Author: Kaluka wanjala

Africa’s startup and SME ecosystem continues to attract growing investor attention in 2025. There are some new funds targeting everything from early-stage tech to climate and private credit. For founders, this rise in capital represents fresh growth opportunities. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Below, we will highlight some of the most notable fund launches and closes announced between January and September 2025. The information provided below is based of data we have gathered from publicly available information. Acumen — KawiSafi Fund II ($90m, September 2025) Acumen is the first one…

Visa has announced the launch of a stablecoin prefunding pilot through its global money movement platform, Visa Direct. The initiative is designed to give businesses, banks and remittance providers a faster and more flexible way to fund cross-border payouts. Visa’s new pilot aims to disrupt the legacy systems that require costly pre-funding in fiat as they often lock up large sums of capital for days at a time. “Cross-border payments have been stuck in outdated systems for far too long,” said Chris Newkirk, President of Commercial & Money Movement Solutions at Visa. “Visa Direct’s new stablecoin integration lays the groundwork…

Kenya will require $47.26 million (about SKsh 6.12 billion) to set up 10,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the country. According to a new policy document from the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, the rollout will take place in three phases. It will start with 17 towns located along the Mombasa–Busia highway corridor. The first phase alone will cost $9.16 million (Ksh 1.18 billion). The second stage of the project will cost $13.9 million (Ksh 1.8 billion) and extend to 23 more towns and roads linked to the initial corridor. The final and most expensive phase will target county…

Tende Pay has announced a strategic partnership with PesaLink to transform how businesses in Kenya handle payments. The collaboration integrates PesaLink’s instant payment infrastructure directly into Tende Pay’s spend management platform. This is meant to give businesses the ability to send both single and bulk payments of up to KSh 999,999 instantly, 24/7, across all banks in Kenya. This is a major step toward solving long-standing challenges around speed, convenience, and affordability iin business transactions for SMEs in Kenya Key benefits for businesses on Tende Pay will include: PesaLink emphasized that the partnership represents a new era in enterprise payments,…

Verto has officially launched a new hub in Nairobi as part of its East African growth strategy. The hub, located at The Address on Muthangari Drive, will serve as Verto’s central point for operations in the region. The company says the move reflects its commitment to simplifying international trade for businesses in emerging markets, particularly those navigating costly and slow payment systems. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Verto’s global network spans more than 170 countries and 49 currencies.. Its platform enables businesses to send and receive money securely across borders…

NCBA Bank and CFAO Mobility Kenya’s leasing arm, Loxea, have announced a partnership to finance BYD electric vehicles, starting with the launch of the BYD Shark 6, Kenya’s first plug-in hybrid pickup. The Shark 6 is built on BYD’s DMO (Dual-Motor Off-road) platform. It combines the rugged durability of a pickup with next-generation hybrid efficiency. It features a 1.5L petrol engine paired with electric motors, delivering up to 650km of range and consumes as little as 2.0 litres per 100km when fully charged. The battery comes with an 8-year/200,000km warranty. Loxea’s Managing Director, Jennifer Kinyoe, called the launch “a statement…

Between June and August 2025, African law enforcement, with support from INTERPOL and AFRIPOL, executed one of the largest cybercrime crackdowns to date. Dubbed Operation Serengeti 2.0, the effort disrupted ransomware, BEC scams, and crypto fraud schemes targeting tens of thousands across the continent. “With more contributions and shared expertise, the results keep growing in scale and impact. This global network is stronger than ever, delivering real outcomes and safeguarding victims.” –- Valdecy Urquiza, INTERPOL Secretary General. The Key Numbers This operation highlights how cybercrime has evolved in Africa, with criminals exploiting global networks while targeting local victims. For startups,…

Mastercard has partnered with Smile ID to roll out digital identity solutions across Africa. Mastercard has also made a minority investment in Smile ID. Through this partnership, two companies hope to reduce fraud, make the customer onboarding process faster and expand access to financial services across the continent. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. This partnership brings together Mastercard’s global identity and payments expertise with Smile ID’s fraud detection and data verification tools. According to Mastercard, Africa’s digital economy is projected to hit $1.5 trillion by 2030. Fragmented identity systems remain…

Ilara Health, a Nairobi-based healthtech, has announced plans to “review and restructure” operations. The startup cites “current market conditions and financing dynamics that include reversal of funding commitments and delays in disbursements.” This signals there will be job cuts, operational retrenchment and a shift of focus to “cash-generative business lines.” If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. While Ilara frames the move as a pragmatic pivot toward sustainable operations, the financial undertones are clear, it is responding to funding challenges in a more volatile venture capital climate, especially for healthtech players in…

Samsung has announced the launch of the Galaxy S25 FE in Kenya. Following the debut of the Galaxy S25, S25+ and S25 Ultra earlier this year, the FE model lands as the “fan edition” device. It keeps the core features that matter while shaving off some luxuries to keep the price lower. For many Kenyans who want a S25 but can’t justify dropping over Ksh 100,000 on a phone, the FE strikes a balance between premium AI tools, long battery life, and a price tag that won’t empty your pocket. “Galaxy S25 FE plays a key role in expanding access…