Lori Systems
Google’s third bet from its Africa Investment Fund is in logistics company Lori Systems
Lori Systems, an African on-demand logistics and trucking company digitizing haulage and providing shippers with solutions to manage their cargo and transporters, has raised a pre-Series B round in wh
Kenyan logistics startup Sendy cuts 10% of its workforce
Kenyan logistics startup Sendy has laid off 10% of its 300-strong workforce, or 30 employees, according to pan-African news publication TechCabal. This is the latest public layoff news from Africa ov
Kenyan tech-enabled logistics platform Amitruck raises $4 million, embarks on Uganda, Tanzania expansion
The shipping business in Africa has for years been inefficient and costly due to the traditional ways of managing operations — traditional in the sense that a shipper has to physically look for
Sokowatch raises $14M to digitize Africa’s informal B2B supply-chain
Kenya based B2B e-commerce startup Sokowatch has raised $14 million in Series A funding toward its mission of revamping supply-chain markets for Africa’s informal retailers. From Nairobi, the compan
Africa Roundup: Trump’s Nigeria ban, Paga’s acquisition and raises, Flutterwave’s $35M and Sendy’s $20M
The first month of the new year saw Africa enter the fray of U.S. politics. The Trump administration announced last week it would halt immigration from Nigeria — Africa’s most populous nation with
Kenyan logistics startup Sendy raises $20M round backed by Toyota
Africa’s logistics startup space has gained another multi-million-dollar round with global backing. Kenyan company Sendy — with an on-demand platform that connects clients to drivers and vehic
2019 Africa Roundup: Jumia IPOs, China goes digital, Nigeria becomes fintech capital
2019 brought more global attention to Africa’s tech scene than perhaps any previous year. A high-profile IPO, visits by both Jacks (Ma and Dorsey) and big Chinese startup investment energized th
Africa Roundup: Nigerian fintech gets $360M, mints unicorn, draws Chinese VC
November 2019 could mark when Nigeria (arguably) became Africa’s unofficial capital for fintech investment and digital finance startups. The month saw $360 million invested in Nigerian-focused p
Startups Weekly: Chinese investors double down on African startups
In this week's newsletter: China's pivot to Africa, another big scooter funding and a new entry to the unicorn club.
PalmPay launches in Nigeria on $40M round led by China’s Transsion
Africa-focused payment startup PalmPay has launched in Nigeria after raising a $40 million seed round led by Chinese mobile-phone maker Transsion. The investment came via Transsion’s Tecno subsi
African logistics startup Lori Systems raises Series A led by Chinese investors
African on-demand trucking logistics company Lori Systems has raised a Series A round led by Chinese investors Hillhouse Capital and Crystal Stream Capital. Other participating investors included Nige
Nigerian logistics startup Kobo360 raises $30M backed by Goldman Sachs
Nigerian freight logistics startup Kobo360 has raised a $20 million Series A round led by Goldman Sachs and $10 million in working capital financing from Nigerian commercial banks. The company — wit
Y Combinator-backed Trella brings transparency to Egypt’s trucking and shipping industry
Y Combinator has become one of the key ways that startups from emerging markets get the attention of American investors. And arguably no clutch of companies has benefited more from Y Combinator’
Chipper Cash convinces Joe Montana to invest in African fintech
The African no-fee, cross-border payment startup Chipper Cash has raised a $2.4 million seed round led by Deciens Capital. The payments company also persuaded 500 Startups and Liquid 2 Ventures — co
Nigerian logistics startup Kobo360 raises $6M, expands in Africa
Nigerian trucking logistics startup Kobo360 has raised $6 million to upgrade its platform and expand operations to Ghana, Togo and Cote D’Ivoire.
Lori Systems is launching a service with the Kenyan government for last-mile haulage from railroads
For Lori Systems chief executive and co-founder Josh Sandler, deals like the one between his company and the Kenyan government to solve last-mile solutions around the national railroad are about far m
Announcing Startup Battlefield at Disrupt SF 2018
Every year, TechCrunch chooses an elite cohort of startups to compete in Startup Battlefield — TechCrunch’s premier global startup launch competition. This year’s selection was the
Nigerian logistics startup Kobo360 accepted into YC, raises $1.2 million
When Nigerian logistics startup Kobo360 interviewed for Y Combinator’s 2018 cohort, a question stood out to founder Obi Ozor. “What’s holding you back from becoming a unicorn?," they asked. "M
Lori Systems wins Best of Show at Startup Battlefield Africa
At the very beginning, there were 15 startups coming from all around Africa. After an incredibly fierce competition in Nairobi, Kenya, here are the winners of TechCrunch's first ever Startup Battlefie
These are the 15 startups participating in Startup Battlefield Africa
On Wednesday, October 11 at 9:00 AM EAT in Nairobi, Kenya, the first Startup Battlefield Africa kicks off and is available for viewing with this livestream. TechCrunch is honored to host this event a