The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) is investigating the alleged illegal use of Starlink in the country. On Wednesday, Icasa stated that it has formally engaged with SpaceX and is currently awaiting a response, according to Bloomberg. “Icasa has taken note, with serious concern, of recent reports alleging that Starlink may be offering its services within the Republic of South Africa without the requisite authorization,” the sector regulator said. It adds: “To this end, Icasa has published a general notice reiterating that all entities offering electronic communications services
Construction tech startup Litehaus has raised €1.46 million ($1.58 million) in a pre-seed round co-led by Cornerstone VC and Explorer Fund. Claster Group and angel investor Pascal Levy also participated in the pre-seed round. The fund will help simplify the home-building process in Europe. Husband-and-wife duo Thibault and Simi Launay set out to buy a house in Portugal nearly five years ago. However, they faced a 14-month delay, 20% budget overruns, and mismanagement involving over 10 subcontractors. “We realized if we’re struggling with this, so are millions of others,” Thibault told
Nigerian fintech startup, Carrot Credit, has raised $4.2 million in seed funding to expand its credit platform across Africa. The startup offers users loans backed by digital investment assets, including stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and cryptocurrencies. The funding round was led by US-based MaC Venture Capital, with participation from Authentic Ventures, as reported by TechCabal. What does Carrot Credit do? Carrot Credit is a digital lending platform that enables individuals to borrow money without selling their investment portfolios, including ETFs, bonds, or cryptocurrencies. It was founded by Bolu Aiki-Raji in
Brazil’s Social Security Institute, INSS, introduced AI to its app in 2018 to speed up welfare claims and reduce red tape. However, the tool has been wrongly rejecting claims, Rest of World reports. The office had a bad reputation due to its long lines and wait times, which accumulated nearly 2 million pending requests. Even though the AI-powered tool has helped process thousands of basic claims, it also rejected claims from those who suffer from digital literacy and live in remote areas. The INSS adding AI to its app While
Lagos-based health tech company Platos Health raised $1.4 million in a pre-seed round to scale its AI-driven metabolic health platform, Platos Monitor. The startup allows people to monitor their body fat and other health metrics from their homes, according to TechCrunch. Google led the round for Startups with help from Invest International and a group of angel investors from Google, Tesla, and Unicredit. The company will use the funding to roll out its hardware medical-grade device, Plato’s Body Monitor, in Nigeria. What is Platos Health? Platos Health is a preventive
The US House of Representatives bill, which has imposed a 5% tax on remittances sent abroad by non-citizens, could significantly impact African countries, according to Techpoint Africa. “The One Big Beautiful Bill” was passed on May 22, 2025, by the US House of Representatives, backed by President Donald Trump, which includes a provision imposing a 5% excise tax on remittances sent abroad by non-citizens. The bill intends to create revenue and highlight immigration concerns by targeting outbound money transfers from non-citizens, including people with green cards and temporary visas. How the
Tanzania has blocked access to X following an online hack of the Tanzania Police Force on Tuesday, May 21, 2025. The hack resulted in pornographic posts, which have since been deleted. It also falsely announced the death of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, leading to mass concern before the post was taken down. X blocked in Tanzania Following the hack, the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority instructed Internet service providers to limit access to X. The government backed the shutdown to ensure cybersecurity measures to reduce misinformation and maintain public order. The
Entrepreneur Nina Mohanty raised $2 million for Bloom Money, an app designed to help immigrant communities save money. The app, which was founded in 2021, allows immigrants based in the UK to save money collectively, a practice also known as “money circles.” Helping immigrants save money Mohanty worked with banks like Starling Bank, Klarna, and Mastercard and realized they don’t really understand how immigrant communities manage their money. “At a certain point, I just realized I got very frustrated wondering who was building for immigrant communities because I was building
Amazon has become a staple of modern life, with millions relying on it for everyday purchases. But few of us stop to consider how our packages magically reach our homes. What if I told you that a robot helped make it happen? On May 7th, Amazon invited POCIT on a sponsored trip to its “Delivering the Future” event in Dortmund, Germany. This is the first in a series of events that will give the media exclusive access to an Amazon innovation center. We were given a sneak peek into Amazon,
The South African government will alter its Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) regulations to allow Starlink to operate in the country. Bloomberg reported that the offer came at a last-minute meeting on Tuesday, 21 June. Foreign investors in South Africa’s telecom sector are required to allocate 30% of a project’s equity to Black-owned businesses to obtain a license. However, Elon Musk’s satellite internet provider will be allowed to meet BEE requirements through equity-equivalent investments instead. South Africa’s Workaround for Starlink South Africa created the BEE laws to address racial inequalities stemming from
