Author: Tapiwa Matthew Mutisi

ClusterLab, an artificial intelligence (AI) startup that was founded in Tunisia and is currently based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has successfully raised $600,000 in a pre-seed funding round. The significant investment, led by Karim Beguir, who is the Chief Executive Officer of another Tunisian AI company called InstaDeep,…

The Kenyan insurtech startup mTek has successfully garnered an investment of $1.25 million in a funding round. The principal investors who contributed to this were Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures and Founders Factory Africa. These new funds represent a significant boost for mTek in their mission to expand their operations within Kenya…

Nigerian fintech firm Leatherback has teamed up with Mumbai-based YES BANK in a bid to improve the process of remittance and immediate Indian Rupee (INR) payouts within India. Under this collaboration, businesses and individuals worldwide, including international students, medical migrants, tourists, and others using Leatherback’s platform, can utilize YES BANK’s…

Canal+ Group, a prominent French media company, has recently invested in Marodi TV, which is a Senegalese production firm. While the specifics of the investment have not been disclosed, the transaction is intended to broaden the collaborative relationship between the two companies and bolster Canal+ Group’s standing in French-speaking regions…

Dodai, an electric vehicle manufacturer based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, recently raised $4 million in a Series A funding round. The investment, funded by Nissay Capital, Musashi Seimitsu, and Inclusion Japan, will be used to enhance the company’s scale. The company plans to allocate 80% of the raised funds to…

Lula, a firm that offers digital financial solutions for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), has announced the appointment of Buhle Goslar as its new chairperson of the board. As stated by Lula, Goslar brings with her substantial experience from the emerging market fintech industry, most recently having served as the…

Switchcon, a company specializing in educational technology, has officially launched its tech innovation lab, named Infinolab, in Nigeria. This significant development took place at Lagos State University, signifying a major step forward in the synergy of technology and education, fostering collaborative technological solutions. Infinolab is an innovative tech community birthed…

South Africa’s third-largest mobile operator, Telkom, has announced the sale of its tower company, Swiftnet, for a total of $343 million (R6.5 billion), to Towerco Bidco Proprietary Limited, a consortium of equity investors led and managed by Actis, which holds 70% of the purchasers’ shares, while Royal Bafokeng Holdings holds…

The Burning Heroes (BH) Founders Association is inviting applications for the second edition of the BH Africa Startup Awards, a platform created to link ventures with investment and other opportunities. This competition is aligned with the association’s goal to provide talented founders equal access to global opportunities. As part of…

The 14th edition of the Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) in Africa and the Middle East is now open for applications. The initiative supports social innovation and promotes entrepreneurship. Since its inception in 2011, the OSVP has been recognizing and rewarding innovative startup projects that utilize and advance new technologies…

Amazon Web Services (AWS) South Africa is currently accepting applications from ICT-focused Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) for the 2024 edition of the Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP). After incubating and providing support for 27 local SMEs since 2020, they aim to generate another 20 success stories. The 18 to…

The Irish Tech Challenge is calling on South African startups to participate in its 2024 edition. A joint initiative by the Embassy of Ireland in South Africa, the Department of Science and Innovation, the Technology Innovation Agency, Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Precinct, and Dogpatch Labs in Ireland, the challenge aims to bolster partnerships…

In the wake of a major cyber-attack, the government of Malawi has managed to restore its passport system. This comes a few weeks after the system was breached by unidentified perpetrators. Following the attack, President Lazarus Chakwera issued a directive for an immediate investigation. The President expressed his desire for…

It’ll soon be time for the tech world to once again turn its attention to Mountain View. The upcoming Google I/O developer conference is set to begin precisely two months from now on May 14th. Just as they did last year, Google will conduct the 2024 I/O keynote with a…

Village Capital, renowned for providing social and financial capital to early-stage companies for business and impact growth, has partnered with Moody’s Foundation to roll out Greentech 2024: The Future of Sustainability. This initiative is an investment-readiness accelerator designed to promote sustainable solutions and resilience-building while addressing climate change throughout Africa.…

Flutterwave, currently Africa’s most valuable startup, has announced the appointment of Dipo Fatokun, a former director of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as its new chairman of the board. This move is in line with Flutterwave’s mission to maintain high standards of regulation, compliance, and governance. Fatokun has considerable…

Airtel Africa has officially commenced construction on its first data facility in Lagos, as part of its new Nxtra data centre business. This project is expected to create over 1000 jobs in Nigeria, 250 of which will be permanent once the centre becomes fully operational. The news was announced by…

Youverify, a Nigerian innovator in the field of identity verification and anti-money laundering (AML) solutions, has made significant strides with a $2.5 million pre-Series A investment round. This funding comes from Elm Investment, a Saudi firm dedicated to supporting the growth of emerging technology ecosystems, particularly those within the MENA…

XSML Capital, renowned for providing critical growth capital to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Central and Eastern regions of Africa, has proudly announced the launch of its fourth fund, coined the African Rivers Fund IV (ARF IV). The firm’s inaugural closure for this fund garnered an impressive total…

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has joined forces with Switzerland-based company Seedstars, to launch INFUSE 2024, a globally open initiative calling for innovation proposals. The main aims of the initiative are to strengthen health systems against the threats posed by climate change and improve the delivery of immunization programs. Seedstars is…