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VC investment into South African ICT startups rises

Paula Gilbert
7/24/2024

Venture capital (VC) investment for startups in South Africa reached $178.8 million in 2023, with investments in the ICT sector almost doubling compared to 2022, according to a new report from SAVCA and VS Nova.

Connecting Africa Podcast: S3 Ep. 4 – Africa's future as a tech talent powerhouse

Paula Gilbert
7/22/2024

In this episode, Utiva CEO Eyitayo Ogunmola returns to the podcast to talk about Africa's opportunity to become a tech talent powerhouse. The discussion covers upskilling African talent for the global job market and how outsourcing local tech professionals can provide opportunities for the youth, with a focus on growing female talent.

Vodacom Tanzania unveils Digital Accelerator Program winners

Matshepo Sehloho
7/19/2024

Mobile operator Vodacom Tanzania has announced the season three winners of its Digital Accelerator Program.

AI's potential in African agriculture, energy and climate action – GSMA

Paula Gilbert
7/16/2024

A new GSMA report examines the huge potential for artificial intelligence to support Africa's socio-economic growth in areas including agriculture, energy and climate action.

KaiOS targets merchant market for growth, digital inclusion

Paula Gilbert
7/15/2024

KaiOS Technologies, the creator of a mobile operating system for smart feature phones, is piloting affordable merchant payment terminals - which look like feature phones - in Africa to help underserved merchants and transport providers accept digital payments solutions.

Ilara Health aims to improve quality of care in Kenya

Matshepo Sehloho
7/12/2024

Kenyan healthtech startup Ilara Health aspires to improve the quality of care in the country's clinics by providing equipment financing and digitizing facilities with its software.

Orange opens digital center in Guinea-Bissau

Matshepo Sehloho
7/3/2024

Pan-African operator Orange has opened an Orange Digital Center (ODC) in Guinea-Bissau.

MWC Shanghai 2024: Huawei to train 150,000 African youth

Paula Gilbert
7/1/2024

Huawei has committed to providing digital skills training for 150,000 young people in sub-Saharan Africa over the next three years, it announced at MWC Shanghai 2024 in China.

Hot startup of the month: Kenya's TIBU Health

Matshepo Sehloho
6/28/2024

Connecting Africa's hot startup is Kenya's TIBU Health, an omnichannel healthtech company providing healthcare services where people live, work and click.

Three healthtech trends to watch in 2024

Matshepo Sehloho
6/27/2024

Connecting Africa has compiled a list of three healthtech trends that are providing innovative solutions to the problems faced by the African healthcare system.

Orange Energies opens digital platform to African producers

Matshepo Sehloho
6/24/2024

Telecom operator Orange is opening its digital platform, Orange Smart Energies, which provides prepaid access to energy through solar kits and smart meters to all energy producers in Africa.

New develoPPP Ventures funding program for SA startups

Industry Announcements
6/21/2024

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) has launched develoPPP Ventures, a new funding scheme offering up to €100,000 (US$106,950) for successful startups in South Africa.

Huawei using SA data centers to extend AI cloud adoption

Matshepo Sehloho
6/21/2024

Chinese multinational Huawei is using its three data centers in South Africa to extend artificial intelligence (AI) cloud adoption in the country.

Breega launches $75M African VC fund

Paula Gilbert
6/20/2024

Anglo-French VC firm Breega has launched a $75 million African investment fund aimed at early-stage startups across the continent.

Momentum Multiply app rewards users for being healthy

Matshepo Sehloho
6/20/2024

Panelists at a Momentum Multiply media roundtable advocated for health-tracking mobile technology that rewards users for living a healthy lifestyle.

Africa can leverage GenAI for economic growth – Microsoft

Matshepo Sehloho
6/14/2024

A whitepaper on generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and the future of work has found that the African continent, with its young population, can leverage AI to drive economic growth.

Registration opens for Africa Tech Festival 2024

Industry Announcements
6/11/2024

Registration has opened for the 2024 edition of Africa Tech Festival, the continent's leading platform for technology innovators, specialists and thought leaders.

