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Ghanaian KudiGo has raised $US450,000 in seed funding from the Founders Factory Africa and angel investors from Ghana, U.S.A and Nigeria. The funding will enable the mobile-based retail payments and accounting provider expand its customer base and launch new products. KudiGo is one of the five startups selected to be part of Founders’ six-month accelerator program and received $US40,000 from Founders Factory Africa alongside the other four startups. KudiGO founder, Kingsley Abrokwah, says the company will push towards its 5,000 businesses target mark for the year as well as roll out its credit referencing and micro-lending modules for targeted users.

When Angola’s fourth telecommunications license was sold to the new kid on the block, Telstar, a company that was formed a month after bids for the license opened, analysts said current president Joao Lourenco had missed a ripe chance to set the country back on a new path of transparency. The license has been rescinded in a redress, for what the office of the president calls ‘non-compliance’. The tender will be reopened, a statement from the presidency says. As obtainable with the three major telecommunications companies in Angola, an army general is said to own 90% of Telstar. The company had beat 26 other local and international firms, to secure the deal valued at US$120 million dollars

AI-powered companion for domestic abuse victims in South Africa, rAInbow, has won a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Netexplo Award. Founded by Sage Foundation, in partnership with AI for Good and the Soul City Institute for Social Justice, the chatbot (accessed via Facebook Messenger), provides information and support for victims of domestic violence, their friends and their family, in simple language. Netexplo is an independent observatory that studies the impact of digital technology on society and business. In partnership with UNESCO, 10 breakthrough innovations from a pool of 2,000 are selected at the annual Netexplo Innovation Forum. Other winners include Soundshirt, an IoT connected tee-shirt that allows the deaf and hard of hearing to feel music in an immersive way.

After spending nearly ten years building sub-Saharan Africa’s largest job listing site, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jobberman, Ayodeji Adewunmi, has resigned to pursue a professional career in investment. Jobberman is one of the portfolio companies of Ringier One Africa Media, a product of a 2017 merger between Ringier Africa and One Africa Media to become the leading classifieds group in Sub-Saharan Africa. Head of Jobs, Ringier One Africa Media (ROAM), Matthew Page, has been announced as the interim head.

Software developer training company Andela, is one of thirty portfolio companies managed by tennis star Serena Williams’ Venture Capital firm, Serena Ventures. A few days ago, Williams announced that since 2014, she has been investing in an array of industries that particularly embrace diverse leadership, individual empowerment, creativity and opportunity. Some of the other portfolio companies include organic baby food production and delivery company, Little Spoon; cryptocurrency exchange platform, Coinbase and LOLA, an organic reproductive care line for women.

Semicolon, an organization focused on empowering the next generation of tech entrepreneurs, is now accepting applications for its next cohort. The intensive 12-month program will serve as an incubator for selective startups with trainings on developing skills in entrepreneurship, business management, design thinking, and core software engineering skills. Click here to apply to join this training cohort.

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