Author: Elan
South Africa’s Grindstone Ventures has launched a R500 million, approximately $31.2 million, venture capital fund targeting technology-driven African companies seeking to move from Seed funding to Series A. Led by Grindstone Ventures CEO Thandiwe Maqetuka, the fund was established in partnership with Knife Capital and Thinkroom. It is targeting an initial close of R150 million and plans to invest in between 15 and 20 companies, with most investments expected to go to South African businesses alongside selected opportunities elsewhere in Africa. The fund is focused on startups that have already demonstrated commercial potential but still require capital and operational support…
A new coalition is challenging African fashion to turn its long traditions of repair, reuse and community production into a modern industrial strategy that keeps more jobs, knowledge and economic value on the continent. The most important collection at this year’s Lagos Fashion Week will not be on the runway. Organisers will use Africa’s largest and most influential fashion event to launch a continent-wide blueprint to encourage the industry to embrace regenerative fashion. Lagos Fashion Week is a multi-day fashion week held in Lagos, Nigeria. Founded in 2011 by Omoyemi Akerele, Lagos Fashion Week is a leading transformative movement. By…
In brief Senate Republicans released an updated Clarity Act on Thursday. The draft would require non-decentralized trading protocols to register with the CFTC. A Senate procedural vote is scheduled for September 15. Senate Republicans released a revised Clarity Act on Thursday that targets “decentralized-in-name-only” crypto trading protocols.The new language would require non-decentralized protocols, that is those controlled by people or groups, to register with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.Myriad: Will Congress pass the Clarity Act? Click to make your prediction.Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R., Wyo.) unveiled the 630-page updated legislation ahead of the September 15 procedural vote to pass the Clarity…
In 2025, Nigeria leads the world in cryptocurrency adoption, with over 33% of its population holding digital assets, per Statista. Fuelled by a tech-savvy youth and economic necessity, Nigeria’s blockchain ecosystem is a global force. Amid an evolving regulatory landscape, a group of influential voices is shaping not just Nigeria but Africa’s digital finance future. These crypto titans, educators, innovators, and advocates are driving blockchain’s transformative potential across the continent. In this article, we spotlight Nigeria’s top 10 blockchain influencers, who are redefining Africa’s decentralised revolution: 1. Chimezie Chuta: The regulatory architect Chimezie Chuta, founder of the Blockchain Nigeria User…
Windows being filled with bloatware is like saying rain is wet: it’s common knowledge. A lot of the programs that come preinstalled with Windows are things nobody asks for or even uses. Like, who uses Clipchamp or still plays Solitaire? Definitely not me, and I don’t know anyone who does. Apart from being mostly useless, these apps take up valuable space on your storage drive and can contribute to a slower and more cluttered PC over time. Well, I refuse to live with that forever, so I took matters into my hands. Related I cleaned 200GB of hidden junk using…
Climate Shock As the continent’s economies try to maintain growth in an already constrained environment, the severe climate disruptions expected in the coming months risk weighing on harvests, food prices and public finances. By Alix Lavoué A Sudanese farmer ploughs his land in Gedaref State, eastern Sudan, in July 2026. © AFP Published on September 10, 2026 at 13:00 pm (GMT +1) A “super El Niño” is poised to strike an African continent whose room for manoeuvre has shrunk further since the last major climate episode. According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the phenomenon has more…
Listen to this article Tokyo is redefining its engagement with Africa, transitioning from traditional aid-based approaches to strategic venture capital (VC) investments focused on long-term partnerships, innovation and capacity building. Several Japanese private companies are making Japan’s presence felt in Africa’s VC landscape, particularly in high-growth sectors such as fintech, climate tech and mobility. Growing demand for innovative, technology-driven solutions in Africa has drawn increasing interest from international investors. VC funding in Africa rose from over US$2 billion in 2019 to a peak of US$5.2 billion in 2022. Though investment declined to around US$3.6 billion in 2023, the continent’s start-up…
An artist’s rendering of the Liyongo development.PARTNER CONTENTWhen Christopher Nash arrived in Zanzibar in 2021, he was not expecting to build a village. The visit was intended as time with family, not a business venture. But Kendwa had other plans for him, and he returned to London with an idea he could not set aside.Five years later, he is building Liyongo, a 60-villa residential development on the Zanzibari coast.On arrival, he experienced the fascination anyone would upon seeing Kendwa Beach for the first time: its white sand, turquoise water, and a landscape drawing growing international attention. Yet he also identified…
Ghana’s Poku-Diaby plots a move up the cocoa value chain with support from Afreximbank – African Business Ghana’s Poku-Diaby plots a move up the cocoa value chain with support from Afreximbank – African Business
Solana’s shorter trading intervals could let liquidity providers keep more of the value that trading bots extract from outdated pool prices. Fee-charging pools whose prices lag external markets have the clearest modeled benefit.Solana’s mainnet has reached the reported 300-millisecond slot target, shortening the intervals allocated for block production. Validator software developer Anza also issued its Sept. 8 call for volunteers to adopt Agave v4.3.These separate upgrades change both trading opportunities and the costs of running the network.The economic question is how much trading value remains with the people supplying liquidity after faster execution, fees, and competition between bots. A larger…