Digital lenders that share personal data of loan defaulters, with third parties, risk license withdrawal in Kenya after lawmakers added a clause — granting the banking regulator the mandate to revoke permits of operators who breach customer confidentiality — to the new law passed by the country’s National Assembly. Typically, loan apps collect borrowers’ phone […]
Heart to Heart raises $750K to bring sweet, sweet flirtation to your ear holes
Radio has long been described as the most intimate of media. Quips about putting radio on the internet aside, the persistent popularity of podcasting and the cockamamie climb of Clubhouse shows that audio-based platforms will continue to echo around the upper echelons of the ecosystem for a while yet. Joining the fray is Heart to […]
Vendease gets $3.2M to help hotels and restaurants buy food supplies in Africa
Vendease, an online marketplace that allows restaurants and other food businesses to buy supplies straight from manufacturers and farms, has raised a seed round of $3.2 million, the company confirmed to TechCrunch. The news is coming seven months after TechCrunch announced that the company, founded in January 2020, took part in Y Combinator’s winter batch […]
Indian edtech Teachmint valued at $500 million in $78 million funding
As scores of Indian startups populate their catalogs with live and recorded courses to reach and serve students in the world’s second largest internet market, a handful of new-age firms are beginning to explore different approaches to tackle the challenge. Teachmint, one such startup that is helping teachers and institutes create their own virtual classrooms […]
Brazilian insurtech Justos raises $35.8M in Ribbit Capital-led Series A
Justos, a startup that says it will be the first insurance company in Brazil to use data when determining rates, has raised a $35.8 million Series A round of funding led by Ribbit Capital. SoftBank’s Latin American Fund and GGV participated as new investors, in addition to existing backers Kaszek, BigBets, Nubank CEO David Velez […]
India’s Groww valued at $3 billion in $251 million funding
Groww has tripled its valuation to $3 billion in just six months as the Indian fintech startup looks to broaden its offerings and help more millennials start their investment journey in the world’s second largest internet market. Iconiq Growth led the Bangalore-based startup’s $251 million Series E financing round. Alkeon, Lone Pine Capital and Steadfast […]
Stripe backs India’s Clear in $75 million funding
Stripe has made its second investment in India, just days after disclosing the first. One of the world’s most valuable startups has backed Bangalore-based SaaS fintech firm Clear, the two said Sunday evening. The 10-year-old Indian startup, formerly known as ClearTax, said it has raised $75 million in its Series C funding. The round was […]
a16z, Base Partners cook up $15M in funding for Colombia cloud kitchen concept Foodology
Foodology collects data on user preferences and cross-references that with nearby food options in a geographical area to manage the end-to-end creation of original dishes with delivery.
Citcon raises $30M to make paying with mobile wallets ‘as easy as paying with a credit card’
Citcon, a mobile wallet payment provider, has closed on $30 million in funding in a Series C round co-led by Norwest Venture Partners and Cota Capital. Sierra Ventures and Sonae IM also joined the financing, which brings San Jose-based Citcon’s total raised since its 2015 inception to nearly $50 million. Citcon’s mission is straightforward: to […]
Jaguar Ventures roars into its next phase with name change, new fund
The new fund will enable Wollef to finally write the larger checks they weren’t able to with their previous funds.