Nigeria's ThriveAgric partners with Visa to expand into Kenya

Connecting Africa News
6/11/2024

Nigerian Agritech startup ThriveAgric is partnering with Visa to support its expansion into Kenya as it launches more hubs to support up to 10,000 local farmers.

Connecting Africa Podcast: S3 Ep. 3 – Unleashing the power of data

Paula Gilbert
6/10/2024

In this Connecting Africa Podcast episode, we speak to Reza du Plooy, director and co-owner of data analytics consultancy Datalab, about the role data analytics plays in the success of African businesses and the unique challenges the continent faces.

Five mobility startups to watch in 2024

Matshepo Sehloho
5/28/2024

Connecting Africa has compiled a list of five mobility startups that are making a difference in the communities they serve.

Orange Ventures, Digital Africa promise more funding for startups

Connecting Africa News
5/24/2024

Orange Ventures and Digital Africa are teaming up to invest more in tech startups in Africa and the Middle East through Digital Africa's Fuzé program and the Orange Digital Center network.

Hot startup of the month: Rwanda's Ampersand

Matshepo Sehloho
5/22/2024

Connecting Africa's hot startup this month is Rwanda's Ampersand, which designs, builds, and manufactures electric motorcycles and battery packs for motorcycle taxis.

Visa shortlists fintech startups for accelerator program

Paula Gilbert
5/20/2024

Payments giant Visa has announced the 18 startups from sub-Saharan Africa that were shortlisted for the second cohort of its Africa Fintech Accelerator program.

Leveraging agritech to build resilience against climate change

Guest Perspectives
5/14/2024

ICT analyst Francis Hook discusses agritech in Africa and how the agricultural sector is using technology to build resilience against the negative effects of climate change and to ensure food security.

AI startups dominate Qualcomm Make in Africa 2024 shortlist

Paula Gilbert
5/3/2024

Qualcomm has announced the shortlisted startups for its Make in Africa 2024 mentorship program, and six out of the ten are related to AI.

Google opens applications for its Africa startup accelerator

Matshepo Sehloho
4/30/2024

Google has officially opened applications for its Google for Startups Accelerator Africa program's eighth cohort.

Madica funds three African startups

Matshepo Sehloho
4/26/2024

Madica, an Africa-focused pre-seed investment program, has selected three African startups as its first portfolio companies to receive investment funding.

Hot startup of the month: Kenya's Ketha Africa

Matshepo Sehloho
4/24/2024

Connecting Africa's hot startup this month is Ketha Africa, a Kenya-based agrifin platform that seeks to automate agriculture ecosystems by connecting the value chain actors and providing a robust network to ensure the security of transactions.

Four agritech startups to watch in 2024

Matshepo Sehloho
4/18/2024

Connecting Africa has compiled a list of four agritech startups that are making a difference in the communities they serve.

Paymentology looks to strengthen its African roots

Paula Gilbert
4/4/2024

Global issuer-processor Paymentology's CEO Jeff Parker spoke to Connecting Africa about the company's African roots and aspirations to work with more banks, fintechs and enterprises both on the continent and globally.

Women & technology: impacts of the digital gender divide

Connecting Africa News
4/2/2024

Connecting Africa correspondent Chiti Mbizule investigates the state of Africa's digital gender gap and the impact this divide is having on access, education and entrepreneurship opportunities for local women.

Hot startup of the month: Nigeria's Tech Herfrica

Matshepo Sehloho
3/28/2024

Connecting Africa's hot startup is Nigeria's Tech Herfrica, a social impact organization that focuses on the digital and financial inclusion of women and girls in rural areas of Nigeria.

Omdia View: February 2024

Guest Perspectives
3/18/2024

Highlights in February 2024 in the Middle East and Africa included 5G launches in Senegal and 5G trials in Egypt as well as Kenya's first 5G MVNO.

Key adoption areas for machine learning in Africa

Connecting Africa News
3/11/2024

ICT analyst Francis Hook identifies some of the key sectors that could be positively impacted by machine learning, including education, government services, healthcare and climate tech.

