FlexClub, a South African startup that matches investors and drivers to cars for ride-hailing services, closed a $1.2 million seed round led by CRE Venture Capital. The company will use the financing to add team members and expand off the continent through a partnership with Uber Mexico. The move comes as Africa’s tech-transit space continues […]
View More South Africa’s FlexClub raises $1.2M, partners with Uber MexicoCategory: Mexico
Google has quietly added DuckDuckGo as a search engine option for Chrome users in ~60 markets
In an update to the chromium engine, which underpins Google’s popular Chrome browser, the search giant has quietly updated the lists of default search engines it offers per market — expanding the choice of search product users can pick from in markets around the world. Most notably it’s expanded search engine lists to include pro-privacy […]
View More Google has quietly added DuckDuckGo as a search engine option for Chrome users in ~60 marketsAmazon may provide Mexico with a government-backed mobile payment system
Mobile payments may soon be coming to Mexico, courtesy of Amazon.
Mexico’s central bank, Banxico, is currently in talks with Amazon to developer a mobile payment system backed by the country’s government. The payment system, known as CoDi, would allow customers to pay for purchases, both online and in-person, using QR codes on their smartphones.
As Reuters points out in its report, more than half of Mexico’s population does not have a bank account. Banxico is looking to change this with CoDi.
According to market research firm Euromonitor International, less than 4 percent of total retail sales in Mexico came from ecommerce last year. The QR code-powered mobile payment service would be free of charge to use, which should help spur growth in the country’s online shopping sector. Read more…
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Africa Roundup: Kenya’s BRCK acquires EveryLayer, Nigeria’s TeamApt eyes global expansion
Kenyan communications hardware company BRCK acquired the assets of Nairobi based internet provider Surf and its U.S. parent EveryLayer in a purchase deal of an undisclosed amount in February. Based in Nairobi, Surf is a hotspot service provider aimed at offering affordable internet to lower income segments. BRCK is a five year old venture that pairs its rugged WiFi routers […]
View More Africa Roundup: Kenya’s BRCK acquires EveryLayer, Nigeria’s TeamApt eyes global expansionNigerian fintech firm TeamApt raises $5M, eyes global expansion
Nigerian fintech startup TeamApt has raised $5.5 million in capital in a Series A round led by Quantum Capital Partners. The Lagos based firm will use the funds to expand its white label digital finance products and pivot to consumer finance with the launch of its AptPay banking app. Founded by Tosin Eniolorunda, TeamApt supplies […]
View More Nigerian fintech firm TeamApt raises $5M, eyes global expansionGoTrendier raises $3.5 million to take on Spanish-language fashion marketplaces
Thanks to environmentally conscious young buyers, throwaway culture is dying not only in the U.S., but also in Latin America — and startups are poised to jump in with services to help people recycle used clothing. GoTrendier, a peer-to-peer fashion marketplace operative in Mexico and Colombia, has raised $3.5 million USD to do just that. […]
View More GoTrendier raises $3.5 million to take on Spanish-language fashion marketplacesBRCK acquires ISPs EveryLayer and Surf to boost Africa’s public Wi-Fi
Jake Bright Contributor Jake Bright is a writer and author in New York City. He is co-author of The Next Africa. More posts by this contributor Africa Roundup: Zimbabwe’s net blackout, Partech’s $143M fund, Andela’s $100M raise, Flutterwave’s pivot Partech is doubling the size of its African venture fund to $143 million Kenyan communications hardware […]
View More BRCK acquires ISPs EveryLayer and Surf to boost Africa’s public Wi-FiInvestors are pouring money into Latin America’s logistics and shipping businesses
New technology companies are poised to transform the shipping and freight industry across Latin America. Startups like Liftit, a Colombian provider of trucking services, and Nowports, a Mexican freight shipping startup, are angling to be the next Convoy and Flexport — at a time when shipping and logistics business in Latin America is booming thanks […]
View More Investors are pouring money into Latin America’s logistics and shipping businessesA simple data analysis disproves the argument for building a border wall
Ken Miller Contributor Ken Miller is an investor, writer and advisor to several technology companies and venture capital firms. Previously he was an executive at PayPal and Intuit, and early advisor to Square. More posts by this contributor As hyper-conservative media surged, Republicans’ trust in news cratered Data shows a downward demographic spiral for Republicans […]
View More A simple data analysis disproves the argument for building a border wallHola Code tackles the real migration crisis
Tamara Davison Contributor Share on Twitter Tamara Davison is a British journalist reporting from Mexico. She has written for The i Newspaper and Entrepreneur as well as many regional newspapers worldwide, and she is the current editor of Aztec Reports. After spending eight months in an immigration facility in the United States, Abimael Hernandez made […]
View More Hola Code tackles the real migration crisisMexican airline trolls Americans with brilliant ad
While the debate over immigration and a border wall between the United States and Mexico has helped grind the U.S. federal government to a halt, Mexico’s national airline, AeroMexico, is trolling Americans with a new ad called “DNA Discounts.”
Th…
Why Silicon Valley needs more visas
Henrique Dubugras Contributor Share on Twitter Henrique Dubugras is the founder Brex, the billion-dollar corporate credit provider for startups. When I hear protesters shout, “Immigrants are welcome here!” at the San Francisco immigration office near my startup’s headquarters, I think about how simple a phrase that is for a topic that is so nuanced, especially […]
View More Why Silicon Valley needs more visas