Author: Kaluka wanjala

TLcom Capital has announced the final close of TIDE Africa Fund II, its second fund for technology in Africa, at $154 million. Back in 2022, TLCom Capital announced the first close of $70mn for its $150mn Africa focused tech fund. At more than twice the size of TLcom Capital’s first fund, TIDE Africa Fund II is oversubscribed and sees participation from several new, high-profile LPs alongside returning LPs from the firm’s first Africa- focused fund, TIDE Africa Fund I, closed in 2020. These include the European Investment Bank (EIB), Allianz and DEG Impact’s joint venture, AfricaGrow, Visa Foundation and Bertelsmann.…

Earlier today, Bolt announced a strategic partnership with Roam Electric, Ampersand and M-Kopa that will see the addition of electric motorcycles to its platform. Bolt says this is part of its long term sustainability strategy. Riders can now request electric boda bodas (motorcycles) which make less noise and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.  The company says it has plans to have 1000 electric bikes on its platform by the end of the year and over 5000 in the next 2 years. This is a bold and ambitious goal for the company but the partnership it has forged can help it achieve…

Plans are in top gear for the 2024 Digital Rights and Inclusion Forum (DRIF24), which begins on Tuesday, 23rd April 2024 and ends on Thursday, 25th April 2024. Delegates from 61 countries will be in Accra, Ghana, where conversations on digital policy in Africa will be shaped, policy directions debated, and partnerships forged for action. The signature event is hosted by pan-African organisation, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) under the theme, Fostering Rights and Inclusion in the Digital Age. Partner organisations working with PIN to host DRIF24 in Ghana are E-Governance and Internet Governance Foundation for Africa (EGIGFA), University of Media, Arts and Communication- Institute of Journalism,…

Africa Tech Summit (ATS) London will host its eighth edition on June 7th, 2024, at the London Stock Exchange. The previously sold-out summit gathers over 300 African and international tech leaders, policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, and corporates to discuss the future of African technology and innovation.African tech ventures seeking partnerships or investment opportunities are invited to apply for the Investment Showcase, taking place on June 7th, 2024. The showcase aims to connect investor-ready ventures with investors. The showcase offers startups unparalleled opportunities to present their business model to investors and potential partners, garner exposure, and secure funding to propel their growth. Abraham…

OPPO Kenya has today launched the Reno11F 5G smartphone in Kenya. This is part of the Reno11 series that the company launched in the country a few weeks back. The OPPO Reno11F 5G has a 64MP Ultra-Clear Triple Camera, 120Hz AMOLED Borderless display, and is powered by the Dimensity 7050 processor among other features. Have a look at its other specifications below. OPPO Reno11F 5G Specifications “Reno11F 5G’s thin and light design is loaded with personality, and its stunning, immersive screen and smart experiences make it a joy to use. Streaming, taking photos, browsing and living life to the max,…

RHIPFactory Venture Studio has partnered with Qhala Kenya and Africa CDC to host the first BuildHealth4Africa Hackathon. This is a dynamic 48-hour hackathon with a prize of up to Ksh.500,000. The hackathon will be held in Nairobi from April 19th to 21st, 2024. It seeks to help develop digital healthcare solutions that transform access, affordability, quality, and efficiency in healthcare services across East Africa. According to Dr Henri Onyemachi, Founder & CEO of RHIPFactory Inc USA, the East African region much like the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa faces a critical need for innovative solutions that bridge healthcare infrastructure and capacity gaps. The BuildHealth4Africa Hackathon…

Check Point Research (CPR), the Threat Intelligence arm of Check Point, has released its latest Brand Phishing Ranking for Q1 2024. The ranking highlights the brands most frequently imitated by cybercriminals in their attempts to deceive individuals and steal personal information or payment credentials. In the first quarter of 2024, Microsoft continued to be the most imitated brand in phishing attacks, accounting for a staggering 38% of all brand phishing attempts. Google made a modest advance to the second spot, capturing 11% of attempted brand phishing attacks, up slightly from its previous third-place position. Similarly, LinkedIn also saw a rise to…

Sama has announced Sama Red Team, a new solution designed to help developers proactively improve a model’s safety and reliability and one of the first specifically designed for generative AI and large language models. Leveraging the expertise of machine learning (ML) engineers, applied scientists and human-AI interaction designers, Sama Red Team helps evaluate a model’s fairness and safeguards, checking compliance with laws and safely exposing and rectifying issues across text, image, voice search and other modalities.  “Generative AI models may sound trustworthy, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to work around their safeguards for public safety, privacy protection and…

OPPO is celebrating two significant milestones: 10 years of serving Kenyan customers and 20 years of pioneering innovation at the forefront of the smartphone industry. Since 2014, OPPO Kenya has established itself as a trusted brand known for its commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology and user-oriented devices catering to various consumer types. This has seen the successful launches of the A-series, Reno Series and the Find X and N series in the market which have continued to receive praise from their users. ‘‘OPPO Kenya has played a vital role in empowering Kenyans by providing them with smartphones that seamlessly integrate…

Summary Pula, the agricultural insurance and technology company, has closed a $20 million series B funding round that will help provide agricultural insurance to farmers in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The insurance products help smallholder farmers in emerging markets gain access to insurance against floods, droughts, and other climate-related events. Smallholder farmers are defined as farmers that hold less than 2 hectares of land per day and live on $2 per day or less. Pula has so far supported over 15.4 million farmers across Africa, Asia and Latin America to get insured. This latest funding round was led by…