship is cultivating a growing pool of African women in the policy field to catalyze the design and implementation of gender-responsive agricultural policies across Africa.
Kenya startups raised the highest amount of funding in Africa in 2023, report
For some time now, Nigeria has always received the biggest share of startup investments, however, in 2023, Kenya overtook the West African country, gaining the highest amount of tech funds on the continent.
[Free Webinar] Accelerating FX Success: Expansion Strategies for Marketing Agencies in Eastern, Western Africa
This event is tailored for marketing executives and CFOs looking to gain actionable insights into international expansion, building a global clientele and establishing strong online presence.
Nigerian mobility startup Mecho Autotech raises $2.4m, ventures into wholesale spare parts distribution
Nigerian mobility startup Mecho Autotech, has closed $2.4m pre-Series A investment.
Investor-founder disconnect poses major threat to African tech funding
African tech investors will not invest follow-on funding in a startup failing to provide regular reporting updates.
Nigeria's Treepz among startups selected for 2023 VC4A Venture Showcase Africa
Treepz hes been selected to participate in VC4A Venture Showcase Africa.
Generative AI has become an emerging risk for enterprises, Gartner survey
The availability of generative AI became a top concern for enterprise risk executives.
Nigerian mobility fintech Moove secures $76m funding for global expansion
Nigerian mobility fintech Moove, has secured $76 million in new funding.
Closing the capital gap on impact investment in Africa, report
African fund managers face unique obstacles that impede their access to capital for social impact.
Nigeria's Remedial Health raises $12m to deliver financial services for neighborhood pharmacies
Remedial Health has secured $12m in an equity and debt funding round.
Ayoba, Adanian Labs launch accelerator programme in Nigeria
Ayoba has partnered with Adanian Labs to launch an SME accelerator program in Nigeria.
German healthcare investor SHS Capital acquires majority stake in CAM Bioceramics
German healthcare specialist SHS Capital is investing in CAM Bioceramics to fuel growth
New PitchBook survey finds majority of venture capitalists have invested in AI
PitchBook has released findings from a new survey in partnership with Collision.
Nigerian healthtech startup Helium Health raises $30m Series B funding
Helium Health announced it has raised $30 million in Series B funding.
Africa among top 3 regions prone to mobile financial scam, report
Throughout 2022 and the first quarter of 2023, 14% of installs of potentially unwanted mobile financial apps on Android phones were made.
Nigeria's regtech startup Youverify launches its full cycle compliance solutions in Kenya
Youverify has officially entered the Kenyan market.
7 in 10 UK tech workers consider hybrid working a key factor when considering a future employer, report
Techspace has released The Scaleup Culture Report, a national report diving into the current state of workplace culture across the UK tech industry.
Nigerian cold-chain startup Gricd rebrands as Figorr, secures $1.5m seed funding to support data-driven insurance for perishable goods in Africa
Gricd, a technology company that develops Internet of Things-powered solutions to support the last-mile delivery of perishable goods, has secured $1.5m seed funding.
Nigerian fintech startup Grey expands into Kenya
Nigerian fintech startup Grey has picked Kenya as its East African Hub as it expands operations in the largest economy in the East African Community.
Dairy Runway program launches to provide education and support for early-stage dairy innovators
Cornell University's Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA) and the Northeast Dairy Foods Research Center have launched the Dairy Runway program, an entrepreneurship curriculum for dairy innovators.
Nigerian payments startup Nomba raises $30m pre-Series B funding round
Nigerian payment service provider Nomba has raised a $30 million pre-Series B funding round to support the delivery of bespoke payment solutions for African businesses.
GRASP fellowship invests in African women researchers
The Kenyan women, and others selected for the GRASP Fellowship, are set to participate in a series of interventions, including leadership and mentoring training, designed to enable them to become more effective policy practitioners
Nigerian fintech firm Zone adopts ThetaRay AI Solution to screen payments
Zone (formerly Appzone) and ThetaRay announced they will collaborate to implement ThetaRay’s cloud-based SONAR solution to monitor and screen Zone’s transactions in Nigeria for illicit activities and sanctions violations.
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.
Fertility treatments aren't just for the 1%, Sunfish
Sunfish, a fintech company founded last year, aims to make fertility treatments more accessible and has recently designed a new product to help reduce the cost of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
[Interview] Ayodeji Ayorinde, Co-founder, Artisankonect, Nigeria
Artisankonect is a Nigerian startup that helps outsource user requests to skilled persons. Startup Weekly chats with Ayodeji Ayorinde, one of the Founders.
Nigerian government launches $672 million fund to support tech startups
The government of Nigeria has set aside $672 million fund to support young investors in the tech and creative industries.
[Interview] Joel Daniel, Founder, Solutions Platforms, Nigeria
Joel Daniel is the founder of Solutions Platforms, a company that grooms young people to succeed and have global relevance by leveraging its various programs designed to foster international education.
[Column] Gur Geva: How biometrics can fuel inclusive growth in Nigeria’s ICT sector
Nigeria is at an inflection point where it needs to adopt enabling technologies at scale to support high growth in the telecommunications and digital sectors.
[Interview] Chris Okoro, CEO, Eunisell Interlinked, Nigeria
Chris Okoro is an entrepreneur and business strategist skilled in the Financial Services and Engineering sector. He's currently the Managing Director and CEO of Eunisell Interlinked, Nigeria.
African fintech Flutterwave secures two additional licenses in Rwanda
Flutterwave, Africa's payments technology company, has announced that it has received its Electronic Money Issuer and Remittance Licenses from the National Bank of Rwanda.
5 innovation metrics (KPIs) every CEO should care about, Plug and Play
Are your innovative strategies paying off? As a CEO, innovating is part of the job description - but do you know if it's actually making a difference in your company? It’s time to get down to data-driven business.
[Interview] Jesse Onomiwo, Co-founder, Autosparkle, Nigeria
Autosparkle is part of Riltouche and Sparkles, a company dedicated to building the largest chain of the most eco-friendly cleaning solutions out of Africa.
Mexican TV audiences back AI dubbing over subtitles, report
The world's biggest entertainment distributors could win over millions of TV viewers currently swerving non-domestic content by deploying AI dubbing, new research suggests.
[Interview] Fedir Ted Martynov, CEO, CARMACHAIN, Nigeria
Ted Martynov leads CARMACHAIN, a fintech outfit operating in Nigeria that enables credit data for lenders in markets underserved by credit bureaus.
Renewable energy startup PAM Africa launches first ever net zero villages in Nigeria
PAM Africa, a Nigerian renewable energy startup has launched Net-Zero Villages (NZVs) consisting of a community that is designed with a whole system thinking approach to offset more greenhouse gases (GHG) than it produces.
[Interview] David Galadima, Founder, Graemoh Foods, Nigeria
Passionate about sustainable agriculture, aquaculture and food security in Africa, David Galadima is the Founder of fast growing agriculture and processing company, Graemoh Foods, operating out of the northern state of Kaduna, Nigeria.
