Brief (711)
African social entrepreneurs can now apply for the Ashoka Venture & Fellowship Program, which leads to Ashoka Fellow status. Selected participants receive a needs-based stipend, tailored support, pro bono services and access to a global network of peers, designed to help scale their solutions and increase their systemic impact.
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.
The Orange Corners Innovation Fund (OCIF) has opened applications for its GROW programme, targeting South African startups. The fund offers hybrid financing split evenly between a grant and an interest-free loan, with amounts ranging from $12,000 to $59,000. The loan is repayable over 18 months and is followed by support to help startups prepare for further financing and investment. Applications close on Dec. 31.
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.
Villgro Africa, in partnership with The Fred Hollows Foundation, is accepting applications in Kenya for the Eye Health Innovation Accelerator 2026. The programme targets Sub-Saharan African startups developing technology solutions to improve access to eye care.
Selected startups will receive strategic support and may secure between $100,000 and $250,000 in seed funding.
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.
On Tuesday, Dec. 9, the Global South Alliance launched the second round of its Datafication and Democracy Fund, allocating $72,000 to support research and advocacy projects in 2026 examining how datafication affects democratic processes. Organizations based in the Global South and working on digital rights can apply for grants of up to $8,000. Applications must be submitted in English through the online form by Jan. 30, 2026.
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South African startup Community Wolf, which develops AI-based security technology, has acquired the emergency-response app Namola. The acquisition will bring together neighborhood alert systems delivered through instant messaging and a nationwide network of medical, fire and security responders. Namola will continue operating as a standalone app but will be integrated into the Community Wolf platform to enable faster and more coordinated emergency responses.
The Lagos team behind NEVO, a personalized learning platform for neurodivergent children, has won the innovation hackathon for the Southwest region in the third cohort of the 3 Million Technical Talent programme, taking a prize of N500,000 (about $345). The event highlights local digital solutions designed to improve inclusive education and expand economic opportunities for Nigerians.
South African bank Capitec is acquiring payment firm Walletdoc for $23.5 million. The transaction includes an immediate payment of 300 million rand ($17.6 million) and 100 million rand ($5.8 million) in contingent consideration. The deal is intended to bring Walletdoc’s technology into Capitec’s business-services platform and strengthen the bank’s position in e-commerce.
The Egyptian platform MoneyHash is partnering with Saudi firm Amwal Tech to boost adoption of local payment methods and offer installment plans. The partnership strengthens MoneyHash’s presence in Saudi Arabia and makes it easier for merchants to add new payment options for their customers.