African startups are making significant progress. In this context, the digital economy platform FollowICT highlights the top startup news across Africa over the past week.
Satlyt Raises $8 Million to Expand AI Software for Satellites
Satlyt, a space technology startup founded by Kenyan entrepreneur Rama Afullo, has raised $8 million in seed funding to expand its software platform, which enables satellites to process data and run artificial intelligence applications in orbit. Founded in 2024, the company operates between Nairobi, Kenya, and Sunnyvale, California. The funding round was led by non sibi ventures, with participation from investors including TLCOM, Antler, Slauson & Co., Launch Africa Ventures, Enza Capital and AXIAN Investment. The company aims to make satellite operations more efficient by enabling spacecraft to perform computing tasks without relying entirely on ground-based infrastructure.
Satlyt installs its software on satellites before launch or deploys it after they have entered orbit, allowing satellite operators to use its technology without building their own spacecraft fleet. Its platform is designed to process data directly in space rather than transmitting every image, system log and measurement back to Earth. This approach can reduce communication requirements and help operators identify technical problems more quickly. By analyzing information onboard, satellites can transmit relevant findings and diagnostic reports instead of sending large volumes of raw data, potentially improving operational efficiency and reducing the burden on communications systems.
The company plans to use the new funding to develop its products, expand its engineering team and deploy its technology across additional spacecraft. Satlyt has tested Google’s Gemma 3 1B AI model for satellite operations, using it to analyze operational data and identify software errors. In two specific tests, the system reduced the volume of diagnostic data prepared for transmission by approximately 64%. The company has also announced memoranda of understanding with the Kenya Space Agency and Angola’s GGPEN. Its longer-term ambition is to coordinate computing resources across satellites operated by different providers, creating a distributed network of AI-powered computing infrastructure in space.
Healthleap Raises $38 Million to Expand AI-Powered Hospital Diagnosis Platform
Healthcare technology startup Healthleap has raised a total of $38 million across its seed and Series A funding rounds to expand its AI-powered platform, which helps hospitals identify patients at risk of potentially undetected medical conditions. Founded in South Africa in 2022 by siblings Josiah Meyer and Jemima Meyer, the company is now headquartered in the United States. Its investors include Sequoia Capital, First Round Capital and Hummingbird Ventures. The company has not disclosed its valuation or provided a detailed breakdown of the funding between the two rounds.
Healthleap analyzes electronic health records using artificial intelligence, drawing on clinical notes, laboratory results, vital signs, medications and previous diagnoses. The platform identifies patients who may be at risk of conditions that have not yet been detected, including malnutrition and delirium, and flags them for review by healthcare professionals. Rather than replacing doctors or providing independent diagnoses, the technology is designed to support clinical teams by highlighting cases that may require further assessment. The company says its platform is now used by more than 50 hospitals, up from three a year earlier, and processes data relating to more than 500,000 patients annually.
The new funding will support product development, engineering, sales and customer support, while enabling Healthleap to expand the range of medical conditions its platform can identify. Its healthcare partners include Penn Medicine, Cedars-Sinai, Houston Methodist and Emory Healthcare. Initially focused on malnutrition, the platform has expanded to cover additional conditions, with further development targeting risks such as aspiration pneumonia and pressure injuries. The company’s approach reflects a broader trend toward using AI to extract actionable insights from existing medical records, helping hospitals identify overlooked risks, support earlier interventions and improve the efficiency of patient care.
MAX Secures New Investment from Nithio as Series B3 Funding Reaches $29 Million
Nigerian electric mobility startup MAX has secured a new investment from US-based climate fintech company Nithio, bringing its Series B3 funding round to $29 million. The amount invested by Nithio was not disclosed separately. Founded in 2015 by Adetayo Bamiduro and Chinedu Azodoh, MAX is headquartered in Lagos and provides electric mobility solutions for commercial transport operators. The company aims to accelerate the adoption of cleaner vehicles by making electric mobility more accessible to drivers and businesses across African markets.
MAX operates a subscription-based model that combines electric vehicle financing, battery-swapping infrastructure, digital payments and fleet management tools. This approach allows commercial drivers and transport operators to access electric vehicles without relying exclusively on traditional upfront purchases. The company currently operates in 20 cities across Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon. According to the company, it has served more than 60,000 commercial transport operators and facilitated over one billion trips, while avoiding an estimated 238,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
The latest investment follows a $24 million funding round completed in January 2026, as MAX continues to expand its clean mobility operations across West and Central Africa. The company aims to reach 250,000 drivers and generate more than $150 million in annual recurring revenue by 2027. The investment highlights growing investor interest in businesses connecting electric vehicle adoption with the practical needs of commercial transport operators. It also demonstrates that scaling electric mobility requires more than vehicle availability, with financing, battery infrastructure and effective fleet management all playing important roles in building sustainable operations.
