Tag Resultaten

Published: 06-04-2018 16:44:00 | By: Nico Scherphuis | hits: 3844096 | Tags:















Boat Planet raises $1.2m seed funding to accelerate growth
Published: 16-02-2024 | 11:46:00 | By: Pie Kamau








Global mobility firm inDrive launches venture targeting startups
Published: 05-12-2023 | 10:35:00 | By: Bob Koigi
inDrive, a global mobility and urban services platform, has announced the launch of a new venture and M&A arm aiming to invest up to $100 million in promising startups.








South African logistics startup Tripplo raises $1.8m funding to scale its operations
Published: 16-10-2023 | 13:35:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Tripplo has closed its seed funding extension round with $1.8m equity investment.


Mobility startup Treepz launches insurance program for car rentals in Africa
Published: 13-10-2023 | 15:32:01 | By: Pie Kamau
Treepz is introducing an insurance program for car rentals in Africa.


Gebrüder Weiss provides zero-emission deliveries to end customers in Budapest
Published: 09-10-2023 | 10:24:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Gebrüder Weiss has started to provide zero-emission deliveries to end customers.


Travel tech firm Branchspace receives £5m to enhance airline retail digitisation
Published: 31-08-2023 | 09:43:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Gresham House Ventures has completed a £5m investment into Branchspace


Nigeria's Treepz among startups selected for 2023 VC4A Venture Showcase Africa
Published: 24-08-2023 | 15:35:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Treepz hes been selected to participate in VC4A Venture Showcase Africa. 


Delaware startup Duravo debuts world's toughest lightweight luggage
Published: 21-08-2023 | 12:57:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Duravo announced the launch of the toughest, yet lightest carry-on suitcase in its class.


bp ventures invests £4m in UK-based fleet optimization software provider Dynamon
Published: 03-08-2023 | 15:20:00 | By: Pie Kamau
bp ventures has made a £4 million investment in Dynamon.


Cargo airline startup Ribbit signs $1.3m to test autonomous flights in Canada
Published: 07-07-2023 | 14:31:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Ribbit has signed a $1.3m to test autonomous flights across northern Canada.


Kenyan mobility startup Stima secures €100k investment
Published: 27-06-2023 | 17:45:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Stima Mobility has secured €100,000 investment from DEG Impulse.


German autonomous, electric trucking startup FERNRIDE raises $31m Series A funding
Published: 14-06-2023 | 15:01:00 | By: Pie Kamau
FERNRIDE has secured $31m Series A funding.


Volvo Group Venture Capital invests in Trucksters to manage innovative relay trucking in Europe
Published: 12-06-2023 | 16:06:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Volvo Group Venture Capital has invested in Madrid based startup, Trucksters.


Aena launches the second call of its startup acceleration program
Published: 07-06-2023 | 14:42:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Aena has launched Aena Ventures, an open innovation program for accelerating startups.


5 UK cities leading the way in sustainable transport, Plug and Play
Published: 30-05-2023 | 10:16:00 | By: Pie Kamau
The need for transportation systems that prioritize environmental sustainability has gained significant momentum.


Satgana invests in pre-seed round of French electric bike startup Loewi
Published: 30-05-2023 | 09:43:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Satgana has invested in the pre-seed round of Paris-based electric bike startup Loewi.


Leveraging proptech for urban design that promotes sustainable transport, Plug and Play
Published: 23-05-2023 | 14:17:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Proptech is becoming a part of a transformational movement in transportation.


Nigerian cold-chain startup Gricd rebrands as Figorr, secures $1.5m seed funding to support data-driven insurance for perishable goods in Africa
Published: 17-05-2023 | 11:27:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


French EV startup Driveco raises $250m to become a European leader in EV charging infrastructure
Published: 12-05-2023 | 14:48:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Driveco, the innovative French electric vehicle charging startup, announced a €250 million fundraising round from Dutch pension fund manager APG.


How automotive solutions will create sustainable urban living, Plug and Play
Published: 09-05-2023 | 15:37:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Automotive solutions play a critical role in creating sustainable cities, particularly in regard to real estate, urban planning, IoT, AI, and smarter cities in general.


Innovate UK launches £100m AI Fund for UK business
Published: 09-05-2023 | 13:03:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Innovate UK, the UK’s national innovation agency, has unveiled BridgeAI, a new programme which aims to drive growth and competitiveness in the UK economy through the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). 


[Column] Alp Tilev: Why the transition to e-mobility in Africa must be expedited
Published: 18-04-2023 | 16:18:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Historically, Asia has been the birthplace of motorcycles. China, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam are the world's four largest motorcycle markets. The continent is home to roughly 58% of all motorcycles in the world.


Chinese electric truck startup DeepWay raises $117m Series A+ round to accelerate mass production of smart electric heavy-duty truck
Published: 28-03-2023 | 12:14:00 | By: Pie Kamau
DeepWay, a smart commercial vehicle developer and manufacturer, announced it had raised $117 million Series A+ financing.


Al-Abdullah Group invests $50m in Indian EV startup Kabira Mobility to accelerate growth
Published: 21-03-2023 | 11:42:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Kabira Mobility, a prominent electric bike manufacturer in India renowned for its KM3000 and KM4000 models, announced it has secured a $50 million investment from its strategic investor, Al-Abdulla Group (Qatar).


Autonomous vehicles affect the future of insurance, Plug and Play
Published: 02-03-2023 | 10:46:00 | By: Pie Kamau
With self-driving technology becoming increasingly available and popular, more and more people are opting to ditch their own cars and ride aboard autonomous vehicles instead.


South African car subscription startup Planet42 raises $100m to break car accessibility barriers
Published: 23-02-2023 | 13:45:00 | By: Pie Kamau
South African car subscription startup Planet42 has raised $100 million in combined equity and debt funding.


Bolt announces plans to expand services in Africa with €500m investment
Published: 21-02-2023 | 10:27:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Bolt has announced plans to invest €500 million to enhance its operations across Africa over the next two years.


eDRV raises seed round to accelerate an interconnected EV charging ecosystem
Published: 21-02-2023 | 08:57:00 | By: Pie Kamau
eDRV, an API-first electric vehicle (EV) charging management solution used at over 7,500 charging locations globally, announced it has closed on a seed funding round.


German electric mobility startup Dance raises €12m to accelerate sustainable mobility solutions across Europe
Published: 17-02-2023 | 10:11:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Electric mobility subscription startup Dance has raised €12 million in additional equity and debt capital. The equity raise was led by existing investors HV Capital, Eurazeo and BlueYard. 


Insurtech startup Lami joins forces with Unchorlight to provide insurance covers for Boda Boda riders in Kenya
Published: 17-02-2023 | 07:59:18 | By: Pie Kamau
Digital insurance provider Lami Technologies is partnering with Unchorlight Kenya (UNK), to provide boda boda riders in the country with access to suitable and reliable insurance covers. 


Spanish EV charging operator Zunder receives €40m from the EIB to accelerate electrification of road transport
Published: 16-02-2023 | 13:34:00 | By: Pie Kamau
The EIB and Zunder, an independent ultra-fast charging infrastructure operator for electric vehicles (EVs) in Spain, have signed a loan of €40 million in order to finance the installation of a network of fast chargers.


Insurtech startup OpenEyes emerges from stealth with $23m Series A funding
Published: 15-02-2023 | 14:14:00 | By: Pie Kamau
OpenEyes, an insurtech company serving commercial automotive fleets, today emerged from stealth with $18 million in Series A funding led by global software investor Insight Partners and Pitango First.


Amsterdam-based mobility startup Transferz raises €6.5m for its sustainable and reliable ground transportation solutions
Published: 15-02-2023 | 13:32:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Transferz, the Amsterdam-based B2B mobility platform in pre-booked ground transportation, announced a successful €6.5 million fundraising round led by a consortium of individual business angels.


