Access to credit is a big problem in Africa. Indicina is building the infrastructure to unlock it. Indicina, the digital lending platform providing analytics-driven credit decisions for lenders based in Lagos, Nigeria, has announced its seed round of $3 million. Berlin-headquartered and pan-European venture capital firm Target Global led the round with participation from Kuda, Kippa, and Edukoya. The firm’s partner Ricardo Schäefer will join Indicina’s board. Greycroft also participated in this round, and so did RV Ventures. What does Indicina do? It builds products using Open Banking so credit providers can approve more people,
“Focus On Being So Good They Can’t Ignore You”: The Black CEO Who Sold His Startup For Eight Figures
In an industry that lacks serious diversity, Timothy Armoo has beaten the odds. He’s launched a startup, raised investment, hired, scaled, and sold his business. He’s done what every aspiring business owner hopes to do – all at the age of 27. But much like many other founders, particularly those from marginalized groups, his journey has been far from smooth sailing. Armoo founded his social media advertising business, Fanbytes, in 2017, with Ambrose Cooke and Mitchell Fasanya, building it up to employ 65 people. What does it do? The London
George Floyd, 46, died May 25, 2020, after Derek Chauvin, who is white, pinned him to the ground with a knee on his neck as the victim repeatedly said he could not breathe. Chauvin pleaded guilty last year to a federal charge of violating Floyd’s civil rights and faces a federal sentence ranging from 20 to 25 years. He was also convicted for the murder of Floyd. Within weeks of the killing, the tech industry began to respond to the racial inequality in the US. By June 2020, more than 200
Web3 platform, HEIR, co-founded by Michael Jordan and his son Jeffrey Jordan, is set to introduce its first athlete membership NFTs. On the Magic Eden NFT marketplace, NBA player Lonzo Ball will be featured in an NFT collection dubbed “Zo.” HEIR launched its first NFTs in March — a collection called “6 Rings” that paid homage to MJ’s six titles. They sold out the initial 5,005 allotments for 2.3 SOL each, worth roughly $221. How does it work? Rather than simply acquiring digital collectibles of their favorite athletes, HEIR enables fans to gain membership to
Megan Thee Stallion has officially won her battle to trademark “Hot Girl Summer,” which had been used to promote clothing, music, and even food, without her approval. In a recent interview with Allure, the rapper explained that she didn’t know the phrase was “gonna catch on how it did,” and saw its value as corporations started to use the phrase on social media. “When I saw Wendy’s and Forever 21 saying, ‘Hey, are you having a Hot Girl Summer?’ I was like, ‘Hell no, Forever 21, you’re going to have to pay
Telecommunications company, Comcast RISE, has announced that it will award 100 businesses in the area with $1 million in grants. The grants will be available to small businesses that are owned and operated by women and people of color including Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and Asian American owners. Atlanta makes up one of the five cities included in the Comcast RISE Investment Fund, which has allotted a total of $5 million to be distributed across 500 businesses. To date, the company has been able to provide $16 million to businesses owned by people of
Diana Vicezar is a Paraguayan entrepreneur studying Computer Science, Cognitive Science, and Data Science at Pitzer College in Claremont, CA. Originally born in a small country called Paraguay, home to roughly seven million people, the technologist is set to work for Meta this summer as a project designer intern. Apart from her UX designer experience – she is also the founder of Mapis, a platform designed specifically for international students on a mission to help them access the career guidance they need during internship and job hunting in the United
Nicki Minaj is recognized for disrupting the male-dominated industry of rap music and is planning to do the same with sports betting. According to a press release, the award-winning musician and entrepreneur has been named an investor, advisor, and global ambassador for the sports betting platform MaximBet. As a significant shareholder in MaximBet, Minaj brings her style and ethos to illustrate the lifestyle of our brand and vastly broaden its audience. This includes trying to invite more women to participate in sports betting. A reported ‘lifelong’ sports fan, Minaj will work with
Uber today announced a significant milestone — it has completed 1 billion rides across all its markets in Africa. This milestone for Uber is coming nearly a decade after the mobility tech company set up shop on the continent in Johannesburg, South Africa. It has expanded to 30 cities including 21 in South Africa — its most dominant market, four cities each in Kenya and Nigeria, and two in Ghana. “Since entering the market in 2013, we have created over 6 million economic opportunities in over 50 cities across SSA
Adeola Ogunmola Sowemimo is the first Nigerian female to fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for Qatar Airways, and she flew the Boeing 767 Aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean. Sowemimo hails from Ogbomoso, in Oyo State Nigeria, and graduated from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology. After her pilot training, she flew off to Florida in the United States for her standard pilot course. On finishing her training at the age of 21, Sowemimo returned to university in Nigeria to complete her education. Sowemimo joined Medview operations Abuja in 2013 till
