african tech startups Archives - Page 2 of 2

5Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Startups

African Startups to Play a Critical Role in Taking the Planet ‘from Tragedy to Triumph’ …But where will the funding come from?

This week, the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) got underway in Glasgow, turning the world’s attention to the global climate crisis and the solutions needed to address this. But many solutions already exist… in Africa. “Whilst we are delighted that nearly 500 global financial firms have agreed to align $130 trillion - 40% of the worlds’ financial assets - to climate change and to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, now, more than ever, funding needs to be mobilised to scale innovations so they can have maximum impact. For this reason, the GIIG Africa Fund is seeking $100m in capital commitments to invest in tech and innovation in Africa over the next three years,” says GIIG Founding Partner, Mahyar Makhzani, a company set up to find, fund and grow Sustaina...

17Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Startups

The rise of African tech unicorns

African unicorns have made big news in recent months, with four startups having recently reached a $1 billion valuation or more this year alone, taking the total up to seven. Two of the new entrants are in fintech, one in edtech, and one in general technology. These and other technology-enabled sectors are where emerging market investors are betting a flurry of new African unicorns will follow suit in the near future. Unicorns are privately held, fast-growing startups with a valuation equal to or above $1 billion. Unicorns are “rare creatures,” hence the term, which, according to Ian Lessem, managing director of HAVAÍC, says is expected to rise in Africa in the coming years. The number of billion-dollar companies is growing faster than ever before; unicorns in Africa have been a rare bre...

17Sep

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, Startups

First of Its Kind Fund Launches to Fuel Sustainable Development Goal-Driven Innovation in Africa

Focussed on catalysing dramatic change via disruptive tech investments in emerging markets, the Global Innovation Initiative Group (GIIG), has today announced the launch of a unique profit and purpose fund aimed at investing in early-stage tech innovation startups across Africa. The GIIG Africa Fund, a Curaçao-based private investment fund, will invest annually in the winners pool from the African region of the Global Startup Awards (GSA), the worlds’ largest independent start-up ecosystem competition. The aim: to stimulate entirely new industries, accelerate cross-border collaboration and unlock access to new markets across Africa. As the exclusive rights holder for the Awards, GIIG will have access to an active pipeline throughout the African continent comprised of vetted participants a...

Top African regions set to become leading startup and investment hubs

26Jul

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Kenya News, South Africa News, Startups

Top African regions set to become leading startup and investment hubs

On the back of Cape Town being recognised as the tech capital of Africa, topping international rankings for foreign direct investment strategy, Ian Lessem, Managing Partner at HAVAÍC – investors in early-stage, high-growth technology businesses – says several other African cities are quickly emerging as leading startup and investment hubs to watch. “Startups in Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and South Africa raised a total of US$625 million last year. Of those, Kenyan startups raised US$191 million, the most of any other African country, according to Disrupt Africa’s African Tech Startup Funding Report for 2020. Distinct startup geographies are emerging in Africa, each with the potential to become its own powerhouse,” he says. In addition, the World Bank predicts that two thirds of the world’s ...