Author: Kaluka wanjala

Chui Ventures has announced the final close of its first fund at 17.3 million dollars, surpassing its initial target of 10 million dollars. The fund attracted commitments from a diverse group of foundations, family offices and more than 30 high-net-worth individuals. Among these backers are the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund and the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. More than 90 percent of the high-net-worth investors are of African origin, and 60 percent are African female executives. This aligns with the fund’s mandate to increase African capital participation within the continent’s innovation ecosystem. If you have a startup you want featured on…

Bolt has announced that over 40% of motorbikes on its platform are now electric motorbikes. This makes Bolt the largest supplier of electric bikes in the ride-hailing industry in Kenya. The company also revealed that it has already onboarded more than 1,700 riders financed through M-KOPA. This means Bolt has met its 2025 electrification target ahead of schedule. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Bolt says the increased adoption of electric bikes aligns with its wider plan to reduce emissions, lower operating costs for riders and contribute to Kenya’s clean transport…

From a pool of over 200 applications representing 27 countries, ten startups have been selected for the final stage of the Latitude59 Kenya Edition Pitch Competition. These teams will present their solutions from December 3 to 5, 2025, at the A.S.K Dome in Nairobi. The selected startups are developing technologies including drone- and AI-powered carbon measurement, automated smart-locker infrastructure, AI-driven crop health platforms, circular pet nutrition, influencer tools, healthcare operations software and clean aquatic protein for sustainable food systems. Triin Ilves, Head of Startup Relations at Latitude59, said the competition demonstrates the strength of the African startup ecosystem. She said,…

Standard Chartered Kenya and @iBizAfrica – Strathmore University have awarded KES 9.1 million in seed funding to seven women-led startups during the graduation of the eighth Women in Tech Accelerator Programme. Each enterprise received KES 1.3 million to scale tech-driven solutions targeting Kenya’s economic, social and environmental challenges. The 2025 cohort attracted 84 applications, with fifteen women-led businesses selected for a 12-week accelerator that focused on sustainability, ESG integration, financial modelling and product development. A panel of industry experts and academic leaders selected the final seven winners based on solution innovation, market readiness and social impact. Nivi Sharma, Standard Chartered…

Westcon Comstor has signed a new distribution agreement with Fortanix, a global data security company focused on securing AI environments and preparing organisations for the post quantum era. The collaboration makes it possible for channel partners across Europe, the Middle East and Africa to develop advanced data security services. These are services that address growing demand in regulated and AI driven markets. Partners in South Africa and the wider region can build security offerings that address cryptography, regulatory compliance, and post quantum readiness. Fortanix offers a platform built on confidential computing, a technology that isolates and encrypts data during processing.…

Many small and mid sized companies are realising that long-term resilience requires the adoption of digital tools that improve operations, strengthen customer engagement and improve financial stability. Safaricom has become one of the key technology partners helping local businesses bridge these gaps. Through services such as fibre connectivity, cloud hosting, M-Pesa business tools and enterprise communication solutions, the company is shaping how organisations across sectors operate in a digital era. The stories of Skyward Airlines, Freight In Time and Nao Packaging Solutions demonstrate how Safaricom’s infrastructure and enterprise offerings are supporting real transformation in aviation, logistics and manufacturing. Aviation Using…

Vodacom Tanzania has launched M-Pesa Global Payment, a set of new international payment features designed to improve digital financial inclusion and cross-border trade. The service is powered through partnerships with Visa, Alipay, Network International, Magnati, MTN Uganda and Thunes. Customers can use the M-Pesa Visa tokenized card to make Tap and Pay transactions globally. Users can also pay merchants in China through the Alipay ecosystem, transact with select merchants in Dubai through TerraPay supported networks and pay merchants in Uganda directly into MTN MoMo wallets. All features are available within the M-Pesa menu and the M-Pesa Super App. Read: M-PESA…

Sanlam Kenya has officially adopted a new identity following its rebrand to SanlamAllianz Kenya. The change comes after the formation of a joint venture between Sanlam and Allianz, creating what is now the largest non-banking financial services group in Africa with more than two centuries of combined experience. Confirming the transition, Group CEO Dr Nyamemba Patrick Tumbo said the new identity reflects a continent-wide commitment to improving the delivery of financial services while still maintaining a strong local focus. He noted that SanlamAllianz Kenya Life Insurance will continue to be led by Ms Jacqueline Karasha and SanlamAllianz General Insurance will…

Standard Chartered Bank Kenya has released its financial results for the period ending 30 September 2025. Kariuki Ngari, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We have delivered a resilient performance in the third quarter with profit before tax of KShs 13.2 billion, representing a 41 per cent decline compared to the same period last year.” He went on to say, “This decline is due to lower revenues and a one-off employee past service cost of KShs 2.7 billion following the Supreme Court ruling on 5 September 2025 and the Retirement Benefits Appeal Tribunal Orders. I am pleased to inform…

Safaricom and the ICT Authority have announced the graduation of the first cohort from the Connect Academy. 48 trainees completed the three month fibre deployment programme. According to Safaricom, 98% have already secured roles within the company or with its ecosystem partners. The academy was launched during the 2024 Connected Africa Summit to address one of the industry’s growing concerns. Kenya is expanding its digital infrastructure at a fast pace, yet the supply of skilled fibre technicians has not kept up with demand. The Connect Academy was created to close this skills gap by training young people on the technical…