Tech

South African calling app startup, Talk360, gets $7m seed funding following new backing

Published

2 years ago

October 4, 2022

South Africa’s international calling app, Talk360, a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) startup, has secured an additional US$3 million in seed round funding, taking its total seed round to US$7 million after its first funding in May.

Talk360’s latest investors include lead angel investor, HAVAÍC, Allan Gray E2 Ventures (AGEV), Kalon Venture Partners, E4E Africa, Endeavor, and Tjaart van der Walt and Coenraad Jonker.

The app which enables people around the world to make reliable and affordable calls to any landline or mobile phone worldwide, co-founded in 2016 by South African venture builder, Dean Hiine with Dutch entrepreneurs Hans Osnabrugge and Jorne Schamp, provides phone calls to any offline landline or mobile phone in the world.

Earlier in May, the startup had secured a US$4 million seed round, which has now grown to $7 million with the additional $3m it secured on Monday

Hiine who spoke on the new investment, said the funds will help the company “grow its market share in South Africa, drive its growth on the rest of the continent and launch its market first pan-African payment platform in 2023.”

“Our mission is to bridge distance and connect lives by offering reliable, affordable, and easy-to-use digital services, delivered in a localised manner to all communities, particularly emerging countries, so they can connect to the world,” Hiine said.

“But we’re not just solving socio-economic issues: we’re also offering micro-entrepreneurship and income generating opportunities to our growing network of agents across the country,” he added.

Click to comment

Tech

Kenya’s ticketing startup BuuPass partners Flexpay for flexible travel payments

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Kenyan digital ticketing startup, BuuPass, has entered into a partnership with goal-based savings platform, Flexpay, to offer customers flexible payment plans ahead of holiday travels as well as simplify travel planning and ease the financial burden of holiday travel for Kenyans.

Co-founder and CEO at Buupass, Sonia Kabra, who unveiled the package at a press conference, said the collaboration between the two platforms will allow travellers to save for their journeys in manageable, interest-free installments over four to 12 weeks.

“Travelers can select their travel dates, book tickets, and pay a small deposit upfront, with the remaining balance spread across weekly or monthly payments,” she said.

“This approach offers a stress-free way for families and large groups to secure their tickets early, helping them avoid last-minute price hikes as fares are locked in.

“By partnering with Flexpay, we’re giving travelers the flexibility to budget for their trips in advance. This initiative aligns with our mission to make travel accessible to everyone, providing a solution that meets customers where they are financially,” said Kabra.

Also speaking at the event, Richard Machomba, CEO and founder of Flexpay, said:

“Flexpay’s mission is to empower individuals by providing accessible financial solutions that make it easier for them to achieve their financial goals.

“By partnering with BuuPass, we’re making travel more accessible and stress-free for Kenyans, especially during the holiday season when expenses can be overwhelming,” Machomba added.

Founded in 2016 by Kabra and Wyclife Omondi, BuuPass is a B2B2C mobility marketplace that enables users to search, compare, and book travel tickets via web, app, or USSD, while its SaaS platform helps bus operators manage their operations, inventory, and sales.

FlexPay, on the other hand, is an online and offline payment gateway that allows merchants to offer interest-free targeted savings to their customers in Africa.

Tech

DR Congo sues tech giant Apple over illegal mineral exploitation

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has filed a criminal case against the European subsidiaries of tech giant, Apple, accusing them of illegal mineral exploitation and allegedly using “blood minerals” in its supply chain.

In the suit filed on Tuesday, the DRC alleges that Apple has bought contraband supplies from the country’s conflict-ladden east and Rwanda, zones in which it allege the materials are mined illegally and then integrated into global supply chains before ending up in tech devices.

The DRC suit specifically mentioned Apple subsidiaries in France and Belgium, accusing the tech giant of using conflict minerals in its supply chain.

The DRC is a major source of tin, tantalum, and tungsten which are used in electronic devices, with some mines controlled by armed groups responsible for human rights violations.

International lawyers representing the African country’s government have accused Apple’s local subsidiaries of taking these minerals from conflict areas and laundering them through international supply chains, with one lawyer telling journalists that Belgium had a moral duty to act given its history of exploiting the country’s resources under colonial rule.

However, in its response, Apple claims it conducts supplier audits and does not directly source primary minerals.

https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1262670-dr-congo-sues-apple-over-alleged-illegal-mineral-exploitation