Nigeria: Logistics Startup Kobo360 Raises $30M Backed By Goldman Sachs

Nigerian freight logistics startup Kobo360 has raised a $20 million Series A round led by Goldman Sachs and $10 million in working capital financing from Nigerian commercial banks. Read more »

South Africa: Tech Startup Aims to Crowd-Solve Local Problems

Zindi is convening Africa's data scientists to create AI solutions for complex problems. Read more »

Africa: Africa's Top Mobile Phone Seller Transsion to List in Chinese IPO

Chinese mobile-phone and device maker Transsion will list in an IPO on Shanghai's STAR Market, Transsion confirmed to TechCrunch. Read more »

Africa: A Newly Discovered Hacking Group Is Targeting Energy and Telecoms Companies

There's a new hacking group on the radar targeting telecommunications and oil and gas companies across Africa and the Middle East. Read more »

Kenya: Startups BRCK and Swvl Partner On Free Wi-Fi for Kenyan Ride-Hail Buses

Nairobi-based internet hardware and service startup BRCK and Egyptian ride-hail venture Swvl are partnering to bring Wi-Fi and online entertainment to on-demand bus service in… Read more »

Africa: Vertofx Raises $2m for Its African and EM Currency Trading Platform

VertoFX, an Africa and emerging markets focused currency trading and payment startup, has raised a $2.1 million seed round, led by Accelerated Digital Ventures. Read more »

Africa: Canal+ Acquires Nollywood Studio Rok From Irokotv to Grow African Film

French television company Canal+ has acquired the ROK film studio from VOD company IROKOtv for an undisclosed amount. Read more »

Nigeria: Opera Founded Startup Opay Raises U.S.$50 Million for Mobile Finance in Nigeria

OPay, an Africa-focused mobile payments startup founded by Norwegian browser company Opera, has raised $50 million in funding. Read more »

Uganda: InDriver Launches Ride-Hail App in Fourth African Country, Uganda

Global ride-hail startup InDriver launches its app-based service in Kampala (Uganda) this week. Read more »

Africa: Competing With Didi'Very Healthy' Despite Complicated Relationship - Uber

Competing with a company that counts you as an investor is hardly conventional -- some might call it strange -- but for Uber it's a situation that is not only normal but essential. Read more »

South Africa: Naspers' Global Fintech Firm Enters Southeast Asia

PayU, the Naspers owned fintech firm that specializes in emerging markets, is broadening its global reach into Southeast Asia after it announced a deal to buy a majority stake in… Read more »

Africa: Africa Roundup - Yamaha Backs Max, Inside Ethiopia's Tech Scene

Competition in Africa's two-wheel ride-hail market is accelerating. Nigerian motorcycle transit startup MAX.ng was the latest startup to add funding, raising a $7 million funding… Read more »

Africa: Can More Genomic Research Material Come from Africa? 54gene Thinks So

New advances in genetic mapping and manipulation hold the promise of reshaping medical treatments in the 21st century, but thanks to a lack of sufficient infrastructure and… Read more »

South Africa: South African SME Finance Startup Lulalend Raises U.S.$6.5 Million Series A

South African digital lender Lulalend has raised a $6.5 million Series A round co-led by IFC and Quona Capital. Read more »

Africa: African Fintech Dominates Catalyst Fund's 2019 Startup Cohort

African fintech has taken center stage for the Catalyst Fund, a JP Morgan Chase and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-backed accelerator that provides mentorship and non-equity… Read more »

Ethiopia: Ethiopia's Bid to Become an African Startup Hub Hinges On Connectivity

Ethiopia is flexing its ambitions to become Africa's next startup hub. Read more »

Ethiopia: Days After Pledging to Expand Internet, Ethiopia's Government Shuts It Off

Days after Ethiopian ICT officials made public pledges to improve net access, the government began playing on-again, off-again with the internet -- shutting it down (almost… Read more »

Africa: IBM Brings Its Quantum Computer Program to 16 African Universities

IBM launched its Quantum computer program in Africa today, announcing a partnership with South Africa's Wits University that will extend to 15 universities across nine countries. Read more »

East Africa: Norrsken Opens East Africa Startup Fund and Hub in Kigali

Startups in East Africa have a new source for investment and mentorship. Read more »

Africa: Uber Rival Bolt Returns to London 21 Months After a TFL Investigation Shut It Down

Bolt, the Uber rival formerly known as Taxify, is taking a significant step this week in its effort to build out its transportation-on-demand business across the biggest cities in… Read more »

Africa: Fintech Platform Synapse Raises U.S.$33 Million to Build 'The AWS of Banking'

Synapse, a San Francisco-based startup that operates a platform enabling banks and fintech companies to easily develop financial services, has closed a $33 million Series B to… Read more »

Africa: Google Offers New Treasure Trove of Air Quality Data to Researchers

Google has employed its network of street-view vehicles to also measure street-level air quality in recent years, through an initiative it calls "Project Air View." Today, it's… Read more »

Africa: Jumia's Post-IPO Earnings, Gokada's U.S.$5.3 Million Raise, Facebook's Fake-News Purge, Joe Montana's Fintech Investment

Jumia held its first post-IPO earnings call and weathered a short-sell assault in May, with Wall Street showing confidence in the Pan-African e-commerce company. Read more »

Africa: Facebook's Latest Account Purge Exposes Africa's Misinformation Problem

Facebook last week purged a network of hundreds of pages, groups and Instagram accounts it labeled as producing "coordinated inauthentic behavior" toward Africa. Read more »

Africa: Africa e-Tailer Jumia Issues Post-IPO Results Amid Short-Sell Assault

For Pan-African e-commerce startup Jumia, going public has been an up and down affair. Read more »