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News of the week
This week it is all about electric mobility in Kenya.
The week started with Bolt partnering with Roam Electric, Ampersand and M-Kopa to introduce electric motorcycles to its platform. Ampersand and Roam Electric are the manufacturers of electric motorcycles while M-Kopa will provide buyers with options to buy and finance the motorcycles.
Bolt says it expects to have 1,000 electric motorcycles on its platform by the end of 2024 and 5,000 in the next 2 years.
This week, Kenya Power announced plans to invest Ksh 258 million to drive adoption of electric mobility in Kenya.
The investment by Kenya Power will include the cost of setting up EV charging stations across the country. It will also include the purchase of electric vehicles and motorbikes for its operations.
Startup Funding Rounds
We had 9 total funding rounds with 3 of them announced by South African startups. The total raised is $34.5 million with 58.6% heading to Kenyan startups.
Pula, a kenyan Insurtech startup, raised $20,000,000 from BlueOrchard, IFC, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Hesabu Capital.
Spatialedge, a South African, AI startup received $3,100,000 in an unspecified funding round from Hlayisani Capital.
Egyptian Fintech, Bokra, received $4,600,000 in pre-seed funding from SS Capital and Disruptech Ventures.
Ugandan TravelTech startup, Chunguza, is just a few months old and has received $200,000 in pre-seed funding from Felicia Consults.
Bluworks, an Egyptian HRTech startup, received $1,000,000 in pre-seed funding from Khwarizmi Ventures.
HyperionDev, a South African EdTech platform, $5,000,000 from unknown investors.
GoBEBA, a Kenyan e-commerce startup, received $200,000 from Madica.
South African FoodTech startup, NewForm Foods, received $200,000 from Madica in a pre-seed funding round.
Kola Market from Ghana also received $200,000 in pre-seed funding from Madica.
Active Investors
This week saw a total of 10 investors who took part in the 9 funding rounds. These are BlueOrchard, IFC, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Hesabu Capital, Hlayisani Capital, SS Capital, Disruptech Ventures, Felicia Consults, Khwarizmi Ventures and Madica. Madica was the most active taking part in 3 pre-seed funding rounds.
Appointments
Moringa School has appointed Nikki Germany as its new CEO.
Opportunities and jobs
AWS Set to Offer Free AI Skills Training to Kenyans.
Safaricom launches Connect Academy to Offer Training for Fibre Optic Technicians.
African Tech Ventures Invited to Apply for the Investment Showcase at the 8th Africa Tech Summit London.
Pre-registration Opens for BuildHealth4Africa Hackathon With Up to Ksh 500,000 for Best Digital Healthcare Solutions
Other Stories
Four Kenyan Startups Among Top 10 African Startups Shortlisted for Qualcomm Make in Africa 2024.
Kenyan Startup, GoBEBA, Among the 3 Startups in Madica’s First Set of African Portfolio Companies.
The African Private Capital Association (AVCA) Launches 20th Annual Conference & VC Summit in Johannesburg.
TLcom Announces Close of a $154 Million Fund.
Nigeria’s edtech platform Dexude gets funding from Business Finland TEMPO.
45 startups shortlisted for the 2024 edition Of The Africatech Awards.
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