Brief (580)
Cue, a South African startup developing AI-enabled customer service solutions, announced on Thursday, October 12 the successful completion of a $500,000 funding round. The funds will help enhance its technology, now providing companies with faster customer service thanks to next-generation AI models.
Egyptian insurtech company Amenli announced on Monday, October 9 the successful completion of a $1 million financing round. The deal was led by Alter Global, a venture capital fund focused on emerging markets, with the participation of Qatar Insurance Group and Digital Ventures Partners. The funds will be used to develop its technology and accelerate growth.
In Ethiopia, the National Identification Program Office, the Refugees and Returnees Service (RRS), and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) signed a memorandum of understanding last Friday, October 6.
The agreement aims to provide a national digital ID to some 90,000 refugees and returnees in the country over the next three years. The aim is to enable access to government services and benefits for the refugees and returnees.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies, a subsidiary of pan-African technology group Cassava Technologies, announced on Tuesday, October 10 its partnership with wingu.africa, a pioneering provider of carrier-neutral data center services in Tanzania.
The new partnership aims to launch a second Azure Stack in Tanzania, offering local businesses access to cutting-edge cloud solutions and the means to thrive in the digital age.
On Monday, October 2, Tanzanian authorities inaugurated the Center for Competence in Digital Education (C-CoDE), the fruit of collaboration between Morocco's Mohamed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) and Switzerland's Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).
The center, hosted by the Nelson Mandela African Science and Technology Institution (NM-AIST), was built thanks to an endowment of over $100,000 from the United States. Among other things, the center will support the digital transformation of training and education practices in Tanzania and the East African Community (EAC).
On Tuesday, September 26, P1 Ventures, a venture capital firm investing in high-potential African companies with a regional or even global client base, announced the first close, at $25 million, of its second investment fund.
P1 Ventures, which has been in operation for 3 years and has backed some 20 African companies, intends to continue its financing activity, focusing more specifically on startups that rely on AI to develop their businesses.
Pan-African firm Cassava Technologies announced on Thursday, September 28 its partnership with Atlas AI, a US platform using artificial intelligence to analyze data. "AI and data analytics are a core part of our digital transformation journey across all Cassava Technologies business units. Our clients across Africa will benefit from access to quality data and analytics that will help them better serve their customers," said Hardy Pemhiwa (photo, right) president and CEO of Cassava Technologies Group.
South African fintech startup Revio announced, Tuesday (September 29), the successful completion of a $5.2 million funding round. The deal was led by QED Investors and Partech, with the participation of former fintech investors such as Speedinvest, RaliCap, and Everywhere VC. Founded in 2020 by Ruaan Botha, the fintech startup wants to use the funds to, among other things, improve its technology, broaden its offerings, and expand into new markets on the continent.
Ham Serunjogi (photo), co-founder of Nigerian unicorn Chipper Cash, was appointed on Tuesday, September 26 to the U.S. Council for African Diaspora Engagement. He will serve in the twelve-member council along with 11 other African Americans, until 2025.
Africa CEO Forum, in partnership with Ecobank Côte d'Ivoire, will organize the forum “Invest in Côte d’Ivoire’s Digital Economy” (Invest in Côte d’Ivoire – Economie numérique) next October 5 in Abidjan.
According to an official press release, the event aims to highlight the investment opportunities offered by the country’s digital sector.
More...
Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet) is due to receive its data center, built by a Chinese company, in October, according to the Chinese news agency Xinhua.
Called the Digital Delta Data Center (DDDC), it is located in the Gaborone-based Botswana Innovation Hub. The Tier 3 data center spans over 1,000 square meters with the ability to house around 400 bays. It will enable Botswana to assume data sovereignty and facilitate its ongoing socio-economic transformation.
Electronic payment solutions provider Visa Inc. has officially inaugurated its new office in the Egyptian city of Cairo.
According to the company's press release, this further expansion demonstrates Visa’s commitment to supporting the company's financial institution and merchant clients, local government partners, investments, and local communities in ongoing efforts to drive the digitization of the payments landscape.
E-health platform "Expertise", which promotes digital health in Africa, and its partners recently issued a call for applications for the creation of a Committee of Experts in Digital Health for Africa (CEiSNA). The initiative aims to bring together digital health stakeholders to develop innovative strategies and solutions for the future of digital health in Africa.
Individuals, start-ups, companies, universities, and healthcare institutions involved in this sector are invited to submit applications, by November 9, 2023, at 23:59 GMT. To apply, they simply need to fill out this form.
Last week, AI company Flapmax announced the twelve startups selected for its Fast Accelerator program focused on artificial intelligence. Supported by Microsoft, the program aims to strengthen and advance the African tech ecosystem. "Participation in the FAST Accelerator program will help these entrepreneurs capture growth opportunities and expand their market reach," explained Mame-Fatou Gueye, SME Program Manager, Microsoft Africa Transformation Office.