by Rohan Kumar Agarwal -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Lipa Later Acquires Fellow E-commerce, DFS, Merchant Services Platform Sky.Garden of Kenya for $1.6m

Lipa Later, a Kenyan financial technology (fintech) firm integrating e-commerce, digital financial services and merchant services in four African countries, recently paid KES 250 million (USD 1.6 million) to acquire Sky.Garden, a Kenyan service that was launched in 2017 but had announced it would close during 2023.

by Anaya Jhaveri -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Fintech Festival Thailand; September 26-28, 2023; Bangkok, Thailand

This conference will cover topics such as artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, cybersecurity, digital assets, insurance technology (insurtech), investing, payments, peer-to-peer (P2P) services and personal finance. The slate of speakers includes Chonladet Khemarattana, President of the Thai Fintech Association and CEO of investment advising firm Webull Thailand; Myrtle Anne Ramos, CEO of UAE-based blockchain

by Renata Samadova -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: AFSIC: Investing in Africa; October 9-10, 2023; London, UK

The tenth edition of the Africa Financial Services Investment Conference (AFSIC) will promote investing in the continent with presentations on trends in environmental protection and sectors such as agriculture and financial technology (fintech). In addition to country-specific investment and networking meetings, the agenda includes sessions titled: (1) Banking in Africa – for

by Renata Samadova -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Seedstars Accepting Applications from Fintechs Offering “Financial Innovations for Women Affected by Migration” Through July 30

Seedstars, a Switzerland-based investment and education firm, is accepting applications from financial technology (fintech) startups looking to scale up their services to women in Africa and Asia who have migrated from their homes or whose family members have done so. Seedstars is offering this support through its Financial Innovations for Women Affected by Migration (FIWAM) programme, which includes

by Elva Montelongo -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Bankingly, Woodcore Partner to Help FSPs in Africa to Offer Digital Financial Services

Bankingly, a Uruguay-based company that helps smaller financial services providers (FSPs) implement digital financial services, and Woodcore, a provider of core banking software with offices in Nigeria and the US, recently partnered on an effort to help microfinance institutions and other FSPs in Africa to add

by Elva Montelongo -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Credit Bank, FSD Kenya Engaging SACCOs in Effort to Reduce Remittance Costs for Rural Kenyans

The UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) recently announced a pair of programs that will operate in Kenya under the EU’s Platform for Remittances, Investments and Migrants’ Entrepreneurship in Africa (PRIME Africa). In particular, IFAD will fund

by Elva Montelongo -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Africa Fintech Summit (AFTS); November 2-3, 2023; Lusaka, Zambia

Twice a year, this event convenes to promote collaboration on entrepreneurship as well as issues and opportunities regarding financial technology (fintech) in Africa. Following a pre-event dinner on November 1, the first day will include a

by Vaughn Rajah -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Visa Everywhere Initiative 2023 Offering $500k for Fintech Innovation

US-based payment technology firm Visa and TechCrunch, a media company owned by US-based technology firm Yahoo, recently opened the Visa Everywhere Initiative 2023, a contest offering USD 500,000 in prizes to financial technology firms (fintechs) that “deliver innovative payment and commerce solutions.” Applicants apply based

by Ben Barba -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Lidya to Shift from Retail Lending to Providing Fintech Infrastructure

Lidya, a US-based financial technology (fintech) firm that has provided digital loans in Nigeria, the Czech Republic and Poland, recently announced it will shift its focus to providing technology infrastructure to financial institutions. Lidya’s credit platform helps lenders “originate, manage and collect loans,” including via the Collect tool, which is intended to

by Ben Barba -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Credit Café Africa, Sterling Bank Partner on $22m in Loans for Providers of Health, Education in Nigeria 

Two Nigeria-based companies, the financial services portal Credit Café Africa and Sterling Bank, recently agreed to collaborate to distribute NGN 10 billion (USD 21.7 million) in loans to health and education facilities. The loans, which will be sized between NGN 100,000 (USD 217) and NGN 20 million (USD 43,400) are to focus on

by Vaughn Rajah -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Accion, Sturgeon Lead $6.4m Equity Round for Trukkr, Fintech Serving Trucking SMEs in Pakistan

Trukkr, a Pakistan-based financial technology (fintech) firm, recently obtained USD 6.4 million in a funding round led by two impact investors, US-based Accion Venture Lab and UK-based Sturgeon Capital, with placements also made by Al Zayani Venture Capital, Haitou Global and Peter Findley. The breakdown

by Renata Samadova -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Financial Inclusion That Works for Women; March 2, 2023; London, UK

This event will review the 2022 edition of the European Microfinance Award, which was themed “Financial Inclusion that Works for Women.” Sam Mendelson of the Luxembourg-based European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP) will discuss

by Ben Barba -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: 3rd CIS Islamic Banking and Finance Forum; March 14-16, 2023; Tashkent, Uzbekistan 

This event offers a one-day summit on March 14 and a two-day workshop on March 15 and 16, all with the aim of promoting Islamic finance in the 10 member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The summit offers sessions titled Islamic Finance and Financial Inclusion; Investment