CampX by Volvo Group opens new Incubator track for startups to accelerate sustainable mobility innovations
Published: 13-02-2023 | 09:45:00 | By: Pie Kamau
More than 50 startups have developed their ideas at CampX, the global collaboration hub for innovations by Volvo Group.


Africa’s mobility startup eWaka secures $540K loan from SECO to accelerate growth
Published: 10-02-2023 | 08:40:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Kenyan mobility solutions provider eWaka has secured a $540K loan from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) of the Swiss Confederation.


French hydrogen startup HySiLabs raises €13m Series A funding to accelerate growth
Published: 02-02-2023 | 13:16:00 | By: Pie Kamau
HySiLabs, the novel hydrogen transport and storage technology developer, announced €13 million Series A financing led by Equinor Ventures, and joined by the European Innovation Council Fund, EDP Ventures and PLD Automobile.


[Startup Interview] Don Okoth, General Manager, Sendy, Kenya
Published: 31-01-2023 | 10:55:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Don Okoth is General Manager for Kenyan Fulfillment and Logistics startup Sendy. In this interview, he talks about the current state of logistics in Kenya and beyond, including Sendy's role in shaping the industry.


Mobility startup BasiGo and AVA to assemble 1,000 electric buses in Kenya
Published: 27-01-2023 | 11:44:00 | By: Pie Kamau
BasiGo, the Kenyan-based electric manufacturer has partnered with the Associated Vehicle Assemblers (AVA), to assemble its buses in the country.


Sustainable mobility startup eWAKA receives 500K CHF loan to accelerate growth
Published: 27-01-2023 | 10:54:00 | By: Pie Kamau
eWAKA, one of Africa’s most promising sustainable mobility startups, has received strategic support from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) Start-up Fund of the Swiss Confederation.


Sofia-based EV charging platform AMPECO raises $13m Series A funding to expand in the US
Published: 25-01-2023 | 12:31:00 | By: Pie Kamau
AMPECO, a Sofia-based white-label EV charging management software platform, closed a Series A funding round of $13 million led by BMW i Ventures.


Canadian B2B automotive trading startup TRADE X opens new trading facilities in Kenya
Published: 02-12-2022 | 11:56:00 | By: Pie Kamau
TRADE X, a B2B cross-border automotive trading platform based in Ontario, Canada, announced it has opened a new Kenyan trading corridor, which includes both a shared bonded warehouse in Mombasa and an office in Nairobi.


Swedish automotive manufacturer Scania launches Scania Growth Capital II at €182.8m
Published: 01-12-2022 | 11:32:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Sweden-based automotive company Scania, announced it is launching a new €182.8 million investment vehicle, Scania Growth Capital II, following the success of its first venture capital fund, Scania Growth Capital I.


Canadian B2B automotive trading startup TRADE X opens a trade route in Ghana
Published: 22-11-2022 | 11:11:00 | By: Pie Kamau
TRADE X, a B2B cross-border automotive trading platform with its headquarters in Ontario, Canada, announced it has opened a new trade route in Ghana, strengthening the company's presence in Africa.


Mobility startup BasiGo secures $6.6m funding to accelerate electric bus uptake in Kenya
Published: 16-11-2022 | 10:06:00 | By: Pie Kamau
BasiGo, the first company to introduce electric buses into Kenya, has announced $6.6 million in new funding led by Mobility54.


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


YEGO ride-sharing platform from Rwanda launches in Kenya
Published: 04-11-2022 | 09:56:00 | By: Pie Kamau
YEGO Global, a ride-sharing platform from Rwanda has entered the Kenyan market to take on Uber and Bolt through its subsidiary - YEGO Mobility Kenya.


Danish blockchain startup Drivn enables users earn an income while saving the planet
Published: 27-10-2022 | 11:23:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Drivn, the brainchild of three Danish founders, aims to change the world's travel behavior towards a more sustainable future.


Nigerian mobility fintech Moove raises £15m financing facility to scale UK operations
Published: 21-10-2022 | 08:55:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


German mobility startup Wunder Mobility receives  €12 million to advance shared mobility globally
Published: 05-10-2022 | 14:45:06 | By: Bob Koigi
The investment positions Wunder Mobility as the highest funded provider of software and hardware solutions for vehicle sharing operators with fleets of e-bikes, e-scooters, e-mopeds, and cars.


Nigerian mobility fintech Moove joins forces with Uber UK to bring electric vehicles to London
Published: 01-09-2022 | 14:42:44 | By: Pie Kamau
Nigerian fintech moblity startup Moove has announced its launch in London as part of its global expansion through a new partnership with Uber. 


ZEBOX America selects new batch of startups to reimagine global logistics and mobility
Published: 25-08-2022 | 10:05:35 | By: Pie Kamau
International startup incubator and accelerator ZEBOX America announced a new cohort of 9 startups, marking a key milestone as the tech hub works to reimagine and revitalize the North American supply chain, logistics, mobility and Industry 4.0 sectors.


Kenyan e-Logistics startup Lori Systems raises funding from Google to facilitate expansion efforts
Published: 19-08-2022 | 11:06:35 | By: Pie Kamau
Kenyan e-logistics startup Lori Systems which operates across East Africa, announced it has raised an undisclosed amount of Round B funding from Google, to facilitate the company’s expansion efforts.


Yamaha partners with Nigerian startup MAX for vehicle financing and maintenance
Published: 22-07-2022 | 09:34:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


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


BII invests $20m in African mobility fintech Moove to strengthen the informal transport industry
Published: 01-07-2022 | 14:30:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


UK-based BotsAndUs secures $13m seed financing for its warehouse data intelligence platform with autonomous robots
Published: 27-06-2022 | 13:35:00 | By: Pie Kamau
BotsAndUs, a cutting-edge intelligence and robotics company has secured $13 million in seed funding to expand its logistics-disrupting solution globally.


Ugandan fintech platform Tugende closes pre-Series B investment round to accelerate growth
Published: 21-06-2022 | 14:16:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Tugende, the East African fintech platform providing asset financing and digital services to small businesses, announced it has raised a pre-Series B investment round led by current shareholder Partech Africa.


Chinese ARHUD solution provider Raythink completes Series A+ financing to accelerate mass production of in-vehicle AR displays
Published: 15-06-2022 | 11:35:13 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Autochek acquires Morocco’s automotive tech startup KIFAL Auto to drive North Africa expansion
Published: 20-05-2022 | 11:47:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Autochek, the automotive technology company making car ownership more accessible and affordable across Africa, has announced the acquisition of KIFAL Auto, a Moroccan automotive technology startup, to drive its expansion into North Africa.


e-Logistics startup Truckbook raises $3m seed funding to revolutionize the trucking industry
Published: 13-05-2022 | 13:21:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Truckbook, a virtual trucking platform providing a suite of solutions for owner-operators, announced it has raised $3 million in Seed funding from Sacramento-based venture capital firm Moneta Ventures.


Raytheon Technologies venture capital group invests in Hermeus to accelerate air travel
Published: 13-05-2022 | 11:29:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Raytheon Technologies announced a strategic investment in Hermeus Corporation, a company developing hypersonic aircraft for defense and commercial applications, through its newly established corporate venture capital group, RTX Ventures.


Logistics startup Swvl acquires Volt Lines, enters European market
Published: 29-04-2022 | 13:57:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Swvl Holdings, a global provider of transformative tech-enabled mass transit solutions announced a definitive agreement to acquire Volt Lines, a Turkey-based B2B and Transport as a Service mobility business.


Insurtech startup ETAP secures $1.5m pre-seed funding to drive car insurance penetration in Africa
Published: 26-04-2022 | 11:55:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Kenyan electric vehicle startup Opibus rebrands to ROAM
Published: 21-04-2022 | 11:22:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Kenya’s leading electric vehicle (EV) maker Opibus has changed its name to ROAM. The company was among the earliest entrants into the local electric vehicle manufacturing sector.