CcHUB launches $15m accelerator for edtech startups in Kenya and Nigeria
Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB), touted as Africa’s largest innovation and incubation hub, announced it is launching a $15 million accelerator program for targeting edtech startups.
To stay competitive, startups must combat gender diversity debt, study
Entrepreneurship is booming, but women are underrepresented among its founders, investors and employees. A recent study investigates entrepreneurship's gender "diversity debt," a demographic disparity that can be difficult and costly to remedy.
[Interview] Seyi J. Matanmi, Founder, Hosteet, Nigeria
Seyi J. Matanmi is a technology product developer and entrepreneur. Educated in software development, research and analytics, he currently leads the cloud services outfit, Hosteet, operating out of Lagos, Nigeria.
Nigerian fintech startup Trade Lenda raises $520K in pre-seed round to accelerate growth
Trade Lenda, a Nigerian fintech startup that helps micro, small, and informal retailers with access to financing for their business needs, has raised $520K in pre-seed funding to speed its growth.
Nigerian fintech Flutterwave expands into North Africa with new Egypt payments licenses
Flutterwave, Africa's payments technology company, has announced that it has received its Payment Services Provider and Payments Facilitator licenses in Egypt.
Kenyan government drops fraud charges against Nigerian fintech Flutterwave
The Kenyan government has dropped charges of financial impropriety against Flutterwave, according to a new report by Bloomberg.
12 African startups selected for Techstars Accelerator program in Lagos, Nigeria
ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, a Lagos-based program to build early-stage African fintech and proptech startups has announced its inaugural class. The cohort is made up of ten Nigerian and two Kenyan startups, with 50% female CEOs.
Startup Genome partners with Endeavor to research the Detroit region's entrepreneurial ecosystem
Startup Genome and Endeavor are working together to study and support the Detroit region's entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem development.
Michigan State University biotech startup Iaso Therapeutics closes $1.25m equity series seed preferred financing
Iaso Therapeutics closed the first tranche of the company's $1.25 million series seed preferred round of financing.
African tech ecosystem raised $6.5 billion in 2022, report
Partech Africa, the VC fund dedicated to technology startups in Africa, has issued its annual report on Africa Tech Venture Capital, which reveals that despite the global VC downturn, the African tech ecosystem grew faster than all other markets globally.
5 key insurance industry trends in EMEA region according to Plug and Play
Insurance industry trends over the past year have been significant, especially across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region.
YouBiz research reveals key trends and challenges facing Southeast Asian SMEs in 2023
YouBiz, the SME spend management platform by YouTrip, launched its first whitepaper studying emerging business spending trends and key business priorities for SME in 2023.
Innovation scale-up Wazoku launches Mindpool SME to help small businesses capture employee insights
Innovation scale-up Wazoku announced it has launched Mindpool SME, an employee insights dashboard that makes it simpler & faster for SMEs to listen to, understand, and act on employee insights.
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.
Healthcare venture capital fundraising and investment remained strong in 2022, SVB reports
SVB released its 12th annual Healthcare Investments and Exits Report which shows venture capital fundraising and investment persisted in 2022.
Nigerian agritech startup Releaf secures $3.3m pre-Series A funding, unveils new technologies to drive profitability for consumer goods manufacturers
Releaf, a Nigerian agritech startup, has raised $3.3 million in an oversubscribed pre-Series A funding round.
For women entrepreneurs, the West is the new promised land, report
America's original Westward Expansion was led by entrepreneurs of the day noticing great economic opportunities out of the West. A study by MerchantMaverick.com shows that a new slew of opportunities are appearing in Western states for women entrepreneurs.
[Startup Interview] James Adebisi, Founder, Oruis Medical, Nigeria
Orius Medical is a Nigerian health startup that provides mental care and support through psychotherapy and mental health education.
Nigerian online furniture store Taeillo raises $2.5m for expansion
Nigerian online store Taeillo, announced a $2.5 million funding round from Aruwa Capital, a growth equity and early-stage investor.
African tech startup SeamlessHR picks Nairobi as its East African Hub
Nigeria’s tech startup SeamlessHR has launched its offices in the Kenyan market, choosing Nairobi as its East African Hub.
First investment of Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund goes to Aruwa Capital Management
The first investment of the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund has gone to Aruwa Capital Management, a gender-lens $20 million fund dedicated to Nigeria's SMEs, managed by a first-time woman-led fund manager.
Nigerian foodtech Orda raises $3.4m seed round to digitize African restaurants
Nigerian foodtech platform Orda announced has raised a $3.4 million seed round to further digitize food businesses across the continent.
AWARD selects 50 African women for fellowship on improving policy in the agri-food systems
Inspired by the flagship AWARD Fellowship Model, the Gender Responsive Agriculture Systems Policy (GRASP) Fellowship, aims to grow a pool of confident and capable African women to lead policy changes to improve African smallholders’ livelihoods.
Nigerian fintech startup Pivo raises $2m seed round to accelerate growth
Nigerian fintech startup Pivo, announced the closing of $2 million seed round with participation from Precursor Ventures, Vested World, Y Combinator, FoundersX and existing investor, Mercy Corp Ventures.
New Adevinta Ventures report reveals that B2B Marketplaces outperform other tech segments in VC funding
Adevinta Ventures, the early-stage investment arm of Adevinta, an online classifieds specialist, is launching a new B2B marketplaces report.
[Column] Natalia Ahmadian: Four ways to accelerate tech transfer in Europe
The importance of university spin-offs has been recognized for decades. Several studies showed that Tech Transfer is beneficial for social welfare and entrepreneurial activity
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.
CardinalStone Capital Advisers announces $6m investment in Nigerian healthtech startup AfyA Care
West African private equity fund manager, CardinalStone Capital Advisers (CCA), has announced a $6 million investment in Nigeria's healthtech startup AfyA Care.
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
Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa lead fintech growth in Africa, Mastercard
A report by payment services company Mastercard has revealed that South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya are among the most vibrant fintech markets in the continent.
Fintech emerging as Africa’s most vibrant sector, study
Fintech startups in Africa grew 81% in 2021, with South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya emerging as key hubs on the continent, found a Mastercard study on the state of fintech in 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.
Nigerian social commerce startup Bumpa raises $4m seed funding to build the future of commerce for African sellers
Nigerian social commerce startup Bumpa announced it has raised $4 million seed round led by Base10 Partners, the largest black-led fund in the world, with participation from Plug & Play Ventures.
President Buhari signs Nigeria Startup Bill into law
Nigeria has become the latest country to pass a Startup Bill, giving a more formal approach to how the startup ecosystem is governed.
Nigerian mobility fintech Moove raises £15m financing facility to scale UK operations
Moove announced it has raised £15 million in financing from Emso Asset Management to scale up its UK operations following a successful launch in August.
