Author: Kaluka wanjala

Summary Village Capital and Moody’s Foundation have announced the launch of Greetech2024: The Future of Sustainability, an investment-readiness accelerator. This accelerator is meant to advance innovative and sustainable solutions that actively contribute to building resilience and mitigating the effects of climate change across Africa. It will focus on startups from Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa. Village capital unlocks critical social and financial capital for early-stage companies to maximize business and impact growth. It has been in operation since 2012 by running over 14 accelerator programs in serving entrepreneurs in 15 countries in the region. This program is part…

Samsung has rolled out the March security patch to the Galaxy S24 in Kenya. The S24 series was launched in Kenya a few weeks back and is currently available in stores from ksh 124,500. You can get the phone through both online and offline retailers across the country.  The update is about 282 MB in size and mostly improves device stability and bug fixes. Below is the changelog: Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S24 First Impressions

Watu Credit has today been awarded a Client Protection Certification in recognition of their long-standing commitment to client protection by the Microfinanza Rating (MFR) Certification Committee. The recognition was awarded to both Watu Kenya and Watu Uganda. The two subsidiaries of Watu were awarded Bronze level Customer Protection Certification. They become the first Kenyan financial institution to be awarded and the third in Africa. This recognition means Watu is 100% compliant with various client protection regulations and standards outlined in the Cerise+SPTF Methodology and the Universal Standards for Social and Environmental Performance Management. Andrii Volokha, General Manager for East Africa…

Bolt has announced the expansion of its services to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).  Bolt currently has over 200 drivers ready to start providing services through its platform in Kinshasa. The capital has limited private transportation options according to Bolt and this makes it the perfect city to expand operations to. Residents need reliable, convenient and cost-effective modes of transportation and Bolt is ready to provide that. As it launches in the country, the company says it will not be charging any commission for at least 6 Months. Laurent Koerge, Head of Expansion at Bolt, said the…

Last year Spotify Daylist was launched in a few select markets and we finally have it in kenya. Spotify Daylist has seen a search spike of 17,000% and has captured the attention of music lovers across the world offering a hyper-personalized, dynamic and playful playlist experience. What is Spotify Daylist? Daylist is a unique playlist that evolves throughout the day to align with specific moments and moods you are experiencing. From sunrise to sunset, it curates specific playlists tailored to your preferences. This helps offer a seamless transition between different genres and vibes. Whether you want nostalgic tunes from the…

The African tech startup ecosystem has seen tremendous growth and innovation, positioning itself as a key player in driving economic development and encouraging entrepreneurship in Africa. Recently, Mozilla Africa launched a Comprehensive Analysis of the Start-up Ecosystem in Africa titled “Positioning African Tech Startups as Engines of Growth & Development.” You can find the report here. We are going to look at the key finding and trends that have been identified in this report. This will help shed light on the challenges and opportunities that define this ecosystem. Rapid Growth One of the standout findings in the report is the…

The Microsoft Africa Development Centre has launched a mentorship program for women pursuing technology studies at universities. The first cohort of the initiative, called Women Inspiring and Nurturing Students (WINS), brings together approximately 70 young women pursuing tech-related courses at various universities across Kenya with women working at Microsoft for a year-long mentorship. Speaking at the launch, which coincided with International Women’s Day last Friday, Catherine Muraga, Microsoft ADC Managing Director, stated that the large gender gap in technology education highlighted the need to encourage more girls and women to further their studies and pursue careers in technology. “Women face…

Gavi in partnership with Seedstars, announces INFUSE 2024 a global call for applications for innovations, to bolster health systems against climate threats and enhance immunization delivery. Apply at https://seedsta.rs/INFUSE2024.   INFUSE, short for Innovation for Uptake, Scale, and Equity in Immunisation, is a Gavi-led initiative designed to scale up groundbreaking global health solutions by connecting high-impact, proven innovations where countries need them most. This year’s INFUSE initiative underscores the urgency of addressing health challenges exacerbated by climate change, including increased vulnerability to diseases like malaria and the potential for more frequent and severe outbreaks due to extreme weather. The program aims…

OPPO recently unveiled the Reno 11 series as the successor to the Reno 10 series from last year. The Reno 11 Series builds on the camera of the Reno 10 series. When I reviewed the Reno 10- last year, the camera was one of its appealing features that made it stand out from competition.  With the Reno 11 series, I will be briefly highlighting the camera system of the Pro version just to give you an idea of what to expect and help you decide if this phone is worth your money.  The Reno 11 pro’s camera boasts the Portrait…

Summary Standard Bank has announced the investment of R300 million (over $16 million) into South Africa’s car subscription company, Planet42. The investment is broken down into two with R50 million in equity and a R250 million credit facility. The bank acted in its capacity as a partner in the transaction, which provided Planet42 with its first rand lender. Standard Bank created a unique debt structure for the business whilst also investing equity capital and providing Planet42 with local funding to better match their needs. As a result of this funding injection, Planet42 will purchase more cars in addition to the 20 000 vehicles…