Notes #15 + 16: July 1 - August 13 2017

Context and Thoughts

In July I had an epic expedition heading out from San Francisco through South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya, meeting with entrepreneurs, VCs, and more, so this issue was delayed by a few weeks.I’ve kept my eye closely on the startup landscape in the meantime, so this issue should represent a full aggregation of the last 6 weeks of African startup and VC activity. (I’ve also heard your feedback about having an easier-to-remember URL for this blog – you can now find it easily at http://notes.africa, thanks to the new .africa TLD)

I’ve been enthused to see more public documentation covering the breadth of the African tech ecosystem: First, a new open project launched by TLcom to track early stage tech capital in Africa, available directly via an editable Google Sheet. In addition, the growth (and future) of mobile money in Africa was covered in detail by the GSMA, I recommend checking out their recent two-part series on this topic.

Finally, the interest continues to grow in regional-specific VOD offerings for Africa: Malaysia-based iflix [MY] raised $133mm (on top of the $90mm they raised earlier this year), part of which will go towards launching iflix Africa [ZA] in South Africa and 5 more African countries.

Industry and Ecosystem News

• Silvertree Internet Holdings [ZA] announces plans to invest $10mm over next 12 months into African tech startups

• Flat6Labs [EG] closes $5.6mm fund

• Startupbootcamp [ZA] announces the 10 startups selected for its first African accelerator program: Brownie Points [ZA], Dusu Pay [UG], Fo-Sho [ZA], Got Bot [ZA], Just Now [ZA], Khoyn [ZW], MOBicure [NG], Strider [ZA], Yethu [ZA]

• YEi Start in France [FR] accelerator opens up to applications from South Africa, their first African country for applicants

• Angola Cables [AO] announces launch of the South Atlantic Cable System (SACS), a 40 Tb/s undersea cable linking Brazil and Angola

• Alibaba [CN] announces $10m fund to invest in African online businesses, including selecting 200 African entrepreneurs for training in China

• ccHub [NG] and Google for Entrepreneurs [US] announce the 14 African startups chosen to participate in their PitchDrive fundraising tour: BitFinance [ZW], ClinicMaster [UG], Fashpa [NG], Firefly Media [SN], Gebeya [ET], Gloo [NG], GoMetro [ZA], Kudobuzz [GH], Lifebank [NG], Ongair [KE], Piggybank [NG], Prepclass [NG], Real Food [ZW], Tradedepot [NG]

• Early-stage investment firm Microtraction [NG] launches, targets investing in up to 1,000 startups per year with $65k early-stage investments

• VC fund Grotech [ZA] rebrands to Kalon Venture Partners, focusing on high growth technology companies

• Mastercard Foundation [CA] and Resolution Project [US] announce the 10 African winners of their Resolution Social Venture Challenge, who will receive seed funding and mentorship

• The 4th annual African Angel Investor Summit 2017 is coming up in Cape Town on November 16th and 17th

Deals, Startups, and More

• Mobile education platform and services startup Chalkboard Education [GH] raises $237k in funding from Jacobs Foundation [CH]

• Aerial data analytics startup Aerobotics [ZA] raises $602k seed round from 4Di Capital [ZA] and Savannah Fund [KE]

• IoT “smart tracker” startup Sensor Networks [ZA] raises new funding round from 4Di Capital [ZA], precise terms undisclosed

• African payments platform Flutterwave [NG] raises $10mm Series A round led by Greycroft Partners [US] and Green Visor Capital [US]

• Home-cooked meal delivery startup Mumm [EG] raises $200k funding from 500 Startups [US] MENA-focused 500 Falcons fund

• B2B vendor supply marketplace Twiga Foods [KE] raises $10.3mm in Series A funding led by Wamda Capital [AE] including Omidyar Network [US] among other investors, in addition to $2mm grant funding from USAID [US] and GSMA [UK]

• Agritech startup Releaf [NG] raises $120k seed funding from Y Combinator [US]

• Mobile e-commerce platform Sky.Garden [KE] raises $100k in funding from Katapult Accelerator [NO]

• Fintech startup InTouch [SN] partners with Total [FR] and Worldline [FR] to launch its Guichet Unique mobile payment system to 8 African countries

• Loyalty shopping app SnapnSave [ZA] raises $1mm funding round from Kalon Venture Partners [ZA] and Smollan Group [ZA]

• Pay-as-you-go software company Lumeter [US / KE] acquired by East African off-grid solar microlease startup Mobisol [DE / TZ / RW / KE], terms undisclosed

• Used car online marketplace getWorth [ZA] announced an additional funding round (terms undisclosed), raising their total amount invested to $1.4mm

• Mobile e-health startup hearX [ZA], maker of smartphone-based hearing, ear disease, and vision tests, raises $2.2mm investment funding and $500k grant funding

• Bus ridesharing startup Swvl [EG] raises $500k from Careem [AE]

• On-demand delivery startup Bosta [EG] raises new investment round from Cairo Angels [EG], terms undisclosed

• Mobile app & SMS education platform M-Shule [KE] raises funding from Engineers Without Borders Canada [CA], terms undisclosed