Salesforce slashes its global workforce

Namaste,

Victoria from Techpoint here,

Here’s what I’ve got for you:

Salesforce slashes its global workforce
13 tech solutions for employee benefits in Nigeria
Bio-Logical gets $1.3 million in funding

Salesforce slashes its global workforce

Salesforce, a big player in cloud software with operations across Africa, has cut about 300 jobs this July as part of its strategy to streamline and grow.

A spokesperson from Salesforce told Bloomberg “Like any business, we’re always looking at how we can best serve our customers and grow. Sometimes that means reducing roles.”

However, they didn’t specify which departments or regions took the hit, but fewer than 10 jobs were lost in Ireland.

By January 2024, Salesforce had a huge global team of 72,682 people. Even with these job cuts, they’re aiming to hire in key spots, especially for their Data Cloud, to drive more sales while keeping a close eye on costs.

This isn’t the first time this year Salesforce has downsized. Earlier, they let go of 700 employees, and back in 2023, they cut 10% of their workforce, affecting 200 jobs in Ireland and more later on.

What’s more, the company’s expanding in Africa, especially in South Africa and Morocco, where they’ve set up local operations.

13 tech solutions for employee benefits in Nigeria

Image showing a cross-section of employees working in an office

Nigeria’s startup scene is buzzing with innovation and ambition, drawing talent eager to thrive in a dynamic environment.

The competition is fierce, so startups need to attract and keep top talent to survive. Smart startups know this and are going beyond just salaries to create a culture that truly values and empowers their teams.

Oluwanifemi’s article explores the changing landscape of employee perks in Nigerian startups. It’s a handy guide for founders to see what benefits their peers offer and the key platforms that help deliver these perks creatively.

Beyond basic pay, perks include financial wellness programs (like earned wage access and loans), comprehensive health packages (including HMOs, mental health resources, and gym memberships), logistical support, relocation assistance, and continuous learning opportunities.

Discover 13 tech solutions that make it easier for them to do just that in Oluwanifemi’s latest story here.

Bio-Logical gets $1.3 million in funding

Bio-Logical team — Source: launchbaseafrica.com

Bio-Logical, a Kenyan climate startup, has bagged $1.3 million to expand its biochar facility on Mount Kenya. This boost will amp up production and help more smallholder farmers thrive.

CrossBoundary, Redshaw Advisors, and others led this funding push. Co-CEO Rory Buckworth sees this as a key move to scale up, aiming to open three new sites across Kenya in the next 18 months.

Founded by Rory Buckworth and Philip Hunter in 2022, Bio-Logical pioneers tech to turn agri-waste into eco-friendly fertiliser, boosting yields and resilience for Kenyan farmers facing climate impacts.

In November 2023, they raised $1 million in seed funding for their first site and planned big: supporting 1 million farmers and offsetting 1 million tonnes of CO2 yearly by 2030.

What’s more, Africa’s climate tech scene hit $325 million in 2024, with Kenya leading at 53% of funding, followed by Nigeria and Ghana. Kenya also topped the charts for climate tech startups raising substantial funds from 2019 to 2023.

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Opportunities

Are you a tech professional in Africa? Take a few minutes to fill this questionnaire about your job among others. You also stand a chance at winning 100 Euros.
Ventures Platform has over 100 job openings across its portfolio companies. Apply here.
Bubusplug is organising a one-day hybrid event for jobseekers in collaboration with the Young African Leaders Initiative(YALI) Lagos Network July 27, 2024. Apply here.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa.