Africa

Richard Branson, Al Gore, Steve Case back Kenyan solar startup M-Kopa in $19m round

The likes of Virgin Group’s Sir Richard Branson, former US Vice President Al Gore and AOL founder Steve Case have invested US$19-million in Kenyan…

Beyond insurance: How TopCheck aims to transform Nigeria’s financial services industry

In a country where online sale of services is still arguably unpopular compared to retail and other services, TopCheck is attempting to achieve profitability…

SA’s website builder startup VIGO expands to Asia with Webnic partnership

South African startup VIGO, which is behind an easy-to-use website-building tool, is expanding its services to Asia. This comes after the tech company partnered…

$100m Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship programme gears up for 2016

The Tony Elumelu Foundation will be looking for applicants for its US$100-million Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP) for emerging African entrepreneurs in 2016. On the…

Innovating Africa means practical solutions to unique challenges

Innovation is one of the most important contributors to economic growth in any market. Innovators create wealth, attract investment and provide job opportunities. They…

Livestock management app Modisar named Seedstars World Botswana winner

Livestock management app Modisar was crowned the Seedstars World regional winner in Gaborone, Botswana on 27 November. This event marked the end of Seedstars…

Top startup events in South Africa, Africa you should know about this week [30/11/2015]

Looking to get into the South African startup scene or scratch up on some of your skills? Well, you’ve come to the right place….

Wella Health: Charting course for digital health startups in Nigeria

In Nigeria, very few professionals enjoy job security like doctors. This is why it is not every day that you meet someone no longer thrilled…

Nigerian accommodation booking site Hotels.ng just raised $1.2m

Nigerian accommodation booking site Hotels.ng has just raised US$1.2-million in funding from global firms Omidyar Group and EchoVC, TechCabal reports. Founded by Mark Essien…

MEST incubator looks to Kenyan talent in regional expansion

On a crusade to create a pan-African business incubator, Ghanian-based initiative Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) has announced that it’s entering Kenya —…

Q&A with MoboFree CEO on Africa’s fast-growing mobile marketplace

MoboFree is an African-based mobile marketplace with a social twist that allows people to buy, sell and swap products with each other. The goal…

Kenya’s million dollar bitcoin startup BitPesa expands to Tanzania

Kenyan bitcoin startup BitPesa is expanding to neighbouring Tanzania about a year after it launched its mobile-friendly digital currency exchange. Since then, the innovative…

Is South Africa ready for its Instacart moment?

Getting home after a long day, you put your keys and bag down, kick your feet up, get comfortable and ease into you couch….

Ornico snaps up Fuseware to fuel African expansion

Fuseware, the digital analytics agency tracking South Africa’s social media landscape, has been acquired by local media and analytics company Ornico for an undisclosed…

4 tech startups chosen for Savannah Fund’s latest accelerator class

The Kenyan-based VC firm, Savannah Fund, has lifted the curtains on its latest class of accelerated startups from the African continent. From Bitcoin to…

StudySearch connects African students with quality universities abroad

Even though there is no official data on the number of Africans that are travelling abroad annually for postgraduate studies, it’s expected to be…

Here are Africa’s 5 Innotribe Startup Challenge finalists

Fifteen fintech startups from all over Africa just competed for a chance to travel to Singapore later this year where some of them will…

She Leads Africa is looking for entrepreneurs to scale across the continent

She Leads Africa is again helping drive leadership, commerce and innovation among the continent’s savvy women. A second time round, the Entrepreneur Showcase is…

SweepSouth announces seed round, plans on-demand cleaning everywhere

SweepSouth launched mid last year on a mission to help get South Africa’s homes clean. The on-demand domestic cleaning startup has since swept up…

Kalahari ceases to exist with finalisation of Takealot merger

Visit kalahari.com right now and for the first time since 1998 (that’s 17 years for the slower ones) you won’t find yourself on South…

VIGO partner to offer SA small businesses site makeovers worth R10k

The Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship and VIGO have partnered to get more small businesses online, giving them an opportunity to win a website makeover…

Stitch Video: unlocking Africa’s growing video ad industry

Having been behind the launch of one of the first video ad exchanges, Adap.tv — which was then later acquired by AOL for over…

Tips from a successful Ghanian exit: Q&A with Saya Mobile founder Robert Lamptey

Last year, the Ghana-based developer of mobile messaging apps for feature phones, Saya Mobile, was acquired by Kirusa from the States. Founded in 2011,…

How VR Meditation Apps Like Realms of Flow and Others Are Redefining Our Connection with Reality

Transforming Healthcare in Africa with Technology

How forex trading is transforming startup investment strategies

How One Energy Project Could Reshape Climate Action

Microsoft launches new Surface devices in new AI era

Honor Magic V3 launches, four things to know

Honor Magic V3, a Guinness world record attempt

German luxury cars require a rethink for China

Trump wins – Tesla goes beyond $1 Trillion

Vivo update – a big safety gain