Connecting Africa Podcast: S3 Ep. 1 – Trending topics in 2024

Paula Gilbert
3/5/2024

The Connecting Africa Podcast is back for season three. In this episode, we discuss startups and companies making their mark across emerging trends like social commerce, AI and smartphone affordability, and we venture into the hot topic of climate tech.

AI's impact on African telcos

Connecting Africa News
2/29/2024

Many African telecommunications companies are turning to artificial intelligence as a differentiator to improve their mobile networks and enhance customer service and experience as they transition from traditional telco offerings into new tech-first verticals.

Four AI trends to look out for in 2024

Matshepo Sehloho
2/29/2024

Connecting Africa has compiled a list of four artificial intelligence (AI) trends to look out for on the African continent in 2024.

Vodacom appeals 'fundamentally flawed' Please Call Me judgment

Matshepo Sehloho
2/28/2024

Pan-African operator Vodacom is heading to South Africa's Constitutional Court to appeal the latest judgment in its long-running battle with Nkosana Makate over the creation of its 'Please Call Me' service.

Hot startup of the month: South Africa's Botlhale AI

Matshepo Sehloho
2/23/2024

Connecting Africa's hot startup this month is South Africa's Botlhale AI, which creates conversational AI tools for African languages while helping businesses engage customers in languages they understand and trust.

SA's Teraco to power data centers with 120MW solar plant

Matshepo Sehloho
2/22/2024

Teraco, the vendor-neutral data center provider, is planning the construction of a 120 megawatt (MW) utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) energy facility in the Free State province of South Africa.

Botswana prohibits Starlink, imposes penalties for lawbreakers

Matshepo Sehloho
2/13/2024

The Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) has warned the public against the importation, use and resale of SpaceX's satellite Internet service Starlink's devices in the country.

Founders Factory Africa: Partnerships are key to building successful startups

Connecting Africa News
2/8/2024

Founders Factory Africa's Ayotunde Aladejana and Wangui Kahumbi spoke to Connecting Africa in an exclusive interview about the importance of building bridges between startups and corporations and fostering collaboration in the African tech ecosystem.

SA's MultiChoice Group rejects Canal+ buyout offer

Matshepo Sehloho
2/5/2024

South Africa's MultiChoice Group has announced that it will not continue talks with French pay-TV company Canal+.

Comment: Agriculture Digitisation - Kenya Small Scale Farmers Forum KESSFF - 2/4/2024

France's Canal+ targets acquisition of SA's MultiChoice

Matshepo Sehloho
2/1/2024

French pay-TV company Canal+ has submitted an offer to acquire South African pay-TV and streaming company MultiChoice Group.

ICANN launches $10M grant program for Internet innovators

Paula Gilbert
1/31/2024

ICANN has announced a new fund worth $10 million aimed at providing grants to projects that support an easy to use, accessible and secure Internet.

Global 'funding winter' hits African tech startups

Paula Gilbert
1/29/2024

Disrupt Africa's latest African Tech Startups Funding Report shows that investment into startups fell 28% to US$2.4 billion in 2023, as the global "funding winter" began to bite.

Kenya's Turaco aspires to insure 1 billion lives

Matshepo Sehloho
1/26/2024

Kenyan-based insurtech Turaco spoke to Connecting Africa about how it aims to provide uninsured African communities with affordable insurance options.

Four African cloud startups to watch in 2024

Matshepo Sehloho
1/25/2024

Connecting Africa has compiled a list of four cloud-powered startups that have been making an impact on the lives of the communities they serve and are worth watching in 2024.

Moniepoint: AI is changing fintech for the better

Paula Gilbert
1/23/2024

Moniepoint Founder and CEO Tosin Eniolorunda spoke to Connecting Africa about how artificial intelligence (AI) is positively changing the fintech market in Africa.

Hot startup of the month: Kenya's eBiashara

Matshepo Sehloho
1/22/2024

Connecting Africa's hot startup this month is Kenya's eBiashara, a supply chain finance platform that offers scalable cloud solutions to its customers.

Ericsson: 5G is a gateway for entrepreneurs to reshape industries

Paula Gilbert
1/17/2024

Ericsson Kenya MD and VP and head of South and East Africa, Todd Ashton, believes that 5G is not just about connectivity but is a gateway for entrepreneurs to reshape industries and pioneer novel solutions.

