South African food-tech startup Refreshi has helped consumers save R12.5 million on groceries while rescuing 200,000 surplus meals from landfill in its first year. The company’s Grocery Savings Impact Report highlights rapid nationwide expansion, significant environmental benefits, and growing adoption of its circular economy marketplace, which connects consumers with discounted surplus food from supermarkets, restaurants, bakeries, and cafés across South Africa.
Category: Startups
startups
EMERGE Launches Career Acceleration Platform to Advance Africa’s Young Professional Talent
EMERGE, powered by TheBoardroom Africa, has launched a career acceleration platform that connects young African professionals with leadership development, mentorship, skills training, networking, and employer opportunities. Supported by the Mastercard Foundation, the platform aims to strengthen Africa’s talent pipeline by helping professionals build sustainable careers while enabling employers to develop and access better-prepared future leaders.
Open Startup Marks 10 Years with The Science Road for African Science and Deep Tech Ventures
Open Startup has launched The Science Road, a new pan-African strategy to accelerate science, deep tech and research-led startups as the organisation celebrates its 10th anniversary. The initiative combines startup acceleration, early-stage financing through the new Openers First investment arm, and strategic partnerships with universities, investors and industry leaders to help African innovations move from research labs to global markets. The platform aims to strengthen Africa’s innovation ecosystem by supporting ventures in artificial intelligence, health, climate technology and other high-impact sectors.
Africa Tech Summit London 2026 Reveals 13 Investor-Ready African Startups at London Stock Exchange
The Africa Tech Summit London 2026 has announced 13 investor-ready African startups selected to present at the London Stock Exchange on May 29. The showcase highlights leading ventures across fintech, AI, healthtech, mobility, and infrastructure, reflecting the growing maturity and global competitiveness of Africa’s tech ecosystem.
Lua Raises $5.8M to Build Operating System for Human–Agent Collaboration
Lua raises $5.8M in seed funding led by Norrsken22 to develop an AI operating system enabling businesses to deploy and manage human–agent workflows globally.
Madica Expands Portfolio With $600K Investment in Three Startups
Madica has announced a $600,000 investment in three African tech startups—Kilimo Fresh, Hakimu, and Biovana—each receiving up to $200,000 in pre-seed funding. The startups will join Madica’s 18-month support program, which provides mentorship, training, and access to global investors. Alongside these investments, Madica has launched a comprehensive fundraising guidebook designed to help first-time African founders successfully raise pre-seed capital and navigate the venture ecosystem.
Top African Unicorns in 2026: Fastest-Growing Billion-Dollar Startups in Africa
This article explores the top African unicorns in 2026 and highlights the fastest-growing billion-dollar startups transforming the continent’s innovation landscape. It focuses on leading companies in fintech, mobile payments, logistics, and digital infrastructure that are driving Africa’s digital economy forward. Readers will gain insights into how venture capital investment, financial inclusion, and rapid mobile adoption are fueling startup growth across Africa. The article also examines key challenges, emerging trends, and the future outlook for African unicorns between 2026 and 2030, including expansion into new sectors and increasing global investor interest.
Delta40 Completes $20M Fundraising Effort to Build & Support Innovative Ventures Across Africa
Delta40 secures $20M in funding to accelerate Africa’s first institutional Venture Studio + Fund, supporting innovative startups across energy, agriculture, and fintech. Backed by 54 investors—including 25 founders and 14 African investors—Delta40 combines early-stage capital with hands-on operational support to scale startups faster and more efficiently. With offices in Kenya and Nigeria, the venture studio provides expertise in fundraising, commercial growth, finance, legal, and strategy, helping founders move from idea to pan-African scale. Delta40’s model addresses gaps in Africa’s innovation ecosystem, empowering diverse founders and building resilient, high-impact businesses while creating jobs and advancing sustainable solutions.
How Strategic Domains Accelerate Expansion into Three High-Potential Markets
Strategic domain names can accelerate international market entry by building trust, visibility, and geographic relevance from day one. This article explores how Belgium.cc, IsraelBusiness.com, and Lesotho.biz create powerful digital gateways into a mature European hub, a global innovation economy, and an emerging African growth market—demonstrating why the right domain is critical for global expansion.
Founders in Focus spotlights André de Wet and the real economics of building tech for emerging markets
Founders in Focus: Unstoppable Entrepreneurs & Their Game Plans highlights André de Wet’s journey from early failure to building scalable digital commerce solutions for emerging markets through Flood’s SuperApp-as-a-Service model. The book emphasizes practical entrepreneurship, infrastructure challenges, and sustainable growth across Africa and other developing regions, offering insight into how technology, distribution, and execution can transform informal retail into inclusive digital ecosystems.