Nigerian healthtech startup Lifestores raises $3m to expand its pharmaceutical marketplace
Nigerian healthtech startup Lifestores Healthcare has raised $3 million for expansion across the country in a pre-Series A funding round.
Novo Seeds portfolio company NMD Pharma reports positive top-line Phase I/IIa data in myasthenia gravis
Novo Holdings announced that its portfolio company NMD Pharma, reported positive top-line results from a Phase I/IIa clinical trial for its lead asset, NMD670.
London-based Pheon Therapeutics launches with $68m financing to advance novel ADC for treatment of solid tumors
Pheon Therapeutics (Pheon), an ADC specialist developing next generation ADCs for a wide range of hard-to-treat cancers has launched, following the closing of a $68 million Series A financing.
Nigerian fintech startup Kippa launches business registration platform to support SMEs
Nigerian fintech startup Kippa has launched Kippa Start, a business registration platform to enable Nigerian MSMEs scale through their businesses.
Healthtech startup Remedial Health secures $4.4m to provide access to credit for pharmacies in Nigeria
Remedial Health, a healthtech startup that develops solutions to make Africa’s pharmaceutical value chain more efficient, has raised $4.4 million in seed funding to accelerate its expansion across Nigeria.
Nigerian blockchain payments startup Bitmama closes $2m pre-seed round to scale growth
Nigerian blockchain payments startup Bitmama announced a pre-seed extension of $1.65 million, adding to the $350,000 it received last October, thus closing the round at $2 million led by Unicorn Growth Capital and Launch Africa.
Ghanaian health tech startup mPharma acquires majority stake in Nigeria’s HealthPlus
Ghanaian health tech startup mPharma has acquired a majority stake in HealthPlus, a pioneer pharmacy chain in Nigeria.
French biotech startup Tridek-One closes €16m to develop first-in-class immune checkpoint agonists
Tridek-One, a Paris-based biotech startup specialized in the research and development of CD31 agonists to restore the immune balance, announced it has closed a €16 million financing round led by the Swiss VC Pureos Bioventures.
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.
Nigerian fintech startup Kippa raises $8.4m seed round to accelerate growth
Nigerian fintech startup Kippa has raised $8.4 million in an oversubscribed seed round led by Goodwater Capital, TEN13 VC, Rocketship VC, Saison Capital, Crestone VC, VentureSouq, Horizon Partners, and Vibe Capital.
Finnish biotech startup Onego Bio secures €4.5m additional funding to accelerate Research & Development
Business Finland, a public organization under the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy, has awarded a grant of additional €4.5 million for Onego Bio's research and development work.
Nigerian fintech startup NowNow raises $13m seed round to expand across Africa
Nigerian fintech startup NowNow Digital Systems has raised $13 million in its seed round for expansion across Africa.
Fintech startup Duplo raises $4.3m seed funding to transform business-to-business payments in Nigeria
Duplo, a business-to-business payment platform that makes it easier for African businesses of all sizes to pay each other, has raised $4.3 million in seed funding to launch new products and expand into new business verticals in Nigeria.
BioInnovation Institute announces new cohort of companies entering the Venture Lab program
BioInnovation Institute (BII), an international commercial non-profit foundation incubating and accelerating world-class life science research, announced the latest cohort of participants in its Venture Lab acceleration program for early-stage startups.
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.
Nigerian mobility fintech Moove joins forces with Uber UK to bring electric vehicles to London
Nigerian fintech moblity startup Moove has announced its launch in London as part of its global expansion through a new partnership with Uber.
Nigerian fintech startup Grey raises $2m to simplify cross-border payments across Africa
Nigerian fintech startup Grey has raised $2 million in seed funding to simplify cross-border payments across Africa. The seed funding round included participation from Y Combinator, Soma Capital, Heirloom Fund and other high-profile investors.
Nigerian B2B e-Commerce startup Omnibiz raises $15m for expansion
Nigerian B2B e-Commerce startup Omnibiz has raised $15 million pre-Series A round ($5 million equity and $10 million debt) led by Timon Capital, Ventures Platform, Lofty Inc, Chapel Hill Denham, Chandaria Capital and Musha Ventures.
Early-stage startups don't stand to benefit from Inflation Reduction Act, Kruze Consulting
The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 doubles the R&D Tax Credit from $250,000 to $500,000, a popular tax credit used by unprofitable startups. However, an analysis by Kruze Consulting shows that the earliest-stage startups will likely not benefit from this increased credit.
Nigerian last-mile delivery startup Kwik launches in Ibadan
Nigerian last-mile delivery startup Kwik Delivery announced it has officially launched its innovative and just-in-time delivery solutions to merchants, entrepreneurs, businesses, government agencies and social vendors in Ibadan.
Immigrants have started more than half of America's billion-dollar startup companies, study
Immigrants have started more than half (319 of 582, or 55%) of America's startup companies valued at $1 billion or more, according to a new study from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), a nonpartisan research organization.
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.
Yamaha partners with Nigerian startup MAX for vehicle financing and maintenance
Moto Business Service Nigeria (MBSN), a subsidiary of Japan’s Yamaha Motor Corporation, announced a strategic partnership with Metro Africa Xpress (MAX), to finance and maintain over 50,000 vehicles over the next 2 years.
Nigerian fintech startup CARMACHAIN hits over 80 million consumer profiles
Nigerian fintech startup CARMACHAIN announced it has hit over 80 million consumer profiles. This milestone is a major move for CARMACHAIN as it takes another step forward in realising its mission of decentralising data.
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.
BII invests $20m in African mobility fintech Moove to strengthen the informal transport industry
The British International Investment (BII), the UK government’s Development Finance Institution (DFI), announced a $20 million, 4-year structured credit investment in Moove, a mobility fintech democratising access to vehicle ownership in Africa.
Nigerian Lab testing startup HealthTracka raises $1.5m funding for expansion to Kenya and Ghana
Nigerian at-home lab testing startup HealthTracka has raised $1.5 million in funding to expand its operations into Kenya and Ghana. The pre-seed funding which was led by Ingressive Capital.
Nigerian fintech firm VeendHQ secures $330k pre-seed investment to expand operations, scale growth
Nigerian fintech firm VeendHQ announced it has secured $330k pre-seed fund, backed by Magic Fund, The Oak Capital, Future Africa, Berrywood Capital and other angel investors, to expand its operations and scale growth.
Alien Invasive Fruit Flies project comes to the rescue of Southern Africa mango farmers
In a bid to tame the voracious flies, the Alien Invasive Fruit Flies project in Southern Africa has come up with five technologies as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) package.
[Interview] Michelle Matthews, Director, Viridian, South Africa
Following the rising levels of unemployment among young South Africans, the UK-South Africa Tech Hub Launch League initiative undertook a research project.
African tech startup funding will double by 2025, research
African business leaders are forecasting a surge in spending on tech start-ups as foreign direct investment and improved internet connectivity helps establish the continent as a tech superpower, new research for blockchain-based mobile network operator World Mobile shows.
