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,
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
Kenyan HR tech startup, Workpay, has successfully raised $5 million in a Series A funding round, spearheaded by Norrsken22. This new investment will bolster Workpay’s expansion across Africa, enhance its AI-driven performance management tools, and stabilize its financial services, TechCrunch first reported. The funding follows a $2.7 million pre-Series A round in 2023. Strategic Funding to Accelerate Growth Founded in 2019 by Paul Kimani and Jackson Kungu, Workpay has quickly positioned itself as a leading workforce management platform in Africa. The cloud-based solution offers a suite of HR services, including
Kenyan drivers for ride-hailing platforms like Uber and Bolt are pushing back against unsustainable earnings by setting their own fares, defying the companies’ algorithmic pricing models. This rebellion is fueled by the rising cost of living and ongoing economic challenges in the East African nation, according to Reuters. Drivers Push Back Against Falling Fares Across Nairobi, drivers are feeling the pinch of a brutal price war between global and local ride-hailing companies, including Uber, Bolt, Little, and Faras. The fierce competition has driven fares to what many drivers consider unlivable
Uncover, a Kenyan data-driven skincare brand, has successfully closed a $1.4 million seed II funding round to accelerate the growth of its innovative tech platform, introduce new products, and expand its market presence. This round, co-led by EQ2 Ventures and IgniteXL Ventures, saw participation from notable investors such as Chui Ventures, Samata Capital, and Altree Capital. Driving Personalization Through Data Founded in 2021 by Sneha Mehta (CEO), Jade Oyateru (COO), and Catherine Lee, Uncover has distinguished itself in the beauty industry by focusing on the unique skin care needs of
Data workers are exposing the severity of exploitation in the tech and AI industry through the Data Workers’ Inquiry. As part of the community-based research project, 15 data workers joined the Distributed AI Research (DAIR) Institute as community researchers to lead their own inquiry in their respective workplaces. Funded by the Distributed Artificial Intelligence Research (DAIR) Institute, Weizenbaum Institute, and Technische Universität Berlin, the project sheds light on labor conditions and widespread practices in the AI industry. The Plight of African Content Moderators Fasica Berhane Gebrekidan, an ex-content moderator for
Microsoft Corp. and G42, a leading artificial intelligence firm from the United Arab Emirates, have unveiled plans to build a $1 billion geothermal-powered data center in Kenya. This project marks the initial phase of a multiyear strategy to boost cloud-computing capacity in East Africa. Harnessing Geothermal Energy for Sustainable Development The data center will be constructed in Olkaria, an area rich in geothermal resources, making it an ideal location for a sustainable energy project. G42 will lead the initial investment and oversee the facility’s construction. In its first phase, it
Meta Platforms Incorporated recently announced that it will enable content creators in Nigeria and Kenya to monetize their content on Instagram and Facebook starting June 2024. Monetizing Instagram Content Spearheaded by Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs at Meta, this initiative aligns with the growing recognition of Africa’s digital potential. Meta will introduce a feature on its Instagram app in June, allowing Nigerian creators to monetize their content and earn a living using it. Creators can run ads in-stream and engage with an international audience. “Nigerian creators have global reach,” Nick Clegg, the company’s President of
Kenyan President William Ruto has announced that Meta has agreed to monetize content in Kenya, benefitting the country’s creators. Following a year-long negotiation with the Kenyan government, Facebook and Instagram content creators will begin earning from these Meta platforms. Paying Kenyan Content Creators The President revealed that Meta had run a pilot program with eligible Kenyan content creators. “I have good news for our creatives and those who imagine and produce content through Facebook and Instagram,” Ruto said during the Jamhuri Day celebrations at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi. “Just yesterday, Meta committed
Kenya-based climate-tech startup Amini has raised $4 million in a seed funding round led by Salesforce Ventures and the Female Founders Fund. Solving Africa’s Environmental Data Gap Amini focuses on solving Africa’s environmental data gap through AI and satellite technology. Founded by Kate Kallot, Amini has developed a holistic solution. It utilizes AI and space technologies at scale to drive systemic change and promote economic inclusivity for farmers and supply chain resilience across Africa. By fixing Africa’s data gap, they want to make it a more prosperous, equitable, and safe
