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Small Steps Taken Towards Greater Gender Diversity in African Startup Ecosystem in Last 2 Years, Says New Report
The report was released in partnership with industry stakeholders, led by Madica, an Africa-focused pre-seed investment programme dedicated to empowering underrepresented and underfunded mission-driven founders.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Egyptian E-Health Startup Reme-D Raises $1.45 Million Pre-Series a Funding
Founded in 2023 by Salma Tammam, Reme-D develops and manufactures molecular diagnostic tests for diseases including tuberculosis (TB), HIV, hepatitis, and HPV, with a focus on delivering affordable, temperature-resilient diagnostics for underserved markets across Africa.
- Categories
- Health Care, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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PolicyStreet Raises US $5 Million to Expand Insurance for Gig Workers and SMEs
BlueOrchard's investment reflects growing interest in businesses that combine commercial growth with measurable social impact, particularly around financial inclusion and access to essential services.
- Categories
- Finance, Investing, Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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Analysis: The AI Sustainability Paradox
AI is being sold as a tool to solve sustainability’s hardest data problems, from Scope 3 emissions to climate-risk intelligence. But the infrastructure behind that intelligence — data centers, water use, energy demand, chips, grids, and community consent — is becoming its own sustainability test. Drawing on conversations at Trellis Impact 26, Ming Wong explores what AI’s physical footprint means for impact investors, corporate sustainability leaders, and the communities being asked to host the next generation of digital infrastructure.
- Categories
- Energy, Investing, Technology
- Region
- Global
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Press Release: Smart Freight Centre and Shell Foundation Launch Report on Inclusive EV Financing for India’s Freight Drivers
The study of 1,500+ freight drivers across 11 states highlights pathways to improve livelihoods while accelerating freight decarbonization in India.
- Categories
- Energy, Technology, Transportation
- Region
- Asia Pacific
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Indonesia’s Jailing of Gojek Founder Raises Fears for Investor Confidence
Authorities say Nadiem Makarim abused his authority to favour Google in the procurement of laptops for school kids.
- Categories
- Education, Investing, Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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Philippines Taps AI to unlock Bank Loans for Small Businesses
The agreement aims to strengthen creditworthiness, boost productivity, and streamline loan application processes for local entrepreneurs.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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The Flawed Assumptions Behind AI for Agriculture: What Artificial Intelligence Can — And Can’t — Do for African Farmers
There is a dominant mental model of AI for agriculture. According to Sheena Raikundalia at Kuza, the pitch goes something like this: “What if every farmer had a personal AI advisor telling them what to grow, when to plant and how much fertilizer or other inputs to apply?” That model is sleek, frictionless, and built on the assumption that farmers are operating alone with the algorithm, receiving personalized recommendations and optimizing their decisions accordingly. But as she argues, optimizing agriculture in Africa is not primarily an information problem: It is a trust problem, a market access problem, a collective action problem and a financing problem — and addressing those challenges requires a human connection. She explores Kuza's experiences offering an AI chatbot to Kenyan farmers, and shares lessons on how best to leverage both human and digital resources to support smallholders in Africa.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Technology
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