Ecosystem News
CENTRAL AFRICA
French Bank’s African Fintech Arm YUP Leaves Investors with Over $8M Loss Post-Liquidation
Originally launched in 2017 across seven African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ghana, Madagascar, and Cameroon, YUP was Société Générale’s attempt to penetrate Africa’s fast-growing mobile payments market.
EASTERN AFRICA
Kenya’s Mobius Motors Clears Short-Term Debts, Positions for Potential Resurgence
The debt-free short-term position, combined with a recent acquisition bid, signals a potential turnaround year for Mobius as it seeks a path to long-term sustainability.
Ecosystem News
Egypt Becomes Africa’s Top Patent Filer, Powered by a ‘Little-Known’ Deep-Tech Startup
The 2024 report placed Cairo alongside global hubs like Silicon Valley, Munich, and Shenzhen, affirming Egypt’s growing presence in the global innovation landscape.
WESTERN AFRICA
The Ghanaian University Backing Janngo Capital’s Latest $78M Startup Fund
The university was founded in 2002 by Patrick Awuah, a former Microsoft engineer.
NORTHERN AFRICA
As Macron Exits Morocco, New $100M Fund Targets Moroccan Startups, Backed by Proparco
The fund aims to enable Moroccan startups to scale domestically and position themselves within global markets
Analysis & Opinion
Analysis & Opinions
Africa’s Billion-Dollar Dream: Who Will Lead the Next Unicorn Wave?
By the time they reach unicorn status, most African startups have extended beyond their home markets.
Hard Talks
Meet the Funder: Nobesuthu Ndlovu, Director SME, Old Mutual Corporate
"Our focus is on sectors recovering well post-COVID, like manufacturing, trade, construction, technology, and retail services."
Analysis & Opinions
Built in the Maghreb, Made in France: North African Startups Seek New Shores as French Support Grows
For many, the move isn't simply a preference but a matter of business survival.
Analysis & Opinions
Investor-Driven Growth or Founder Missteps? Decoding the Pattern of African ‘Big’ Startup Failures
For many founders, the influx of capital brings with it a set of demands that can fundamentally alter the trajectory of their companies.
Analysis & Opinions
A Directory of Active Investors in African Startups for Q3 2024
In Q3 2024, African tech startups faced a significant setback, witnessing a roughly 40% decline in funding activity compared to the same period in 2023.
Partner Content
Partner Content
Aza Finance Targets Nigerian Payment Giants Flutterwave, Paystack with New PSSP License
Founded in 2013 as BitPesa, Aza Finance has steadily expanded its reach across Africa and beyond, providing foreign exchange, payments, and treasury services to companies operating in emerging markets.
Partner Content
InstaDeep’s Compute Power Surges 10x with Launch of New Supercomputer
Karim Beguii and Zohra Slim founded Instadeep in 2014. The company was recently acquired by BioNTech in a $680M+ deal. Image credit: Instadeep
Partner Content
Saudi Real Estate Leader Ayen Acquires Egyptian ConTech Elmawkaa to Strengthen MENA PropTech
For Elmawkaa, the acquisition marks a significant success for its founders and early investors, who include entities such as Flat6Labs, TIEC, 500 Global, and Taqadam.
Partner Content
Kenya’s Kotani Pay Makes Regional Push with $2M Boost, Enters Rwanda and Uganda for Digital Finance Growth
As the first blockchain fintech company in South Africa to receive the Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) license from South Africa’s Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), Kotani Pay has also positioned itself as a trusted bridge between fiat and digital currencies.
Partner Content
Estonian Tech Event Offers $1.2 Million Boost to African Startups: Applications Open
“Since winning the competition, we have hit 200,000 registered users in Kenya and are now expanding our solution into Rwanda,” shared Samuel Njuguna, CEO and co-founder of Chumz.io.
Governance, Policy & Regulations Forum
Corporate Governance Forum
Are African Startup Founders Replaceable? ‘Erratic’ CEO Transitions Raise Critical Questions
African startups themselves also seem ignorant of what succession plans are and how to effectively implement them.
Policy & Regulations Forum
End of Unchecked Fundraising? Nigeria’s SEC Clamps Down on Fintechs’ Freewheeling Commercial Paper Issuance
Essentially, fintechs are being nudged back to traditional financial institutions, albeit in a supportive role rather than a direct lending one.
Corporate Governance Forum
Real-Life African Example: How to Structure Voting Rights in a Crowded Startup Cap Table
Each round of investment brings new stakeholders, and each investor may want assurances on having a voice in crucial matters.
Policy & Regulations Forum
Ethiopia’s ‘Endless’ Startup Act: Can New Council Finally Meet Deadlines?
The logic here is simple: if the numbers go up, the policy is working.
Policy & Regulations Forum
Egypt Tightens Grip on Fintech Firms Raising Funds through Securitization
For fintech companies in Egypt already deep into securitization, this new circular means more paperwork — and fast.
All the Latest Articles
Updates
Moroccan Ticketing Startup Guichet.com Secures Fresh Investment as CDG Invest Exits
The move marks a strategic ownership shift as the platform continues to gain traction in Morocco’s expanding digital economy and pursues ambitions for regional growth.
Partner Content
Aza Finance Targets Nigerian Payment Giants Flutterwave, Paystack with New PSSP License
Founded in 2013 as BitPesa, Aza Finance has steadily expanded its reach across Africa and beyond, providing foreign exchange, payments, and treasury services to companies operating in emerging markets.
Updates
Ghana’s Tendo Expands into Offline Retail with Acquisition of Shopa, Rebrands as Tendo Retail
Currently, FMCG products make up over 30% of Tendo's sales volume, and the company sees this figure growing as it capitalizes on Shopa's established network of FMCG distributors.
EASTERN AFRICA
Kenya’s Mobius Motors Clears Short-Term Debts, Positions for Potential Resurgence
The debt-free short-term position, combined with a recent acquisition bid, signals a potential turnaround year for Mobius as it seeks a path to long-term sustainability.
CENTRAL AFRICA
French Bank’s African Fintech Arm YUP Leaves Investors with Over $8M Loss Post-Liquidation
Originally launched in 2017 across seven African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ghana, Madagascar, and Cameroon, YUP was Société Générale’s attempt to penetrate Africa’s fast-growing mobile payments market.