African tech took center stage in 2021

Two years ago, the African tech ecosystem saw newfound attention from global players that translated to the continent’s best year of receiving venture capital. From varying sources, it is estimated up to $2 billion went into African tech startups in 2019. With high-profile visits from the most famous Jacks (Ma and Dorsey), a long-awaited first […]

Tech-led biofuel startup Koko Networks launches new consumer goods business in Kenya

Koko Networks, a Kenya-based bio-fuel technology enterprise, has extended its business to cover other fast-moving consumer goods through a new tech platform that will capitalize on its established distribution networks in low-income neighborhoods. Koko Club, its new business line, is selling the products directly to consumers through the dukas (small shops) that currently serve as […]

Founders First Capital Partners brings a different approach to diversity investing

Kim Folsom came up through the engineering ranks in the 80s and 90s before founding the first of six companies, three of which successfully exited. Today, she is the founder and CEO at Founders First Capital Partners, a San Diego startup investment firm that uses a non-traditional approach to funding called revenue-based investment to invest […]

India’s GlobalBees joins unicorn club for its Thrasio-like house of brands

GlobalBees, which raised one of the largest Series A financing rounds in India earlier this year, has entered the unicorn club as the New Delhi-headquartered firm scales its Thrasio-like house of brands. Premji Invest, the investment firm controlled by Indian tycoon Azim Premji, led the nine-month-old startup’s Series B financing round, the young firm disclosed […]

Nigeria’s Teesas secures $1.6M, to expand across Africa and launch tutor marketplace

After seven years in the production of electronic gadgets, under his company Imose Technologies, Osayi Izedonmwen took leave to explore an idea that he had toyed with for some time — an edtech startup, Teesas, which now offers video classes and other digital educational material for learners in Nigeria. Teesas, which was launched less than […]

Skio raises $3.7M to help brands on Shopify sell subscriptions

Skio, a startup that aims to take the pain out of selling subscriptions for brands on Shopify, has raised $3.7 million in a seed funding round. Kennan Davison, an engineer who previously worked at Hulu and Pinterest, founded the startup in April. He describes Skio as a fintech and an infrastructure company as a pivot […]

Serial fintech founder raises $20M for Ant Money to make micro-investing even more accessible

Serial fintech entrepreneur Walter Cruttenden founded Acorns with his son, Jeff, in 2012 with the goal of helping low- and middle-income households invest and save responsibly. The pair wanted to simplify investing for the millions that have trouble getting started or continuing to invest. Then in 2018, Walter went live with a new company — […]

Avoma puts new capital to use making meetings work smarter

Avoma aims to set it apart from competitors by bringing meeting management, AI assistant and conversation intelligence into one tool.