Author: Kaluka wanjala

Summary Techstars recently hosted its second pan-African Demo Day in collaboration with ARM Labs. The ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator Demo Day took place on the 20th of February in Nigeria, featuring presentations from the second cohort of startups that participated in a three-month accelerator program. The event brought together players in the African tech and Venture Capital ecosystems. Notable panelists, including Olumide Soyombo, Biola Alabi, and Ovo Emorhokpor, engaged in a lively discussion exploring the current state of VC funding and innovation in Africa. With over 480 industry leaders and investors in attendance, the event also attracted a virtual…

The OPPO Reno 11 was recently unveiled in Kenya as the successor to the Reno 10. I reviewed the Reno 10 last year and loved it and I am still using the phone till now. Today, I will be comparing the OPPO Reno 10 and the recently unveiled OPPO Reno 11. The recommended retail price is Ksh 67,999 for the Reno11 5G and Ksh 85,999 for the Reno11 Pro 5G. You can get both phones through OPPO branded shops and through online retailers. Design and Build The OPPO Reno 11 was launched in Kenya this year. It has a sleek profile,…

Summary Hohm Energy has secured a $8 million in a Seed round led by E3 Capital and 4DX Ventures. This funding is set to propel Hohm Energy’s mission to scale the adoption of rooftop solar across the region, addressing not only the growing energy crisis but also revolutionizing the entire solar journey through innovative climate fintech strategies. With E3 Capital and 4DX Ventures as the leading investors, the investment also attracted participation from Breega, E4E Africa, TO.org, Tekton Ventures, Sunu Capital, Musha Ventures, and Climate Capital Ventures. Thi backing reflects the confidence these investors have in Hohm Energy’s vision and…

Summary Visa has today announced the appointment of Chad Pollock as Cluster Country Manager and Vice President for East Africa. Chad is a seasoned leader with a diverse background across the finance, technology, and energy industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Systems Engineering and a Master of Science in Engineering Management. Before this appointment, he was the Vice President, Head of Global Client Strategy & Operations. During his tenure, he spearheaded the development of business analytics and commercial operations for Visa’s largest international clients. Speaking on the new appointment, Senior Vice President at Visa and Head of Sub-Saharan Africa,…

The Africa Women Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum (AWIEF) announces the launch of its Growth Accelerator programme in Nigeria, in partnership with Victoria’s Secret & Co. AWIEF is implementing the programme as part of The Tour Impact Fund, a Victoria’s Secret initiative dedicated to advancing gender equality, empowering women across the globe and amplifying their voices. As one of only four organisations worldwide partnering with Victoria’s Secret on The Tour Impact Fund, AWIEF is honoured to collaborate with the world-leading retailer to extend its flagship AWIEF Growth Accelerator to women-owned or women-led SMEs based and operating in Nigeria. This partnership is…

Check Point Research has released its 2024 Annual Security Report. This year’s edition delves into the increasing complexity of cyber threats, with a special focus on the dramatic rise in ransomware incidents and the strategic use of AI in cyber security defences. Reflecting on a year marked by significant cyber turmoil, the report highlights a 90% increase in publicly extorted victims of ransomware attacks. Such ransomware attacks now account for 10% of all malware detected by Check Point’s sensors. The Check Point Incident Response Team (CPIRT) observed that nearly half of their cases involved ransomware, with the number of publicly…

Summary d.light and Chapel Hill Denham, the largest alternatives asset manager in Nigeria, have successfully closed a securitized financing facility worth $7.4 million. This aims to expand access to affordable clean energy solutions for low-income households in Nigeria. The financing, facilitated by Chapel Hill Denham’s Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund, will empower d.light to scale up its low-cost Pay-Go offering, providing solar-powered products to low-income households. African Frontier Capital, the master servicer and backup servicer in the transaction, played a crucial role in structuring the financing. What They Said Nick Imudia, CEO of d.light, said this about the funding, “This landmark…

Summary Moringa School has announced a new partnership with M-PESA Africa and Safaricom to provide digital API (Application Programming Interface) training and certification across Africa. This initiative is targeting those who want to learn and develop solutions integrated to digital solutions like M-PESA. The service (M-PESA) currently has over 60 million customers and 5 million businesses across the continent and this makes it one of the leading fintech and digital payment providers in Africa. Read: Safaricom Granted Licence to Roll Out M-Pesa in Ethiopia As the market matures, there is still a shortage of developers across the continent. This means…

KLM is working on using AI to minimize food waste by accurately estimating meal quantities for each flight, considering the 3-5% of passengers who either don’t show up or arrive late. TRAYS, KLM’s new AI model, is tailored for catering, forecasting passenger numbers based on historical data. The Meals On Board System (MOBS) then uses these predictions to provide separate forecasts for the Business, Premium Comfort, and Economy classes. The prediction using the AI model starts 17 days before departure and continues until 20 minutes before the flight departs. This means that the most accurate possible number of passengers is…

In today’s rapidly evolving digital world, cyber security remains a paramount concern for businesses globally, with Kenya being no exception. As the country advances technologically, the imperative for companies of all sizes to recognize and address cyber security challenges has never been more critical. Our exclusive conversation with Erick Njoroge, a Security Engineer at Check Point, offers a deep dive into Kenya’s cyber security landscape, highlighting the urgent need for businesses to bolster their cyber security frameworks in this digital age. Overview of Check Point Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (www.checkpoint.com) is a leader in AI-powered, cloud-delivered cyber security, safeguarding…