Startup news

Two new categories added to 2019 FNB Business Innovation Awards

The FNB Business Innovation Awards have been expanded to include two new categories for SMEs and township entrepreneurs. FNB announced in a statement on…

SA SME Fund backed Akro opens call in new Cape based accelerator

Cape Town based venture builder Akro has opened a call to entrepreneurs for a new 20-week acceleration programme which is funded by the SA…

Busy month for SA startup Cloudline as founder lands in Israel for accelerator programme

SA logistics startup Cloudline and its founder Spencer Horne (pictured above) has had a busy month. Earlier this month the startup — which uses autonomous airships…

SA still Africa’s top startup ecosystem but has fallen 13 places, shows new ranking

South Africa may still have the highest ranked startup ecosystem for an African country, but it is no longer in the top 50 club,…

Orange launches first in string of digital centres for continent

Telecoms provider Orange has announced the launch of its first “Orange Digital Centre”, in Tunis, Tunisia and has revealed it plans to open innovation…

Endeavor SA, CEO Circle to scale 10 black firms to R500m companies within five years

Endeavor SA has announced that it will partner with the CEO Circle to scale 10 high-impact black-owned firms into enterprises with a value in…

Tanzania’s Ubongo to invest Next Billion Edtech Prize winnings to reach kids in remote areas

Tanzanian edutainment startup Ubongo plans to invest the $25 000 prize money the company won as overall winner of the Next Billion Edtech Prize — to…

18 SA tech firms to meet with Silicon Valley’s Indus Entrepreneurs Global

Tech founders from 18 South African startups and companies are hoping to get some valuable networking done this morning as they rub shoulders with…

10 digital nomads to jet into Cape Town to promote city as remote worker hotspot

Ten digital nomads and startups from London will jet into Cape Town for a week in October, in an initiative aimed at promoting the African…

SA drone startup Aerobotics secures R8m in funding from 4Di, Savannah Fund

Aerial data-analytics specialist Aerobotics has secured a joint R8-million seed-funding round from South African venture capital company 4Di Capital and the Savannah Fund in…

Over 500 girls trained in SA through Technovation programme

Technovation, a global technology programme, has helped train over 10 000 girls in 78 countries, including over 500 from South Africa, since its launch seven years…

Is seven days enough time for startups to be on YEI’s accelerator programme?

Is seven days enough time for startups to network, learn and secure investment while on an international accelerator programme? This is the question South…

More than 30 sign-ups to Uprise.Africa SA’s first equity crowdfunding site

Over 30 investees and investors have signed up to Uprise.Africa, South Africa’s first equity crowdfunding platform, since its landing page went live on Friday,…

SA should learn from Silicon Valley sexual harassment says SweepSouth founder

South African startups and those that help entrepreneurs should learn from the sexual harrasment exposes that have rocked Silicon Valley recently, says SweepSouth founder Aisha Pandor. Speaking…

Google Launchpad to provide over $3m to more than 60 African startups – CEO

Google will provide more than $3-million in equity-free funding, mentorship, working space and access to expert advisers to more than 60 African startups over three…

Startupbootcamp receives 518 applications for first Cape accelerator

Startupbootcamp has received 518 applications for its inaugural Startupbootcamp accelerator programme in Cape Town. Benjamin Caine, scouting manager at Startupbootcamp Africa, said in an…

Fewer than one in five SA entrepreneurs applied for finance in last year – survey

Ask any business owner what their top need is and they’ll say — “finance”. Yet fewer than one in five entrepreneurs applied for finance from…

Just 26% of business loans by SA banks go to SMEs reveals OECD survey

Just 26% of business lending by banks in South Africa go to startups and SMEs, which is lower than in a number of other…

Looking to go global? Start-Up Chile opens applications for new cohort

Startups looking to base themselves in Chile and benefit from funding and accelerator support have until 5 September to apply to join Start-Up Chile‘s latest cohort….

Two years on tax exemption for grants to small businesses fails to take off

More than two years after it came into effect, a tax exemption for entities approved by the SA Revenue Services (Sars) that provide grant funding to small businesses has…

TIA-backed startups have two weeks left to apply for Young Enterprise Initiative

Young South African entrepreneurs who have received support or funding from the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) have two weeks left to apply for the Young Enterprise Initiative…

Grotech rebranding as Kalon Venture Partners to avoid marketplace confusion

South African Section 12J venture capital (VC) company Grotech has rebranded as Kalon Venture Partners. Kalon CEO Clive Butkow said the rebranding was to avoid…

SA, Ghanaian startup shortlisted for Swiss-based Kickstart Accelerator

South African startup Libryo and Ghanaian startup Farmerline have been selected for Swiss-based Kickstart Accelerator’s second cohort of 30 startups which hail from around the world. The…

Acer’s New Nitro AI Gaming Gear Is Here—But Is It Worth It for South Africans?

R19,000 for Bass? Sony Tests South Africa’s Audio Appetite

Tech Stocks Tank – Can SA Survive a Global Meltdown?

SA Business Confidence: Fintech Lula Sounds Alarm on SME Reality

Why MVNOs are gaining ground — and how Huge NXTGN is accelerating the shift

Acer Unleashes Beastly New Predator BiFrost and Nitro GPUs with AMD Radeon RX 9000 Series

Philips Evnia Drops Jaw-Dropping QD OLED Monitors: 240Hz, Ambiglow, and All the Good Stuff

Microsoft launches new Surface devices in new AI era

Gravity is a true driver’s EV SUV

L2 charging and the power of dwell time

Tires and tariffs