Zimbabwean startup Bhala has launched a mobile virtual keyboard that uses machine learning and state-of-the-art deep learning models to improve the experience of writing in African languages. Bhala that started its service delivery in January 2021 supports word auto-complete, spellcheck, and word prediction in ChiShona, IsiNdebele, IsiXhosa, IsiZulu, KiSwahili, Sepedi,

Kenyan Foodtech startup Kune delivers freshly-made, ready-to-eat meals at affordable prices and has announced it closed $1m in pre-seed funding round to help its scaling process. The funding round was led by Launch Africa Ventures, with anchor investments from Century Oak Capital GmbH and Consonance. Kune was launched in 2020

Egyptian fashion and e-commerce startup DressCode has announced it secured $250k in funding to help it expand its offering, mostly in the home décor space. DressCode was founded in 2018 by the duo of Mohamed Abdel Dayem and Ali Zakaria. The startup has offered experiential retail environments and a well-curated

Johannesburg-based Wayja has announced it launched its cashless P2P betting platform. The app’s platform will allow users to connect with friends and make cashless wagers on anything, from anywhere. The startup which officially launched in 2020 by Reece Jacobsen and Clinton Holroyd has since been funded by seed capital

Nigerian prop-tech startup Seso has announced it raised $600k in pre-seed funding round as it bids to build on strong initial traction. Ventures that participated in the round include Kepple Africa Ventures, Rising Tide Africa, and Moabi Group, as well as angel investors Albert Essien, Ibrahim Sanga, and Jamie Broderick.

The World Economic Forum has announced its selection of the 100 most promising Tech pioneers of 2021 which includes companies that are shaping industries from their different sectors. The World Economic Forum’s Technology Pioneers include early to growth-stage tech companies from around the world focused on having a significant

Kenya’s e-commerce startup Sky.Garden has announced it closed a $4 million round of Series A funding to accelerate its growth. The round featured SANAD Fund for MSME, Aavishkaar, UNCOVERED FUND, and KSK Angel Fund, the latter founded by Japanese former AC Milan footballer Keisuke Honda. Sky. Garden was

South Africa’s uYilo– which means “to create” has announced that applications have opened for the 2021 uYilo Mobility Programme. South African mobility startups will be offered up to $73k in grant funding aimed at assisting projects to reach commercialization into the market. The national uYilo eMobility Program was established

Ethiopian logistics startup Eshi Express has announced it raised an undisclosed amount in funding from the Addis Ababa Angels (AAA) Network as it looks to expand across the country. Established in 2017, Eshi Express is a delivery startup operating in Addis Ababa and two provincial Ethiopian cities. The platform allows

Three African blockchain startups have been selected to receive grant funding from the UNICEF Venture Fund. Looking to support early-stage ventures in solving local and global challenges the UNICEF Venture Fund is investing in seven blockchain startups in six countries after receiving 450 submissions from 77 countries. The startups will

Egyptian Edtech startup iSchool has announced it raised $160k in pre-seed funding to develop an online platform, expand its offerings and expand across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The investment comes from EdVentures, the venture capital arm of Egypt’s Nahdet Misr Publishing Group. iSchool was founded