Tag: African Business in America

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Meaningful Gigs raises $6M seed to link designers in Africa with remote jobs from US companies

By Annie Njanja | Techcrunch

The gig economy has been on an upward trajectory, more so since 2020, when it experienced a huge spurt accelerated by the pandemic. And it is not showing signs of a slowdown the world over, with the sector’s growth now expected to reach $455 billion in 2023, double the value in 2018 and a 17% CAGR. Meanwhile, as gig opportunities increase, so do the platforms linking workers with remote opportunities.

Meaningful Gigs is one such platform, fashioning itself as the go-to marketplace for freelance designers in Africa looking to eke a living by taking on assignments from multinationals in the U.S. like Coca-Cola, Audi, Vans and IDEO.

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Enterpreneurship

Founded by Ghanian Immigrant Sam Badoo, Fleri allows users to sponsor health insurance for those abroad

BY CYNTHIA BENT FINDLAY | FOR COLUMBUS CEO 

Founded by Ghanaian immigrant Sam Baddoo, Fleri is a platform that allows users to purchase health insurance for beneficiaries in Africa and other in countries far away—currently only in Nigeria and Ghana, but is expanding rapidly. The beneficiary can go to local doctors, pharmacies or hospitals without having to wait for relatives to send money.

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Business

Ikenna Okezie’s Somatus Raises $325M to Deliver Proven Value-Based Kidney Care Model to More Americans with Kidney Disease

By Businesswire

Co-founded by Nigerian-born Ikeena Okezie, Somatus, America ’s leading and largest value-based kidney care company, announced an oversubscribed Series E financing of $325+ million, at a valuation of over $2.5 billion. The funding will be used to further the reach and impact of its value-based kidney care model.

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Uncategorized

Mercury Bank restricts accounts linked to African startups

Mercury Bank, a San Francisco based digital bank that touts itself to be the bank for startups, has restricted the accounts of startups linked to the African continent, with the CEO, Immad Akhund, stating that the restriction was due to ‘unusual activity’.

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Business

American investors propel Flutterwave to being Africa’s most valuable startup with $3B valuation

By Gillian Tan | Bloomberg

Flutterwave Inc., an Africa and emerging markets-focused payments firm, more than tripled its valuation in less than a year to over $3 billion following its latest fund-raising. B Capital Group led the $250 million round, with participation from Alta Park Capital LP, Whale Rock Capital and Lux Capital, Flutterwave said in an emailed statement on Wednesday. The investment has enabled the company to become the “highest valued” African startup, it said.

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Africa

Africa is the Place to Invest, visiting US Congressional Delegation acknowledges to African Development Bank Chief

By African Development Bank

United States Congressman Gregory Meeks has warned that the United States will only be part of the future if it invests in Africa now. The congressman from New York and Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee was speaking during a visit to the African Development Bank Group on Saturday, as he and a team of congressional colleagues concluded a tour of three West African countries. African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina and several senior Bank officials welcomed the group to the Bank’s headquarters in Abidjan.

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People

Meet Seble Alemayehu and Felekech Biratu, the co-founders of Yenaé, an online-based, high-end fashion jewelry brand.

By Robert Smith Business School

Seble Alemayehu and Felekech (Fei) Biratu started as high school friends, and after a similar journey through life, a move around the globe and two MBA degrees from the Robert Smith School, they now are proud co-founders of Yenaé, an online-based, high-end fashion jewelry brand.

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African Chop: Eclectic Instapot of Flavors in Los Angeles

by Lena Nozizwe

Food is so ingrained into the culture of Cameroon that even the West African country’s name, camarão, means shrimp in Portuguese. Throw in some 250 ethnic groups and the influences of colonization by Germany, France and the United Kingdom. Add the Portuguese explorers who named the country after a crustacean and you get an eclectic Instapot of flavors. Flavors served up in African Chop, as far as I can tell the only sub-Saharan African food truck in Los Angeles, California.