Plug and Play launches $25.5m Supply Chain Fund
Published: 20-04-2022 | 13:41:00 | By: Pie Kamau
The Plug and Play's Supply Chain Innovation Platform announced the closing of Plug and Play Supply Chain Fund I, L.P., a $25.5 million venture capital fund focusing on investments across the end-to-end supply chain.


Bridgestone Mobility Solutions joins Startup Autobahn as ‘anchor partner’
Published: 05-04-2022 | 13:03:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, Bridgestone EMIA’s business unit focused on developing and launching data-driven fleet, tyre and mobility solutions, has become an “anchor partner” of Startup Autobahn, a mobility-focused innovation network.


Europe's TIER Mobility acquires US-based Fantasmo to expand its accurate e-scooter parking system
Published: 31-03-2022 | 12:29:00 | By: Pie Kamau
TIER Mobility, Europe's shared micro-mobility provider, announced it has acquired Us-based Fantasmo, to further expand its most accurate e-scooter parking system and introduce a computer vision-powered rider assistance system.


Nigerian B2B startup Kwik closes $2m Series A round to digitize informal African trade
Published: 30-03-2022 | 10:49:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Vehicle financing startup Moove partners with Swvl for EV buses across the MENAP region
Published: 30-03-2022 | 10:32:25 | By: Pie Kamau
Egypt’s on-demand bus-hailing company Swvl, announced a new partnership with African fintech mobility startup Moove to scale Moove’s revenue-based vehicle financing model across the MENAP region.


On-demand transport platform Bolt launches 2nd edition of its Women in Tech internship program in Kenya
Published: 30-03-2022 | 10:24:12 | By: Pie Kamau
On-demand transport platform Bolt announced it has rolled out the second edition of its Women in Tech internship program in Kenya.


Nigerian mobility fintech startup Moove raises $105m series A2 round to scale growth
Published: 15-03-2022 | 09:33:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Mobility fintech, Moove, which provides revenue-based financing to mobility entrepreneurs across Africa, has raised $105 million in an oversubscribed Series A2 round consisting of equity and debt.


EV startup BasiGo flags off first electric buses in Kenya
Published: 10-03-2022 | 15:39:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Nairobi headquartered e-mobility startup BasiGo flagged off the first electric buses in the country for passenger use.


German logistics tech startup Forto raises $250m to accelerate international expansion
Published: 08-03-2022 | 11:33:00 | By: Pie Kamau
German logistics tech startup Forto, the provider of digitized freight forwarding and supply chain solutions, announced it has raised $250 million in a pre-emptive Series D investment round led by Disruptive.


German e-bike startup ADO debuts high-end urban commuter D30
Published: 22-02-2022 | 11:09:15 | By: Pie Kamau
Frunkfart-based startup ADO is debuting an high-end urban commuter e-bike D30 officially. At the same time, ADO will join hands with Insta360 to launch the co-branded ADO Insta360 GO 2 XE, to cross city and chase adventure.


[African Startup Review] Pie Kamau: Capital funding for tech startups gain momentum in 2022
Published: 11-02-2022 | 07:51:00 | By: Pie Kamau
The startup ecosystem in Africa is taking shape. A lot of technological innovations especially in the areas of fintech, e-mobility, e-commerce, healthtech, foodtech and cleantech have seen accelerated growth towards Africa’s digital transformation and innovation.


Irish e-mobility startup Modmo raises €8.7m seed round to accelerate urban transportation
Published: 07-02-2022 | 13:45:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Irish e-mobility startup Modmo closed out 2021 with a €5 million investment from Ballymore Group CEO Sean Mulryan, in addition to €2.7 million raised in September and €1 million in March from several angel investors.


Pakistani logistics startup Truck It In raises $13m seed round to transform the road freight industry
Published: 04-02-2022 | 11:24:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Pakistan’s logistics tech startup Truck It In closed $13 million seed round jointly led by venture capital firms Global Founders Capital and Fatima Gobi Ventures.


Kenyan logistics startup Amitruck raises $4m seed funding to accelerate digital solutions across Africa
Published: 02-02-2022 | 12:09:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Kenya-based digital trucking logistics startup Amitruck has announced it has secured $4 milllion in a seed funding round that had the participation of investors from Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the U.S.


Swedish-Kenyan electric vehicle tech startup Opibus launches first electric bus designed and developed in Africa
Published: 21-01-2022 | 13:28:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Swedish-Kenyan electric vehicle technology startup Opibus has introduced the first all-electric bus in Kenya as well as the first African designed electric bus ever.


Indian mobility tech startup EVage raises $28m to enhance Commercial EV revolution
Published: 17-01-2022 | 11:12:00 | By: Pie Kamau
US-based venture capital firm RedBlue Capital has invested $28 million in EVage, the all-electric commercial vehicle OEM in India supplying EV trucks to major delivery fleets such as Amazon India's Delivery Service Partner.


Kenyan ride-hailing startup MARAMOJA opens its API to fintechs and insurtechs
Published: 13-01-2022 | 11:14:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Kenya's ride-hailing platform MARAMOJA Transport has opened its API to local fintechs and Insurtechs. Through a new partnership with Switchlink Africa, service providers will be able to connect with MARAMOJA's drivers and customers.


Tallinn-based Bolt raises €628m funding round to accelerate transition from owned cars to shared mobility
Published: 11-01-2022 | 12:00:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Tallinn-based Bolt announced the closing of €628 million round of funding, its largest funding to date. This funding round will help Bolt accelerate its mission to help cities transform urban areas.


Car subscription startup GO launches in four additional markets
Published: 05-01-2022 | 10:59:08 | By: Bob Koigi
Distinct from traditional auto lease and finance, GO’s model offers subscribers a simple and affordable alternative to car ownership.


Automobile startup Faction Technology announces funding from TDK Ventures
Published: 22-12-2021 | 14:45:55 | By: Bob Koigi
Faction is taking a unique approach to both driverless technology and lightweight vehicle systems that can dramatically impact how goods and people are moved


TDK Ventures invests in scalable driverless transportation startup Faction
Published: 20-12-2021 | 15:58:43 | By: Pie Kamau
TDK Corporation announced that subsidiary TDK Ventures, has invested in scalable driverless transportation startup company, Faction.


African mobility fintech Moove enters Kenyan market, broadens vehicle financing to bikes and trucks
Published: 15-12-2021 | 11:36:11 | By: Bob Koigi
Moove, an African mobility fintech, has launched operations in Nairobi, its first city in East Africa and sixth on the continent.


Toronto-based mobility startup Treepz expands to East Africa, acquires Uganda's Ugabus
Published: 24-11-2021 | 07:40:00 | By: Pie Kamau
In a bid to digitize the public transportation system and provide safer, reliable and comfortable commute options across Africa, Toronto-based shared mobility company Treepz, announced its acquisition of a similar Ugandan bus company Ugabus.


South African fleet-tech startup KeyTec and LocoNav enter Africa's video telematics market
Published: 11-11-2021 | 10:49:00 | By: Pie Kamau
South Africa fleet-tech startup KeyTec has partnered with LocoNav to capture the emerging and high-growth video telematics market throughout Africa.


Chinese autonomous driving startup WeRide releases next-gen small, lightweight Sensor Suite 4.0
Published: 28-10-2021 | 09:15:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Israeli startup Quantum Machines raises $50m to make quantum computers ubiquitous and disruptive across all industries
Published: 07-09-2021 | 15:07:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


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


Nigerian mobility startup Plentywaka raises $1.2m seed funding, acquires Ghana’s Stabus
Published: 24-08-2021 | 14:49:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Energy Distribution startup Fuel Me wins Plug And Play's Supply Chain and Logistics Program
Published: 20-08-2021 | 11:55:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Fuel Me, a cloud-based fuel and energy distributor, was selected from a competition with 100 participating companies, for Plug and Play's "Supply Chain and Logistics Program".


Korean drone startup PABLO AIR expands U.S. drone delivery business
Published: 05-08-2021 | 13:41:00 | By: Pie Kamau
PABLO AIR, a company specializing in drone logistics solutions and delivery services and a member of Born2Global Centre, has collaborated with local American companies to expand its business in drone delivery in the United States.


