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Egyptian scientific services platform Nawah Scientific has closed a $23 million Series A round in mixed financing—comprising equity, debt, and grants—to accelerate its regional expansion. The group plans to use the funds to launch a research center in Rwanda and expand laboratory capacity in Egypt and Saudi Arabia while modernizing its equipment. The goal is to position the region as a major hub for research and testing, serving both Africa and the Middle East.
Twelve startups were recognized at the third annual South African Startup Awards, which selected 44 finalists from 221 entries across 12 categories. The winners span various sectors—including AI, fintech, healthcare, mobility, and climate—illustrating the dynamism of South Africa's tech ecosystem and the emergence of high-impact solutions for both consumers and businesses.
Stealth Money has launched a self-custody Bitcoin service in Nigeria, which the platform describes as a first for the continent. Users can purchase a hardware wallet using nairas for delivery anywhere in the country. The service also provides personalized support to help users secure their holdings away from exchanges deemed vulnerable, thereby strengthening their financial sovereignty over their digital assets.
Nigerian platform Bildup AI, which specializes in AI-powered personalized training, has closed a $400,000 funding round backed by angel investors. The capital will be used to grow the team, expand online offerings, and launch physical AI learning centers in Abuja and Lagos starting in 2026. The initiative aims to make digital skills more accessible to young Africans.
Delivery platform Chowdeck has partnered with startup GoLemon to stock its grocery warehouses and offer near-instant delivery through its app. While Chowdeck maintains control of its warehouse management and rapid logistics, GoLemon focuses on procurement, quality control, and scheduled grocery orders.
Tech group Yango has made a strategic investment in Nigeria’s Gigmile, a vehicle and financial services platform for gig workers in Africa. The partnership aims to support Gigmile’s regional expansion, improve last-mile delivery efficiency and promote financial inclusion for delivery drivers by combining technology, flexible financing and management tools.
The Aurora Tech Award has unveiled its list of 100 female tech founders to watch in 2026, selected from 3,400 applicants across 127 countries. The selection highlights the rising influence of women-led innovation in sectors such as healthcare, finance, and agritech, characterized by a strong adoption of artificial intelligence and a focus on Sustainable Development Goals.
Five African startups have been named winners of the second NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator, an initiative supporting innovation in the sports and creative industries. Morocco’s Reborn, Egypt’s Fitclan and Athlon Technology, and Nigeria’s Atsur and Songdis will share financial awards, 12 months of mentorship at Carnegie Mellon University Africa, and technology credits to accelerate their growth.
Indian unified commerce platform Fynd is expanding into South Africa through a partnership with luxury retailer Surtee Group, which operates nearly 100 boutiques. The partnership aims to link physical stores and online sales through an integrated technology stack, including real-time inventory management, in-store ordering and shipping, as e-commerce continues to grow rapidly in the country.
Egyptian startup iVoiceUp, which provides AI-powered tools for managing ethics alerts and compliance cases, has raised fresh capital in a funding round led by venture capital firm A15. The company, which helps organisations detect fraud, harassment and other forms of misconduct at an early stage, said it now serves more than one million users and plans to expand further across Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
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Last week, at its third “Access to Markets” event, the Investing in Innovation Africa (i3) programme announced three agreements involving African health startups, focused on cervical cancer prevention, malaria control and access to medicines through pharmacies. The deals form part of a broader strategy to scale and finance health technology innovation across Africa.
Völz, an Algerian online travel technology startup, has raised about $5 million from Tell Group and Groupe Industriel Babahoum Algérie to accelerate automation, strengthen its engineering capabilities, and expand its B2B offering. The transaction represents the first successful exit for a publicly backed startup fund in Algeria.
Tanzanian fintech NALA has received approval from the Bank of Ghana to launch its money transfer services, formalized through a Letter of No Objection and a strategic partnership with local provider BigPay. The collaboration will enable direct transfers to bank accounts and mobile wallets, significantly reducing costs and processing times.
The National Science and Engineering Infrastructure Agency (NSEIA) launched its FutureMakers programme on Thursday, Dec. 11. Aimed at children aged five to 16, the initiative seeks to boost innovation and core skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The programme will run from December 2025 to February 2026 and will select 60 participants from the country’s six geopolitical zones. Top performers will be eligible for prizes of up to 5 million naira (about $3,500) and scholarships.