Author: John Nyabuto

Chinese digital infrastructure company Guodong Group is planning to invest up to US$300 million (Ksh38.8 billion) in Kenya as it explores establishing its African headquarters in the country. The investment will target digital infrastructure projects including telecommunication towers, data centers, fiber networks, cloud infrastructure, smart cities and green digital technologies. The plans were revealed by Principal Secretary for Investment Promotion Abubakar Hassan Abubakar after a meeting with a Guodong Group delegation led by the company’s senior partner and vice president, Kobe Hu, on August 17. The investment is aligned with Kenya’s Digital Superhighway program which aims to enhance digital connectivity…

itel today launched the POWER 80 in Kenya, a durable 4G smartphone engineered to survive real-world use without an added protective case. Available from today at all official retail stores countrywide at a recommended retail price of Ksh 19,499. Final pricing may vary by retailer. Most smartphones treat toughness as an accessory — sold separately, as cases, screen protectors, and repair fees. itel is doing something different: building durability into the device itself. Four Independent Certifications Where most smartphones carry one or two durability ratings, the POWER 80 is certified across four independent international standards — each verified by accredited…

British International Investment (BII) and Africa50 have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at accelerating infrastructure investment across Africa through increased public and private sector financing. The deal was announced at the Infra for Africa Forum 2026 in Tanzania and will deepen collaboration between the two organisations as they look to bridge the continent’s widening infrastructure financing gap. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Under the partnership, BII and Africa50 will explore opportunities for co-financing, co-investment and capital mobilisation to support infrastructure projects across key sectors, including energy, transport,…

LG has expanded to its xboom audio line-up with the introduction of the new xboom Blast. This is a premium portable Bluetooth speaker that is designed for outdoor entertainment. The new speaker delivers powerful audio performance, durability and AI-powered sound optimization. The xboom Blast outputs up to 220W of audio when plugged into AC power and 210W on battery power. According to LG, the speaker’s 99Wh replaceable battery can provide up to 36 hours of playback on a single charge. The speaker also features IP68-rated dust and water resistance and has undergone seven military-grade durability tests, making it suitable for…

Safaricom has expanded its PATA MORE campaign to the Greater Western and Nyanza regions following its national rollout. The campaign is designed to provide more value to our customers and businesses through Safaricom’s connectivity products and digital services including data, M-PESA, devices, fiber and business solutions. Under the new offers, customers will now receive 250MB for KES 20, valid for 24 hours, up from 150MB. The 24-hour KES 99 bundle has also been increased from 1GB to 1.5GB, while the KES 1,000 monthly bundle now offers 21.5GB, more than double the previous 10GB allocation. M-PESA users will also benefit from…

Spotify is introducing a new “AI Persona” badge to help listeners identify artist profiles that represent AI-generated identities rather than real people. The streaming platform says the move is part of its broader effort to improve transparency and trust as generative AI becomes increasingly common in music. Starting in mid-September 2026, the AI Persona badge will appear on some artist profiles, in search results and on track rows across playlists. The label will indicate that an artist’s public identity may be AI-generated and does not represent a real person. Artists will be able to voluntarily disclose that they are an…

If you are looking for an alternative to traditional fiber internet for your home or office, Airtel’s 5G Smart Connect is one of the options to look at. The service is available on Airtel’s 5G network through the Smart Connect router. Airtel offers speeds of up to 30Mbps and the available plans start at KSh 1,999. There are a few things you need to know before you sign up for this service. These include the Fair Usage Policy, connection fee, validity periods and what happens when you exhaust your data allowance. What plans does Airtel offer? Airtel’s 5G Smart Connect…

Egyptian e-commerce technology company Fincart has raised an oversubscribed seed funding round co-led by Launch Africa and Antler MENAP, with participation from Yango Ventures, Five35 Ventures, Bluestream Capital, Hi2 Global, Kalahari Venture Labs and other investors. The funding follows Fincart’s pre-seed round led by Plus VC and will support the company’s product development, expansion of its commercial and technology teams, and new partnerships. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Fincart has evolved from a platform connecting e-commerce merchants with last-mile delivery providers into an AI-powered operating system for merchants. The platform…

University students across Kenya with innovative ideas aimed at tackling climate and environmental challenges have been invited to apply for the Cleantech Innovation Competition 2026. The competition is organised by the Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC) in partnership with the Embassy of Switzerland in Kenya, SICPA and Strathmore University. This initiative is targeting early-stage cleantech ideas with potential to address environmental challenges while developing sustainable businesses. Areas of focus include renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, water management, waste management, commercial forestry and other green growth priorities. Selected participants will receive business development and accelerator support, skills training, mentorship, industry networking opportunities,…

TVS Motor Company has launched its electric scooter, the TVS iQube, in Kenya. The iQube will be distributed and supported in Kenya through Car & General, leveraging the company’s established sales and after-sales network across the country. “Driven by our vision to transform lives through exciting, responsible, and sustainable mobility, we are proud to introduce the TVS iQube in Kenya, marking our entry into the African market,” said Peyman Kargar, President, International Business, TVS Motor Company. According to Car & General CEO Vijay Gidoomal, Africa’s two-wheeler market is expected to grow at an estimated 7–10% CAGR through 2030, while the…