South African delivery startup Picup introduces premium driver network for businesses
Published: 29-06-2021 | 13:34:02 | By: Pie Kamau
South Africa's crowdsource delivery tech startup Picup has introduced a premium service aimed at businesses that require drivers to represent their brand.


bp invests $7m in electric vehicle charging startup IoTecha
Published: 23-06-2021 | 10:05:00 | By: Pie Kamau
bp ventures has invested $7million in smart electric vehicle (EV) charging firm, IoTecha, leading a $13.2 million investment round.


Ivory Coast transport startup Moja Ride partners with O-CITY for its next phase of growth in mobility innovation
Published: 22-06-2021 | 13:06:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Moja Ride, an Ivorian startup providing a reservation and cashless payment system for transport services in Abidjan, has partnered with O-CITY for its next phase of digital innovation and future expansion.


Speedaf express completes Round A+ financing to build China-Africa express brand
Published: 08-06-2021 | 12:32:54 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Startup STOW IT partners with airport parking operators to offer long-term travelers monthly parking at airports around the US
Published: 04-06-2021 | 09:15:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Set up and designed for long-term and monthly travelers, startup STOW IT has partnered with airport parking operators to offer the cheapest monthly rates at over 20 airports around the US, making long-term airport parking an easy option.


Africa's e-logistics startup Lori Systems appoints Uche Ogboi as new CEO
Published: 03-06-2021 | 15:06:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Lori Systems, Africa's e-logistics platform has announced the appointment of Uche Ogboi as its new Chief Executive Officer effective July 1 2021.


Mobility startup Beep secures $20m Series A investment for expansion
Published: 26-05-2021 | 16:03:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Beep, a provider of multi-passenger, electric, autonomous mobility solutions, announced today that it has recently closed the company's Series-A round with Intel Capital and Blue Lagoon Capital.


Venture builder Satgana launches first portfolio startup in Kenya, Mazi Mobility
Published: 20-05-2021 | 15:38:00 | By: Pie Kamau
After its launch in September last year, venture builder Satgana has announced its first portfolio startup from Nairobi, Kenya, Mazi Mobility, to address the issues faced by the public transport industry in the Global South by electrifying the motorcycle industry.


Plug and Play Canada selects 12 startups to participate in Toronto Supply Chain and Logistics Program
Published: 18-05-2021 | 13:24:26 | By: Pie Kamau
Plug and Play Canada announced the selection of 12 startups into the first batch of the Toronto Supply Chain & Logistics Program.


Danish startup MATE accelerates e-Bike expansion with new funding from Marcy Venture Partners
Published: 07-05-2021 | 12:47:00 | By: Pie Kamau
The Danish design startup MATE announced a new investment from Marcy Venture Partners to accelerate the future of smart transportation, with the global aim for the world to go greener via a new, smarter, more flexible, and flashy form of transportation.


DBSA launches second edition of the Youth Challenge in South Africa
Published: 05-05-2021 | 16:02:56 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Logistics startup Logixboard raises $13m Series A funding to power the future of modern freight forwarding
Published: 29-04-2021 | 10:31:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Logixboard, the modern customer experience platform for freight forwarders, closed a $13 million investment led by Redpoint Ventures, with continued participation from Social Leverage, F-Prime Capital, Founders Co-op, Techstars Ventures, and others.


Kenyan e-mobility startup Ecobodaa secures funding from Persistent Energy Capital
Published: 23-04-2021 | 09:32:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Persistent Energy Capital announced a strategic venture building investment and partnership with Ecobodaa, a pioneer e-mobility startup, leading the revolution of the electric motorbike taxi (bodaboda) in Kenya.


Autonomous air cargo startup MightyFly raises $5.1 million seed funding to revolutionize logistics
Published: 22-04-2021 | 13:37:00 | By: Pie Kamau
MightyFly, an autonomous air cargo carrier, announced it has closed $5.1 million in seed funding, including investments from 500 Startups, At One Ventures, Global Founders Capital, Graph Ventures, and Halogen Ventures.


Kenyan logistics startup Amitruck and Sky.Garden announce last mile goods pick-up and deliveries partnership
Published: 20-04-2021 | 09:44:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Logistics platform Amitruck and e-Commerce platform Sky.Garden have partnered to form an end-to-end digital chain for goods pick-up and deliveries to the last mile.


Phantom Space Corporation startup raises $5m seed funding to revolutionize space transportation
Published: 15-04-2021 | 10:02:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Phantom Space Corporation, a space transportation technology development and manufacturing company, announced the raise of $5 million in seed investment funding to make space commerce commonplace and to lower the barriers to space access.


Kigali-based electric mobility startup Ampersand raises $3.5m from EIF
Published: 12-04-2021 | 12:36:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Kigali based electric motorcycle startup Ampersand has raised $3.5 million in funding from the Ecosystem Integrity Fund (EIF) to rapidly scale its electric motorcycle and swap station network in Rwanda.


Verdant Capital raises $9.9 million financing for East African tech enabled MSME lender Tugende
Published: 07-04-2021 | 13:40:27 | By: Bob Koigi
Pan African specialist investment financial institution Verdant Capital has raised $9.9 million Series A equity capital for Tugende, a technology enabled MSME lender in East Africa.


UniGroup acquires RevUnit joint venture and moving startup Handled
Published: 30-03-2021 | 17:12:27 | By: Bob Koigi
RevUnit and UniGroup joint venture, Handled, recently announced its full acquisition by United Van Lines and Mayflower Transit parent company UniGroup due to its early growth and innovative technology.


Logistics technology startup Baton raises $10.5m Series A funding
Published: 30-03-2021 | 12:08:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Baton, a logistics technology platform developed out of 8VC's acclaimed Build program, announced its $10.5 million Series A funding, co-led by 8VC and Maersk Growth, the corporate venture arm of AP Moller-Maersk.


Chinese logistics startup Duckbill closes $50m funding
Published: 22-03-2021 | 14:59:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


[Nigeria] Kwik Delivery closes $1.7 million financing round to fund expansion
Published: 19-03-2021 | 15:44:32 | By: Bob Koigi
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.


Logistics tech startup ZUUM Transportation launches ZUUM BEYOND TMS for shippers
Published: 26-02-2021 | 12:59:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Logistics technology innovator ZUUM Transportation launched ZUUM BEYOND TMS with ZUUM Business and ZUUM Enterprise, expanding the modular product line of their Logistics Super Platform.


Kenyan logistics startup Amitruck secures pre-seed funding for expansion across East Africa
Published: 18-02-2021 | 10:02:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Kenyan trucking logistics marketplace startup Amitruck secured an undisclosed investment led by US-based Dynamo Ventures with participation from Plug and Play Ventures and a collection of strategic angel investors.


Seattle-based traveltech startup Cabana rolls out new offerings, expands operations to California
Published: 28-01-2021 | 11:13:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Cabana, the Seattle-based traveltech startup reinventing how people travel through its fleet of luxe mobile hotels, is rolling out enhanced offerings to its customers in Seattle and soon to its newest market, Los Angeles.


Autonomous sweeper from Berlin startup approved for public road use in Singapore
Published: 15-01-2021 | 11:50:00 | By: Pie Kamau
The autonomous compact sweeper "Donner", developed by a consortium led by ENWAY and Bucher Municipal, has passed the Land Transport Authority's approval test for autonomous vehicles for use on public roads.


sennder raises $160 million to accelerate digitization of European trucking
Published: 15-01-2021 | 11:22:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Through its proprietary technology, sennder directly connects enterprise shippers with trucking companies, bringing greater transparency and efficiency to both carriers and shippers.


Ten biggest startup layoffs in 2020 hit 25,500, Uber leads with 30 per cent, report
Published: 13-01-2021 | 14:17:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Data presented by Buy Shares indicates that approximately 25,500 jobs have been lost in the top ten largest startup layoffs amid the pandemic. The layoffs were recorded between March 2020 and January 2021.