Nigerian fintech startup Indicina raises $3m seed funding to expand into other African markets
Nigerian fintech startup Indicina announced it has raised $3 million in seed funding round to foster its commitment to the credit value chain.
Constant Ventures launches $100m venture capital fund to invest in tech startups across West Africa
Constant Ventures, a part of the Constant Group, is raising a $100 million venture capital fund to invest across a range of technology startups with a focus on financial inclusion, education and healthcare.
Nigerian edtech startup Afrilearn attracts UNICEF Innovation Fund
Nigerian edtech startup Afrilearn has emerged as the only Nigerian startup to join the latest cohort of the UNICEF Venture Fund.
Birmingham-based startup Astound raises $1m seed round to improve university access to corporate-sponsored research funding
Astound, a Birmingham-based startup, secured $1 million in seed funding to develop the first marketplace to allow research institutions and universities to easily find corporate sponsors.
Biotech startup Transine Therapeutics closes £13.7m seed round to accelerate its platform and portfolio development
Transine Therapeutics (Transine), a biotechnology company, announced it has successfully raised £4.6 million in additional seed funding.
Nigerian fintech startup Grey partners with Cellulant for East Africa expansion
Nigerian fintech startup Grey, announced the launch of its service to East Africa starting with Kenya in partnership with payments company, Cellulant.
Nigerian retail tech startup TradeDepot appoints Chidi Akubuiro as Managing Director for West Africa
TradeDepot, a B2B e-Commerce and embedded finance platform in Africa, has appointed former Coca Cola HBC and Hayat Kimya Nigeria Executive, Chidi Akubuiro as its Managing Director for West Africa.
Nigerian trade tech firm Norebase raises $1m pre-seed round to scale African growth
Norebase, a Nigeria-based trade technology firm announced it has secured $1 million pre-seed funding round, co-led by Samurai Incubate and Consonance Investment.
Breakthrough Properties raises $3b to develop next-gen life science ecosystems
Breakthrough Properties, a joint venture of Tishman Speyer and Bellco Capital, announced the final closings for the Breakthrough Life Science Property Fund.
CcHUB, Google unveil 9 startups selected for the Fintech Incubation Programme
Nigeria’s technology innovation centre Co-creation Hub (CcHUB) in collaboration with Google, Ministry of ICT and Innovation Rwanda, and Mojaloop Foundation, announced the nine startups selected for the Fintech Incubation Programme
Insurtech startup ETAP secures $1.5m pre-seed funding to drive car insurance penetration in Africa
ETAP, an insurtech startup that makes it easier to buy and claim insurance, has secured $1.5 million in pre-seed funding to grow its team and drive the adoption of much-needed car insurance across Africa.
French AI startup Kryptview raises $650k in pre-seed to develop community-driven crypto research platform
Kryptview, a collective intelligence platform that provides peer-reviewed research for digital assets, announced the closure of its pre-seed round, raising $650,000 from crypto technology companies.
Startups increasingly use memorable, key-word rich descriptive domain names to stand out from competitors, study
TrueName, a global leader in descriptive domains, announced that more startups are choosing descriptive domains than in previous years per recent data by Marc Köhlbrugge.
Nigerian fintech startup ImaliPay closes $3m seed funding to bring financial services to gig workers
Nigerian fintech startup ImaliPay has closed $3 million seed funding round to bring financial services to gig workers.
What Africa requires to attain sustainable and effective food systems
A variety of factors constrain those who are reliant on farming for their livelihoods – particularly smallholders, including women and youth – from stepping up or stepping in to agriculture.
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.
Nigerian B2B startup Kwik closes $2m Series A round to digitize informal African trade
French-Nigerian B2B startup Kwik, a fast-growing provider of SaaS logistics services to social vendors and e-commerce platforms in Africa, has announced that it successfully closed its $2 million Series A round.
Nigerian Big Cabal Media raises $2.3m to fuel audience growth and build new verticals
Big Cabal Media [BCM], a pan-African media company headquartered in Nigeria, has announced the close of its Seed Series fundraising round at $2.3million, led by MaC Venture Capital.
Swiss edtech startup Alphacruncher raises €1.45m for global rollout of research cloud workspace product
Swiss edtech startup Alphacruncher has raised €1.45 million funding from Austrian venture capital firm Alpine Equity, NGM, private investors and existing users, to enable the global rollout of its education and research cloud workspace product, Nuvolos.
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.
Salary on-demand startup Cadana partners with Flutterwave to expand into Nigeria
Cadana, the salary on-demand startup has expanded operations into Nigeria following a strategic partnership with Flutterwave, Africa’s leading payments technology company.
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.
Nigerian fintech startup Earnipay raises $4m to provide on-demand salary to workers
Nigerian fintech startup Earnipay which provides flexible and on-demand salary access to income-earners has closed a seed round of $4 million.
Remedial Health joins Y Combinator, raises $1m pre-seed funding to digitize Africa's neighbourhood pharmacies
Remedial Health, a healthtech startup that develops solutions to make Africa’s pharmaceutical sector more efficient, has raised $1 million in pre-seed funding to roll out its digital procurement.
Achieving inclusive cocoa and palm oil commercialization in West Africa
Abugre also noted that questions remain with regards to the future of cocoa production given global price trends, climate change, farmers stepping into the sector, and income distribution effects at the local level.
Nigerian healthtech startup Reliance Health raises $40m Series B funding to accelerate growth
Reliance Health, an emerging markets-focused digital healthcare provider, announced the completion of a $40 million Series B funding round led by General Atlantic, a global growth equity investor, with participation from Partech.
Casava secures $4m pre-seed funding to provide micro insurance for millions of Nigerians
Casava, Nigeria's digital insurance company has secured $4 million in pre-seed funding to provide affordable and accessible insurance products for millions of Nigerians.
Nigerian proptech startup Seso Global launches regional offices in US and the UK
To better engage with communities in the diaspora, Nigerian proptech startup Seso Global has launched regional offices in the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK).
Nigerian fintech startup P2vest records 100,000 users on its platform
Nigerian fintech startup P2vest Technology announced that its peer-to-peer lending application, P2Vest has hit 100,000 users with access to quick loans.
[Kenya] Sankore announces pitch competition targeting blockchain startups
Nairobi-headquartered blockchain community Sankore is launching the Sankore Pitch Competition Tour (PCT) in Nairobi.
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.
Kenyan BNPL startup Lipa Later secures $12m funding to expand across Africa
Lipa Later, one of it’s kind buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) company operating in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Nigeria, has raised $12 million from a consortium of investors.
Nigerian last-mile delivery startup Kwik reaches 100,000 customers, announces over 400% GMV and revenue growth for 2021
Nigeria's last-mile delivery startup Kwik Delivery, trading name of Africa Delivery Technologies SAS, announced its GMV and revenue for 2021 grew by over 400% year on year.
