Author: Kaluka wanjala

Spotify’s AI Playlist tool is now available in Kenya. This feature gives Premium subscribers a fun and creative way to discover and curate music. It was Initially launched in the UK and Australia but is now rolling out to over 40 new markets globally, including Kenya. Here’s everything you need to know to get started. What Is Spotify’s AI Playlist? AI Playlist is a beta feature on Spotify that allows Premium users to create playlists using natural language prompts. Whether you want “Afrobeat tracks to heat up the dance floor” or “chill songs for a rainy Nairobi evening,” Spotify uses…

Aruwa Capital Management, the trailblazing, female-founded investment firm based in Lagos, has announced it has raised 90% of its $40 million target for its second fund, Aruwa Capital Fund II—a major milestone in a tough fundraising environment. Building on the success of its first fund, which closed in 2022 at just over $20 million, Fund II is already showing promise. Backed by a diverse group of returning and new investors, including the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund, Visa Foundation, Bank of Industry (BOI), British International Investment (BII), and EDFI Management Company (via the EU-funded ElectriFI initiative), Aruwa is on track…

Ghanaian startup Tendo has received fresh backing from Renew Capital. Tendo is expanding its mission to empower everyday people to launch and run ecommerce businesses using nothing more than their smartphones and social media accounts. The model is simple but powerful: resellers pick products from Tendo’s catalog, promote them on platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook, and pocket the profit without ever handling the stock themselves. “Our mission is to create opportunities for individuals to build businesses with minimal risk,” said Felix Manford, Tendo’s co-founder and CEO. “By providing a seamless platform that takes care of inventory and delivery, we empower…

The third annual E-mobility Stakeholders Conference and Expo is set to take place in a couple of days, starting this Sunday, 4th May 2025.  The three-day event is set to host over 1,000 participants from the private and public sectors to explore innovations, policies, and investments that will accelerate the adoption of electric mobility in Kenya. The first day of the conference (Sunday, 4th May 2025) will commence with a 77-kilometer E mobility Parade in Nairobi and its environs followed by two days filled with keynote addresses, panel discussions, product exhibitions and live demonstrations under the theme “Nurturing the Growth…

NCBA has launched the third cohort of its Go-Getter Internship Programme. This welcomes a fresh group of 50 graduates into a year-long journey to shape the next generation of corporate leaders. The programme, which has become a key part of NCBA’s talent development efforts, provides young graduates with more than just work experience. Over the next 12 months, the selected interns will gain hands-on exposure to the fast-paced banking world, guided by industry professionals. The most outstanding performers may also find themselves at the top of the list for full-time roles within the bank. Speaking during the launch, NCBA Group…

Onafriq and Circle, stablecoin market leader and issuer of USDC, have announced their strategic partnership aimed at transforming cross-border payments and digital financial services. Currently, over 80 percent of intra-African payments are routed through correspondent banks outside the continent and settled in foreign currencies such as the US dollar or Euro. This results in a staggering US$5 billion in transaction fees annually and undermines economic integration efforts. Onafriq and Circle are working together to change this paradigm by piloting the use of USDC-powered settlement solutions into Onafriq’s network, which connects over 500 wallets and 200 million bank accounts in more than…

MYDAWA has secured $9.6 million ((~KES 1.3 billion)) from Denmark’s Investment Fund for Developing Countries (IFU) to help expand its footprint across Kenya and Uganda. With this funding, MYDAWA plans to open 30 new pharmacies in Uganda (half of them outside Kampala) and 10 more in Kenya. The company also plans to scale its online pharmacy platform. The end goal is to reach over 8 million patients annually by 2032. The funding round saw participation of IFU, Alta Semper, AAIC Investment, Creadev and Japan-based Ohara Pharmaceutical. With MYDAWA’s track record of offering high-quality, affordable healthcare and certified products through both…

Investing in Innovation Africa (i3) has announced its 3rd cohort of 7 growth-stage companies working to transform pharmacy services on the continent. Sponsored by the Gates Foundation, MSD, Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen), Endless Foundation, HELP Logistics (a subsidiary of the Kühne Foundation), Sanofi’s Global Health Unit and Chemonics, the three-year program will empower innovators to improve patient access to healthcare across Africa and scale their impact.  The selected startups offer powerful, tech-enabled solutions that strengthen pharmacy services across Africa, ranging from inventory management, product protection, last-mile delivery, AI-powered prescription refills, embedded financing, and cloud-based pharmacy systems. These companies are reimagining how medicines…

Kofa, the tech energy company and end-to-end ecosystem enabler, has announced the close of an $8.1 million pre-Series A funding round. The investment, comprising $3.25 million in equity, $4.315 million in debt, and $590,000 in grants, will fuel the company’s expansion and supercharge its AI-powered battery-swapping network, delivering reliable, clean energy solutions to urban Africa, starting in Ghana and Kenya. The round was co-led by E3 Capital, one of Africa’s largest early-stage climate-tech venture capital funds, and Injaro Investment Adrvisors. ShellFoundation contributed to the raise through catalytic debt and grant, co-funded with the UK Government through its Transforming Energy Access…

At the launch event for Cohort 8 of the Women in Tech programmme, a collaboration between Standard Chartered Bank and iBizAfrica at Strathmore University, there was no shortage of inspiration. Held earlier today at Standard Chartered’s head office in Nairobi, the event brought together founders, mentors, and partners with a shared goal: empowering women-led startups that are using technology to create real, measurable impact. Dr. Joseph Sevilla, Director at iLabAfrica and iBizAfrica, reflected on the journey so far. He recalled how the idea of the incubator emerged from a simple, pressing need to give young innovators, often overlooked due to…