Showmax 2.0 to launch in February

Matshepo Sehloho
1/9/2024

South Africa's Multichoice has announced that its revamped streaming platform, Showmax, will go live in February 2024, with the promise of a variety of local and international shows.

African startup funding down 39% in 2023, regional split improves

Paula Gilbert
1/5/2024

New data from Africa: The Big Deal shows that African startup funding dropped 39% in 2023, but the split across the four major regions improved as West Africa's dominance waned.

SA's RedAcademy connects young people to IT jobs

Matshepo Sehloho
12/28/2023

Connecting Africa sat down with SA-based RedAcademy to find out more about the skills and experiential learning hub that specializes in teaching coding and technology skills inside a live software environment.

ATF 2023: GrindTea founder Wandile Mthiyane on workplace diversity

Connecting Africa Video
12/27/2023

GrindTea Founder and CEO Wandile Mthiyane spoke to Connecting Africa Associate Editor Matshepo Sehloho at Africa Tech Festival about how the startup is shaking up job search by connecting women and people of color with workplaces that are diverse and inclusive.

Hot startup of the month: Nigeria's Enricher

Matshepo Sehloho
12/20/2023

Connecting Africa's hot startup is Nigerian Enricher, a halal wealth management platform that enables individuals and corporates to grow their wealth while adhering to the principles of Sharia law.

Optiva: Africa MVNO outlook for 2024

Paula Gilbert
12/15/2023

Optiva's VP for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Salman Tariq, advises African Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) to put innovation at the heart of their strategy to enhance success in 2024 and to embrace AI solutions.

Qualcomm launches 2024 Africa startup mentorship program

Paula Gilbert
12/13/2023

Qualcomm Technologies has completed the first year of its Make in Africa Startup Mentorship Program and is opening applications for 2024, adding on new features like intellectual property rights training and a patent filing incentive fund.

ATF 2023: Google's Alex Okosi on AI, cloud & digital skills

Connecting Africa Video
12/12/2023

Google's Managing Director for Africa, Alex Okosi, spoke to Connecting Africa Editor Paula Gilbert at Africa Tech Festival 2023 about Google's strategy for growth in 2024 including key focus areas like artificial intelligence (AI), cloud, and digital skills development.

Ghana's regulator declares Starlink operations illegal

Matshepo Sehloho
12/8/2023

The National Communications Authority (NCA) of Ghana has announced that the operation of SpaceX's satellite Internet service, Starlink, is illegal in the country.

Liquid appoints ex-Cell C exec Lerato Pule as its CFO

Matshepo Sehloho
12/5/2023

Pan-African digital infrastructure provider Liquid Intelligent Technologies has appointed former Cell C exec Lerato Pule as its new chief financial officer.

Over 5K African SMBs graduate from Google's Hustle Academy

Matshepo Sehloho
11/24/2023

Around 5,300 small and midsized businesses (SMBs) from Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa have graduated from the Google Hustle Academy.

Orange launches super app 'Max it' for Africa

Paula Gilbert
11/24/2023

Telecoms operator Orange has launched its own super app, called Max it, in five African countries with plans to roll it out across its operations in Africa and the Middle East.

ATF 2023: African startups win big

Matshepo Sehloho
11/20/2023

The Africa Tech Festival held last week in Cape Town, South Africa, saw African startups winning accolades for their innovative skills as well as technological prowess.

MWC Kigali: GSMA's Mats Granryd on Africa's mobile economy

Connecting Africa Video
11/10/2023

GSMA Director General Mats Granryd sat down with Connecting Africa Editor Paula Gilbert at MWC Kigali 2023 to talk about the growth of Africa's mobile economy and the major trends making waves in the industry.

Uber SA introduces electric scooters

Matshepo Sehloho
11/8/2023

Ride-hailing platform Uber South Africa has committed to becoming a zero-emissions company by 2040 and has launched electric scooters for its new offering Uber Package.

Africa Tech Festival announces finalists for Startup World Cup

Industry Announcements
10/27/2023

The top ten finalists of the AfricaIgnite Pitch Competition have been announced.

