Covid-19 and African tech startups roundup [11/05/2020]

Times may be tough, but SA born Roelof Botha and partner at venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, believes that the Covid-19 pandemic has created opportunities for startups across a number of sectors.

Meanwhile, Nigerian bus hailing company Plentywaka‘s managing director Johnny Enagwolor announced last week that his startup has resumed service in Lagos following the relaxing of a lockdown there that was in place for over a month in the city.

With the coronavirus (Covid-19) headlining news all over the world, Ventureburn has launched a regular daily roundup on the virus and how it is affecting Africa’s tech startup sector.

SA born Roelof Botha and partner at Sequoia Capital, believes that the Covid-19 pandemic has created opportunities for startups

Those with any news releases relating to Covid-19 and Africa’s tech startup sector can send these to editor@memeburn.com.

Here then is the latest on the coronavirus and African tech startups:

‘Change unfairly favours the startup’: SA born Roelof Botha, who is a partner at venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, believes that the Covid-19 pandemic has created opportunities for startups across a number of sectors, including healthcare, cloud computing, social and others. Said Botha in an interview this weekend with US tech publication TechCrunch: “I just think change unfairly favours the startup, the nimble small company”.

Free Covid-19 guide for CEOs: A SA organisation which helps companies to scale, 10X-e, has launched the Covid-19 Leadership Field Guide for CEOs. The organisation claims that the guide is designed specifically for business leaders, replete with downloadable tools and templates. The online platform is also supported by direct, interactive sessions scheduled weekly with seasoned leaders, allowing CEO’s to pose their specific questions to veterans “who’ve been there”.

Bus hailing startup is back: Nigerian bus hailing company Plentywaka, has resumed service in Lagos following the relaxing of a lockdown that was in place for over a month in the city. The startup — which was founded in September last year by Johnny Enagwolor, Onyeka Akumah, Afolabi Oluseyi and John Shaibu — said it has made numerous changes to its operations to comply with the new changes, including hiking fares by between 20% and 25% to manage the limited service being offered. Enagwolor (pictured above) told Ventureburn that the founders, together with shareholders from agritech Farmcrowdy, have put in $60,000 of their own capital. The startup has an in-house team of 27. Said Enagwolor: “We have also completed just over 100,000 trips in our first six-months since the launch of our platform and just recently launched a staff-bus solution for corporates”.

Read more: Covid-19 and African tech startups roundup [08/04/2020]
Read more: Covid-19 and African tech startups roundup [07/04/2020]
Read more: Covid-19 and African tech startups roundup [06/04/2020]
Read more: Covid-19 and African tech startups roundup [05/04/2020]
Read more: Covid-19 and African tech startups roundup [04/04/2020]

Featured image: Plentywaka managing director and co-founder Johnny Enagwolor (Supplied)