Author: Staff Writer

Google is bringing its Gemini assistant to the living room, debuting on select Google TV sets and streaming devices with a design tuned for couch-friendly, large-screen use. Unlike classic voice assistants that wait for tightly phrased commands, Gemini on Google TV supports free-flowing conversation: you can ask for recommendations, follow…

Mirova, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, has committed up to $10 million in senior secured debt to ARC Ride, the Nairobi-based electric mobility operator. The financing—structured with a five-year tenor—marks the Mirova Gigaton Fund’s first EV investment in sub-Saharan Africa and is aimed squarely at scaling the backbone of…

OpenAI and Nvidia have signed a letter of intent for a sweeping strategic partnership that pairs capital with compute at unprecedented scale. Under the plan, Nvidia will invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI as the startup deploys at least 10 gigawatts of Nvidia systems to train and run its…

LemFi has received formal approval from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to operate remittance services into Pakistan, cementing a strategic partnership with United Bank Limited (UBL) and a network of trusted partners. The green light allows Pakistanis in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, and Europe to continue…

Yango Ventures has made its second investment from the $20 million Africa-focused fund it unveiled this year, taking a stake in Zanifu, a Kenyan fintech that provides working-capital financing to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The funding amount was not disclosed, but the deal follows Yango Ventures’ first investment in…

Ctrack has attracted fresh growth capital to accelerate its expansion in global telematics and fleet asset management. The company confirmed that South African private-equity firm Sanari Capital has invested approximately $14.4 million, alongside a further $9 million from long-time partner 27four Investment Managers. The funding strengthens Ctrack’s shareholder base and…

Kenyan agritech venture studio Pyramidia Ventures has raised $1.5 million from Dutch impact investor Triple Jump to expand its model of building and scaling climate-focused startups. The package comprises $1.3 million in funding plus $200,000 for technical assistance and business development provided through the Dutch Good Growth Fund (DGGF), which…

Kenya Airways has unveiled KQSafari Data, a roaming service built to make mobile connectivity affordable, seamless, and reliable for travelers in more than 180 countries. The product—born in the airline’s Open Innovation Challenge and developed to market readiness at the Fahari Innovation Hub—was launched alongside a partnership agreement signed by…

Tanzanian agritech startup MazaoHub has closed an oversubscribed $2 million round combining $1.5 million in equity and $500,000 in non-dilutive capital, financing a push to take its climate-smart, data-driven agronomy model nationwide. The raise—led on the equity side by Catalyst Fund with participation from Nordic Impact Fund, Mercy Corps Ventures,…

Lagride, the Lagos State–backed e-hailing service, is making an aggressive play for the city’s ride-hailing crown. Fresh off a media day in Alausa, the company rolled out 100 new electric vehicles (EVs) and set an audacious target: capture at least 70% of Lagos’ e-hailing market as it scales to 5,000…

Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, announced N-ATLAS v1—an open-source, multilingual and multimodal large language model—unveiled on the sidelines of #UNGA80 in New York. The initial release focuses on Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and Nigerian-accented English, a deliberate push to anchor African languages and speech patterns at…

The White House has upended the economics of skilled immigration with a presidential proclamation imposing a $100,000 annual fee per H-1B worker, potentially for each of the first three years. Framed as a way to prioritize domestic hires, the change lands alongside a proposed “gold card” pathway that would exchange…

Moroccan startup DONE.ma has closed a $2.1 million seed round, fully backed by local investors and business angels. The deal marks one of the largest early-stage rounds led exclusively by Moroccan capital and highlights rising confidence in the country’s ability to produce globally competitive technology. Founded in 2024 by Mohamed…

Google has announced plans to establish four new subsea cable connectivity hubs across Africa, reinforcing the continent’s role in the global digital economy. The hubs, located in the north, south, east, and west regions of Africa, are designed to create fresh digital corridors within the continent and between Africa and…

After more than eleven years at the helm of Wasoko, co-founder and CEO Daniel Yu has announced that he will be stepping back from his full-time role following the landmark merger with MaxAB. Though Yu will no longer engage in daily operations, he will remain involved in a strategic advisory…

Meta has made its latest announcements at the annual Connect event, placing a bold emphasis on AI glasses as the company’s next big leap in personal technology. With new product launches, feature upgrades, and partnerships, Meta is signaling its vision of a future where artificial intelligence and immersive experiences are…

In the hype-filled world of AI startups, Rulebase is taking a decidedly unglamorous route: automating the back-office operations that keep financial institutions compliant and efficient. The Y Combinator-backed startup, founded in 2024 by Nigerian engineers Gideon Ebose and Chidi Williams, has secured a $2.1 million pre-seed round led by Bowery…

TikTok has transformed social media from a video-sharing app into a global marketplace of attention. Beyond viral dances and challenges, it has pioneered an ecosystem where fans reward creators with virtual gifts — animated icons bought with real money. Some gifts cost only a handful of coins, but at the…

Less than two years after setting the world alight with her 93-hour cook-a-thon, Nigerian chef Hilda Baci has raised the bar again—literally. On September 12, 2025, in partnership with food brand Gino, she unveiled the largest ever serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice: 8,780 kilograms, officially confirmed by Guinness World Records…

By linking low-cost remittances with credit-building tools, Kredete is scaling across 40+ African markets while expanding to Europe and North America. Kredete, a fast-growing fintech platform dedicated to empowering African immigrants, has raised $22 million in Series A funding to accelerate its global expansion and broaden its suite of financial…