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AI Beverage Startup Palé Joins Grindstone Ventures Female Founder Initiative
South African beverage technology startup Palé has become the third company selected for the female founder funding-readiness programme established by Grindstone Ventures and the Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC), an initiative designed to help black female-led startups prepare for investment and commercial growth. The programme combines venture-building support from Grindstone Ventures with capital committed by MIC
Founder fridays: Silomotion
Many entrepreneurs start businesses to earn a living. Mpongiseni Sangweni believes they should instead be building businesses capable of transforming communities, creating sustainable employment and competing on a global stage. As the founder of Silomotion, he has spent the past decade helping township and rural entrepreneurs move beyond simply registering businesses by equipping them with
The Mining Wrap
AI, automation, connectivity and critical minerals remained at the forefront of Africa's mining industry this week, with companies advancing digital technologies and governments strengthening investment and beneficiation strategies. South African mining robotics startup Afrobotics is deploying autonomous underground drones that use artificial intelligence to perform mine mapping, infrastructure inspections and hazardous-area monitoring. The drones reduce
Zimbabwean Startup Maminda Builds AI Platform for Smallholder Farmers
Zimbabwean agri-fintech startup Maminda is developing a digital platform that brings agricultural finance, AI-powered advisory services, crop monitoring, and market access together in a single ecosystem aimed at smallholder farmers. Founded in 2025, the startup focuses on addressing some of the biggest challenges facing small-scale agriculture by combining digital financial tools with precision farming technologies.
The Credibility Challenge Facing African Mining Engineering Startups
Breaking into Africa's mining industry is challenging for any engineering startup. Mine operators expect suppliers to produce accurate technical data, comply with strict safety requirements and deliver consistent quality from the first project. Established engineering firms point to years of completed contracts and long-standing client relationships. Startups do not have that advantage. Every inspection, laboratory
Launch Africa Returns Capital to Investors After 11 Startup Exits
Pan-African venture capital firm Launch Africa Ventures has reached an important milestone after completing 11 startup exits and returning capital to investors from its Seed Fund I. The distribution marks a significant step for Africa's venture capital market. It shows that early-stage investments are progressing beyond fundraising and valuations to successful exits and investor returns.
ALX and OpenAI Explore the Skills Needed to Build Africa's AI Future
ALX and OpenAI have called for greater investment in AI skills, education, and workforce development as artificial intelligence becomes more deeply embedded across African industries. Speaking during the "Building Africa's AI Future" event in Johannesburg, technology leaders and creatives argued that long-term success will depend less on access to AI platforms than on the ability
Navigating the 2026 Crypto Regulations in Africa
Cryptocurrency adoption in Africa has been driven by practical needs rather than speculation. Digital assets have provided an alternative for users dealing with currency depreciation, expensive remittance channels, limited access to international payments, and restrictions within financial systems. As crypto activity has grown, regulators across several of the continent's Africa's largest markets have moved from
Harnessing Mobile Commerce for Africa's Retail Revolution
Retail access across much of Africa has long been dominated by informal trade. Open-air markets, kiosks, independent shops, and street vendors continue to account for the majority of consumer purchases in many countries. Yet a growing number of technology startups are changing how retailers source products, manage inventory, accept payments, and reach customers. Unlike North
Paystack Launches Small Business Growth Initiative
Nigerian fintech company Paystack has launched a new Small Business Program aimed at helping merchants access funding, business tools, professional services, and growth opportunities beyond payment processing. The initiative debuts with the Paystack Small Business Bundle, a package offering 2,000 eligible Nigerian merchants access to discounts and benefits valued at up to ₦4 million (approximately
Kenya Explores OpenAI Academy for East Africa
Kenya is exploring a partnership with OpenAI that could see Nairobi host the first OpenAI Academy in East Africa. President William Ruto revealed the discussions following a meeting with OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman during the G7 Leaders' Summit in France, where the two discussed opportunities for collaboration in artificial intelligence and digital skills
Google Accelerator Graduates 15 African AI Startups
Fifteen AI-focused startups from eight African countries have completed the latest edition of the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme, highlighting the growing role of artificial intelligence in solving business and operational challenges across the continent. The three-month programme, which ran from March to June 2026, brought together startups from Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda,
Namibia Shows Starlink the Door Again
Namibia's communications regulator has upheld its decision to reject Starlink's licence applications, maintaining that the satellite internet provider does not meet the country's ownership and control requirements. The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) initially rejected Starlink's applications for a telecommunications service licence and a radio spectrum licence in March. The regulator found that the
Leveraging Social Media Platforms for African Brand Discovery
Brand evaluation has changed significantly over the past decade. Consumers no longer rely solely on advertising or recommendations when deciding where to spend their money. Before making a purchase, they can watch product demonstrations, read customer reviews, compare alternatives, and see how businesses respond to questions or complaints. Much of this information is available on
Startup Monday: Stop Building Features and Start Solving Problems
Growth conversations tend to revolve around what needs to be built next. Another feature, another product, another campaign. Meanwhile, customers are dealing with the business that exists today. If people keep abandoning registration, struggling to make payments, or contacting support about the same issue, the next product update is unlikely to solve the problem. Customers
Senegal Startup Nixacom Launches Auto Apply for Customer Onboarding
Senegalese fintech startup Nixacom has launched Auto Apply, a digital onboarding platform designed to help financial institutions and other organisations replace slow, paper-based customer onboarding processes with automated digital workflows. Founded in October 2023 by CEO Cheikh Gueye, CFO Elhaji Fall, and CTO Wangel Yohannes, Nixacom initially focused on improving access to technology financing, enabling
The Business Value of Negative Reviews for African Startups
A startup’s reputation is one of its most valuable assets. In markets where trust in digital platforms is still being established and word-of-mouth recommendations carry significant weight, a negative review can feel like a serious setback. For many early-stage businesses, a single dissatisfied customer can influence how potential clients, partners, and investors perceive the company.
Founder Friday: Ubuntu pay
Stokvels have helped South Africans save, invest and support one another for generations. Despite managing billions of rands each year, many groups still rely on manual record-keeping, spreadsheets and messaging platforms to track contributions and savings. Lesley Zibusiso Mncube believes technology can make that process easier without changing the trust and collective spirit that have
ExxonMobil Signs First LNG Supply Deal for South Africa's Zululand Energy Terminal
ExxonMobil has signed a preliminary agreement to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to South Africa's proposed Zululand Energy Terminal at Richards Bay. The deal adds momentum to the US$1 billion project, which aims to establish the country's first LNG import terminal and supply fuel to a planned 3,000MW gas-fired power station. Earlier this month, Eskom
The Mining Wrap
The past week brought a combination of exploration breakthroughs in Mining, equipment deployments, ESG developments and strategic investments across the global mining sector. From AI-assisted mineral discovery in Africa and advanced crushing technology in South Africa to worker ownership debates in the Democratic Republic of Congo and renewed investment in copper, platinum and transport infrastructure,