Author: Kaluka wanjala

Yesterday, Uber announced the addition of Uber Comfort in Kenya. This is in addition to UberX, Uber ChapChap, UberXL, Uber ChapChap shape, Uber Boda and package options. In Africa, Uber Comfort is available in Ghana, South Africa, Ivory Coast and now kenya. Commenting on the addition of Uber Comfort in Kenya, Imran Manji, Head of East Africa, Uber said, “Uber aims to reimagine how the world moves for the better. With the launch of Uber Comfort in Nairobi, we are providing our most discerning passengers with a modern, spacious and personalizable method of moving around our city, while also introducing…

Summary Shamba Records, a Kenyan  AgTech startup, has been selected to be part of CV Labs Acceleration Batch_06. The startups selected operate across traditional industries and web3 infrastructure. They intend to impact global challenges across agriculture, intellectual property, and creative industries. Many of these startups are at the forefront of building data analytics, open source, and prediction solutions infrastructure for Web3. Shamba Records provides a real-time data collection tool to facilitate credit access to farmers. It also has a farmers wallet to ensure seamless credit processing and payments. Founded by Geroge Maina, Shamba Records is a distributed ledger that runs…

Deel, the global HR company has announced the acquisition of South African-based payroll and HR solution company PaySpace for an undisclosed amount. PaySpace has more than 14,000 customers and is operational in 44 countries across Africa, Middle East, Europe and Latin America. It is known for its proprietary cloud native framework that is built as a single engine. Its platform allows easy configuration of additional countries through localization. These localization projects normally take years to complete, but with PaySpace’s innovative technology, it can localize much faster than any other payroll provider. This acquisition makes Deel the first payroll and Employer…

Safaricom Ethiopia launched M-Pesa back in 2023 after obtaining the necessary license from the National Bank of Ethiopia. Uptake was quick reaching over 3 million M-Pesa users out of over 5 million total subscribers. Even with the impressive numbers, M-Pesa’s growth in Ethiopia is still slow as the country relies on cash for most transactions. Safaricom says the use of cash for small transactions is quite a big challenge to its expansion. This is the opposite of what is seen in markets like Kenya where M-Pesa is embraced even for small transactions. The telco said this during the second investor…

By Christopher Saul, Territory Sales Lead for East Africa at Red Hat East Africa has a growing appetite for software. Whereas, previously, software was just another component of enterprises’ IT infrastructure, it has become the bedrock on which entire industries are being built. We see this appetite in the number of software developers in the region, as well as how institutions and industries are setting new goals. Like, for example, the launch of Kenya’s national e-commerce strategy that aims to promote trusted and secure services across the country. A byproduct of this strategy is easier market entry for smaller players…

Summary HiiL’s Justice Accelerator Programme 2024 calls innovative minds in Africa to apply to be part of the programme. This year’s theme, “Tech the Justice Gap,” underscores the potential of technology in creating accessible, affordable, and easily understood solutions for justice-related challenges. The call for applications is now open until April 4, 2024. Why Join the Justice Accelerator Programme? The HiiL Justice Accelerator Programme offers a 4-month journey to selected startups, equipping them with essential tools and resources: Who are the Game-Changers in 2024? The Justice Accelerator is actively seeking startups from Kenya, alongside MENA and Nigeria, with specific criteria:…

Summary Infinix has clinched multiple Best of MWC 2024 awards, stealing the spotlight with its flagship-level gaming technology at ShowStoppers MWC 2024. Recognized by renowned media outlets, Infinix’s cutting-edge smartphone gaming technology, amplified by AI, promises to reshape the mobile gaming landscape. Infinix’s General Manager, Tony Zhao, expressed his joy, “We are overjoyed to have pushed the boundaries of mobile gaming technology to unprecedented heights at MWC. The tremendous honor of winning the esteemed Best of MWC 2024 awards from globally renowned media outlets underscores our unwavering dedication and passion to deliver the cutting-edge mobile gaming technology that captivates and…

Summary Mastercard and MTN have partnered to introduce a prepaid virtual card to 13 African markets, including Benin, Nigeria, South Africa, and Rwanda. This card expands international reach for remittance services, and enhanced solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). One of the main outcomes of this partnership is the launch of a prepaid virtual card tailored for MTN’s MoMo customers. This provides MoMo users with access to over 100 million acceptance points worldwide. This move helps advance financial inclusion in Africa, where only 43% of the population is banked, and the majority of payments are still conducted in cash.…

Summary Appetite for enterprise apps in kenya propelled Zoho’s growth in Kenya last year. The company reports that in 2023, it grew by 41% in kenya. This makes Kenya one of the fastest growing markets in Africa. Zoho attributes this growth to localization of its services and competitive pricing. The company shared through its Country Head, Veerakumar Natarajan, today at the Zoholics Kenya conference in Nairobi. Zoho is renowned for its software and business tools, specifically the office suites that include word processing, spreadsheets, CRM, invoicing and other applications. Zoho opened a new office in Kenya last year but had…

Summary Airtel Africa has announced the launch of Airtel Ads. This integrated Demand-Side Platform (DSP) is set to empower advertisers and agencies, providing them with better control over their marketing campaigns. A DSP is a software type that allows an advertiser to buy advertising with the help of automation. With such a platform, you can purchase mobile ads on apps, banner ads on search engines, and video ads on Facebook, Instagram, Google, and even more platforms. It is designed to efficiently manage, purchase, and optimize digital ad inventory across multiple exchanges in real-time. Airtel Ads is powered by Intent.ai and…