Africa’s “big four” tech ecosystems maintain their positions in 2023 but smaller economies, including Francophone startup ecosystems, are racing to fill emerging startup hub slots. By Conrad Onyango In 2023, Africa’s startup ecosystem finally succumbed to a funding crisis that had been looming for over a year. A big fall in funding aligned the continent’s trajectory with that of the global market and left startups reeling. A slew of investment reports show a significant drop in fundraising, across all tech sectors and in all forms of funding, from equity to debt. A Partech report shows that during the year, African…
Author: Bird Agency
Despite a squeeze in funding across Africa’s VC spectrum in 2023, climate tech startups were a striking exception, hauling in US$1 billion of the total US$3.5 billion raised as investor interest surged. Seth Onyango Climate tech startups bucked the trend in Africa’s venture capital space, actively notching up an impressive $1 billion amidst a broader funding fall-off in 2023. Data tracker, Africa: The Big Deal notes that around 1 in 3 dollars invested into startups on the continent in the forecast period went to climate tech startups. The strength of the sector according to the Deal, illustrates “both the potential…
Recently discovered coltan deposits offer to inject fresh momentum into Kenya’s mining sector, amplifying the impact of ongoing reforms. Bonface Orucho Kenya’s mining and extractives sector is flourishing, reaping the rewards of recent reforms that promise to increase sector revenues as the country positions itself for economic gains from the burgeoning industry. From legal and legislative reforms to seamless mapping and surveying of available resources, the East African country is showing increased interest in tapping into new revenue-generating opportunities in the sector. A recent find of Coltan deposits is the latest development that promises to increase the country’s mineral portfolio…
As a little girl, Fatma Hina received compliments for her designs. Now resident in the Swahili Town of Lamu, she makes money by offering a fresh new take on the age-old patterns used by henna artists worldwide. That’s helping to lure customers from as far away as Oman. Velma Pamela and Irene Mumbi A crowd has assembled on both sides of a narrow street in the Swahili Town of Lamu, making it difficult to see what has drawn so many people onto the road. From the sound of the festivities and the cries of approval from the crowd, it is…
IMF tracking shows that no African state has sought comprehensive debt relief in over a year indicating a trend of growing fiscal hygiene across the region. By Seth Onyango Countries in Africa are showing signs of improving fiscal management, as they navigate through a cascading set of global shocks that exacerbated their debt vulnerabilities. Remarkably, no state has sought comprehensive debt relief since Ghana’s request over a year ago, signalling a trend of growing fiscal discipline across the region. The improvement bucks the trend of recent years, given that several economies like Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Chad, sought debt restructuring or…
Mercy Makau’s love of flying knows no bounds. After founding a club for young aviation enthusiasts in 2012, she has expanded her engagement to mentor women in the industry. By Cynthia Rotich It’s a Tuesday morning at the Wildlife Club of Kenya and members of the Young Aviators Club of Africa are deeply engrossed in the Jamhuri Day celebrations, broadcast on a television in the premises. As soon as the military flypast begins, they excitedly gather outside to watch the display in the sky above. From the chatter, it is abundantly clear that they have a deep passion for flying…
Orphaned at 13, dancer Moesha Tajiri is on a crusade to provide what adults failed to give her as a child. By Ann Mbuthia On any given day, Moesha Kibibi Tajiri’s house, located in the heart of scenic Madaraka Estate in Nairobi, can be home to as many as 30 children, all eager to welcome visitors with the greeting, “feel at home.” It may be a crowd, Tajiri is quick to explain, but these are just some of the over a thousand she has “adopted”, country-wide. “I have four types of kids: orphans, children from mentally unstable parents, special needs…
When Ompelege Moreosele’s job as a receptionist didn’t feel right, she tapped into early memories of her food-loving grandmother and switched careers. Now she’s using those memories to make Botswana’s food culture famous. By Mmapula Molapong “My memories of food are very powerful. My earliest memory dates back to when I was about eight years old. I absolutely adored going to the farm with my grandmother, we used to get up really early in the morning on weekends to harvest vegetables, sorghum and maize,” said Ompelege Moreosele, who is better known both in Botswana and South Africa as food entrepreneur…
Cabo Verde has achieved a WHO-certified malaria-free status, showcasing the power of strategic health planning. The achievement inspires African nations as more countries pursue malaria elimination. Bonface Orucho Cabo Verde has achieved a significant milestone in the battle against malaria, securing malaria-free certification from the World Health Organization (WHO). In news released on Friday, January 12, WHO explained that indigenous malaria transmission by Anopheles mosquitoes across the archipelago of 10 islands has been halted nationwide for the past three consecutive years. The country’s certification is the fourth on the continent, following Mauritius, Morocco, and Algeria in 1973, 2010, and 2019,…
When Monica Marura relocated to an island she had never heard of, she thought she was supporting her husband’s career move. A few weeks in, however, her own career took off. Now fully integrated into the gig economy, Marura has become a recognisable figure on the island – and an entrepreneur in her own right. Velma Pamela and Irene Mumbi, bird story agency Monica Marura looks at her watch and realises she only has an hour before her next gig. She is due to film a Muslim bridal celebration and as per many traditional Islamic weddings, no men are permitted…