Tech

SA’s hospitality startup, Neighbourgood acquires local travel company, Local Knowledge

Published

3 weeks ago

November 18, 2023

South African hospitality startup, Neighbourgood has announced acquisition of travel-tech company, Local Knowledge in a bid to add travel experiences to its services.

The CEO of Neighbourgood, Murray Clark, who made the announcement, said the strategic acquisition of Local Knowledge would help Neighbourgood’s guests “create lifelong memories and meaningful connections through authentic, local experiences and tours, community-centric events, and an intuitive app that provides personalised recommendations and inside access to what’s happening in a city”.

Neighbourgood, which was founded by the trio of Clark, Kim Clark and St John Gardner, according to the CEO, is on a mission to bring good to neighbourhoods around the world.

“With over 1,000 living and working spaces, and an additional 650 in the pipeline for 2024, we have established as one of the fastest-growing hospitality companies in Africa.

“Through this acquisition, Local Knowledge will build “The Experience Vertical.

“This acquisition represents a significant milestone in the travel and hospitality industry in South Africa.

“It’s a meaningful step toward a future where travel is not just about destinations but about the friendships, experiences, and communities we build along the way. Neighbourgood and Local Knowledge are well-poised to lead this transformative journey,” Clark said

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Tech

Egyptian online auto parts startup Mtor raises $2.8m funding

Published

4 hours ago

December 8, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

Egyptian online auto parts startup, Mtor, has announced raising $2.8 million in pre-seed funding to enable it expand its product portfolio to digitise local car workshops in the country.

Co-founder and CEO of the startup, Mohamed Maged, who made the announcement, explained that with the funds which were secured from Algebra Ventures with participation from the Dutch Founders Fund (DFF), Aditum Ventures, LoftyInc Capital Management, and a number of local and global angel investors, the firm was set to expand its offering.

“With the new funds, we aim to become the most trusted partner for our mechanics by empowering them to better cater to the car owner’s needs in terms of quality parts and fast service,” Maged said.

“It can be a car owner’s nightmare to get their car serviced. Mtor was founded to fundamentally transform this reality and make the process easier and more efficient, empowering a layer of local car workshops that are well rounded with quality parts, a suitable price position, and a good customer experience.

“The local automotive aftermarket is inefficient with a fragmented and scattered supply chain. Workshops and mechanics face many challenges, including limited product availability, inaccurate fitment data, and a lack of price transparency.

“These issues inevitably trickle down to car owners, who are also faced with limited-service quality guarantees and a complex, time-consuming spare parts procurement process.

“Mtor aims to overhaul this system through its controlled, tech-enabled marketplace, backed by its proprietary Mtor Mechanic app, where pricing, availability, and fitment data are reliably just a click away,” the CEO stated.

He added that the funds raised would be used to further grow Mtor’s product suite, digitise local car workshops, and eliminate major inefficiencies in the automotive spare parts supply chain in Egypt and the region.

Founded in 2022 by Maged, Moaz El-Megharbel, Mohamed Altaf, and Khaled Kandil, Mtor provides a unified platform for local car workshops and on-demand automotive spare parts at reasonable prices.

It has delivered over 70,000 orders, partnering with over 2,500 car workshops in the greater Cairo area, according to the company’s profile on its website.

Tech

Kenya, Ghana, Senegal the pilots as YouTube Music launches in Africa

Published

1 day ago

December 7, 2023

Akanimoh Etim

International video sharing and social networking platform, YouTube, on Thursday announced the launch of YouTube Music and YouTube Premium with the pilot schemes taking off in Kenya, Ghana and Senegal.

Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa at YouTube, Addy Awofisayo, who made the announcement, said the new offerings would give subscribers something they had never experienced before.

He added that the expansion builds upon YouTube’s commitment to innovation and the exportation of culture, promising a more engaging and personalized experience for music and video enthusiasts in Africa.

“Music is a powerful force that can unite people beyond their geographical and language barriers; It brings joy and elevates the psyche.

“We’re excited to bring YouTube Music to Africa as this reinforces our commitment to provide individuals access to the music they love while exploring other interesting music preferences.”

Awofisayo further explains that YouTube Premium is all of YouTube and YouTube Music without interruptions.

“What this means is that subscribers will receive ad-free viewing, background play, and the ability to download videos for offline viewing.

“Additionally, Premium subscribers will automatically receive a premium version of YouTube Music, which enables them to listen to music offline and without ads on the standalone YouTube Music app.

“In addition to YouTube Music, YouTube Premium caters to our dedicated viewers by providing an enhanced viewing environment, empowering them to watch their favorite content seamlessly,” Awofisayo added.