Israel tech startups raised $25.4 billion in 2021, report
The unprecedented figure represents a 136% increase over last year, which concluded with a full-year total of $10.8 billion raised.
African scientists make a case for home grown research on continent’s food systems
A storytelling event organized by African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), saw four accomplished African researchers working on agriculture and food security share their personal journeys in agricultural research, and discuss how they are working to transform farming on the continent.
Nigeria tech startups raised $1.7billion in 2021, report
Since the beginning of 2021, Africa-based tech startups have raised more than $2.9 billion with Nigerian startups which are creating new products, services, and platforms raising $1.7 billion of this total or about 60% of it, a new report has found.
Nigeria's Ventures Platform closes first $40m pan-African fund
Nigeria-based Ventures Platform has announced the first close of its $40 million pan-African fund to invest in market-creating innovations across Africa.
The University of Nairobi and Elgon Kenya to develop agriculture technology and innovation centre
The agriculture sector in Kenya has received a major boost following a partnership between two leading institutions to set up a technology and innovation centre, the first of its kind in East Africa.
Africa-focused edtech startup Edukoya raises $3.5m pre-seed round to accelerate growth
Edukoya, an Africa-focused online learning platform, has raised $3.5 million in a pre-seed round led by Target Global with strategic participation from angel investors including European and African founders.
Nigeria’s auto financing startup Autochek begins loan services for new cars
In what it says is to further deepen mobility, Autochek Africa, the leading auto tech platform, has launched a dedicated brand new cars section on the Autochek website and mobile app.
Adanian Labs opens January 2022 cohort applications for its Venture Building Program
Adanian Labs has launched the Adanian Labs Venture Building Program call for startups for 2022. The program invites applications from tech entrepreneurs for the 2022 cohort of exceptional startups to join Adanian Labs in Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Nigeria and South Africa.
Netherlands emerging as 'Hottest Tech Hub' in Europe, not reaching its full potential yet, report
Atomico, an international investment firm that focuses on helping disruptive technology companies scale globally, announced that the Netherlands is emerging as Europe's hottest tech hub.
Nigerian B2B e-Commerce startup TradeDepot raises $110m to extend ‘Buy-Now-Pay-Later’ services to African retailers
TradeDepot, the B2B e-Commerce and embedded finance platform in Africa, has raised $110 million in an equity and debt funding round to support the delivery of Buy-Now-Pay-Later services to SME retailers.
Nigerian autotech startup Fixit45 acquires Parkit, unveils subscription-based VIP programme
Nigeria’s autotech platform, Fixit45 announced the acquisition of Parkit, a network of tech-enabled autocare and car wash centres.
Agritech startup FarmSense receives $2.2m SBIR funding for development of biosecurity measures against native and invasive pests
FarmSense, the agritech startup and creator of Smart Flight Sensors, announced it has been awarded Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funds in the amount of more than $2.2 million.
Africa-based cryptocurrency exchange Busha raises $4.2m seed round to deepen its market positioning
Africa-based cryptocurrency exchange Busha, raised $4.2 million seed round led by Jump Capital. Cadenza Ventures, Blockwall Capital, CMT Digital, Greenhouse Capital, Raba Capital, and other investors also participated in the financing round.
Retail media research startup Future Commerce announces launch of weekly podcast
Infinite Shelf recognizes that digital media and eCommerce tactics and strategies are no longer confined to traditional eCommerce channels and direct-to-consumer.
Crypto Valley Venture Capital initiates investment strategy to build blockchain accelerator for African startups
African blockchain disruptors and early-stage startups have joined CV Labs Global Incubation Program Batch 03. The African contingent of incubatees is reflective of Crypto Valley Venture Capital’s (CV VC) global investment strategy.
Nigerian healthtech startup Helium acquires doctor booking platform Meddy
Helium Health (Helium), the healthcare technology provider in Africa, announced it has completed the acquisition of Meddy, the GCC-based doctor booking platform, which has operations in Qatar and the U.A.E.
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 femtech startup illumigyn partners with Peramare Pharmaceuticals to bring innovative gynecological imaging platform to Nigeria
illumigyn, world's first remote gynecological imaging platform, announced its new distribution agreement with Peramare Pharmaceuticals Nigeria, to deploy 5,000 Gynescopes in Nigeria by 2026.
Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH joins Variantyx's $26m Series C funding round
Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH, the corporate venture capital company of the Bosch Group, has completed an investment in Variantyx, to improve personalized oncology treatment.
Nigeria lending startup Payhippo raises $3 million in seed funding
To date, Payhippo has disbursed 5000 loans to small businesses across Nigeria
Kenyan-based payroll startup Workpay expands to Nigeria
Workpay, a Nairobi-based YC graduate, is expanding its operations to Nigeria. The cloud-based workforce management startup will now offer Core HR, Payroll, and employee record services to organizations in the country.
Nigerian Auto financing startup Autochek secures $13.1m seed funding to deepen West African footprint
Autochek, the Nigerian automotive startup which recently expanded to Kenya, has secured $13.1 million in seed funding.
MFS Africa signs agreement to acquire Nigerian fintech startup Baxi
Pan-African digital payments hub MFS Africa signed an agreement to acquire Baxi, one of Nigeria's super-agent networks. The deal, which is subject to approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria, will be the second highest fintech acquisition in Nigeria to date.
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.
North Carolina's SAS and Pappas Capital partner to propel agritech startups with analytics
Two North Carolina companies, analytics leader SAS and venture investment firm Pappas Capital, are joining forces to help advance the state as a global leader in agricultural technology.
[Startup Interview] Adedokun Muhammed-Ali Adedeji, Founder, Brightcloud Automobile, Nigeria
Adedokun Muhammed-Ali Adedeji is a Nigerian innovator, entrepreneur and logistics manager. A green mobility advocate, Adedokun is the founder of Brightcloud Automotive.
Nigerian e-Commerce startup Sendbox raises $1.8m to digitize deliveries for African SMEs
Nigerian e-Commerce fulfillment startup Sendbox announced the completion of $1.8 million seed round from investors including 4DX Ventures, Enza Capital, FJLabs and Golden Palm Investments.
Pan-African fintech startup Carbon partners with Network International to boost digital payment offering
Pan-African fintech startup and digital bank Carbon Bank has partnered with Network International, an enabler of digital commerce across Africa and the Middle East, as part of its plan to boost its digital payment offering.
African fintech startup Payday raises $1m pre-seed to build Africa’s PayPal
Payday, a Pan-African financial technology company has raised one million dollars to build out what they believe will be the “PayPal” for Africa.
[Startup Interview] Femi Apesin, OnePipe Growth & Marketing Lead, Nigeria
Femi Apesin is the Head of Growth and Marketing at OnePipe, a Nigerian startup that has raised almost US$1 million in a pre-seed round with a plan to make API integration seamless for banks and fintech companies.
Nigerian fintech startup Infibranches secures $2m funding from All On to drive growth in the renewable energy sector
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.
