Startups stories

4 stories tagged startups.

Stories that
move Africa forward.

In-depth stories, expert insights, and real conversations from the heart of East Africa's tech ecosystem.

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Venture Capital5 min read

African venture capital is concentrating in fewer startups — and that changes the game for founders

African venture capital is becoming more concentrated in a smaller group of mature companies with proven revenue models. For founders across East Africa, that means the bar for fundraising is rising — and the case for sustainable growth is getting stronger.

Jul 27, 2026By Luis Pedro

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Fintech4 min read

Airtel Money Kenya leadership exit adds to a busy season for East Africa’s mobile money sector

The exit of Airtel Money Kenya’s chief comes at a sensitive moment for mobile money leadership in Kenya, with Airtel Kenya and Safaricom both seeing executive changes. For the region’s payments industry, the timing underscores how much strategy, regulation, and capital-market plans now intersect.

Jul 27, 2026By Luis Pedro

Fintech5 min read

Kenya’s digital lenders face a harder road after court ruling on unlicensed loans

A Kenyan court ruling could make it far harder for digital lenders to recover loans if they operated without the required CBK licence. For fintech founders, the decision is a reminder that regulatory approval is not just a compliance box — it can determine whether loan contracts hold up in court.

Jul 27, 2026By Luis Pedro

Policy4 min read

Why Kenya’s Revived Golden Visa Plan Could Matter for Founders and Venture Investors

Kenya is revisiting a residency-by-investment proposal that could give long-term residency to investors who commit substantial capital and create jobs. For the startup ecosystem, the bigger question is whether the policy can attract productive capital without becoming a symbolic gesture.

Jul 18, 2026By Luis Pedro

Policy4 min read

Why Nigeria’s New Virtual Assets Order Matters for East African Crypto Policy

Nigeria’s executive order to unify virtual assets regulation signals a more coordinated approach to crypto oversight. For East African founders and policy watchers, the key question is whether clearer rules can support innovation without weakening consumer and financial integrity safeguards.

Jul 18, 2026By Luis Pedro

Fintech6 min read

Kenya’s Digital Lender Clean-up Is Expanding the Market, but Borrower Complaints Still Matter

Kenya’s effort to regulate digital lenders is bringing more firms into the formal system, but borrower complaints show that licensing alone does not solve conduct problems. The next test is whether enforcement, disclosure, and collections standards improve in practice.

Jul 18, 2026By Luis Pedro

Founder Stories8 min read

Kenyan engineer’s classroom robotics idea points to a bigger edtech opportunity

A young Kenyan engineer is arguing that robots belong in every classroom, starting from a practical problem: deaf students struggling in STEM classes because sign language interpreters are scarce. The idea highlights how local engineering can meet real inclusion gaps.

Jul 17, 2026By Luis Pedro

Policy4 min read

Why Nigeria’s new virtual assets order matters for African crypto regulation

Nigeria’s move to unify virtual assets regulation could reshape how agencies coordinate on crypto oversight. For African founders and compliance teams, the bigger question is whether clearer rules will finally reduce fragmentation.

Jul 17, 2026By Luis Pedro

Fintech5 min read

Kenya’s digital lender clean-up is expanding licences — but borrower complaints are still rising

Kenya’s effort to regulate digital lenders has brought more firms into the formal system, yet borrower complaints remain a live issue. The gap between licensing and consumer trust is now the real test for the market.

Jul 17, 2026By Luis Pedro

Fintech6 min read

Rwanda’s eKash launch adds momentum to East Africa’s instant payments race

Rwanda’s new eKash platform adds another layer to the region’s push toward faster, more interoperable payments, with implications for banks, fintechs, and merchants.

Jul 17, 2026By Luis Pedro

Policy8 min read

Kenya’s revived golden visa plan could reshape the startup capital conversation

Kenya is revisiting a residency-by-investment proposal that could make the country more attractive to some investors, while raising new questions about how capital, jobs, and long-term residency intersect.

Jul 17, 2026By Luis Pedro

Fintech6 min read

Paystack’s Pesalink expansion shows where East African payments are heading

Paystack’s latest Kenya move points to a broader shift in African fintech: the battle is moving from card rails and wallets to the infrastructure that moves bank money directly inside checkout flows.

Jul 17, 2026By Luis Pedro

Fintech6 min read

Rwanda’s eKash launch points to a deeper push for instant payments in East Africa

Rwanda’s eKash platform adds to a growing regional shift toward instant payments, where speed, interoperability, and merchant usability are becoming central to digital finance.

Jul 17, 2026By Luis Pedro

Fintech6 min read

Digital lenders still dominate Kenya’s consumer complaints, underscoring the cost of rapid credit growth

Kenya’s digital lenders remain the biggest source of consumer complaints in financial services, a sign that reforms have not yet fully solved the sector’s customer protection problem.

Jul 17, 2026By Luis Pedro

Fintech4 min read

Paystack’s Pesalink expansion shows how African fintechs are turning bank transfers into checkout infrastructure

Paystack’s latest Kenya move points to a broader shift in African payments: fintechs are competing less on flashy payment methods and more on the infrastructure that moves money between banks, wallets, and merchants.

Jul 17, 2026By Luis Pedro

Fintech8 min read

Kenya’s digital lending problem is now a consumer trust problem

Digital lenders have become the largest source of consumer complaints in Kenya’s financial services sector, raising fresh questions about enforcement, product design, and borrower protections.

Jul 16, 2026By Luis Pedro

Fintech6 min read

Rwanda’s eKash launch signals a new phase for instant payments in East Africa

Rwanda’s launch of eKash adds another data point to East Africa’s push toward faster, more interoperable payment systems, with implications for banks, fintechs, and merchants.

Jul 16, 2026By Luis Pedro

Fintech7 min read

Paystack’s Pesalink move shows how East African fintech is shifting from payment methods to payment infrastructure

Paystack’s expansion of its Pesalink partnership points to a bigger shift in East Africa’s payments market: fintechs are increasingly competing on infrastructure that makes bank transfers easier to accept inside checkout flows.

Jul 16, 2026By Luis Pedro