Author: Tapiwa Matthew Mutisi

South Africans by mid-day on Tuesday were reporting success in buying coffee and fried chicken by using their iPhones, or Apple Watches, instead of a payment card, as Apple Pay quietly went live via some South African banks. At launch, Apple Pay is supported by three South African banks: Absa Group, Nedbank…

South African-based fintech startup Payflex has launched a new offering that offers an online payment gateway solution to South African merchants that allows shoppers to pay over 6 weeks, interest-free. Therefore, local consumers will be able to purchase items from over 500 well-known stores such as Cotton-on, Superbalist, and more.  Payflex is a brilliant…

The Catalyst Fund Inclusive Fintech Programme, managed by BFA Global, has opened applications for its latest internship cohort till 15 April 2021. According to the Catalyst Fund, there are 12 internship opportunities available at fintech startups across Africa and the programme will help facilitate placing successful applicants.  Abby Butkus, Program Manager for Catalyst Fund…

The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law‘s (HiiL) Innovating Justice Challenge accelerator programme has opened applications for legal tech startups located in Southern Africa, therefore HiiL is calling on all game-changing justice startups that want to grow their social impact and business to participate in this year’s challenge. Successful applicants will…

Impulse Biomedical, a South African multi-medical device development startup and award-winning biomedical engineers rethinking medical practices for the betterment of those who need it most has secured an undisclosed amount in a venture capital investment from Futuregrowth.  Amrish Narrandes, Head of Unlisted Equity Transactions at Futuregrowth explains that Impulse Biomedical is the…

Hosted by Zindi, UmojaHack Africa 2021, the first-ever and largest pan-African inter-university machine learning hackathon for students to take place will take place from 27-28 March 2021, and participating students from across Africa stand the chance to win over $10 000 in prizes.  With data science students from 120 universities…

SA-based data automation tech startup Synatic, a fully-featured integration and data processing platform, built for the connected cloud era has secured $1-million in a seed funding round led by UW Ventures with participation from Allan Gray and E Squared. According to reports, the funding will be used to expand the tech startup’s customer base…

The leaders of Google, Facebook, and Twitter faced sharp questions from House lawmakers from both sides of the aisle on Thursday about misinformation’s role in the attack and the mental health of children who use their products, also escalating their calls for swift regulation of the tech industry but lawmakers…

Are you passionate about solving some of Africa’s most pressing problems through innovation? Then, Savvy fellowship is looking for you. The Savvy Fellowship programme for aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs has expanded its reach and is now available in 104 languages including Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa. Chidi Nwaogu, co-founder and Head of…

South Africa’s largest online broker and a leader in the international markets CMTrading has opened up an office in Lagos, Nigeria. The company will be offering trading, seminars, webinars, and trading via its online platform to users located in Nigeria. This is an opportunity for Business Referrers (BRs) located in…

Coffee Monster is a tech startup that aims to support local coffee shops across the country with its innovative platform. Whether you are in a morning rush, afternoon slump or simply need to get your coffee fix on-the-go, Coffee Monster makes experiencing your favourite beverage easy and convenient. The easy-to-use app…

The ASIP Accelerator Programme, a programme focused on early-stage disruptive African tech startups, has officially opened applications for its newest cohort. Established by Telecel Group and powered by Startupbootcamp AfriTech, the programme aims to facilitate the growth and promotion of African tech startups in fintech, insurtech, agritech, eCommerce, healthtech, and cleantech sector.  Participating startups…

South African big-four bank First National Bank (FNB) has acquired Selpal, a local fintech company that operates specifically in townships and rural sectors of the economy. The acquisition reaffirms FNB’s commitment to financial inclusion in the country and is an extension of their support towards community-based businesses.  Jacques Celliers, CEO of…

Tesla has begun accepting Bitcoin as a payment method for vehicles. Tesla Inc Chief Elon Musk said on Wednesday that a Tesla vehicle can now be bought using bitcoin and the option will be available outside the United States later this year. The automaker last month revealed that it had bought $1.5 billion worth of…

China’s biggest carmaker Geely is launching a premium electric car brand it hopes will take on Tesla. The multinational auto manufacturer, which owns Volvo and Lotus, announced its Zeekr brand on Tuesday to tap into China’s demand for electric vehicles (EVs). Zeekr’s launch coincides with Elon Musk currently going on…

You asked for it, now you will get it. After months of teasing, a few leaks, and rumors, Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer, OnePlus is ready to fully unveil its first smartwatch. In addition to showing off the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro flagships, the company gave us a look at the…

After sparking controversy for shipping the iPhone 12 without a charger, the Brazilian state of São Paulo isn’t thrilled either with Apple leaving the charger out of the iPhone 12 box. The country doesn’t buy Apple’s environmental angle at all, which has now led to Apple getting fined $2 million by Brazil’s…

South African venture, offering an innovative service that matches Spaces to ideas SpaceMatch has created an online marketplace for the rental of retail, event, pop-up, and exhibition space in South Africa. The platform enables landlords to list their properties for prospective tenants to view and secure a rental for the above-mentioned…

South African eCommerce platform OneDayOnly which holds the esteemed title of being South Africa’s original daily deals website has launched an initiative to support local businesses with a dedicated Shop Local Shop Friday. The initiative will take place on 26 March and aims to support South African manufacturers and suppliers.  Laurian Venter, Director…

Following National Water Week, which ran from 15 to 22 March in South Africa, Vodacom would like to reiterate its call to all South Africans to join them in protecting and conserving the country’s water resources by using water sparingly. “Water usage” describes the total amount of water withdrawn from its…