Daisy Atino

Journalist & Writer Covering Tech News from the East African Region.

Bloomberg Names Kenya’s Medbook a Top African Startup to Watch

Kenya’s Medbook has been named one of Bloomberg’s “25 African Startups to Watch in 2025,” spotlighting its growing role in reshaping healthcare delivery through artificial intelligence and localized digital tools. Co-founded by Dr. Polly Okello, a pediatric nephrologist, alongside Chris Maranga and Sieka Gatabaki, Medbook offers a digital

Nairobi Drives Kenya’s Rise as East Africa’s Leading Startup Ecosystem

Kenya’s startup ecosystem has climbed to the 58th place globally in the latest Startup Blink report, reclaiming its position as Africa’s second-leading hub after three years at third. The country outpaces all African peers except South Africa, continuing to dominate the East African region with a startup score

Safaricom Backs AI Startups with $500 Million

Safaricom is betting big on artificial intelligence, unveiling a $500 million investment to build AI infrastructure across East Africa over the next three years. At the Connected Africa Summit 2025 in Diani, Safaricom’s Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Cynthia Kropac, outlined the company’s vision for an AI-driven economy built

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Tanzania

Tanzania's Startup Revolution: From Local Dreams to Global Ambitions

In 2024, Tanzania’s startup ecosystem moved from being in the shadows to the spotlight, with huge milestones that proved the country’s growth as an innovation hub in Africa. The Tanzania Startup Ecosystem Status Report 2024, compiled by the Tanzania Startup Association (TSA), highlights that from just 247 known

Kenya Sees Fastest Drop in Starlink Internet Speeds on the Continent

Elon Musk’s satellite internet service, Starlink, is rapidly expanding internet access across Sub-Saharan Africa, but Kenya has experienced the steepest drop in Starlink speeds on the continent, according to Speedtest Intelligence data for Q1 2025. Since its mid-2023 launch in Kenya, Starlink quickly gained popularity, especially in rural and

Ghana, Rwanda, and Singapore Team Up to Simplify African Payments

Ghana, Rwanda, and Singapore have launched a digital payments system to simplify and lower the cost of cross-border money transfers across Africa. The initiative, dubbed the Next-Gen Digital Payment Infrastructure, was previously known as Project 54. It is a collaboration between the Bank of Ghana, the National Bank of Rwanda,

Digital Shutdown: Tanzania Blocks X After Hacked Police Account

Tanzania has restricted access to the social media platform X following a cyberattack on government accounts. The internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported on Tuesday that major Tanzanian internet service providers, including Halotel, Airtel, Liquid Telecom, Habari Node, and Vodacom, blocked access to X shortly after the Tanzania Police Force’s

Kenyan BNPL Startup Watu Reports 84% Profit Drop Amid Loan Defaults

Kenyan buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) startup Watu Holdings has reported a significant 84% decline in profit, dropping to $1.2 million (KES 157 million) in 2024, according to financial disclosures by Car & General, which holds a 29% stake in the company. This contrasts sharply with the $7.6 million (KES 985

Wingu and Ethiopian AI Institute Partner to Boost AI Startups

Wingu, East Africa’s first carrier-neutral data centre operator, has joined forces with the Ethiopian Artificial Intelligence Institute (EAII) to foster a thriving AI startup ecosystem in the country. The collaboration aims to accelerate innovation by identifying and supporting promising AI startups that demonstrate potential for growth and alignment with

MaxAB-Wasoko Acquires Fatura to Boost Pan-African B2B E-Commerce Integration

Africa’s B2B e-commerce sector has moved closer to greater integration as MaxAB-Wasoko, the continent’s largest retail and supply chain super app, has acquired Fatura, a prominent Egyptian B2B e-marketplace. The acquisition was completed with EFG Finance and as part of the deal, EFG secures a substantial equity stake

Kenyan Student Startup Signvrse Among Top 3 Global Finalists at Microsoft Imagine Cup 2025

A Kenyan student-led startup, Signvrse, has broken into the global tech scene after securing a top-three finish at the 2025 Microsoft Imagine Cup, one of the world’s most competitive platforms for student innovation. Signvrse is the brainchild of four students; Anthony Marugu, Branice Kazira, Gheida Abdala Al Mashjery, and

Kenyan Startup BuuPass Wins Travel Innovation Award

Kenyan digital mobility firm BuuPass has been honoured by International Explorer, a leading global travel and tourism authority, as Africa's most innovative online travel booking solution. The award recognizes the company's efforts in streamlining and digitalizing travel across Africa, particularly by addressing long-standing issues in the

