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Moustapha Cissé – Founder & CEO, KERA Health Platforms Senegal-based digital health startup KERA Health Platforms has secured $10 million in funding from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the World Bank Group. The investment will support the scaling of KERA’s AI-driven platform that connects healthcare providers with patients while digitising and analysing health data to drive more efficient, accessible care. Founded in 2023 by Senegalese-born Moustapha Cissé, KERA is focused on bridging healthcare gaps for underserved populations in West Africa—particularly informal workers and women—by lowering patient costs and enhancing service delivery through faster payments and…

BURN, Africa’s leading manufacturer of clean cookstoves and a pioneer in carbon project development, has secured a US $5 million investment from ElectriFI—an EU-funded initiative managed by EDFI Management Company. The funding will fast-track the rollout of BURN’s ECOA Induction Cooker to over 100,000 Kenyan households. Equipped with IoT technology and a Pay-As-You-Cook payment model, the ECOA cooker offers a smart, affordable alternative to charcoal and LPG. Designed with low-income households in mind, the appliance allows users to pay in small, flexible installments via mobile money, enabling full ownership within a year. The model dramatically lowers household energy costs while promoting…

AURA founders – Warren Myers, Ryan Green, and Adam Pantanowitz AURA, the South African-founded emergency response technology company, has raised €13.5 million (US $15.1 million) in a Series B funding round to drive its U.S. expansion and further its mission to create a global emergency response “clearing house.” The round was co-led by Cathay AfricInvest Innovation Fund (CAIF) and Partech, both prominent backers in the African tech ecosystem. Founded in 2017 by Warren Myers, Ryan Green, and Adam Pantanowitz, AURA operates a smart marketplace that connects users—via mobile apps or connected devices—to the closest vetted public or private emergency response units,…

Joe Kinvi – Founder, HoaQ (ex-Stripe, ex-Paystack) 📝A note from Joe Kinvi “When we started HoaQ five years ago, I wondered why it was so difficult to find other collectives to join. We weren’t the first, but finding the others was quite challenging. There wasn’t a place where you could go and connect with other collectives. Over time, we realised that the infrastructure for the African Diaspora to co-invest didn’t exist, so we decided to build it.”For two years, we’ve been building, testing, iterating, and gathering feedback to ensure this infrastructure exists, initially for the African Diaspora to easily invest…

Applications for the Commonwealth Startup Fellowship are now open!Starting in November 2025, the CSF is a six-month programme designed to fuel high-potential startups from across eligible Commonwealth countries and move them closer to commercial reality. With a fully funded two-week bootcamp in Accra, Ghana, plus ongoing online support with business coaching, expert-led sessions, and valuable peer connections. If you’re a startup with early-stage traction and want to gain essential skills and build a global network, then apply now!The Fellowship includes:💷 £35,000 Fellows Fund🎓 Fully funded 2-week intensive bootcamp in Accra, Ghana💻 Online workshops and coaching💡 Build a global network of fellow entrepreneurs💰…

The Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition 2025 is now accepting applications from African entrepreneurs eager to scale their ventures and amplify their impact. This flagship initiative by the Jack Ma Foundation offers a transformative platform combining funding, mentorship, and global exposure. Why Apply? Grant Funding: A total of $1.5 million in grant funds is distributed among the top 10 finalists. The grand prize winner receives $300,000, the first and second runners-up receive $250,000 and $150,000 respectively, while the remaining seven finalists each receive $100,000. An additional $100,000 is allocated for global immersion training. Mentorship & Training: Finalists gain access…

(L-R): AwaDoc co-Founders – Chinonso Egemba and Jesse Benedict LAGOS, NIGERIA – AwaDoc, the innovative healthtech startup co-founded by popular Nigerian health influencer Chinonso Egemba (famously known as “Aproko Doctor”) and Jessee Benedict, has officially gone live on WhatsApp, marking a significant leap in accessible healthcare for millions of users. This groundbreaking platform leverages Artificial Intelligence (AI) to provide immediate health guidance and seamlessly connect individuals to medical professionals, all within the familiar and widely used WhatsApp interface. AwaDoc is not a typical telemedicine app. Instead, it positions itself as a “first point of contact” for health inquiries, aiming to…

Ikenna Nzewi – CEO @ Releaf Earth Releaf Earth’s launch of Nigeria’s first industrial biochar carbon removal facility in Cross River State marks a significant advancement in the nation’s climate technology and sustainable agriculture sectors. Says Ikenna Nzewi (CEO, Releaf Earth): I’m excited to announce the launch of Releaf Earth (YC W19)’s biochar facility in Cross River State, Nigeria, the nation’s very first industrial production site! We create premium biochar for permanent carbon removal using palm kernel shells, a byproduct from our patented Kraken nutcracking technology. Leveraging Riverse’s certified carbon removal credit registry, we are poised to remove 40,000-60,000 tons…

Guinness World Record holder for world’s smallest GPS tracking device, Oluwatobi Oyinlola (Researcher at Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Cambridge, MA — May 8, 2025 / Oluwatobi Oyinlola, a Nigerian-born researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by developing the world’s smallest GPS tracking device. The prototype, measuring just 22.93 x 11.92 mm, has been officially recognised by Guinness World Records, marking a significant advancement in miniaturised technology. The device’s compact size and versatility hold promise for transformative applications across various sectors, including logistics, security, healthcare, and transportation. Its development underscores the potential of Nigerian…

In a bold move that defied conventional career paths, Abigail Asantewah Agyapong transitioned from the structured world of finance to the vibrant realm of entrepreneurship. Leaving behind a promising career at Goldman Sachs, she embarked on a mission to celebrate and globalise a cherished African beverage through her venture, Sobel Drinks. Sobel Drinks, founded in July 2023, is more than just a beverage company; it’s a cultural renaissance in a bottle. Drawing inspiration from the traditional hibiscus-based drink known variably as Sobolo in Ghana, Zobo in Nigeria, Bissap in Senegal, and Sorrel in the Caribbean, Agyapong sought to bring this…