Biotech startup Elevian raises $40m Series A to advance treatments for stroke recovery and age-related diseases
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
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.
Nigerian agritech startup Releaf secures $4.2m funding to drive industrialisation of food processing in Africa
Nigeria's agritech startup Releaf, which develops proprietary hardware and software solutions to industrialize food processing, raised $2.7 million in seed funding and grants.
ITRI partners with Arm to provide resources for innovative IC design startups in Taiwan
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.
Israeli startup Quantum Machines raises $50m to make quantum computers ubiquitous and disruptive across all industries
Tel Aviv based startup Quantum Machines, creator of the Quantum Orchestration Platform, announced it has secured $50 million in Series B funding to expand its growth into quantum cloud computing and drive its worldwide distribution.
Agricorp raises $17.5 million to become the largest spices export startup in Africa
Agricorp International, Nigerian based spices producing, processing, and exporting company has raised $17.5 million in Series A funding to increase its processing capacity up to 7000 metric tonnes.
CB Insights launches algorithm to score the quality of startup's founding and management team
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
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.
Nigerian mobility startup Plentywaka raises $1.2m seed funding, acquires Ghana’s Stabus
Nigerian mobility startup Plentywaka raised $1.2 million seed round, after successfully ending the Techstars Toronto Accelerator Program in July 2021. The startup also announced it has fully acquired Ghana’s mobility startup Stabus.
Nigerian healthtech startup Field Intelligence expands into eleven new cities across East and West Africa
Nigerian healthtech startup Field Intelligence announced its expansion into Rivers, Edo, Kaduna, Kano, Enugu, Delta and Kwara States in Nigeria, and Eldoret, Mombasa, Kisumu and Naivasha in Kenya.
Oxford Foundry partners with FMDQ Private Markets to accelerate Nigeria’s startup ecosystem
Oxford Foundry and FMDQ Private Markets have launched a global partnership to accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s startup ecosystem.
Nigerian fintech startup Lidya raises $8.3m pre-Series B funding round
Nigerian fintech and lending startup Lidya announced the completion of its $8.3 million pre-Series B funding round. Alitheia Capital led the investment through its uMunthu Fund with the participation of Bamboo Capital Partners.
Kenyan startup Marketforce appoints Ore Omolaja as Country Manager, Head of Business for Nigeria
Marketforce, the Kenyan-based B2B platform for retail distribution of consumer goods and digital financial services in Africa, announced the appointment of Ore Omolaja as the Nigeria Country Manager and Head of Business, effective 15th July 2021.
IFC’s TechEmerge partners with logistics startup Kobo360 to pilot sustainable cooling innovations in Nigeria
Eleven global innovators have been selected to partner with 15 leading Nigerian companies to pilot cost-effective, climate-smart technologies to strengthen the country's temperature-controlled logistics supply chain.
Nigerian fintech startup TeamApt secures Series B funding
Nigerian fintech startup TeamApt has closed its Series B fundraising round, as it looks to expand its financial services beyond Nigeria.
Financials, ICT remain the most attractive sectors for VC investment in Africa, report
Mapping Africa’s startup landscape between 2014 and 2020, the report provides data and analysis on venture capital (VC) deal activity in Africa in 2020 along with information about the types of investors that have participated in those deals.
MDaaS Global raises $2.3 million to launch digital health solution and expand across Nigeria
With this funding, the company is launching ‘SentinelX’, a digital health membership that champions preventive, personalized, and continuous care using proprietary technology.
AI startup LLENA (AI) partners with Southern University to support (USDA/NIFA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative
LLENA (AI) Health Solutions, announced a partnership with Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to support their "Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life" initiative to address diet-related health disparities.
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.
Nigeria agritech startup Thrive Agric targets 50,000 farmers with new project
A natural partner for the Trade Hub, Thrive Agric has already helped over 140,000 farmers in Nigeria increase their capacities to meet supply, quality, and food safety standards required by domestic and export markets.
The nexus between gender-responsive research and agricultural productivity in Africa
Smallholder farmers across Africa are looking to science to boost farm productivity and to tackle emerging threats, partiuclarly with regards to climate change and pandemics as demonstrated by COVID-19, the report further noted.
Legatum Center launches inaugural Legatum Foundry Fellowship for entrepreneurs in Africa
At an inflection point in their entrepreneurial journeys, Fellows will learn from MIT faculty, connect with investors, and expand their network of peer innovators.
West Africa's Uhuru Investment Partners closes growth fund at $113m with capital support from CDC
Uhuru Investment Partners (Uhuru), a middle-market private equity firm based out of Lagos and Abidjan, announced the first close of Uhuru Growth Fund I (UGF) at $113 million, with capital support from CDC Group.
Accenture invests in Nigerian fintech startup Okra
Accenture announced an investment, through Accenture Ventures, in Nigeria-based fintech company Okra, an open finance data infrastructure startup serving the rapidly expanding African financial services market.
Fact.MR redefines the way startups access market research
The number one reason for startup failure isn't lack of funding or stiff competition. The main reason is 'misreading market demand'. Therefore, it becomes important for startups to thoroughly research the market.
Nigerian last-mile delivery startup Kwik Delivery releases Prestashop plugin
After the release of its plugins for Shopify and Magento, Kwik Delivery has released its plugin for Prestashop.
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.
Nigerian tech start-up Newwaves Ecosystems launches Africa’s first virtual meeting solution
Known as Konn3ct, the new App was developed by a young company, called Newwaves Ecosystems, led by former Chams Nigeria executive, Femi Williams.
Insurtech startup Curacel secures $450K pre-seed funding to drive insurance inclusion in Africa
Curacel, an AI-powered platform for claims processing and fraud management in Africa, raised a $450,000 pre-seed funding in a round led by Atlantica Ventures and Consonance.
[Nigeria] Kwik Delivery closes $1.7 million financing round to fund expansion
Nigerian last-mile delivery startup Kwik Delivery has announced that it has closed its pre-Series A financing round. The company successfully raised $ 1.7 million in equity from institutional and high net worth investors.
Nigerian fintech startup Team Apt launches internship program to support women in tech
Nigerian fintech startup Team Apt has launched an internship program to support women in Technology. The program will run for six months providing a platform for young women to grow their skills.
CRIO secures Series A financing to accelerate growth, platform development
Clinical Research IO (CRIO), a Boston-based technology firm offering clinical research sponsors and sites a platform to streamline clinical trials, announced the completion of a $3.5 million Series A round led by Rally Ventures.
Kenyan startup Ajua, MTN Nigeria launch Customer Management mobile app for SMEs
Kenyan based startup Ajua has partnered with MTN Nigeria to launch EnGauge, a digital e-Commerce customer engagement management mobile app to support SMEs.
Nigerian startup Kwik Delivery officially launches its just-in-time delivery service in Abuja
Nigerian startup Kwik Delivery announced it officially made available its breakthrough, just-in time delivery service to businesses, government agencies and merchants in Abuja.
