Migrants who were granted temporary stay to live in the US by using a Biden-era online appointment app have been told to leave the country, “immediately,” officials said on Monday. The number of individuals affected has not yet been confirmed. What Is CBP One? The CBP One app was introduced under President Joe Biden as part of an effort to create safer, legal pathways for asylum seekers and reduce illegal border crossings. The app allowed individuals to schedule appointments with immigration officials and apply for asylum at border crossings—primarily along
The Trump administration is urging some large companies in the EU to comply with executive orders to end DEI programs. Government officials have allegedly sent letters to companies in France and the European Union with US government contracts, stating that they should ban DEI initiatives if they want to hold on to their contracts, according to The Financial Times. “Department of State contractors must certify that they do not operate any programs promoting DEI that violate any applicable anti-discrimination laws and agree that such certification is material for purposes of
The Caribbean Venture Collective (CVC) is a new initiative aiming to close the longstanding gap in venture support for founders with ties to the Caribbean. Launched last week by Techstars alumni Daniel Smith and Mita Carriman, the CVC is a global network and founder fellowship program designed to increase visibility and access to capital for the region’s innovators. Venture support for Caribbean founders Trinidad-born Smith is the founder of Keepingly, a platform that helps homeowners manage and store homeownership documents. Carriman, born in New York to parents from Jamaica and
On Thursday, March 27, South Africa launched the first phase of a smart city development in Shongweni, outside Durban. The development, which is called Westown, is expected to attract around R15 billion ($822 million) in private-sector investment over the next 10 to 15 years and produce over 23,000 jobs. The initial phase is part of a wider project that includes, includes retail, housing, and healthcare facilities, according to Mybroadband. Transforming the development trajectory of the region Themba Masimula, senior project manager from the eThekwini Municipality’s Catalytic Projects Uni, told Mybroadband
The Nigerian fintech Payhippo, which previously provided SME loans, has rebranded to RIVY and raised $4 million in a pre-Series A funding round to focus on increasing clean energy financing in the continent. The funding was split between $2 million equity and $2 million debt. The seed round was co-led by EchoVC, a Nigerian venture capital (VC) firm through its $2.5 million Eco fund, which focuses on climate, energy, agriculture, and mobility solutions, and Shell’s All On, a climate-focused impact investment organization. Local debt providers supplied the debt. “Renewable energy is
Nigeria is preparing to set up a $40 million fund to back early-stage technology startups, strengthening its support for entrepreneurs who have typically relied on private investors. Semafor reported that the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Japanese government’s overseas development assistance arm, is investing half of the fund. The remainder will be matched by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), as Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, head of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), stated. $40 Million Fund to support startups in Nigeria The fund is part of Nigeria’s broader commitment
Cassava Technologies, founded by Zimbabwean telecommunications mogul Strive Masiyiwa, is working with Nvidia to create Africa’s first artificial intelligence factory. The Pan-African company will install Nvidia’s modern computing and AI software at its data centers in South Africa by June 2025. It will do the same in other facilities in Egypt, Kenya, and Morocco. “Our AI factory provides the infrastructure for this innovation to scale, empowering African businesses, start-ups and researchers with access to cutting-edge AI infrastructure to turn their bold ideas into real-world breakthroughs and now they don’t have to look beyond
Mukuru, a pan-African digital payments company, is preparing to expand its strategy across the continent as the rise of online transactions grows. The company currently serves 17 million users in Africa, Asia, and Europe, refining over $3.5 to $4 billion in payments annually across Africa, as stated by TechPoint. “Customers have become more comfortable using digital means, network, and infrastructure,” Chief Executive Officer Andy Jury told Bloomberg. What does Mukuru do? Mukuru Ltd. is a digital payments platform founded in 2004 by Zimbabwean entrepreneur Rob Burrell. It started as a
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of Nigeria has announced new plans to collaborate with technology companies to reduce potential harm from AI. NHRC’s Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu SAN, spoke about the duality of AI at a recent webinar hosted by the International Network for Corporate Social Responsibility (IN-CSR) and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). Nairametrics reported that Ojukwu, the leader of Nigeria’s human rights agency, said, “the NHRC will leverage tech companies to protect Nigerians from harm and discrimination associated with AI usage.” Working with tech companies
Tech company Yango Group has launched Yango Venture, a corporate venture intended to support hopeful startups across sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, as stated by Gulf Business. The fund will target Series B investments in the online-to-offline (O2O), B2B software-as-a-service, and financial technology industries. Yango Group also hopes to grow its capital base as entrepreneurial environments expand in these promising markets. “With Yango Ventures, we are leveraging our expertise and network to support startups in scaling, thriving, and creating meaningful impact in their