Ntuple launches Korea railroad ticketing system in Google Maps
Published: 11-01-2021 | 14:30:45 | By: Bob Koigi
Ntuple, a South Korean tech startup that focuses on backend technology has announced that it launched the Korea railroad ticketing service ‘ga-G’ in Google maps.


[Startup Interview] Daniel Gatura, CEO, Ace Mobility, Kenya
Published: 05-01-2021 | 10:44:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Daniel Gatura is the CEO and founder of Ace Mobility, a Kenya-based startup that is focused on improving the public transport by addressing mobility challenges of the vulnerable with a focus on the differently abled, women and elderly. Daniel elaborates.


On demand delivery provider GoFor raises $20 Million funding for expansion into the U.S
Published: 23-12-2020 | 13:31:54 | By: Bob Koigi
GoFor Industries, a provider in last-mile, on-demand and same-day delivery startup says it has closed a $20 million (CAD) Series A growth investment to continue its ongoing expansion into the U.S.


Plug and Play partners with SEDA to establish first-mile innovation hub in Savannah, GA
Published: 17-12-2020 | 16:05:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Plug and Play, the Silicon Valley based venture capital firm and corporate innovation platform, announced its partnership with the Savannah Economic Development Authority (SEDA) to establish a First-Mile Logistics innovation hub in Savannah, GA.


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


Nigerian logistics startup Kobo360, IFC invite for innovative cooling solution projects in Nigeria
Published: 09-12-2020 | 08:58:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


South Korean startup Autonomous a2z raises $1.9m for autonomous driving solution
Published: 26-11-2020 | 11:12:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Autonomous a2z, a member company of Born2Global Centre and Sejong Technopark, received a seed investment of $1.9 million from angel investments by individuals and partner corporations.


Nigerian mobility startup Plentywaka expands car-hailing service in Delta State
Published: 25-11-2020 | 15:52:20 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Chinese autonomous truck startup Inceptio Technology raises $120m to accelerate volume production
Published: 16-11-2020 | 13:24:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Inceptio Technology, an autonomous truck company, announced a $120 million funding led by Contemporary Amperex Technology, developer and manufacturer of lithium-ion batteries.


Imperial partners with Kenyan logistic startup Lori Systems to expand e-logistics technology solutions across Africa
Published: 04-11-2020 | 08:37:29 | By: Pie Kamau
Imperial, an African and European-focused provider of integrated market access and logistics solutions, announced an investment in and partnership with Lori Systems to expand its cutting-edge e-logistics technology solutions across Africa.


FedEx invests in 200 small businesses in its grants programme
Published: 08-10-2020 | 15:06:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Global delivery services company FedEx Corp. has announced the completion of the company’s #SupportSmall Grants programme.


Nigerian mobility startup MAX.ng partners with DLM Capital to transform transportation finance in Africa
Published: 01-10-2020 | 09:09:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Health and wellness hydration startup LARQ raises $10m series A funding for further expansion
Published: 30-09-2020 | 16:01:00 | By: Pie Kamau
LARQ, health and wellness hydration brand, announced a round closure of $10 million in Series A funding to continue its global expansion through 2021 and further develop as a 360-degree hydration brand.


Neuron Mobility secures $12 million funding to expand to Australia, UK and New Zealand
Published: 30-09-2020 | 15:49:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Singapore e-scooter startup Neuron Mobility has announced its latest round of funding of $12 million, led by top Australian venture capital firm, Square Peg, along with global venture capital firm GSR Ventures.


Scrum Ventures launches Food Tech Studio - Bites!
Published: 30-09-2020 | 15:08:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Scrum Ventures announced the launch of Food Tech Studio - Bites!, a global community of stage-agnostic startups who share a common vision of solving key challenges plaguing food supply chain.


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


Copenhagen biotech startup Synklino raises seed round to develop breakthrough infection treatment for transplant patients
Published: 29-09-2020 | 15:02:14 | By: Pie Kamau
Synklino ApS, an emerging biotech company developing first-in-class breakthrough treatment to eliminate cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections in the transplant setting announced the successful closing of a seed financing.


Cannabis cultivation software startup Trym closes $3.1m seed round to accelerate growth
Published: 29-09-2020 | 14:29:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Trym, a pioneering cannabis cultivation software company announced the completion of its $3.1 million seed funding round of financing to accelerate growth.


Taiwanese healthtech startup iWEECARE extends $2.4m pre-series A financing to serve global demand for remote patient monitoring
Published: 29-09-2020 | 13:28:00 | By: Pie Kamau
iWEECARE, developer of world's smallest continuous temperature monitoring product, Temp Pal®, raised $2.4 million in extended pre-series A financing to serve global demand for remote patient monitoring.


Robotics solution startup Exotec raises $90m for international expansion of its warehouse automation technology
Published: 29-09-2020 | 12:55:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Exotec, a robotics solution for logistics and creator of the Skypod 3D warehouse robots, announced a $90 million financing round.


Cyber security startup Cerby announces $3.5m seed round to accelerate product development and hiring
Published: 28-09-2020 | 15:36:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Cerby, a stealth cybersecurity company focused on helping enterprises harness Shadow IT, announced a $3.5 million seed round led by Bowery Capital with participation from AV8 Ventures, Global Founders Capital, and the Incubate Fund US.


Swisscom, Ericsson and Qualcomm join forces to find world's most innovative 5G startups
Published: 28-09-2020 | 15:14:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Switzerland's telecommunications and IT company Swisscom is joining forces with Ericsson and Qualcomm CDMA Technologies GmbH to identify the world's most innovative startups and research teams working on 5G applications.


AltoIRA enables individuals invest in startups using IRAs
Published: 28-09-2020 | 15:06:01 | By: Pie Kamau
AltoIRA, a technology platform that simplifies and streamlines the process for investors to add alternative assets to their IRAs announced a new partnership with Republic, a leading investment platform for startups.


Cannon Quality announces new compliance essentials for startups program
Published: 28-09-2020 | 14:54:52 | By: Pie Kamau
Cannon Quality Group (CQG) announced a new medtech quality management program designed to help startups set the foundation for a quality management system (QMS) compliant to FDA QSR and ISO 13485 requirements.


Mastercard announces Fintech Express to empower Middle East and Africa fintechs to launch and expand rapidly
Published: 24-09-2020 | 16:49:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Mastercard has launched Fintech Express in the Middle East and Africa (MEA), a program designed to facilitate emerging fintechs’ launch and expansion.


EasySend raises $16m to enable insurance companies and financial institutions to build a no-code digital future
Published: 24-09-2020 | 14:03:00 | By: Pie Kamau
EasySend, the no-code AI-powered platform transforming manual processes into digital journeys, announced it has raised $16 million in funding following the completion of an $11 million Series A round led by Hanaco with participation from Intel Capital.


Insurtech startup cogniSure launches AI platform for commercial loss run automation with 9 pilot customers
Published: 24-09-2020 | 13:44:00 | By: Pie Kamau
The insurance industry spends a significant amount of manual effort, time and money analyzing PDF and Excel loss runs that are in nonstandard, carrier-specific, unstructured document formats.


Peterson Ventures announces $65m in fresh capital to invest in early stage consumer and SaaS startups
Published: 24-09-2020 | 13:20:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Peterson Ventures, a founder-first seed stage venture fund, announced that it has raised $65 million in fresh capital.


 [Startup Interview] Myron Leskiv, CEO, Atama.AI, Netherlands
Published: 24-09-2020 | 08:42:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Atama A.I is a Netherlands startup that develops Artificial Intelligence-based trading algorithms for financial markets informed by years of research and development. It uses over 170 technical indicators and trained and back-tested millions of times to predict where the markets will go.