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Business

Egyptian Coffee Shop in New York stakes claim to being first hookah lounge in America

Sip coffee and talk politics at this landmark cafe in Astoria’s Little Egypt, a contender for the title of America’s first hookah bar. 

By REINA GATTUSO

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Uncategorized

Ethiopian Airlines Launches Three Weekly Flights to New York’s JFK Airport

By John Wanjohi

Ethiopian Airlines has launched three weekly flights to New York’s John F Kennedy (JFK) International Airport. The airline said the new flights to New York will make stopovers in Abidjan, Ivory Coast (West Africa).

Ethiopian currently operates four other weekly flights to Newark, via Lome (Togo).

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Business

Tunisia’s AfricInvest partners with Cathay Innovation launch $170 million fund to invest in African startups

By Zubair Naeem Paracha

Tunisian private equity firm AfricInvest that has $1.5 billion in assets under its management, is partnering with San Francisco-based Cathay Innovation, a global VC fund created by French PE firm Cathay Capital, to launch Cathay AfricInvest Innovation Fund, the two organization announced in a joint statement earlier this week.

The fund, with a projected size of about $170 million (€150 million) which could make it one of the largest VC funds in Africa, will invest in technology startups all across Africa.

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Business

How Delta Could Help Kenya Airways Launch an Atlanta-Nairobi Flight

By Trevor Williams

Atlanta is in the flight plan for Kenya Airways, a SkyTeam partner of Delta Air Lines Inc. which could eventually fulfill the latter’s decade-old effort to link its hometown and Nairobi, Kenya’s capital.

Kenyan Ambassador to the U.S. Robinson Njeru Githae told Global Atlanta that his country’s the flag carrier is eyeing links with Washington, then Atlanta, following the opening of a nonstop route to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport last October.

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News, People

NBA Basketball Star, Andre Iguodala Joins Jumia Board of Directors

Leading e-commerce platform in Africa announces the addition of the NBA player and tech “ambassador” on its board.
Andre Iguodala, a member of the three-time reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors, has joined the Board of Directors of Jumia, the leading e-commerce platform in Africa.

As Jumia’s ambassador charged with promoting business development and technology in Africa, Iguodala will bring his network in the technology industry, interest in Africa and vast experience as an athlete on one of the most successful teams in NBA basketball history.

Andre Iguodala plays for the three-time reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors and is widely recognized for his interest and knowledge in technology and e-commerce. And as a member of the Board and a Jumia’s ambassador, he is charged with promoting business development and technology in Africa.

Andre Iguodala who has a strong Nigerian heritage hopes to use his success in basketball to improve life in Africa.

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Uncategorized

U.S. to host Trade with Africa Business Summit

Following a successful inaugural event in 2018 held in Bentonville, Arkansas; home to world’s leading retailer and Fortune #1; Walmart, global business leaders, trade experts and policy representatives of U.S. and African countries will convene for the 2nd
edition of the “Trade with Africa Business Summit” in Chicago.

This event positions the Chicago Metropolitan area and the State of Illinois as a favorable destination for Africa’s business & political leaders looking to create new trade partnerships in the U.S.

Theme of the 2019 event is: Growing U.S. – Africa Trade, Trade Financing & Developing Africa’s Supply Chain. Africa offers new markets for U.S. made products. Similarly, U.S. serves as an untapped market for authentic African products (raw and manufactured). Trade with Africa Business Summit 2019 helps fast-track such discussions with stakeholders from the world’s next economic frontier; Africa. Continue reading “U.S. to host Trade with Africa Business Summit” →

Business

Nigerian Airline, Boeing Announce Largest Aircraft Deal in Africa to Date

Nigeria’s Green Africa Airways is off to a flying start with the launch of its commercial operations, thanks to a commitment for the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer. Boeing and the Lagos-based airline inked an $11.7 billion deal for up to 100 737 MAX 8 aircraft, evenly split into 50 firm aircraft and 50 options, Boeing announced in a Dec. 21 press release. The agreement is the largest aircraft deal for the African continent to date.

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