Airbnb: Regulation must enable, overregulation is bad

Matshepo Sehloho
10/27/2023

Digital accommodation marketplace Airbnb has warned against overregulation and has called for regulators to become enablers for small businesses.

Airbnb pledges $500K to Africa's tourism sector

Matshepo Sehloho
10/25/2023

Digital accommodation marketplace Airbnb has announced a commitment of around $500,000 to support inclusive and sustainable tourism growth across the African continent.

Orange Energies to provide freezing solutions to 12 African countries

Matshepo Sehloho
10/17/2023

Orange has signed a strategic partnership with the startup Koolboks to provide freezing and refrigeration solutions in 12 African countries.

SA Uber, Bolt drivers shut down apps in protest

Matshepo Sehloho
10/16/2023

South African ride-hailing drivers have suspended their services in protest against Uber, Bolt and InDrive.

Hot startup of the month: SA's Contract Understanding

Matshepo Sehloho
10/12/2023

Connecting Africa's hot startup this month is South African Contract Understanding, which uses an AI-powered software-as-a-service solution to help businesses securely store, organize and manage post-signature contracts.

Hot startup of the month: Nigeria's Akowe

Matshepo Sehloho
10/6/2023

Connecting Africa's newest hot startup is Nigerian Akowe which is using blockchain to digitize academic records and verification.

Interview: Juliet Ehimuan on Africa's next wave of innovation

Connecting Africa Video
9/28/2023

Juliet Ehimuan, founder and CEO of Beyond Limits Africa and ex-MD of Google West Africa, spoke to Connecting Africa about the next wave of innovation in Africa and the continent's digital future.

InDrive enters Zimbabwe's Bulawayo

Matshepo Sehloho
9/19/2023

Ride-sharing platform InDrive is expanding its services to Zimbabwean city of Bulawayo after successfully introducing its services in the capital of Harare in May this year.

Five African healthtech startups to watch

Matshepo Sehloho
8/31/2023

Connecting Africa has compiled a list of five African healthtech startups that have been making an impact in the lives of the communities they serve and are worth keeping an eye on in 2023.

Vodacom, Eskom sign 'virtual wheeling' power deal in SA

Paula Gilbert
8/31/2023

Telecom operator Vodacom has signed a "virtual wheeling agreement" with state-owned power company Eskom, which aims to help accelerate efforts to solve South Africa's energy crisis.

Testify equips Nigerians with software testing skills

Matshepo Sehloho
8/29/2023

Nigerian software testing consultancy firm and academy Testify aspires to equip 5,000 people with employable tech skills through software testing by 2025.

Connecting Africa Podcast S2 Ep. 10 – Financial inclusion reality check

Connecting Africa News
8/28/2023

On the final podcast episode for season two, hosts Tobi Lafinhan, Paula Gilbert and Matshepo Sehloho discuss financial inclusion in Africa and whether fintech services like mobile money are making the impact they promise.

Google launches AI accelerator for Africa

Connecting Africa News
8/24/2023

Google has announced a new Startups Accelerator: AI First program aimed specifically at startups looking to use artificial intelligence to solve local challenges.

Hot startup of the month: South Africa's Quro Medical

Matshepo Sehloho
8/24/2023

This month's hot startup is Quro Medical, a digital health company offering various remote patient monitoring solutions in South Africa.

Nominations open for Africa Tech Festival Awards 2023

Industry Announcements
8/24/2023

Nominations are open for the Africa Tech Festival Awards 2023 taking place in Cape Town, South Africa in November 2023.

InDrive enters Lesotho, Bolt announces African milestones

Matshepo Sehloho
8/21/2023

Ride-hailing platform InDrive has expanded into Lesotho while Bolt has completed 400 million rides in South Africa as well as 100 million in Kenya.

Edtech app G-Quiz helping Gambian students pass exams

Connecting Africa News
8/7/2023

Gambian edtech app G-Quiz is helping secondary school students prepare for exams and has ambitions to expand into both anglophone and francophone countries in West Africa, as well as parts of North Africa.