Neighbor attracts top tech talent to usher in new wave of growth for Silicon Slopes startup
Published: 23-09-2020 | 13:56:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Neighbor, the self-storage marketplace disruptor, has added three strategic hires to its executive team to fuel a new wave of growth for the Andreesesen Horowitz-funded startup, which has grown 5X in 2020.


Legendary Ventures invests in Elon Musk's SpaceX
Published: 23-09-2020 | 13:34:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Legendary Ventures announced an investment in Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) through its Series N funding round.


London-based startup TopTip plans to give half its shares to its users
Published: 23-09-2020 | 13:12:00 | By: Pie Kamau
London-based startup Useful Interruptions, owner of the TopTip recommendations app, announced the launch of its Founders Club programme that aims to give half the shares in the company to users of TopTip.


Finish startup ICEYE raises $87m to accelerate growth of its SAR satellite constellation
Published: 22-09-2020 | 14:28:00 | By: Pie Kamau
ICEYE, a SAR data provider, announced the closing of a larger than planned $87 million Series C funding, led by return investor True Ventures, with a significant additional investment by OTB Ventures.


Finch secures $1.8m to launch all-in-one checking and investing account for millennials
Published: 22-09-2020 | 13:56:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Finch, a New York based fintech startup that integrates the benefits of investing and the flexibility of checking into an all-in-one account has raised $1.8 million in seed funding to launch its platform and help transform how people manage their money.


Neurostimulation startup Salvia BioElectronics raises €26m to develop innovative therapy for chronic migraine
Published: 22-09-2020 | 13:15:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Salvia BioElectronics B.V., a neurostimulation platform company targeting chronic migraine, has raised €26 million in new financing from new and existing investors.


Amsterdam based startup Zeta Alpha launches AI platform to help experts navigate new research
Published: 22-09-2020 | 13:00:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Amsterdam based startup Zeta Alpha is launching AI Research Navigator, a new deep learning-based search platform, to help AI experts navigate new research.


[Startup Interview] Marthinus Coetzee, CEO, iPTT Africa, South Africa
Published: 22-09-2020 | 11:02:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Iptt africa (pty) Limited, a South African telecommunications startup, solves the communication problems faced by many businesses and organizations in Africa through its italkptt platform that allows businesses to communicate from anywhere in Africa to anywhere in the world. The CEO Marthinus Coetzee elaborates.


ARM launches API service for fintech startups in Nigeria
Published: 22-09-2020 | 09:33:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Online sales program startup Virtanza closes $1m in private investment funding round
Published: 21-09-2020 | 14:26:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Sales2Job Academy, DBA Virtanza, an Orange County-based company that offers higher education a scalable sales training solution directly connected to employers, announced it has raised seed round funding totaling $1 million from private investors.


South Korean fntech startup WireBarley raises $10m Series B to strengthen global remittance service capabilities
Published: 21-09-2020 | 14:10:00 | By: Pie Kamau
South Korean fintech startup in global memittance WireBarley has raised $10 million in Series B funding from Magna Investment, Shinsegae I&C and Dt & Investment.


South Korean healthcare startup WellsCare signs in-store contract with b8ta for IASO
Published: 21-09-2020 | 14:00:35 | By: Pie Kamau
WellsCare, a member company of the Born2Global Centre, signed a store contract with b8ta, a famous American flagship store that is dedicated to innovative products.


Harvard-incubated startup MarqVision launches AI-powered platform to protect brands from counterfeits
Published: 21-09-2020 | 13:43:44 | By: Pie Kamau
MarqVision, an AI-based SaaS company, launched its brand protection platform that helps brands effortlessly detect and remove counterfeits on online marketplaces.


[Startup Interview] Jason Gras, Emile Fulcheri, Stima, Kenya
Published: 19-09-2020 | 10:54:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Stima is a Kenya-based startup that operates a smart service swap stations providing charging services to enable moto-taxi riders to switch to electric motorcycles.


German urban farming startup Infarm raises $170m to grow urban vertical farming network in the world
Published: 18-09-2020 | 13:22:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Infarm, German urban farming network announced $170 million investment raised in the first close of a Series C funding round expected to reach $200 million.


ZenSports closes additional $1.46m Seed funding for U.S. and international expansion
Published: 18-09-2020 | 12:52:00 | By: Pie Kamau
ZenSports, the mobile peer-to-peer sports betting marketplace announced a new $1.46 million Seed round of funding to expand into the United States, as well as to continue to grow its international presence.


Plug and Play selects 147 startups for its winter 2020 batches
Published: 18-09-2020 | 12:02:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Plug and Play announced the selection of 147 new startups into its winter 2020 batches. The startups were selected to join one of the following programs that will run through November 2020.


Imagine Impact closes Series A financing with Benchmark
Published: 18-09-2020 | 11:42:17 | By: Pie Kamau
Imagine Impact, the content accelerator and online marketplace startup founded by Academy Award-winning duo Brian Grazer and Ron Howard, announced the close of its Series A financing round led by Benchmark, a Silicon Valley Venture Capital firm.


Fintech startup KodyPay raises £1.8m to transform payments industry
Published: 17-09-2020 | 12:35:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Cellular agriculture startup Wildtype launches salmon in sushi restaurants
Published: 17-09-2020 | 12:07:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Cellular agriculture startup Wildtype has unveiled its latest cell-based salmon. This version is "sushi-grade" and crafted with the sushi industry's favorite raw salmon applications in mind.


SEMrush acquires Poland's SaaS PR tech startup Prowly
Published: 17-09-2020 | 11:29:00 | By: Pie Kamau
SEMrush, an online visibility management and content marketing SaaS platform, has further expanded its ecosystem with the acquisition of a 100% stake in Poland's public relations SaaS startup Prowly.com.


Trust Payments partners with messaging and e-commerce startup Wakanda Messenger to empower Africans around the world
Published: 17-09-2020 | 11:05:41 | By: Pie Kamau
Trust Payments, the global unified payments group for global pay-in, pay-out and customer journey technologies, has partnered with social network, messaging and e-commerce startup Wakanda Messenger.


Hetz Ventures closes on $77m for oversubscribed second fund to invest in B2B enterprise tech
Published: 16-09-2020 | 14:58:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Hetz Ventures, a leading venture capital fund for early-stage investments, announced the close of its second flagship fund, oversubscribed at $77 million.


Flagstar Bank now accepting applications for MortgageTech Accelerator Program
Published: 16-09-2020 | 14:42:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Flagstar Bank and the Fintech Consortium are accepting applications for the Flagstar MortgageTech Accelerator Program now through Sept. 30.


Wix announces Wix Capital, internal venture arm to invest in global startups
Published: 16-09-2020 | 14:23:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Wix.com, the global leader in website creation, announced its own venture capital initiative, Wix Capital, to invest in technology innovators that are focused on the future of the web.


Nigerian e-commerce startup Kwik Delivery releases WooCommerce plugin, enabling 2-hour deliveries for online merchants
Published: 15-09-2020 | 12:07:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Medical device startup Spine Align raises $1.75m Series Seed Round to reach FDA clearance
Published: 15-09-2020 | 08:55:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Spine Align, a medical device company developing a portfolio of products that enable spine surgeons to measure, visualize, and adjust patients' spinal alignment during surgery, closed a $1.75M Series Seed round.


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


Kenyan tech startup Xetova shortlisted for MIT 2020 health security & pandemics track
Published: 15-09-2020 | 08:12:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Kenyan technology startup, xetova, has been named 2020 Global Solve finalist by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the health security and pandemics track.


AI-based startup SafeRide expands into Germany to support, accelerate growing business in Europe
Published: 14-09-2020 | 12:56:00 | By: Pie Kamau
SafeRide Technologies, a leading provider of AI-based vehicle health management, data analytics, and cybersecurity solutions for connected and autonomous vehicles, announced the opening of a new office in Germany.


IME Medical Electrospinning secures €3m financing from Dutch VCs to expand its Medispin XL production platform
Published: 14-09-2020 | 12:37:00 | By: Pie Kamau
IME Medical Electrospinning, a global leader in electrospun medical devices and regenerative medicine, announced it has successfully raised €3 million in equity financing and debt.


