Brief (568)
Seedstars is partnering with the SANAD Fund to launch the SANAD Elevate Her program, which targets women-led startups in Africa and the Middle East. Forty startups will receive tailored support, investment-readiness coaching, and access to networks designed to promote job creation and strengthen economic resilience. Applications are open until Wednesday, November 26.
Egyptian startup Bluworks, which specializes in digitizing workforce management for field employees, has raised $1 million in seed funding to accelerate its growth in Egypt and expand across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The funding will support platform enhancements, the integration of advanced analytics and artificial intelligence (AI), and a stronger focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
African startups under five years old can now apply to the Harvard New Venture Competition, which will award up to $55,000 in prizes at the Africa Business Conference in Boston on March 27-28, 2026. The top 30 applicants will also receive mentorship from MBA student consultants. Applications are open now.
Itel announced on Tuesday, November 18, a partnership with Tech Sphere Academy to provide smartphones to young people who cannot afford them. The devices will help students access virtual classes and hands-on training. The partnership also supports digital education efforts and complements the TS Academy scholarship program, which already assists more than 3,000 young people across Africa.
Accra will host the 19th edition of eLearning Africa, the continent’s leading conference on digital education and training, from June 3 to 5, 2026.
Held under the theme “Africa's Time, Africa's Terms: Learning for Sovereignty, Strength and Solidarity,” the event will gather policymakers, educators, entrepreneurs and experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities in Africa’s digital transformation.
The Ilorin Innovation Hub has launched its first acceleration program, open to startups across Africa, with 10 million naira (about $6,900) in available funding.
Startups developing solutions in artificial intelligence, energy, hardware or the circular economy have until Friday, Nov. 21, to apply. Selected companies will receive mentorship, workshops and support for future fundraising.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, in partnership with Google, has launched a free training program for 7,500 small African businesses across 19 countries.
Participants will learn how to expand their operations using artificial intelligence, e-commerce and cloud technology, with courses available in four languages. The initiative aims to strengthen digital skills and promote inclusion across the continent.
The sessions will be delivered in 25 groups and will run until June 2026.
Casablanca will host EMECEXPO from Nov. 19-21, a major gathering for digital innovation in Africa. The event will bring together decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and experts for panels, workshops, and competitions on digital commerce, artificial intelligence, and SME capacity-building. It aims to promote collaboration, strengthen professional skills, and help African startups expand into new markets.
Ouagadougou will host the 20th edition of Digital Week from Nov. 18-21, with this year’s event centered on how artificial intelligence can support Burkina Faso’s digital transition. The program features sessions on future technology trends, robot demonstrations, youth-led initiatives, training workshops, regional dialogue, and a competition aimed at promoting talent and shaping a shared vision for digital innovation.
The Scale32 initiative, run by the Enovation Factory incubator and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Cameroon, has opened applications.
The programme provides both incubation to help entrepreneurs develop their business ideas and an acceleration phase to support early-stage companies in strengthening their business models and scaling up. Entrepreneurs and startups can apply online.
More...
Government officials, development partners and private-sector actors will meet in Cotonou on Nov. 17-18 for a regional summit on digital transformation in West and Central Africa.
Organized by the Beninese government and the World Bank, the event will focus on narrowing the digital divide, building artificial intelligence skills and expanding digital job opportunities. It is expected to end with a “Cotonou Declaration” calling for a more inclusive regional digital market.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has given digital lending operators in Nigeria until January 5, 2026 to meet new regulatory requirements for digital credit services.
Platforms must submit their applications and follow strict rules on transparency, data protection and ethical debt recovery. The FCCPC said non-compliance could lead to penalties, including suspension of operations and fines.
The Ministry of Communications, Digital Technology and Innovations announced on September 17 that the Training of Trainers component of the National Girls-in-ICT Program has commenced at Damongo Senior High School in the Savannah Region, Ghana. The program is equipping 100 selected teachers with hands-on knowledge of Scratch, a visual programming language that introduces beginners to the fundamentals of coding.
Through the training, teachers are learning how to develop interactive stories, animations, and games, which they will in turn pass on to 1,000 schoolgirls across the region.
The National Girls-in-ICT Program is a flagship initiative of the Ministry, implemented in partnership with local stakeholders.
Janngo Capital has announced an investment in Jobzyn, a Moroccan startup that utilizes technology to simplify, clarify, and expedite the hiring process. The move is set to accelerate Jobzyn’s mission to deliver a next-generation hiring experience for both employers and job seekers across Africa and the MENA region.
With Janngo Capital’s backing, Jobzyn is now positioned to scale its solutions across the continent, offering a more transparent, data-driven, and inclusive model for employment that could play a critical role in addressing Africa’s growing demographic and economic challenges.
The investment also aligns with Janngo Capital’s broader mandate of building, growing, and financing pan-African digital champions that combine economic performance with inclusive social impact.