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Lagos Allocates N1 Billion Seed Fund for Startups
The Lagos State government has allocated N1 billion as a seed fund for startups to the Lagos State Science, Research, and Innovation Council (LASRIC).
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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ThriveAgric Partners with Visa to Expand into Kenya
The hubs, located in Homabay and Busia counties, will serve as learning centres where farmers can gather for training sessions and facilitate the distribution of inputs. The project aims to reach up to 10,000 farmers.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Zepto’s Upcoming $650 Million Funding Round to Value Startup at $3.5 Billion: Report
Zepto is a popular instant grocery delivery platform based in India.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- gig economy, startups
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Wasoko-MaxAB E-Commerce Merger Faces Delays Amid Headwinds in Africa
The delay is important in part because of how high-profile this deal has been so far. It’s been described as “the largest merger in African e-commerce” by both companies.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- e-commerce, scale, startups
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Zambian Construction E-Commerce Startup Bosso Raises $400,000 Pre-Seed Funding
Zambian startup Bosso is a cutting-edge construction e-commerce platform aimed at delivering solutions for the African construction.
- Categories
- Investing
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Tags
- e-commerce, housing, startups
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Analysis: How Careem Went From Pakistan’s Ride-Hailing Leader to Stuck on the Sidelines
After falling from dominance, Careem is experimenting — from corporate rides to price bidding — to maintain its presence in Pakistan.
- Categories
- Technology, Transportation
- Region
- North Africa & Near East
- Tags
- gig economy, startups
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Orca Secures $550,000 in Pre-seed Funding to Combat Financial Fraud in Emerging Markets
Orca is an innovative South African startup dedicated to combating fraud in emerging markets.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Transforming Startup Financing: The Rise of Venture Debt and Alternative Finance in MENA
The venture capital ecosystem in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) experienced a 23% drop in funding and a 34% decline in the number of transactions closed in 2023. But as Reem Goussous at Village Capital and Dunya Bashiti at Capifly explain, alternative capital solutions are emerging to fill the gap — including venture debt, which reached $757 million in the region last year, a staggering 50-fold increase from 2020 levels. They explore how venture debt provides an important financing tool for early-stage, high-growth startups in MENA, enabling them to access funding without diluting their equity.
- Categories
- Investing
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