Venture capital

Kenyan online marketplace AfricaSokoni raises $455k from European investor [Updated]

AfricaSokoni, a Nairobi-based online marketplace, has raised $455 000 in seed funding from from an unnamed European angel investor. Ugandan tech publication Digest Africa…

World Bank to invest $50m to help scale Egyptian early-stage investment network

The World Bank, as part of a $200-million project that aims to support small businesses and job creation for women and youth in Egypt, will…

Ghanaian startup KudiGO raises $450k in seed round led by Founders Factory Africa

Accra-based consumer retail solutions startup KudiGO has closed a $450 000 seed round led by Founders Factory Africa. KudiGO was founded in 2017 by CEO…

Dakar Network Angels sets sights on making four investments per year

Dakar Network Angels (DNA), which launched last month, aims to make four investments each year in francophone Africa, with investment tickets of between $20…

Cathay AfricInvest Innovation Fund to invest ticket sizes of up to €15m in African startups

The recently launched Cathay Africinvest Innovation Fund will invest ticket sizes of between €3-million and €15-million or the equivalent in local currency, Cathay Innovation co-founder…

Pearson Ventures’ $50m fund will explore opportunities in SA, other markets

South Africa is one of the markets in which British education company Pearson will explore opportunities through its $50-million Pearson Ventures fund, Pearson Ventures…

Sun Exchange looking to raise $3m in round led by US digital asset investment fund Alphabit

Blockchain-based solar micro-leasing marketplace Sun Exchange is looking to raise $3-million in equity funding in a round led by the startup’s largest investor, US-based cryptocurrency…

FNB Private Clients and AngelHub partnership heats up SA startup scene

Readers of Ventureburn are probably well aware of AngelHub, the business angel investment group that pools funding, expertise and networks from a range of…

4 reasons big-time VCs are investing in emerging markets

With technological advancements in developing nations speeding the growth rate of high impact tech start-ups, many American venture capital firms are now looking further…

Y Combinator: Investors should back the jockey not the horse

Y Combinator, a leading seed investment incubator, recently announced that it would be accepting startup applications for this years fund from startup founders WITHOUT…

The hows and the whats — 5 tough questions VCs ask

Over the past six months I have spoken with a wide variety of people who have shown, in varying degrees, interest in investing in…

Why you should network when raising funds for your tech venture

The value of attending networking events is often hard to quantify, as it takes valuable time, but it is worth the effort especially if…

AngelHub: Investors come together to foster startup growth

You may believe tech creates jobs, you may believe it destroys jobs. Whatever the case, we know that in the tech world we are…

How do VCs get their money? They pitch too

Every two or three years, VC’s gear up to raise money for their next fund. They create a pitch deck, come up with a…

VC funding is not a blank cheque with no strings attached

Receiving venture capital (VC) funding is a significant accomplishment for any entrepreneur as it takes months of hard work and negotiation. Some entrepreneurs believe…

Steve Jobs would never succeed in today’s Silicon Valley

I recently watched a documentary on Steve Jobs called “One Last Thing“. It was well done, mixing a fair bit of the good, the…

Pitching perfection to investors: A 10-step guide

Enthusiastic entrepreneurs looking to raise funding must realise that a great business case alone is definitely not enough to guarantee a favorable outcome. Not…

What happens after Venture Capital funding is secured?

Many Venture Capital (VC) articles, blogs and the like focus on how to secure VC. But not many disclose that the real work starts…

Down and out in Silicon Valley: The dark side of easy VC access

The Valley is the tech centre of the Universe and you’re unlucky if you’re not based there. That’s what popular culture will have you…

Funding your business: 8 ways to win over VCs

In the world of venture capital (VC), ideas are plentiful but fundable businesses are hard to find. Despite the perception, VCs do not fund…

Why emerging markets need startup accelerators to produce gold

While I was living in Silicon Valley for a couple of months earlier this year, I had the opportunity to see how a number…

Gone in 30 seconds: How Venture Capitalists screen your business plan

“The average time that a Venture Capitalist spends analysing a business plan is 22 seconds” – Speaker at the 26th Venture Capital Institute, Atlanta,…

Why Some Apps Feel Like a Digital Comfort Zone

Female tech founders in South Africa can win up to R1.9 million to scale their innovations

Search.com launches AI chat that pays users and publishers

REdimension Capital closes R250m property tech and sustainability fund

Why the ‘Ego Tax’ is Costing Your Business

South African Women Entrepreneurs Get It Right

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

Omoda C5 X review

TDK enhances IMUs for extreme temps

Data centres and defence are reviving diesel