Author: Kaluka wanjala

As incomes and jobs rise in Kenya, people are buying high-quality, energy-efficient and smart home appliances. Consumers have more money to spend on home appliances and have more options on the market. Demand is highest in the major cities like Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret. These areas are seeing more middle-class families, more investment in real estate, and more exposure to global consumer trends. This change is attracting companies such as Midea. The company is expanding their footprint in Kenya through partnerships with distributors like Opalnet. Industry players say the opportunity lies in the changing expectations of consumers. “There…

Lua has raised $5.8 million in funding led by Norrsken22. The round also saw participation from Flourish Ventures, 20VC, P1 Ventures, Phosphor Capital and Y Combinator, alongside a group of angel investors. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Lua is positioning itself as an “operating system” for agent-based work. It allows companies to build, deploy, and manage AI-powered agents that work alongside human teams. The company was founded by Lorcan O’Cathain and Stefan Kruger, who previously worked together scaling a fintech business in East Africa. O’Cathain later served as Managing Director…

Craft Silicon has announced the launch of TouristTap, a new digital payments system that will make it easier for tourists to pay for things all over the country. TouristTap has now been formally recognized by the Government of Kenya as an authorized payment option. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. The platform was unveiled during the “Tap into Kenya” event and is already approved for use across key tourism touchpoints, including national parks, hotels, coastal destinations and other attractions. TouristTap makes it easier for visitors to make payments directly using their…

Africa Tech Summit London is set to return on May 29, 2026 at the London Stock Exchange. Now in its 10th edition, the summit will convene more than 350 investors, founders, entrepreneurs and industry leaders to explore the technologies and trends defining Africa’s next growth phase. Key themes will span fintech, artificial intelligence (AI), climate innovation, venture capital growth and digital infrastructure. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Andrew Fassnidge noted the significant evolution of Africa’s tech ecosystem over the past decade. “When Africa Tech Summit was born in 2016, the…

A Kenyan startup, Zerobionic, has been selected as part of the 2026 cohort of Qualcomm’s Make in Africa Mentorship Programme. Zerobionic is developing assistive robotics solutions aimed at improving independence and inclusion for persons with disabilities. Its selection places it among 10 startups chosen from more than 1,200 applications spanning over 45 countries. The Make in Africa programme falls under the Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform. This initiative designed to support early-stage startups working on advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, smart systems and connected solutions. Participants in the program will benefit from mentorship, engineering advice and business training. All these…

Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) has introduced a new range of contactless payment solutions dubbed DTB Wearables. These wearables let customers pay with NFC-enabled wristbands and rings. No more fumbling with cash, cards or even their phones. Transactions are simple: just tap the wearable on any contactless point-of-sale terminal. The solution is linked directly to customers’ existing DTB debit cards and is powered by Near Field Communication (NFC). The limit per transaction is Ksh 5,000 while the daily limit is Ksh 10,000. DTB developed the wearables in collaboration with Mastercard and technology provider Tappy Pay. This makes it the first Tier One…

For years, businesses looking to scale across borders have had to navigate a patchwork of systems, high latency and expensive international data routing. It’s a reality that has shaped how startups build, how enterprises expand and how digital services are delivered. According to Nicholas Lodge, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-founder of Wingu Africa, this fragmentation is exactly what the company is working to change. “What we are trying to do,” Lodge explains, “is build interconnected, carrier-neutral, Tier III-certified data centres in key markets across the region.” He says the goal is to create a foundation that allows businesses to operate…

Vertiv has announced it will host the next edition of its AI Innovation Roadshow for Africa in a virtual format, as the company pushes conversations around data centre readiness for artificial intelligence workloads across the continent. The webinar is scheduled for April 15 at 11:00 SAST and will bring together industry experts to discuss how African data centres can evolve to support the growing demands of AI, cloud computing, and digital transformation. Held under the theme “AI-Ready Data Centres for Africa: Building Infrastructure for What’s Next,” the session will focus on the infrastructure requirements needed to support high-density computing environments…

Safaricom is evolving into what it now describes as a purpose-led technology company with a clear ambition to lead Africa’s digital transformation by 2030. Part of this shift is the focus on artificial intelligence, intelligent infrastructure and ecosystem building. This was recently highlighted at Safaricom Decode 4.0. According to Safaricom’s Group Chief Technology Officer James Maitai, the company’s long-term strategy is closely tied to building the foundations of a modern digital economy. “Decode sits at the heart of Safaricom’s vision to become Africa’s leading purpose-led technology company by 2030.” The platform is part of a broader effort to bring together…

Google has announced a major redesign of its Hustle Academy programme. The updated initiative is delivered in partnership with UpSkill Universe and targets individuals across Sub-Saharan Africa looking to build practical artificial intelligence (AI) skills. Previously focused on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the Hustle Academy has trained over 18,000 businesses through bootcamp-style sessions covering business strategy, digital tools, leadership and AI. The Hustle Academy is now open to students, employees and job seekers. The redesigned programme introduces a more flexible learning format that combines Short, 60-minute webinars for accessible, bite-sized learning and more immersive bootcamps for deeper, hands-on training. …