Hot startup of the month: Nigeria's She Code Africa

Matshepo Sehloho
7/28/2023

This month's hot startup is She Code Africa, a non-profit organization that aims to empower young girls and women in Africa through digital skills.

The state of Africa's edtech sector

Connecting Africa News
7/26/2023

Africa's edtech market continues to grow as tech and education entrepreneurs seek to improve the digital education divide and prepare the workforce for jobs of the future.

Five African AI startups to watch in 2023

Matshepo Sehloho
7/5/2023

Connecting Africa has compiled a list of five AI-powered startups that have been making an impact in the lives of the communities they serve and are worth watching in 2023.

Sedna technologies creating smart African mines

Matshepo Sehloho
7/4/2023

Sedna Industrial IT Solutions is working with Southern African mines to deploy smart technologies that help improve functionality and safety.

Connecting Africa Podcast S2 Ep. 8 – Empowering the African diaspora

Paula Gilbert
6/30/2023

In this episode the team speaks to Rahim Diallo, founder and CEO of fintech Jawudi, which is shaking up the money transfer space by using 20% of the profits from its remittance service to launch a fund to invest directly back into startups across Africa.

Hot startup of the month: South Africa's GotBot

Matshepo Sehloho
6/30/2023

This month's hot startup is a South African artificial intelligence chatbot solution that automates and improves business responses to business audiences.

Vodafone Foundation expands M-Mama healthtech service into Kenya

Paula Gilbert
6/26/2023

The Vodafone Foundation is expanding life-saving mobile healthcare service M-Mama into Kenya through a public-private partnership with the Kenyan government and USAID.

Huawei 5G technology assists African mines

Matshepo Sehloho
6/21/2023

Chinese multinational Huawei has partnered with technology solutions providers, telcos and mines to provide 5G technology in Africa.

MTN tackles SA power woes with wind & solar hybrid project

Paula Gilbert
6/8/2023

MTN South Africa has launched an integrated wind and solar renewable energy generation project as part of its Net Zero efforts.

Interview: Qualcomm execs on mentorship for African startups

Connecting Africa Video
6/5/2023

Qualcomm Technology VP for Engineering, Sudeepto Roy, and Elizabeth Migwalla, VP for Government Affairs, join Connecting Africa for a video interview about Qualcomm's Make in Africa Mentorship Program.

Hot startup of the month: Pan-African fintech KamaPay

Matshepo Sehloho
5/26/2023

This month's hot startup is pan-African fintech KamaPay, which helps individuals and businesses make cross-border payments on the continent.

Afretec awards $3.3M in grants to African research teams

Paula Gilbert
5/25/2023

The African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec) has awarded grants worth $300,000 each to 11 university research teams across Africa to advance digital technologies.

Interview: Airtel Business Africa's Luc Serviant on agritech trends

Connecting Africa Video
5/24/2023

Airtel Business Africa's Group Enterprise Director, Luc Serviant, joined Connecting Africa for a video interview in Nairobi, Kenya, to talk about agritech trends in Africa and how operators are partnering with startups to help the agricultural value chain to flourish.

Digital banking group Tyme raises another $77.8M

Paula Gilbert
5/23/2023

Tyme has raised another US$77.8 million in a pre-series C capital raise, securing two new international investors, while South African flagship TymeBank's customers have reached 7 million.

IBM, NASA using AI to answer climate change questions

Paula Gilbert
5/9/2023

A collaboration between IBM and NASA aims to use artificial intelligence to answer some of the most pertinent questions regarding climate change and its impact on Africa and the rest of the planet.

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VC investment into South African ICT startups rises

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Connecting Africa Podcast: S3 Ep. 4 – Africa's future as a tech talent powerhouse

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Leadership Lessons: Networking towards career advancement

By Nollie Maoto

Nollie Maoto, First Rand Group's compliance chief data and analytics officer and Africa Tech Festival Leadership Council member, reflects on the importance of networking for career growth especially for African women in data analytics.

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Leadership Lessons: The importance of mentorship for career growth

By Nollie Maoto

Nollie Maoto, First Rand Group's compliance chief data and analytics officer and Africa Tech Festival Leadership Council member, reflects on the importance of mentorship for career growth for African women in data analytics.

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