The Latest from Jake Bright
African fintech startup Chipper Cash raises $30M backed by Jeff Bezos
African cross-border fintech startup Chipper Cash has raised a $30 million Series B funding round led by Ribbit Capital with participation of Bezos Expeditions — the personal VC fund of Amazon CEO
Nigeria’s Autochek raises $3.4M for car sales and service platform
Nigeria based startup Autochek looks to bring the sales and servicing of cars in Africa online. The newly founded venture has closed a $3.4 million pre-seed round co-led by TLcom Capital and 4DX ventu
Harley-Davidson should keep making e-motorcycles
Harley-Davidson should continue to make electric motorcycles. That’s my big takeaway after taking home the company’s LiveWire for three weeks. I’d ridden it on a closed course in 20
Zero’s SR/S doubles as an EV sport motorcycle and sport-tourer
Zero’s 2020 SR/S could be your EV sport bike or sport-tourer. Unveiled earlier this year, the all-electric motorcycle brings performance attributes of both classes — with a unique list of pros
Interswitch to revive its Africa venture fund, CEO confirms
Pan-African fintech company Interswitch plans to fire up its corporate venture arm again — according to CEO Mitchell Elegbe — who spoke at TechCrunch Disrupt on Wednesday. The Nigerian founder did
Tarform unveils Luna e-moto for folks who may not like motorcycles
Brooklyn-based EV startup Tarform unveiled its Luna electric motorcycle in New York last week — a model designed for an audience that may not actually like motorcycles. The company’s first str
Interswitch CEO Mitchell Elegbe to discuss African fintech at TechCrunch Disrupt
The CEO of Pan-African fintech unicorn Interswitch, Mitchell Elegbe, is set to speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2020 on September 16. He founded the company in Lagos in 2002 to connect Nigeria’s —
Security lapse at South Africa’s LogBox exposed user accounts and medical data
LogBox, a South African medical data startup that bills itself as an “absolutely secure” way of replacing paper forms for sharing patient data with doctors, has exposed user accounts and p
NYSE seeks SEC approval for more direct listings
The New York Stock Exchange filed an amendment today with the Securities and Exchange Commission to allow for more direct listings. Direct listings offer a more streamlined method for companies to go
African payment startup Chipper Cash raises $13.8M Series A
African cross-border fintech startup Chipper Cash has closed a $13.8 million Series A funding round led by Deciens Capital and plans to hire 30 new staff globally. The raise caps an event-filled run
Triumph releases e-bicycle but no word on e-motorcycle debut
U.K. motorcycle manufacturer Triumph released an e-bicycle today, the Trekker GT — with 90 miles of riding range, a 250 watt motor and a 504 watt hour battery. With a five-hour charge time, the bike
Uber Africa launches Uber Cash with Flutterwave and explores EVs
Uber is launching its Uber Cash digital wallet feature in Sub-Saharan Africa through a partnership with San Francisco-based — Nigerian-founded — fintech firm Flutterwave. The arrangement will allo
The Sun Exchange raises $3M for crypto-driven solar power in Africa
South Africa-based renewable energy startup Sun Exchange has raised $3 million to close its Series A funding round totaling $4 million. The company operates a peer-to-peer, crypto-enabled business tha
Africa’s top angel Tomi Davies eyes startups and co-investors
When Nigerian angel investor Tomi Davies backed his first company — Strika Entertainment in 2001 — he admits he wasn’t aware of his future role. “I was just helping out friends. I didn’t kno
Africa Roundup: DHL invests in MallforAfrica, Zipline launches in US, Novastar raises $200M
Events in May offered support to the thesis that Africa can incubate tech with global application. Two startups that developed their business models on the continent — MallforAfrica and Zipline —
Vaya Africa launches electric ride-hail taxi network
Vaya Africa, a ride-hail mobility venture founded by Zimbabwean mogul Strive Masiyiwa, has launched an electric taxi service and charging network in Zimbabwe with plans to expand across the continent.
DHL acquires stake in Link Commerce developed by MallforAfrica
DHL has acquired a minority stake in Link Commerce, a turn-key e-commerce company that grew out of MallforAfrica.com — a Nigerian digital-retail startup. Link Commerce offers a white-label solution
Carry1st has $4M to invest in African mobile gaming
Gaming development startup Carry1st has raised a $2.5 million seed round led by CRE Venture Capital. That brings the company’s total VC to $4 million, which Carry1st will deploy to support and i
Zipline begins US medical delivery with drone program honed in Africa
Drones are being deployed in the fight to curb COVID-19 in the U.S. Novant Health and California-based UAV delivery startup Zipline have launched distribution of personal protective gear and medical e
Cake brings a Swedish take on e-motorcycle design to the US
Cake has crafted the Swedish edition of electric motorcycle design starting in the dirt. The Stockholm-based mobility startup’s debut, the Kalk OR, is a 150-pound, battery-powered two-wheeler engine