Nigerian fintech startup Flutterwave raises $170 million to develop complementary innovative products
Founded by entrepreneur Olugbenga Agboola in 2016, the company’s valuation is considered to be valued at more than $1 billion.
Nigerian startup Kwik Delivery expands its delivery service to 4-wheels vehicles
Kwik Delivery has announced today that it is expanding its app-based breakthrough delivery service to 4-wheels delivery vehicles.
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.
From grass to cash: Harnessing the power of climate smart forage grasses in Western Kenya
Kenyan researchers have been working with farmers in Western Kenya to test new varieties of fodder grasses known to have higher protein, low fiber and are fast maturing.
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.
Investment in Forward BIOLABS paying off for bioscience startups
Forward BIOLABS, a co-working life science lab that helps bioscience startups grow, is celebrating early successes and honoring the companies that support the organization.
Boast.AI secures $100m to fuel R&D tax credit-based financing for startups
Boast.ai, a software innovator whose flagship product automates the complex process of applying for R&D tax credits, secured a $100 million credit facility from Brevet Capital, a leading alternative credit investment and specialty finance firm.
Kenyan fintech startup Popote Payments raises funding from GreenHouse Capital
Kenyan fintech startup Popote Payments has raised an undisclosed amount of funding from Lagos-based fintech investment company GreenHouse Capital.
Echelon Capital to invest $1 million in early-stage tech startups in Nigeria
Echelon Capital has announced plans to inject $1 million in funding in Nigerian tech startups beginning February 2021.
Kinyungu Ventures calls for changes to cut-and-paste VC strategy in Africa
A new White Paper published by East African venture advisory firm Kinyungu Ventures shows there continues to be a wide misalignment between traditional venture capital models and the African market.
US venture exit value achieved $290 billion in 2020 alongside record years for investment and fundraising activity, report
Though the past year had a lot of uncertainty brought on by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the US VC industry demonstrated its resilience and long-term mindset, achieving new records in total exit value, deal value and capital raised by VC funds.
Egypt’s life science startup Nawah Scientific raises $1m round for market expansion
Egyptian life science startup Nawah Scientific announced the the closing a second pre-series A round of $1 million in mixed equity and debt capital, raising its total funding to $2 million.
[Startup Interview] Ted Martynov, Founder and CEO, CARMA, Nigeria
CARMA is an African-based startup offering proprietary decentralized technology allowing lenders to get more value by accessing data on a real-time basis. While non-lending organizations can also monetize their data which will increase their number of lenders.
54gene, Kobo360, myFanPark, Sokowatch among 12 startups to win AppsAfrica Awards 2020
54gene, Kobo360, myFanPark and Sokowatch have been named among the 12 winners of AppsAfrica Awards 2020. The awards celebrates the best startups in mobile and tech from across Africa.
[Startup Interview] James Adebisi, Founder, Xpora Academy, Nigeria
Xpora Academy is a Nigeria-based e-learning platform that equips the youth with in-demand digital skills relevant to the present and future of work.
InfraCredit secures $27m investment to unlock infrastructure finance in Nigeria
InfraCredit, a specialised local currency infrastructure credit guarantee institution, announced the completion of $27 million equity investment from InfraCo Africa.
Nigerian logistics startup Kobo360, IFC invite for innovative cooling solution projects in Nigeria
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, in partnership with Kobo360, an African digital logistics platform, announced an open call for innovators from around the world to bring climate-smart, temperature-controlled logistics (TCL) cooling solutions to Nigeria.
Nigerian Fintech startup CredPal raises $1.5m funding round
Nigerian consumer credit startup CredPal raised a $1.5million funding round, as the startup prepares to launch its credit cards for consumers in Nigeria.
Nigerian mobility startup Plentywaka expands car-hailing service in Delta State
Nigerian mobility startup Plentywaka, announced the launch of a new car-hailing service, Wakacab in Asaba and Warri Delta State, borne out of the need to expand and improve on the limited transport links in southern Nigeria.
Kwik Delivery startup partners with Total on e-commerce fulfilment and delivery service in Nigeria
Nigerian e-commerce startup Kwik Delivery has partnered with Total Nigeria, to develop an e-commerce fulfilment and delivery service in Nigeria.
Africa-focused VC fund Outlierz Ventures invests in three Nigeria startups
Africa-focused Morocco-based B2B VC fund Outlierz Ventures has announced new investments into three Nigerian startups - Bamboo, Youverify and Healthlane.
October Startup Sentiment Index shows three-month trend in advancing startup timelines
The number of respondents agreeing that now is a good time to start a business reached a three-month high at 60.6% in October.
Medtech startup Immertec partners with Orthopaedic Foundation to demonstrate effectiveness of VR surgical training
Orthopaedic Foundation has partnered with medtech startup Immertec, to conduct research to evaluate the effectiveness of VR for remote surgical training.
Nearly 60% of startup founders say operating costs are their top spending priority in the first quarter
While the long-term economic effect of the COVID-19 pandemic is still unknown, the remote work period has forced startups to adjust their spending priorities, according to a new survey from Clutch, a B2B ratings and reviews platform.
Nigerian HR startup SeamlessHR raises seven-figure funding to expand across Africa
Nigeria’s HR startup SeamlessHR has closed a seven-figure deal as it seeks to expand across other African markets.
African startups more investible now than ever
Africa’s startups have never been more investible than now. There is a growing number of professional ‘super angels’ involved in record-breaking deals, and private equity investments have doubled since last year.
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University partners with Plug and Play to launch accelerator programme in Morocco
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), an academic and research institution, has partnered with global innovation platform, Plug and Play, to launch an Open Innovation Hub in Morocco, with the support of OCP Group.
Nigerian CcHUB acquires Kenyan edTech startup eLimu
Kenya’s technology Incubation and Accelerator space iHub owned by Co-creation Hub (CcHUB) has announced the acquisition of edtech startup and digital educational content provider eLimu.
Nigerian rental financing startup Kwaba secures funding from Ingressive Capital for expansion
Ingressive Capital, a $10 million VC fund targeting early-stage startups across Sub-Saharan Africa, announced its investment in Nigerian rental financing startup Kwaba.
[Algeria] Sonatrach invests in university incubator for startups
Algeria state owned oil company Sonatrach has partnered with the National Agency for the Promotion of Research and Technological Development Results (ANVREDET), to establish a university incubator for start-ups.
Stripe acquires Nigeria's fintech startup Paystack to accelerate online commerce across Africa
Stripe has entered into an agreement to acquire Paystack, a fintech startup based in Lagos, to make it easy for organizations of all sizes to collect payments from around the world, and help increase Africa’s online GDP.
Nigerian mobility startup MAX.ng partners with DLM Capital to transform transportation finance in Africa
Metro Africa Xpress, a mobility platform in Nigeria and West Africa, announced the successful issuance of a ₦400m 1-year fixed-rate notes under its newly structured ₦10bn/$22m Private Company Bond program.
