Author: Kaluka wanjala

Egyptian proptech startup Nawy has just raised a whopping $52 million in Series A funding, marking a bold step in its mission to reshape how real estate works across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). In addition to that, the company has also secured $23 million in debt financing from top Egyptian banks—cash that will go directly into growing its mortgage offering. The investment round was led by Partech, with support from several heavyweight investors including e& Capital, VentureSouq, Shorooq Partners, and Development Partners International through the Nclude Fund. Founded in 2019, Nawy began as a simple property listings…

Cross Switch has partnered with Pesawise to officially enter the Kenyan market. The partnership merges Cross Switch’s global payment infrastructure with Pesawise’s deep local market expertise. This has resulted in a seamless, secure, and scalable payment solution. The solution is built to meet the different needs of Kenyan businesses from hospitality and e-commerce to nonprofits and even delivery services. “We’re thrilled to take this next step in our journey with Cross Switch as our technology partner,” said Jamal Khan, CEO of Pesawise. “Their robust tech stack and global experience will enable us to provide truly tailored solutions for Kenya’s digital-first…

M-KOPA has been selected as Financial Times’ “Africa’s Fastest Growing Companies”. This is the fourth consecutive appearance for M-KOPA on the prestigious annual ranking. M-KOPA reported a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 42% between 2020 and 2023. In 2024, the company saw over 65% year-over-year revenue growth. The company is on track to surpass $500 million in annual revenue in 2025. All this, while maintaining profitability. “We are thrilled to make the FT Fastest Growing Companies in Africa list for the 4th year in a row,” said Jesse Moore, CEO and Co-Founder of M-KOPA. “Our growth continues to accelerate,…

Absa Bank Kenya has announced a strategic partnership with Women’s World Banking to support women entrepreneurs across the country. The announcement was made during a partners’ breakfast hosted in Nairobi by the global nonprofit focused on advancing financial inclusion for women. The partnership is set to enhance Absa’s existing Women in Business (WIB) proposition by tapping into the global expertise of Women’s World Banking (WWB). The two organisations aim to roll out tailored financial and non-financial solutions to women-led enterprises in Kenya. Many of these enterprises face significant barriers in accessing finance and support. “This partnership creates the perfect platform…

Westcon-Comstor Southern Africa has been named Value Added Distributor of the Year at the Intelligent ICT Awards Africa 2025, held in Johannesburg on May 8.  In a market where distribution often means moving boxes, Westcon-Comstor is changing what it means to be a value-added distributor. Through deep partner enablement, innovation-led services, and an unwavering focus on digital transformation, the company continues to lead from the front. “This award is a testament to everything we’ve worked to build with and for our partners,” said Louise Taute, Managing Director at Westcon-Comstor Southern Africa. “Being acknowledged as a true Value Added Distributor, rather…

Safaricom has partnered with Quickmart to take its 4G and 5G home internet solutions closer to its customers. Kenyans can now purchase Safaricom’s routers easily through Quickmart’s 61 retail outlets nationwide.  The move comes as demand for fast and reliable home internet is at an all-time high. This is driven by remote work, online learning, and streaming needs. Safaricom’s 4G network covers over 97% of the population, while its 5G network is now available in all 47 counties. “In line with our purpose of transforming lives, we are continuously innovating to provide our customers with the best connectivity solutions,” said…

BURN Manufacturing has received a $5 million investment from EDFI Management Company through the EU-funded Electrification Financing Initiative (ElectriFI). This funding will help over 100,000 Kenyan households shift from costly, polluting fuels like charcoal and LPG to affordable, electric cooking. The financing will support the rollout of BURN’s ECOA Induction Cooker (ECOA IDC). These locally manufactured IoT-enabled appliances offer a smarter and cleaner way to cook. The ECOA IDC is fitted with a Pay-As-You-Cook (PAYC) technology. With this, users will be able to make small daily payments through mobile money and gradually own the device within a year. Over 600…

Absa Bank Kenya has officially stepped into the custody services space. This move shows the bank’s ambition to become a key player in facilitating secure, compliant and tech-enabled investment solutions for institutional clients across Kenya and beyond its borders. Themed “Aligning to the Future of Investments,” the launch event brought together key stakeholders including pension fund managers, trustees, Saccos, insurance firms, regulators, and capital markets experts. The goal is to explore how evolving financial landscapes, technologies, and investor needs are reshaping how institutions manage and safeguard their assets. Custody services often operate behind the scenes, but they are critical in…

UK-based FinTech startup Verto has won the $1 million Grand Prize in the Milken-Motsepe Prize in FinTech. The company emerged as a standout player in a competition that attracted over 400 global applications. The prize recognizes innovators expanding access to capital and financial services for small businesses in emerging and frontier markets. For businesses in Kenya this win is a clear sign that solutions built to solve our real-world financial challenges like slow, expensive cross-border payments are finally getting the global recognition and backing they deserve. At its core, Verto is a B2B cross-border payments platform. But for the many…

Bolt has announced the rollout of a Flight Tracking feature that syncs with your flight details when scheduling a ride from the airport. Witn this feature,  delays, cancellations or early arrivals don’t leave you stranded or overcharged. With this new update, Bolt will automatically adjust your scheduled pick-up time based on your actual flight status. If your flight is delayed, your ride pick-up is rescheduled accordingly. If it’s canceled, the ride gets canceled too at no extra cost. “With Flight Tracking for Scheduled Rides, our private and Bolt Business customers can now sync their flight details when scheduling a ride…