AMAKA Studio has successfully raised $2 million in seed funding, led by Equitane Ventures, with contributions from Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Lab, Silverbacks Holdings, and several angel investors. The social publishing platform is on a mission to empower Black and African creators to reach a global audience and earn through subscriptions and gigs. Fueling Growth and Innovation The funds will primarily support the expansion of AMAKA Gigs, a platform that connects Black and African creators with brands for commissioned work, streamlining the process and ensuring fair compensation. AMAKA also plans to
Africa’s push towards digital identity systems—promoted by the World Bank and UN agencies—has largely failed to deliver on its promises of democratization and development. A year-long investigation by Bloomberg and Lighthouse Reports has found that these systems have disproportionately benefited tech vendors instead of the public. The Push For Digital IDs Countries across Africa have implemented biometric data collection to establish national identity registries, aiming to fulfill the UN’s sustainable development goal of providing legal identity for all. However, in Uganda, Mozambique, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), digital
A new R300-million ($15.6 million) Seed Fund of Funds has been launched to provide crucial early-stage capital for South African tech startups. This initiative, backed by the SA SME Fund, the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), and impact investor E Squared Investments, aims to fund at least 50 technology-driven startups. The fund seeks to address a gap in South Africa’s venture capital landscape, which has historically favored later-stage investments. By focusing on seed capital, it will help budding entrepreneurs transition their ideas into viable
OpenAI recently launched an advanced voice mode for ChatGPT, enabling users to hold natural, real-time conversations in a wide range of languages and dialects. Clips of the chatbot speaking in Jamaican Patois, Nigerian Pidgin, and Trinidadian creole have taken the internet by storm, impressing some users while leaving others skeptical. A Voice Feature with Global Reach OpenAI began introducing its voice feature earlier this year, but its latest update brings a richer and faster audio experience to premium subscribers. This enhanced voice mode, launched in late September 2024, not only
The first-ever NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator Demo Day has crowned four African startups as champions. The event, held in New York City at the NBA headquarters, saw four standout companies—Festival Coins, Salubata, HustleSasa, and UBR VR—win financial awards and mentorship opportunities to help scale their businesses. Top Startups Rise from Over 700 Applicants The NBA Africa Triple-Double Accelerator, launched in April 2024, aims to fuel growth for African startups operating in sports and creative industries. By providing capital, mentorship, and connections, the initiative supports early-stage companies that focus on event
Kenya’s Court of Appeal ruled that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, can be sued in Kenya for labor disputes involving outsourced content moderators, according to The Kenyan Wall Street. The ruling marks a major step in a long-standing case where Meta sought to avoid legal responsibility for its operations in Kenya. The court dismissed Meta’s appeal, which argued that Kenya’s Employment and Labour Relations Court lacked jurisdiction to sue a foreign company like Meta. How Did We Get Here? The case centers around Daniel Motaung, a South African whistleblower,
In rural South Sudan, where venomous snakebites claim thousands of lives annually, a new AI initiative is giving healthcare workers a lifeline. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is piloting an AI-driven app that can identify dangerous snake species, offering hope in a region where access to effective treatments is scarce. With snakebites killing between 81,000 and 138,000 people globally each year, this solution could help save lives by ensuring the right antivenom is administered promptly. Tackling A Neglected Crisis Snakebite envenoming is one of the world’s most overlooked tropical diseases, with
Bolt Kenya has awarded 10 drivers with KSh 288,000 ($2,200) each in seed funding as part of its first-ever accelerator program. The awards, amounting to a total of €20,000 ($22,400) mark the culmination of a six-month program aimed at creating innovation in Kenya’s mobility sector. A Platform for Innovation The Bolt Accelerator, launched in April 2024, provided drivers with business training, mentorship, and funding to create innovative solutions for transport and delivery services. The program attracted over 800 applications from Bolt drivers and couriers, including ideas for electric vehicle charging
Nigerian e-health startup, Field, has unveiled a new service aimed at addressing Africa’s maternal mortality crisis. Backed by a $11 million investment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Field’s initiative focuses on emerging therapies for maternal, newborn, and child health as well as improving nutrition across the continent. Helping healthcare access Co-founded in 2015 by Michael Moreland, Justin Lorenzon, and Peter Bunor, Field has already made significant strides in transforming healthcare delivery through its pharmaceutical supply chain solutions, operating in Nigeria and Kenya. The company has supported over 800
Kofa Technologies, a Ghanaian company specializing in portable clean energy solutions, has announced an expansion of its battery-swapping network, supported by a £6.15 million (approximately $5 million) initiative. The project, led by Kofa and impact investor PASH Global and backed by Shell Foundation, the UK Government, and PASH Global, aims to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption and clean energy access in Ghana. EV Battery Swapping Kofa’s battery-swapping network aims to provide a sustainable, cost-effective solution to reduce urban pollution and boost EV adoption. The system allows users to swap depleted