Airsmat raises $100,000 investment to deepen AI application in agriculture
AirSmat, a Nigeria-based Pan-African Software company, has received a boost of $100,000 from Zetogon as pre-seeding investment to help the organization on the journey to deliver world-class service in Africa.
Amsterdam based startup Zeta Alpha launches AI platform to help experts navigate new research
Amsterdam based startup Zeta Alpha is launching AI Research Navigator, a new deep learning-based search platform, to help AI experts navigate new research.
ARM launches API service for fintech startups in Nigeria
Nigeria's financial services provider ARM launched ARM Sandbox, a new and more efficient way for fintechs to scale their integration and customer acquisition plans.
Nigerian e-commerce startup Kwik Delivery releases WooCommerce plugin, enabling 2-hour deliveries for online merchants
Nigerian e-commerce startup Kwik Delivery released a WooCommerce plugin, enabling thousands of Nigerian online merchants to integrate seamlessly its delivery service to their WordPress online stores.
Digital Horizon invests in Nigerian health startup Healthlane
Digital Horizon venture fund has invested in Y Combinator alumnus Healthlane, the startup focusing on modern, online consultations for local and remote patients, alongside traditional face-to-face public health services across Africa.
Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre incubates 12 renewable energy startups
Twelve renewable energy start-ups have successfully completed a 16-week incubation program run by the NCIC and funded and supported by off-grid energy impact investment company All On.
Nigerian mobility startup Plentywaka raises $300,000 investment as it expands into Abuja
Nigerian mobility startup Plentywaka secured a pre-seed investment led by Emfato, Microtraction, and Niche Capital worth $300,000.
African startups win big at the 2020 SUN Pitch competition
The founder of Baby Grubz Nigeria, Oluwaseun Sangoleye, led Africa in winning this year’s 2020 SUN Pitch Competition.
London based health tech startup Closed Loop Medicine secures £250,000 Innovate UK continuity funding
Closed Loop Medicine (CLM), London based therapeutics and health tech company has secured a £250,000 COVID-19 Innovate UK Continuity Funding award to support its ongoing clinical research programme.
Quantum technology startup Q-CTRL enters global partnership with Advanced Navigation
Q-CTRL, a startup that applies the principles of control engineering to accelerate the development of quantum technology, has partnered with Advanced Navigation, a leader in AI-based navigational hardware.
AI startup Deep Longevity launches with Series A financing
Deep Longevity, a biotechnology company transforming longevity R&D through AI-discovered biomarkers of aging, has come out of stealth from Insilico Medicine with financing from prominent investors worldwide.
Dutch online startup, scale-up community funds international research into COVID-19
Eighteen entrepreneurs from the Dutch online startup and scale-up community are joining forces to finance an international study by Erasmus MC into the clinical picture of COVID-19.
AWIEF launches Enterprise Development for Women-Owned Ventures in Green Energy Startup Incubator
The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) has launched “Enterprise Development for Women-Owned Ventures in Green Energy” and announces the call for applications for Startup Incubator in Malawi and Nigeria.
Catalyst Fund announces seventh cohort of inclusive fintech startups
Catalyst Fund, the global inclusive fintech accelerator, has announced that six new fintech startups, from Nigeria, South Africa, Mexico and India are joining its existing portfolio of 31 companies.
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.
GreenTec Capital invests in Nigerian wholesale e-commerce startup Pricepally
GreenTec Capital Partners announced its investment in Pricepally, an innovative digital Nigerian wholesale platform allowing users to purchase food and other products either individually or as a part of a group.
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.
[Startup Interview] Ibrahim Abdullahi, CEO, NBE Consults, Nigeria
In Africa, the use of GIS and Remote Sensing as a tool for problem solving is still in its early stages especially for location based services.Nigeria-based NBE Consults is working to change this narrative.
[Startup Interview] Timi Oke, Founder, AgroEknor International, Nigeria
Timi Oke is the founder of AgroEknor International Limited in Nigeria that trades and exports processed agricultural products `agricultural products to clients in 9 different countries globally.
[Startup Interview] Yassir Ali, CEO, Hasania Foods, Nigeria
Hasania Foods Ltd, a startup in Nigeria is assisting farmers by adding value to a variety of agriculture products and introducing new ways of packaging foods. Yassir Ali the founder and CEO of the startup explains the model, the challenges and the plans to expand to West Africa.
Nigeria agriculture startup Tomato Jos secures €3.9 million financing to bolster growth
Tomato Jos, an agro-processing company focused on the local production of high-quality tomato paste for the African market, has completed a €3.9 million Series A round.
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.
Nigeria's Helium Health startup secures $10 million Series A financing round for market expansion
Lagos-based healthcare startup Helium Health has completed a $10 million Series-A funding round. Global Ventures and Africa Healthcare Masterfund (AAIC) co-led the investment round.
[Startup Interview] Bridget Bello, CEO, Debmark Allied Farms, Nigeria
Debmark Allied Farms, a Nigerian agriculture and manufacturing startup runs innovative solutions meant to curb food wastage that continues to take a toll on household incomes and national economy.
[Startup Interview] Richard Juwah, CEO, Richee Media, Nigeria
Richard Juwah is the CEO of Richee Media, a full service Social Media agency based in Nigeria with both local and international clientele.
[Startup Interview] Mathias Pwol, CEO, Trillaman Studio, Nigeria
Mathias Pwol is the CEO and producer of Trillaman Studio, an entertainment and media startup based in Lagos Nigeria. It offers music production, radio jingles, adverts, documentary, movie sound productions services with a mission of supporting talents across Africa.
[Startup Interview] Adeniyi Atiba, Director, Dr.3pleA Company, Nigeria
Dr.3pleA Company is a tech startup domiciled in Nigeria that offers a host of services among them HR Management consulting, e-learning and provision of information on investment in real estate
[Startup Interview] Goodnews Chibuke, CEO, Dochase, Nigeria
Dochase is a Nigerian data startup that assists businesses understand their markets, clientele with a view to boosting their sales and customer numbers. Goodnews Chibuke the CEO talked to Africa Business Communities about the startup’s business model.
[Startup Interview] Babatunde Akin-Moses, CEO, Sycamore, Nigeria
Babatunde Akin-Moses is the CEO of Sycamore a Nigerian company offering peer to peer lending while connecting lenders to borrowers.
[Startup Interview] Boluwa Olojo, Marketing Officer, Go Ads Africa, Nigeria
Go Ads Africa is an advertising technology company that brings efficiency and granular pricing to the advertising scene. It relies on a hybrid Ad network that serves both digital and traditional media.
[Startup Interview] Fahim Saleh, Founder, Gokada, Nigeria
Fahim Saleh founded the Lagos-based transport service app, Gokada, in February 2018. He now holds the position of co-CEO alongside Ayodeji Adewunmi. Gokada has since become an accepted and often-used means of efficient transport in the populous city.
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