Danish drone startup QuadSAT raises €2m to accelerate product testing
Published: 11-09-2020 | 13:46:00 | By: Pie Kamau
QuadSAT, a Danish company that is revolutionising test and measurement of satellite antennas, announced it has closed a €2 million Pre-Series A Investment, the largest venture investment in a Danish drone tech company in history.


Spain's Banco Santander spins out fintech venture capital arm, doubles allocated funds to $400m
Published: 11-09-2020 | 13:07:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Zurich-based turicode closes €2m seed investments round for growth plans
Published: 11-09-2020 | 12:51:00 | By: Pie Kamau
turicode, a successful Software-as-a-Service provider in the field of document processing solutions based on machine learning and deep learning raised €2 million seed investments to fund the company’s growth plans.


UK's curated audio platform for journalism Curio closes $9m Series A funding for international expansion
Published: 11-09-2020 | 11:11:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Curio, the premium audio platform with a curated library of expert journalism, closed a $9 million Series A round led by Earlybird. Draper Esprit, Cherry Ventures, and Horizons Ventures also took part in the investment.


Belgian startup InviteDesk raises €500K to expand its event marketing software
Published: 10-09-2020 | 14:28:00 | By: Pie Kamau
InviteDesk, developer of event marketing software, has increased its capital by more than €500 thousand. With InviteDesk, companies increase their return on investment (ROI) from event marketing.


Belgian scale-up Oncomfort raises €10m in Series A funding
Published: 09-09-2020 | 15:29:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Oncomfort, the Belgian inventor of and leader in Digital SedationTM a method for relieving patients' pain and anxiety without medication announced the completion of a €10 million Series A funding round.


PopSQL raises $3.4m to help teams collaborate using data
Published: 09-09-2020 | 15:09:00 | By: Pie Kamau
PopSQL, the collaborative SQL editor for teams announced $3.4 million in seed funding, led by Gradient Ventures, Google's AI-focused venture fund.


Pcysys announces $25m Series B funding round led by Insight Partners
Published: 09-09-2020 | 14:56:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Cybersecurity Validation company, Pcysys, announced it has completed a $25 million Series B funding round led by US-based venture capital and private equity firm Insight Partners.


SaaS Ventures announces launch of second fund, raises $20m in first close
Published: 08-09-2020 | 16:04:00 | By: Pie Kamau
SaaS Ventures, a Maryland-based venture capital firm focused on investing in early stage enterprise technology companies in secondary markets throughout the U.S. and Canada, has announced the launch of a second fund (Fund II).


Early investors in 4IR startups set to reap rewards
Published: 08-09-2020 | 15:45:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Early investors in startups with exposure to the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) are benefiting from significant revenue growth despite the physical constraints introduced by governments’ responses to the Covid-19 pandemic.


Fintech startup Thunes raises $60m in Series B funding to accelerate global growth
Published: 08-09-2020 | 14:19:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Fintech startup Thunes, which operates a global B2B cross-border payments network, continues to attract investment as emerging markets take off.


Smart consumer technology startup Dreame raises $14.6m in Series B+ funding
Published: 07-09-2020 | 16:16:00 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Paul Lamontagne steps down as CEO of FinDev Canada
Published: 07-09-2020 | 11:27:26 | By: Pie Kamau
Following close to three years as the first CEO of Findev Canada, Paul Lamontagne has announced that he is stepping down effective September 11, 2020.


Software development startup Zymr expands footprint in India, opens new development center in Bengaluru
Published: 04-09-2020 | 15:32:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Zymr, a full-stack cloud-native software development company headquartered in California announced the establishment of a third development center in Bengaluru, India, to respond to an increasing customer demand despite COVID slowdown.


SafeButler, Liberty Mutual partner to offer instant renters insurance
Published: 04-09-2020 | 15:08:00 | By: Pie Kamau
YCombinator funded startup SafeButler has partnered with Liberty Mutual, an insurance industry leader for over 100 years, to provide instant access to a comprehensive renters insurance plan at a very low rate.


StartUp Namibia launches Round 2 of COVID 19 Startup Grant
Published: 04-09-2020 | 08:48:00 | By: Pie Kamau
In order to support more startups and young enterprises, StartUp Namibia and its partners announced Round 2 of the COVID-19 Startup Grant, called “Startup Survival Grant”.


Demodesk raises $8m to scale world’s first intelligent online sales meeting software
Published: 03-09-2020 | 16:27:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Demodesk has raised $8 million in the latest Series A funding round, led by Balderton Capital with participation from Target Global, to scale the platform that has revolutionized screen-sharing for great customer conversation.


BorgWarner expands collaboration with startup ecosystem Plug and Play
Published: 03-09-2020 | 16:02:58 | By: Pie Kamau
BorgWarner announced its next venture with Plug and Play, a global innovation platform and accelerator ecosystem for startup companies, by becoming a partner of its newly planned incubator location in Detroit.


South Korean Doit5 launches advertising content service using web AR technology
Published: 03-09-2020 | 15:37:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Social marketing platform Doit5 announced the launch of an advertising service that uses content with web based AR technology.


e-commerce startup Pharmapacks closes $40m bridge round financing
Published: 03-09-2020 | 15:12:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Pharmapacks, a leading e-commerce enablement platform and retail seller for brands across major ecommerce marketplaces announced the closing of a $40 million bridge round financing.


West Africa's Miro Forestry raises $48 funding close led by CDC to combat climate crisis
Published: 02-09-2020 | 15:01:00 | By: Pie Kamau
CDC Group, the UK’s publicly owned impact investor announced a further $12 million commitment to Miro Forestry, a sustainable forestry and timber business with plantations in Ghana and Sierra Leone.


Fielding Norton joins advisory board of InsureTech startup Pricing Platform
Published: 02-09-2020 | 10:41:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Pricing Platform, an InsureTech startup that integrates Property & Casualty underwriting, pricing, and portfolio analytics in a cloud-based platform announced Fielding "Fid" Norton has joined as founding advisor and Chair of the advisory board.


Digital Horizon invests in Nigerian health startup Healthlane
Published: 02-09-2020 | 09:55:45 | By: Pie Kamau
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.


Chromologics raises €1.9m seed round to accelerate development of fermentation-derived next generation food colorants
Published: 01-09-2020 | 17:19:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Chromologics, which is developing innovative natural food colorants, announced it has raised €1.9 million in seed financing led by Novo Seeds and supported by Nordic FoodTech VC and Vækstfonden.


Paris-based startup Klassroom raises $3m to expand from France to other countries including the U.S.
Published: 01-09-2020 | 17:00:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Klassroom, the Paris-based company that reinvents parent-teacher communication in pre-kindergarten and all elementary school grades, raised a $3 million seed round led by Bpifrance.


LimaCharlie receives $500K seed funding to accelerate growth of security infrastructure as a Service
Published: 01-09-2020 | 15:58:00 | By: Pie Kamau
LimaCharlie, the market leader for delivering Information Security Infrastructure as a Service (SIaaS), has secured seed $500K funding from Lytical Ventures to accelerate growth and support its continued success.


Australia startup Bolt Bikes rebrands to Zoomo, announces expansion to USA
Published: 27-08-2020 | 10:08:30 | By: Bob Koigi
Bolt Bikes Bolt Bikes, the mobility startup, has completed a Series A capital raise of $11 million to invest in expanding its operations in the United States and move into new categories globally.


Traveltech startup Omio raises $100m to strengthen position as global travel platform
Published: 19-08-2020 | 14:40:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Omio, formerly GoEuro, Europe’s leading multi-modal travel booking platform, announced it has secured $100 million in investments from existing and new investors.


German traveltech startup Omio launches 'Open Travel Index' to navigate new travel era
Published: 19-08-2020 | 14:23:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Europe’s leading multi-modal travel booking platform Omio is reigniting travel by launching a new online resource to help travellers easily understand where they can travel to within Europe.


