Author: Kaluka wanjala

Spiro has just announced a $215 million investment round.  The new funding will be used to expand its battery-swapping network, scale local manufacturing and assembly, enhance technology development and support entry into new African markets. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. The company is already operational in seven countries, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and Cameroon, with plans to expand into Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia. Spiro’s raise comes at a time when electric mobility is gaining traction across Africa. The company’s footprint includes manufacturing plants in Kenya,…

Ride-hailing platform Bolt has dismissed widespread claims that it is planning to exit the Kenyan market, terming the reports as false and based on a fraudulent document circulating online. In a statement issued on Monday, the company said it had identified a fake communication being shared across social media and messaging platforms, which alleged that Bolt would cease its operations in Kenya on June 8, 2026. Bolt said that the document did not originate from the company or any of its authorized representatives. “We wish to categorically state that this document is fake and did not originate from Bolt Kenya…

Nutanix has announced it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Datamellon, formalising a strategic collaboration with a born-in-the-cloud partner in Sub-Saharan Africa. The agreement represents an important milestone in Nutanix’s regional ecosystem strategy, bringing together Nutanix’s hybrid multicloud platform with Datamellon’s expertise in cloud-native architecture, analytics and enterprise digital transformation. Through this collaboration, the two companies aim to support organisations across Sub-Saharan Africa as they modernise infrastructure, accelerate cloud adoption and build cloud-native environments that support data-driven innovation and artificial intelligence. “Africa’s technology landscape is evolving rapidly, with organisations looking for partners that can help them move faster while building…

NALA has secured up to $50 million in credit financing from Liquidity. The financing is structured through Mars Growth Capital, a joint venture between Liquidity and MUFG Bank Ltd. It will begin with an initial $25 million facility, with the option to scale to at least $50 million. According to the company, the capital will provide working capital to support NALA’s product development, operational scaling and expansion into new payment corridors, as it builds what it describes as a next-generation neobank powered by stablecoin infrastructure. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here.…

Absa Bank Kenya’s Q1 2026 profit after tax rose to KSh 5.3 billion. The bank delivered a Return on Equity of 20.3%. Customer deposits rose by 8% to KSh 399.1 billion, while net loans and advances stood at KSh 303.8 billion. Total assets grew by 10% to KSh 571.3 billion, underlining the bank’s strong balance sheet position. Speaking on the results, Managing Director and CEO Abdi Mohamed noted that the quarter was shaped by broader economic challenges. “It has been a demanding period for our customers and the broader economy, but our focus has been on standing alongside those we…

Westcon-Comstor has today announced the launch of SASEvolution, a new programme designed to simplify and accelerate the adoption of Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) across its partner ecosystem in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). SASEvolution brings together Palo Alto Networks’ Prisma SASE solution with Westcon-managed services into ready-to-sell, bundled offerings. Built around real-world customer use cases, the programme combines Secure Internet Access, Universal Zero Trust Network Access, Secure Enterprise Browser and full-stack SASE capabilities with design, deployment and support services. The result is a simplified, repeatable model that enables partners to go to market with Palo Alto Networks Prisma SASE regardless…

Spiro has announced the acquisition of Coexlion and has also announced plans to establish its first African research and development (R&D) center in Kenya. The acquisition brings a team of 28 engineers from Coexlion, whose expertise in motorcycle engineering and industrial design is expected to strengthen Spiro’s product development capabilities. The new R&D center will focus on designing and building electric motorcycles tailored to African operating conditions, including road infrastructure, climate and rider economics. If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Spirois is clearly moving beyond deployment and infrastructure into deeper control…

Vodacom’s M-Pesa Tanzania has partnered with PayPal to allow customers to easily transfer funds between their PayPal accounts and M-Pesa wallets. The service will be accessible directly through the M-Pesa Super App. The integration enables eligible M-Pesa users to deposit funds into their PayPal wallets and withdraw money back into M-Pesa securely and conveniently. This is expected to significantly simplify cross-border transactions for freelancers, developers, content creators, entrepreneurs and gig economy workers who rely on international payments. Speaking on the partnership, Tulisindo Mlupilo, Acting M-Pesa Director, said the collaboration underscores the company’s commitment to innovation and financial inclusion. “Digital connectivity…

As African businesses accelerate their adoption of artificial intelligence and cloud technologies, a new challenge is emerging, protecting the data that powers these systems. According to executives from Veeam, many organisations are expanding faster than their ability to properly secure and recover their data. Speaking to TechArena at AI Everything Kenya x GITEX Kenya, Brendan Widlake, Regional Director for English Africa and Lisa Strydom, Senior Channel and Alliances Manager for Africa, said the conversation around data is rapidly shifting but key gaps still remain. One of the biggest shifts organisations are facing is the sheer spread of data. “Your data…

South African-based Mia Healthcare Technologies has raised R15 million ($910,000) to expand the reach of affordable dental and orthodontic care in Southern Africa. The investment comes from the Vumela Fund, which is managed by Edge Growth in partnership with First National Bank (FNB). If you have a startup you want featured on TechArena, let us know through this contact form here. Mia Healthcare operates mobile clinics in schools, workplaces and underserved communities. They bring professional dental care closer to patients who might otherwise go without treatment. At the same time, the company is positioning itself as a local challenger in the orthodontics market…