Category Archives: Startups

startups

Unlocking Socio-Economic Progress: Early-Stage VC in South Africa

The following article sheds light on the critical role that early-stage VC plays in unlocking South Africa’s socio-economic potential. It discusses the challenges, opportunities, and promising changes in the South African startup landscape. As the 2023 South African Innovation Summit approaches, this topic takes center stage, making it a timely and relevant discussion for your readers.

South Africa, as Africa’s third-largest and most diversified economy, holds tremendous potential for economic growth and social development. However, to fully harness this potential, we must address critical challenges such as power shortages and unemployment. The article discusses how a thriving startup ecosystem, as advocated by the South African Startup Act, can accelerate socio-economic development, competitiveness, and economic transformation.

29 African Startups in Healthcare Supply Chain Selected to Receive Funding and Impact Support from the Gates Foundation, MSD, and More

The pan-African Investing in Innovation (i3 program) is funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and sponsored by Cencora (formerly AmerisourceBergen), Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), Microsoft and Chemonics to invest in Africa’s most promising early to growth-stage start-ups in health care supply chains. The second cohort comprises 29 startups chosen from 10 African countries. […]

Irish Tech Challenge offering support to local tech startups in South Africa

By: Hahangwi Liphadzi, Incubation Manager at Tshimologong Local tech startups are playing an increasingly important role in driving economic growth in South Africa. These startups are developing innovative solutions to address some of the country’s most pressing challenges, such as unemployment, poverty, and inequality. One way that tech startups are contributing to economic growth is […]

SA Innovation Summit 2023: Igniting Africa’s Innovation Frontier Over 3000 innovators are expected to gather in Cape Town on 27 – 28th of September

With a mission to boost startup success and ignite economic innovation, SAIS’23 aims to gather 3 000 participants, featuring top-notch speakers, innovative exhibitors, and thrilling side events. Over 120 speakers will delve into the realities of building ecosystems, while startups can engage in pitch battles and seize numerous growth opportunities.

AWS announces the 25 startups selected for its first ‘fintech in Africa’ accelerator

Cohort participants from Kenya, Nigeria , South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, Uganda, and Cameroon 25 African fintech startups have been selected for the inaugural Amazon Web Services (AWS) FinTech Africa Accelerator cohort. This cohort was selected from over 500 applications and is part of the EMEA Startup Loft Accelerator (SLA) program run by AWS. The pre-seed […]

Investing in Innovation Africa announces its second call for applications to support African startups in healthcare supply chains

Applications are open for early and growth-stage health tech innovators  Investing in Innovation Africa (i3), a pan-African initiative for start-ups building the future of healthcare supply chains, is calling for leading innovators to join its second cohort. Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and sponsored by AmerisourceBergen, Merck Sharpe & Dohme (MSD), Microsoft […]

Africa’s and Kubik and Emata win Startup of the Year and Best Newcomer at their Global Startup Awards debut

On March 29, 2023, two early-stage African companies took first place in the finals of the world’s largest independent start-up competition. The rise of the African techpreneur on the global stage was evident in the announcement of the overall winners of the 2022 Global Startups Awards (GSA), considered the world’s gold standard for startups. The […]

Africa itself shares the hallmarks of a tech startup which bodes well for its global competitiveness

By Joshua Raphael, Founder & CEO of Parket It is widely accepted that Africa’s potential is likely to be unleashed through widespread and sustained digital transformation. In other words, technology, and the innovative solving of complex problems, will catapult the continent into global competitiveness. This is not just theoretical, it is likely, and this is […]

Hong Kong rolls out red carpet to African business

Hong Kong, Asia’s leading business destination and the gateway to Mainland China and Asia, is stepping up its efforts to attract African business, with the opening of an InvestHK representative office in Africa. InvestHK, the department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government responsible for Foreign Direct Investment, has a presence in 33 […]

Flat6Labs Launches New US$95M Venture Capital Fund to Expand its Impact in Africa

Flat6Labs (www.Flat6Labs.com), MENA’s leading seed investor, has announced the launch of a new US$95 million Seed Fund to nurture the growth and development of early-stage tech startups on the African continent. Flat6Labs has a proven track record in carefully vetting out and investing in promising startups in North Africa since it was founded 12 years […]

There is no single formula to start a business, all you need is passion and purpose

Photo credit: Startup Stock Photos (Pexels.com)

By Catherine Wijnberg This article takes a realistic and practical perspective of business start-up using lessons from my extensive start-up experience and those of hundreds of South African entrepreneurs I have worked with across every industry over the past 15 years. It is also why I can admit that unlike baking a cake, there is […]

Gender in Focus: Senegalese “Agripreneur” and African Development Bank AgriPitch Competition winner says digital marketing key to luxury tea startup success

Senegalese businesswoman Adja Sembene Fall said she had no choice but to launch her start-up business online because her new Contanna fair-trade tea company only had $200 to its name. “Due to [lack of] finance, it was not possible to get a physical shop. We started out in the backyard of my brother’s house. We […]

MultiChoice Africa Accelerator Programme set to boost prosperity of African small and medium-sized businesses (SMME)

MultiChoice shortlists 11 start-ups to pitch for international funding and take their small businesses to the next level At a time when unemployment challenges and economic instability are high, small and medium-sized businesses (SMMEs) are proving to be the engines of economic growth and job creation throughout the African continent. In recognition of the critical […]

Don’t Fall for the Myths: How to Succeed with Your Small Business Start-Up

By Catherine Wijnberg  So, you have been thinking it’s about time you started something but just can’t quite get into the groove?  Let’s break eight myths around business start-ups and help you gain the momentum to get started.   1.      Myth one: you can’t start a business without a business plan   Millions of small businesses worldwide have been […]

From failing at university to scaling SA’s top venture builder in four years – these two young entrepreneurs are on a mission to help 1-million people build good tech

One of the most hotly debated topics in African innovation is South Africa’s claim to be the “Tech Capital” of the continent. Home to more than 490 startups and a combined US$1-billion (or R17.6-billion) in funding[1], South Africa is an undisputed leader on the continent. But in 2023, that reputation is slipping, as Nigeria takes […]