Three East African Startups Selected for Qualcomm’s 2025 Make in Africa Program

Qualcomm Incorporated has unveiled the 10 startups selected for its 2025 Make in Africa cohort, with Kenya emerging as a key player in this year’s lineup. The program, now in its third year, is part of the broader Qualcomm Africa Innovation Platform, which aims to nurture Africa’s deep-tech

Bolt Introduces Flight Tracking Feature for Airport Pickups

Ride-hailing company Bolt introduced a new flight tracking service aimed at improving the experience for customers scheduling airport pickups. The new feature allows users to link their flight information directly to their ride booking for smoother coordination and reduced wait times. The service automatically adjusts the pick-up time if a

Twiga Foods Shifts Strategy with Key Acquisitions in Kenya’s FMCG Sector

Twiga Foods, a Kenyan B2B e-commerce company, is overhauling its business model by acquiring controlling stakes in three local FMCG distributors—Jumra, Sojpar, and Raisons. The move marks a pivot from Twiga’s earlier capital-heavy approach, where it managed its own farms, delivery fleet, and supply chains. The company is

Rwandan Startups Get Shot at €100K in Fresh Funding Drive

High-potential startups in Rwanda have a fresh shot at securing non-dilutive funding as the third cohort of the develoPPP Ventures programme officially opens applications. Spearheaded by DEG Impulse GmbH, in partnership with VC4A and Impact Hub Kigali, the initiative continues its focus on supporting businesses that advance sustainable economic, social,

Morocco's Nindohost Targets African Startups with Regional Expansion

Moroccan web hosting firm Nindohost is extending its footprint across the continent, launching operations in 13 African countries. With nearly 20 years of experience in Morocco’s digital ecosystem, Nindohost will now offer cloud hosting and cybersecurity services in Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’

Connected Africa 2025: 130 Kenyan Startups Selected for Investment

Kenya's ICT Authority (ICTA) has shortlisted 130 Kenyan technology startups as investment-ready, ahead of the Connected Africa Summit set to take place later this month. The startups were selected from a pool of 250 applicants registered under the Huduma Whitebox Programme, a joint initiative by ICTA and the

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East Africa’s Fintech Boom: What’s Driving It and What Comes Next

East Africa experienced a fintech revolution. Once defined by limited banking infrastructure, the region now stands at the forefront of Africa’s digital financial future, with fintech startups driving innovation, investment, and financial inclusion. The seeds of this fintech boom were sown in 2007 with the launch of M-Pesa in

BURN Secures $5M to Scale Electric Cooking in Kenya

Kenya’s clean energy push has received a significant boost, as African cookstove manufacturer BURN secures USD 5 million from the Electrification Financing Initiative (ElectriFI), backed by the European Union and managed by EDFI Management Company. The funding will accelerate the deployment of BURN’s ECOA Induction Cooker (ECOA IDC)

Safaricom Unveils Program to Accelerate Kenyan Startups

Safaricom has opened applications for the 2025 edition of its Spark Accelerator Program, a platform designed to support bold and visionary early-stage startups. The 14-week program, scheduled to commence in August 2025, aims to empower businesses with the resources and tools needed to scale. The initiative is a collaboration between

3 Kenyan Startups Selected for Entrepreneurship Summit in Beijing

Three Kenyan startups have been selected to represent the country at a Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Beijing, scheduled for October 2025, following a newly established partnership between Konza Technopolis Development Authority and HICOOL, a global innovation platform based in China. The three startups heading to Beijing include Composi.it, a

Uganda Proposes 3-Year Tax Break for Local Startups

The Ugandan government has introduced the Income Tax Amendment Bill, 2025, which proposes a three-year income tax exemption for startup businesses established by Ugandan citizens. The bill presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Matia Kasaija states that its aim is “to provide for the exemption of startup businesses established by

Kenya's Craydel Expands Edtech Services to Rwanda

Craydel, founded in 2021 by Manish Sardana, John Nguru, and Shayne Aman Premji, has officially launched operations in Rwanda. The Kenyan edtech startup operates in five countries: Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Rwanda. Unlike most edtech companies in single markets, Craydel has taken a continental approach, offering a unified digital

Wakandi Seeks $50 million to Digitize SACCOs in Kenya

Norwegian fintech firm Wakandi has launched a capital raise of USD 50 million (Ksh6.5 billion) to accelerate the digitisation of Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOS) and cooperatives across Africa, with Kenya at the centre of its strategy. Speaking in Nairobi during the signing of a partnership between Wakandi and