Nairobi-linked Satlyt raises $8M to expand AI computing on satellites
Nairobi-linked Satlyt has raised an $8 million seed round to expand software that lets satellites process data and run AI applications in orbit.
In-depth stories, expert insights, and real conversations from the heart of East Africa's tech ecosystem.
Nairobi-linked Satlyt has raised an $8 million seed round to expand software that lets satellites process data and run AI applications in orbit.
The one-day event challenged developers to build practical tools for network monitoring, SIM-swap fraud, rural connectivity and telecom customer service.
The Ugandan platform targets businesses that still manage departments through a mix of spreadsheets, paper records and separate software tools.
The Central Bank of Kenya says licensed digital lenders had issued 9.6 million loans worth KSh165.1 billion by August 2026.
The operator says AI is helping its teams find outages and network degradation earlier, while a location-by-location 5G rollout reaches Musanze.
The Addis Ababa programme brought regulators, banks and technology companies into discussions on cyber risk, interoperable payments and digital public infrastructure.
The new checkout options let customers tap an NFC phone on a Pesapal terminal, scan a pre-filled QR code or use AI to read payment details from a receipt.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.