Author: Kaluka wanjala

Vertiv has announced a major leadership transition at the top of its technology division as longtime Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Stephen Liang prepares to retire after three decades with the company. Liang will officially step down from his role on January 1, 2026. Liang joined the company during its Emerson days and has played a key role throughout Vertiv’s transformation into a global leader in critical digital infrastructure. Earlier this year, he focused his efforts exclusively on CTO duties, guiding Vertiv’s innovation strategy across its product lines and global markets. “Stephen’s contributions to Vertiv have been far-reaching throughout his tenure,”…

In Kenya’s startup ecosystem, founders often walk a lonely path. Many lack mentorship, community and visibility beyond their immediate networks. At the same time, investors face a fragmented deal-flow system, with each venture capital firm requiring separate applications. For Kevin Mulama, this disconnect highlighted a gap, Kenya needs its own digital meeting ground for entrepreneurs and investors. That’s the idea behind Funder, a platform Mulama built to centralize deal flow and build a community. He describes it as a hybrid between Crunchbase and LinkedIn, but with a distinctly Kenyan focus. Startups can register, upload their pitch, share milestones and showcase…

Madica has announced new investments in two AI-powered companies, Anavid and Hypeo AI. Each startup will receive up to $200,000 in funding. The startups will also join Madica’s 18-month program. This program offers hands-on mentorship, executive coaching, tailored training and immersion trips to key tech ecosystems globally. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Madica’s goal is to back underrepresented founders and startups from underserved regions while countering the over-concentration of venture capital in a few African markets. It focuses on addressing structural challenges such as limited access to capital and mentorship…

Back in August 2024, TechArena reported that LOOP was rebranding and preparing to roll out LOOP FLEX. This was and still is its Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) product. This solution is designed to make shopping more flexible for customers. At the time, the company had not made an official announcement. LOOP has finally unveiled LOOP FLEX. The launch has confirmed many of the details hinted at last year while expanding its scope to reach more customers. LOOP FLEX is a credit facility that allows customers to make purchases with a minimum deposit of 10%. LOOP pays the full amount…

CSquared is quietly shaping the backbone of Africa’s internet. In this exclusive conversation with TechArena, Napoleon Mengot, Group Strategy Manager and DRC Country Manager, shares the company’s journey, its open-access philosophy and what a Digitally Connected Africa could look like by 2030. From its beginnings as a Google initiative to its current status as a multi-market infrastructure player, CSquared has played a defining role in bringing reliable connectivity to millions across the continent. Mengot explains how collaboration, long-term thinking and open-access networks are driving the continent’s digital transformation. For readers who may not be familiar, could you introduce CSquared and the…

Software Group and ELM Company, a pioneer in digital solutions, have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the GITEX Global 2025 event held in Dubai.  Under the agreement both parties will engage in a mutual collaboration in the field of financial technology (Fintech), working together with top-tier government institutions and focusing on the deployment of emerging technologies and digital infrastructure. The partnership also opens doors for future cooperation in markets such as Africa, Asia and GCC, co-launching digital products and consulting services tailored to institutional needs, and combining expertise in identity solutions and digital transformation, with a particular…

Fintech startup Jahazii has announced the close of its $400,000 pre-seed round, a mix of equity, debt, and grant financing. The round drew participation from Antler East Africa, DEG Impulse, Jozi Angels, Innovest Afrika, and several angel investors. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. The new capital will help Jahazii accelerate its mission to build Africa’s workforce operating system. This unified platform integrates HR, payroll and embedded financial services to promote financial inclusion for workers across the continent. Sub-Saharan Africa has the largest informal workforce globally with millions of workers earning…

B2B fintech startup Kuunda has announced the completion of its $7.5 million pre-Series A round. This funding will help the startup accelerate its financial inclusion efforts across Africa and the MENA region. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. The round was led by Portugal Gateway Fund with participation from Seedstars Africa Ventures, 4Di Capital, Accion Ventures, Nedbank and E4E Africa. The funding will go toward expanding Kuunda’s presence in new markets and scaling its embedded finance products for banks and digital platforms. Kuunda was founded in 2018 and provides “Lending-as-a-Service” technology,…

Vertiv has announced a collaboration with Airtel Africa’s data centre division, Nxtra, to support its large-scale data centre rollout across the continent. It will start with a 42MW facility in Nigeria. The partnership was announced at GITEX Global 2025 in Dubai. This marks the first step in Nxtra’s broader strategy to build one of the largest networks of high-capacity data centres across Africa’s key cities. “Nxtra has been a valued customer for nearly three decades,” said Karsten Winther, President of Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) at Vertiv. “This next chapter demonstrates the power of combining local support in Africa…

Kenya’s plan to create Africa’s Silicon Savannah is taking shape with the official launch of Phase 1 of Konza Technopolis. Konza aims to position the country as a hub for innovation, technology and smart urban development. “Konza is not merely infrastructure, it is the architecture of Kenya’s future economy,” President William Ruto said during the event. Phase 1 of the project now delivers key components that form the backbone of the smart city, these include: These developments transform Konza from a concept on paper into a living model of a smart, green, and globally competitive city. The city integrates a…