Startups
In nearly a decade, hundreds of entrepreneurs have emerged with innovative startups across the African continent. We provide insights on their experiences and highlight the activities of investors who fund them.
Top stories
Equator has raised a $55 million fund to support early-stage climate tech startups in Africa, focusing on energy, agriculture, and mobility. The investment aims to bridge funding gaps and drive sustainable innovation.
Danjuma Mohammed created a product that allows online shoppers visualise products in their personal space before buying and it made $558,000 in 2024. In this article, he talks about the target market and business model.
d.light has been selected for the DARES programme, aiming to provide renewable energy to 17.5 million Nigerians, with plans for solar mini-grids and standalone systems impacting millions of households.
After optimising its operations to reduce dependence on manual processes, Chowdeck is laying off 68% of its contract staff. The company is also planning a beta launch in Ghana.
Rising infrastructure costs are forcing African startups to reevaluate their expenses and Nigerian startup, Okra is counting on that to boost the adoption of its cloud services.
Kenyan startups raised more funding in Africa for the second consecutive year, surpassing startup powerhouses like Nigeria and South Africa. Experts have been attributing this rise to some key factors driving this trend.
Is an African IPO worth it? Investors in entities like Maven Records and Smile Identity share insights on African IPOs its viability and what it takes.
Gozem has secured $30 million to expand vehicle financing and digital banking in Francophone Africa. The funding will boost vehicle ownership for its drivers and grow its super app services.
Former Leatherback CEO, Ibrahim Ibitade has started a new cross-boder payments company months after stepping down. Ibitade said in October 2024, that he stepped down as CEO to start a family, but his return to the startup scene with a competing platform raises questions.
AHOY invests $3 million in Qme, an Egyptian SaaS startup, to revolutionise customer experience in Africa with AI-driven booking solutions.
As Bento’s future in Nigeria remains uncertain, businesses in Ghana have been left stranded due to the company’s failure to also remit pensions and taxes for its Ghanaian clients.
Raenest, a Nigerian fintech startup that offers multi-currency accounts across Africa, has raised $11 million in Series A funding to strengthen its presence in Nigeria and Kenya while expanding into the United States and Egypt.
While Helicarrier is still an active company according to Y Combinator, company filings show that some of the founders were terminated as directors in 2021 and 2023. The eight-year-old startup shutdown Buycoins Pro, one of its products, in 2023.
Bento Africa has rehired key staff to resolve payroll delays after a temporary shutdown.
Africa’s startup space is off to a strong start in 2025 as 40 startups secure $289 million in January reflecting growing investor confidence.
PaidHR’s earned wage access product has seen a 5,900% growth in 2024, disbursing over ₦150 million to 2,000+ users.
Following the stop-work directive by US President Donald Trump, i3 will scale back on its cohort size in Africa, focusing on growth-stage startups.
Bento pauses transactions after CEO Ebun Okunbanjo resigns, citing issues with the business model amid allegations of failing to remit PAYE deductions. His departure raises concerns about the startup’s future.
Months after announcing a Series B round led by Uber, Moove has acquired Y Combinator alumni, Kovi.
Nigeria’s foremost web hosting company GO54 formerly known as WhoGoHost has been acquired by South African HOSTAFRICA.