Hello Africa!
We begin today’s big 5 with news from Morroco. Let’s dive in.
Moroccan Health-tech start-up, DabaDoc Secures Investment From Axa Insurance… Casablanca-based healthtech start-up, DabaDoc, which helps patients book appointments with doctors, has secured an investment from Axa Insurance Morocco. Although the details of the deal were not disclosed, the start-up plans to use the investment to improve its footprint in the existing geographies and further develop its services.
Also, A digital healthcare start-up in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), called Vezeeta, has landed $12 million Series C investment round, led by one of the largest VC funds in the region – STV.
Vezeeta connects patients and doctors through an online platform. It provides SaaS solutions that utilize cloud computing and big data to empower doctors, building the infrastructure for the development of the broader healthcare ecosystem.
Meanwhile, Africa’s leading entrepreneurship focused philanthropy, the Tony Elumelu Foundation, is launching the world’s largest digital platform – TEFConnect.
TEFConnect which is for African entrepreneurs and the African entrepreneurship ecosystem will launch officially at the 2018 TEF Forum on October 25, 2018 in Lagos.
In Kenya, Lori Systems Launch in Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan… Nairobi based logistics start-up, Lori Systems has moved into Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan after winning multiple bids associated with the newly built $4B railroad system in East Africa.
The start-up also partnered with Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway, to help reduce the costs involved by truckers in moving bulk imports and exports.
In some not-so-good news from Kenya, the country’s president, Uhuru Kenyatta, has proposed increase in taxes on mobile payments and other money transfer services. This was contained in a document sent to the country’s parliament.
According to Reuters, the president planned to hike the excise duty on mobile money transfer fees from 10 percent to 12 percent. He also proposed a 20 percent fees charged by banks, money transfer services, and other financial institutions for each money transfer they do.
That’s for this week.
Thank you for reading and see you next week.