Zipp Mobility gets green light for UK e-scooter trials
Published: 17-08-2020 | 15:37:50 | By: Pie Kamau
Zipp Mobility, the Irish micromobility startup, announced the UK Department for Transport (DfT) has approved the company’s e-scooter model for use in trials across the UK.


Uber set to acquire UK taxi software startup Autocab
Published: 08-08-2020 | 14:27:24 | By: Bob Koigi
Uber has announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire UK technology startup Autocab.


Sweden e-scooter startup Voi Technology wins first large-scale exclusive trial deal in UK
Published: 08-08-2020 | 14:17:47 | By: Bob Koigi
Swedish-founded micro-mobility startup Voi Technology is getting ready to put its first fleet of e-scooters on UK streets.


Nigerian mobility startup Plentywaka raises $300,000 investment as it expands into Abuja
Published: 06-08-2020 | 15:19:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Nigerian mobility startup Plentywaka secured a pre-seed investment led by Emfato, Microtraction, and Niche Capital worth $300,000.


OneRail announces acceptance into Microsoft for Startups Programme
Published: 23-07-2020 | 17:31:24 | By: Bob Koigi
OneRail, an Orlando-based final mile delivery orchestration and fulfillment platform, hass announced its acceptance into the Microsoft for Startups immersive programme.


Pan-European micro-mobility startup Voi achieves profitability in June, secures $30m funding
Published: 16-07-2020 | 13:17:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Voi Technology, the pan-European micro-mobility leader announced it has reached its first-ever monthly profit at group level for the month of June, less than two years since it launched the e-scooter service which now operates across 40 cities.


Booking.com partners with Here Mobility to boost pre-booked airport taxi services in US and Europe
Published: 15-07-2020 | 16:47:01 | By: Bob Koigi
Booking.com and HERE have announced a partnership, that will give travelers using the Booking.com app and platform access to an additional 1.3 million vehicles in 70 cities across the US and Europe.


French startup Koala closes €1.6m seed round led by Insurtech Gateway
Published: 07-07-2020 | 15:13:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Paris based insurtech Koala announced an investment of €1.6 million led by London based incubator and fund Insurtech Gateway alongside Playfair Capital, Techstars Ventures and private investors.


ETF leads €7 million investment in Finnish startup Basemark
Published: 07-07-2020 | 14:30:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Basemark, a leading software company specialising in graphics and autonomous driving vehicle software, has successfully concluded a €7 million equity funding round by ETF Partners.


Uber acquires food delivery startup Postmates for $2.65 billion
Published: 07-07-2020 | 14:15:32 | By: Bob Koigi
Uber has announced that it will acquire US on-demand food delivery startup Postmates for approximately $2.65 billion in an all-stock transaction.


Belgium mobility startup Skipr secures €7 million to fund European expansion
Published: 02-07-2020 | 14:20:10 | By: Bob Koigi
Skipr, a Belgian startup that enables companies to bring the future of mobility to their employees, has secured a seven million euro Series A round of funding.


E-mobility startup Bolt launches electric bikes in Paris
Published: 01-07-2020 | 15:19:00 | By: Pie Kamau
E-mobility startup Bolt has announced the introduction of four and two-wheeled vehicles for Parisian urban commuters, who will now have the opportunity to get from A to B on a Bolt electric bike.


TIER Mobility gears up for UK launch, hires two industry top figures
Published: 30-06-2020 | 16:08:00 | By: Pie Kamau
TIER Mobility, a European provider of micro-mobility solutions has hired two senior figures in the ride-sharing and e-mobility sector as it gears up for its UK launch - Fred Jones as General Manager U.K., and Benjamin Bell as Head of Public Policy for Northern Europe.


Ziticity raises €2.2 million seed investment for Europe expansion
Published: 30-06-2020 | 15:51:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Lithuanian logistics platform Ziticity has closed a €2.2 million seed equity investment round led by NordicNinja VC in participation with Superhero Capital VC, Practica Capital, Superangel VC, Startup Wise Guys and business angel Maksim Golivkin.


[Startup Interview] Riaan Rautenbach, CEO, Live Fr8, South Africa
Published: 30-06-2020 | 14:07:15 | By: Bob Koigi
LIVE FR8™ is a South African startup that offers cargo suppliers and transporters improved and cheaper logistics services through cloud technology. Cargo suppliers and transporters connect directly.


French startup Monk raises $2.4m Seed round to develop AI-based inspection technology
Published: 11-06-2020 | 15:23:00 | By: Pie Kamau
French startup Monk, an Artificial Intelligence focused on car damage detection announced a $2.4 million fundraising Seed round led by Iris Capital, alongside Plug and Play and key business angels.


French healthtech startup Ambler raises €6 million to accelerate digitalization of medical transport
Published: 09-06-2020 | 12:39:00 | By: Pie Kamau
18 months after its first fundraising, Ambler has completed a € 6 million round of financing with Bpifrance via the Digital Venture pole, Idinvest Partners, Partech and Kima Ventures to accelerate the development of its platform for connecting carriers sanitary and health establishments.


UK startup Planet Smart City expands further in Brazil with new smart city launch
Published: 03-06-2020 | 11:45:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Planet Smart City startup, the global leader in smart afordable housing, has expanded its presence in Brazil with the launch of its fourth smart project in the country- Smart City Aquiraz.


Spain startup Zeleros raises €7m in financing to lead the development of hyperloop in Europe
Published: 01-06-2020 | 16:14:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Zeleros Hyperloop startup has completed a financing round worth more than €7 million for the company to start a new and important phase in the development of its unique version of hyperloop, the fifth mode of transport.


India’s Ola Electric acquires Dutch scooter startup Etergo
Published: 27-05-2020 | 15:06:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Ola Electric, an offshoot of Indian ride-hailing company Ola, has acquired Etergo BV, an innovative electric scooter OEM, based out of Amsterdam, the Netherlands.


Bolt raises €100m from Naya Capital to expand transport, food delivery services in Europe and Africa
Published: 26-05-2020 | 15:02:00 | By: Pie Kamau
Estonia-based Bolt has closed an investment round of €100m from Naya Capital Management to help the company continue to scale its product segments from ride-hailing to micro-mobility and food delivery in Europe and Africa.


BlaBlaCar partners with Voi Technology to offer e-scooters in France
Published: 26-05-2020 | 14:58:00 | By: Bob Koigi
Carpooling platform BlaBlaCar has chosen to extend its offer and partner with Swedish electric scooters company Voi Technology to offer BlaBla Ride Scooters.


Dutch e-bike startup VanMoof raises $13.5 million for global expansion
Published: 13-05-2020 | 16:38:54 | By: Bob Koigi
Dutch e-bike tech scale-up VanMoof, has raised approximately $13.5 million from Europe’ top venture capital firms Balderton Capital and assembly partner SINBON Electronics.


DispatchTrack announces $144 million funding to optimize last-mile logistics
Published: 12-05-2020 | 19:09:12 | By: Bob Koigi
DispatchTrack, a provider of SaaS-based last-mile logistics solutions in San Jose California, has closed a $144 million growth transaction led by Spectrum Equity.


Intel acquires urban transit startup Moovit for $900 million
Published: 08-05-2020 | 15:45:33 | By: Bob Koigi
Global tech multinational Intel Corporation has acquired Moovit, a mobility-as-a-service, MaaS, solutions startup, for an estimated $900 million.


[Startup Interview] Ali Messoudi, President, Transpare, Morocco
Published: 25-02-2020 | 12:45:00 | By: Bas Vlugt
Transpare is a digital platform that makes international freight transport easier. Like Booking or Trivago for tourism, we put in relationship shippers and freight forwarders. Transpare.eu is totally free, both can register themselves in a few minutes only. Then they ask a quotation


[Startup Interview] Fahim Saleh, Founder, Gokada, Nigeria
Published: 06-06-2019 | 11:37:00 | By: Bob Koigi
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.