Market Intelligence OP-ED: Embedded InsuranceâHow routine township shopping in South Africa now buys you 'invisible' funeral cover SAG Venturesâ Purchase Pal, underwritten by Sanlam, tucks funeral insurance into everyday grocery purchases. No forms, no intermediaries, no premiums. Prince Nwadeyi shows what happens when deep consumer research drives product design.
Fintech OP-ED: Stablecoins and Africaâs Fintech FutureâEfficiency, exclusion, and the price of progress As stablecoins promise fast, cheap transfers, African businesses must weigh efficiency against surveillance risks and shifting gatekeepers in a new digital financial order.
Digital Transformation OP-ED: Can Fibre Optic Manufacturing Joint Ventures Like YOA Cable Drive Africaâs Next Industrial Wave? Pieter E. Viljoen, a physicist-turned-optic cable manufacturing boss, is betting that rethinking fibre from first principles could help restart Africaâs stalled industrial ambitions.
Ecosystem OP-ED: Funding PlusâAlesimo Mwanga on why strategic partnerships are the secret to scaling African innovation Ecosystem strategist Alesimo Mwanga explains how strategic partnerships unlock cross-border venture growth where funding alone falls short.
Artificial Intelligence OP-ED: Claude, Deepfakes, and the Death of âRealââA wake-up call for the digital age As AI blurs the line between truth and fiction, our collective indifference to reality could prove more dangerous than the technologies reshaping our world.
Banking OP-ED: Africa Isnât IndiaâBut Capitec Bankâs success shows the value of local insight South Africaâs largest retail bank, Capitec, shows how aligning with real consumer behaviourânot imported modelsâcan unlock value in Africaâs fragmented, stratified, and misunderstood markets.
Career OP-ED: When AI Comes for Your CraftâA personal reckoning in Africaâs creative scene AI is disrupting African creative workâand itâs personal. Andile Masuku confronts hard truths about his own voiceover career and what comes next for creatives all over the continent.
Venture Capital OP-ED: Why âVenture Capitalâ in Africa Is a MisnomerâAnd what to do about it Africaâs startup funding landscape is often mislabelled as venture capital, but the reality is starkly different. Itâs time for honest, context-driven investment models that truly fit.
Ecosystem OP-ED: Edge of the MatrixâBankole Oluwafemi on levelling up in a world of unequal passport access For Nigerians, global mobility isn't just travelâit's a game rigged at birth. "Full-stack creative" and TechCabal founder Bankole Oluwafemi reveals how to hack the system and rewrite your sovereignty stats.
Infrastructure OP-ED: As Starlink disrupts broadband incumbents in urban Africa, is carrier neutrality the answer? Beyond monopolies and satellite hype, carrier-neutral infrastructure offers the continent a potential third path amid global internet connectivity upheavals and geopolitical uncertainties.
Founders OP-ED: African Logistics Reality CheckâGugulethu Siso shares hard-earned insights on avoiding startup failure Thumeza founder Gugulethu Siso reveals the brutal survival cycle of African logistics startups and shares practical wisdom for navigating relationship-driven markets where technology alone cannot ensure success.
HealthTech #TechTidesTuesday Lite: AI Isnât Just Automating WorkâItâs raising the stakes Off the cuff...
Artificial Intelligence OP-ED: Metaâs AI StrategyâSmart investment or reckless high-stakes gamble? Following the Meta-verse misfire, will Metaâs AI ambitions prove to be a masterstroke or another costly detour? Tinashe Mukogo slides the abacus beads and analyses what they mean for Africa.
This Is Connectivity OP-ED: The New Rules of InfluenceâIkpeme Neto on leveraging public persona for startup success Doctor-turned-founder Ikpeme Neto is building Wellahealth with substance over hype. His journey highlights the power of strategic visibility, public engagement, and sustainable execution in digital healthcare.
Ecosystem OP-ED: If Weekend Go SweetâFatu Ogwuche's reading of African Tech's 2024 'Wednesday' signals Through the lens of a street-smart Nigerian saying, Big Tech This Week founder Fatu Ogwuche unpacks a year of tense realities in African tech and why 2024's closing signals are fueling high hopes for 2025.
Startups OP-ED: AI and the Rise of the Tech SolopreneurâHype or reality? AIâs efficiency revolution is reshaping tech entrepreneurship. From US insurtech Jerryâs profit flip to Postmanâs automated API tools, Africaâs solopreneurs could thrive with lean, AI-driven models over capital-intensive scaling.
Market Intelligence OP-ED: Awkward Investment RealitiesâThe case for backing 'boring' business in Africa As African tech investments plateau, Balloon Ventures' $14 million SME portfolio reveals an uncomfortable truth: 'boring' traditional businesses might be outperforming venture-backed startups in real economic impact.
Entrepreneurship OP-ED: From Assumption to ImmersionâFeyi Olubodun on what it takes to succeed in African markets Navigating African markets requires more than confidence and credentialsâit demands deep cultural immersion. Consumer behaviour specialist Feyi Olubodunâs insights challenge our assumptions and redefine what true market understanding looks like.
Artificial Intelligence OP-ED: Decoding DeepSeekâWill Chinaâs lean AI model alter global information flows? Andile Masuku takes stock of the rapid evolution of global AI innovation, exploring its far-reaching implications for journalism, the creative industries, and the legal landscape.
Venture Capital OP-ED: African Techâs Next Big ChallengeâMatching venture capital to realistic outcomes Misaligned funding models are stalling wins in African tech. Venture builder-turned-founder Sona Mahendra offers astute insights on aligning venture capital with scalable, sustainable growth.
This Is Connectivity OP-ED: From Couch to ConnectivityâBuilding a global network on a failed podcast A squawking Hadeda ibis, a faltering TV career and a failed podcast in Johannesburg became unlikely building blocks for global tech ecosystem connections.
Ecosystem OP-ED: WhatsApp's Global Dominance and Africa's Tech EvolutionâA 2024 reflection From WhatsApp eating the world to Ethiopian developers' quiet brilliance, Andile Masuku reflects on how big global tech and Africa's diverse tech cultures are reshaping our digital future.
Banking OP-ED: Banking EvolutionâBuilding digital banks that balance scale and sustainability Global shifts and regional demands are transforming neobanking, as African digital banks redefine success through delivering market-relevant financial services profitably and sustainably.
Ecosystem OP-ED: Systematic Strategies & DIY InnovationâShaking up market education in Africaâs startup investment scene A new generation of African VC professionals is reshaping ecosystem education through institutional strategy and individual innovation.
Telecoms OP-ED: Emergence Over ExtractionâWhat Africaâs telco sector teaches us about progress Andile Masuku taps Lanre Kolade's insights on patient collaboration, creative capital and ecosystem alignment behind landing Google's Equiano cable in Togo, sparking transformative regional broadband connectivity.
