Author: Kaluka wanjala

Peach Tech, the Nairobi-founded startup behind Peach Cars, has raised $11 million in a Series A round led by Suzuki Global Ventures (SGV), the venture capital arm of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan’s leading automaker with around 40% market share in India. SGV’s investment enhances Suzuki’s presence in Africa’s mobility sector through Peach, signaling confidence in the continent’s emerging automotive opportunity.  If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here.  “We’re inspired by Peach’s founders, who have committed themselves to Africa and tackle local challenges with meticulous, on-the-ground execution. Peach’s customer-first philosophy -…

When global tech firms expand into Africa, the playbook usually looks the same: dollar pricing, limited localization, and a heavy reliance on channel partners. But Zoho is rewriting that script in Kenya with a refreshingly grounded approach that includes local pricing in Kenyan Shillings, direct customer relationships, and a broad portfolio of products that actually talk to each other. In an exclusive interview with Veerakumar Natarajan, Zoho’s Country Head for Kenya, TechArena explored how the company is rapidly becoming the go-to digital partner for thousands of businesses, from bootstrapped freelancers to enterprises with hundreds of employees. Zoho’s entry into the…

When it comes to moving money across Africa’s borders, traditional banks have long left businesses facing high fees, slow transactions, and regulatory red tape. Verto, a fintech company focused on simplifying cross-border payments, wants to change this. In a recent interview with TechArena, Kevin Ng’ang’a, Kenya General Director at Verto, shared the company’s journey in Kenya, its role in supporting businesses to navigate global tariffs and currency hurdles and his vision for unlocking the full potential of African trade. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Verto’s Journey in Kenya…

Luno, the global cryptocurrency investment platform, is officially back in Kenya. Originally introduced to the Kenyan market between 2013 and 2014 under its former name BitX, Luno returns with a promise to make buying, selling, and holding cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and USDT easier, safer, and fully compliant with local regulations. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. With this relaunch, Kenyan customers can look forward to a crypto experience built around security, transparency, and responsible innovation. Apollo Sande, Country Manager for Luno Kenya, is optimistic about the company’s impact…

SISCOM has today announced the opening of its latest data-centre cluster that is hosted inside  IX Africa’s Tier III-designed, 4.5 MW, 780-rack, carrier-neutral campus on Mombasa Road in Nairobi. With this deployment, SISCOM has tripled its capacity and at the same time has announced it is now certified as a Data Controller under Kenya’s Data Protection Act. This designation confirms that SISCOM meets the nation’s highest standards for data governance, privacy, and security, a critical prerequisite for fintechs, AI innovators, government workloads, and multinationals operating across Africa. “Every successful digital initiative rest on two cornerstones: trusted compliance and world-class colocation,”…

PaidHR, a Nigerian HR and payroll startup, has secured $1.8 million in a seed funding round led by Accion Venture Lab. Existing investors including Zrosk, Chui Ventures, and Zedcrest Capital also participated in this round. The startup was founded in 2020 by Seye Bandele who is the CEO and Lekan Omotosho, CTO. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. The startup is tackling one of the key gaps in Africa’s small and medium-sized business (SME) landscape by offering accessible, efficient HR and payroll services. As Bandele explained in a recent…

Last week, Huawei officially unveiled its latest wearables, the HUAWEI WATCH FIT 4 Series and the HUAWEI Band 10, to the Kenyan market. Huawei hasn’t been active in the Kenyan market but it looks like that is changing. These new devices offer a balance of bold style, powerful fitness tools, and affordable pricing. “Kenya is a rapidly growing hub for digital wellness, and we’re proud to bring global innovations like the WATCH FIT 4 and Band 10 to this market,” said Jin Renbin, Device Manager at Huawei Kenya. “These devices are slim, powerful, and smart, designed for both style-conscious individuals…

itel has announced the launch of the CITY 100, the inaugural smartphone in its brand-new CITY Series. With an RRP price tag of Ksh 11,200 itel CITY 100 redefines expectations for budget smartphones by integrating both playful features and strong performance within a sleek design and tech-enhanced AI, bridging the gap between advanced AI capabilities and budget-friendly devices, empowering users to enjoy a smarter, more connected life. Unibody Frame & Ultra-Flat Display – A First in Its Class Embodying the series motto – “Fun, Yet Strong” –CITY 100 is more than just a device, it’s a lifestyle companion for young…

This article has been updated to reflect the latest changes that require the M-Pesa app to withdraw from PayPal. The PayPal mobile money portal will stop working on August 16, 2025. You can ready the updated steps here. PayPal is one of the popular tools for freelancers, online business owners or anyone getting paid internationally. If you are in Kenya, getting that money into your hands or your M-PESA wallet can be challenging if you have never done it before. PayPal partnered with Safaricom a few years back to make it possible to withdraw money to M-PESA directly, safely, and…

SEACOM has announced the appointment of Kevin Kaburu as the new SEACOM Digital Infrastructure East Africa and Middle East Managing Director, effective 1 June 2025. Kevin has over 15 years of experience in the telecommunications and B2B technology sectors. He has a strong track record in infrastructure sales, strategic partnerships, and regional business expansion across Sub-Saharan Africa. He has previously held leadership roles at China Mobile International and Wananchi Telecom. These roles have equipped him with deep expertise in building high-performing teams, driving revenue growth, and delivering complex infrastructure projects across the continent. “As we continue to grow our presence…