Solarise Africa Awarded $1.12 Million Grant to Expand into Uganda and Zambia
Kenyan renewable energy company Solarise Africa has received a €1 million grant, equivalent to approximately $1.12 million, from the Energy and Environment Partnership Trust Fund (EEP Africa) to support its expansion into Uganda and Zambia. Founded in 2018 by Patrik Huber, Jan Albert Valk and Sakkie van Wijk, the company provides renewable energy solutions and financing for commercial and industrial customers. Its business model combines clean energy technologies with long-term financing arrangements designed to help businesses transition to renewable power without bearing the entire upfront cost of infrastructure.
Solarise Africa plans to match the grant with an additional €1 million from its own resources through a 24-month program. The initiative aims to establish operations in both markets and deploy up to three megawatts of additional renewable energy capacity, including solar photovoltaic systems, battery storage and heat pumps where appropriate. The project also targets the generation of at least 4.5 gigawatt-hours of renewable electricity and the avoidance of approximately 3,600 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. The funding is intended to help the company establish commercially viable operations that can continue beyond the grant period.
The expansion forms part of Solarise Africa’s broader strategy to enter markets where businesses face high energy costs and limited access to financing for clean energy infrastructure. The company has previously attracted investment from African and international investors, including a $10 million Series B round in 2020 and an additional $3 million investment from EDFI ElectriFI in December 2022. Its expansion into Uganda and Zambia could allow it to serve more businesses seeking reliable and lower-emission energy solutions. The project also illustrates how blended finance, combining grants with private capital, can reduce the risks of entering new markets and encourage investment in renewable energy infrastructure.
Bisedge Secures $11.2 Million in Debt Financing from Finnfund to Expand Electric Logistics Across Africa
Bisedge, a logistics and industrial equipment company, has secured €10 million in debt financing, equivalent to approximately $11.2 million, from Finnish development finance institution Finnfund to expand its operations across Africa. The investment marks Finnfund’s first electric vehicle financing investment in Africa and establishes a strategic partnership with Swedish impact investment platform Trine. The company plans to expand its electric forklift fleets in Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania, helping industrial businesses transition from diesel-powered equipment to cleaner alternatives.
Founded in Lagos in 2020, Bisedge is now headquartered in Mauritius and provides material-handling equipment and logistics services to companies in manufacturing, warehousing and distribution. Its business model enables customers to access equipment through recurring payments rather than purchasing machinery entirely upfront, while Bisedge manages maintenance, fleet operations and performance monitoring. The company serves as the exclusive African partner of German equipment manufacturer Linde Material Handling in nine markets. It says approximately 95% of its equipment fleet is electric and that its wider operational network supports more than 1,350 employees.
The financing follows a $20 million investment from African private equity firm Metier in May 2026, alongside previous support from Trine to expand the company’s operations. The deal is also backed by a guarantee mechanism under the EDFI Renewable Energy Transition program, supported by the European Union. According to environmental estimates cited by Finnfund, replacing diesel-powered forklifts with electric alternatives in Nigeria could reduce emissions by approximately 37 tonnes per forklift annually. The investment highlights a commercial opportunity in helping businesses reduce operating costs and environmental impact while addressing a major barrier to electrification: the high upfront cost of equipment and limited access to financing.
Kuunda Completes $5 Million Secondary Share Deal, Giving Early Investors an Exit
Fintech company Kuunda has completed a $5 million secondary share transaction, providing an opportunity for some of its early investors to exit their investments. Unlike a conventional funding round, in which a startup raises new capital by issuing shares or selling an ownership stake, a secondary transaction typically involves existing shareholders selling their shares to other investors. The proceeds therefore go to the selling shareholders rather than necessarily entering the company’s balance sheet. According to the report published by Tech In Africa, the transaction gives early backers an opportunity to realize returns or recover part of their initial investment.
Secondary share deals play an important role in startup ecosystems by providing liquidity to early investors without requiring a complete company acquisition or an initial public offering. They can also create opportunities for new investors to acquire existing shares and gain exposure to a business that has already progressed beyond its earliest development stages. However, the financial implications differ from those of a primary funding round, since the transfer of ownership does not automatically provide the startup with additional capital for product development or expansion. The transaction’s significance depends on the identities of the buyers and sellers, the terms of the share transfer and whether it forms part of a broader investment arrangement.
For Kuunda, the deal represents a development in the ownership structure of the company and creates a potential liquidity event for investors who supported earlier stages of its growth. However, the available source does not provide further details about the parties involved, the proportion of shares transferred or the company’s valuation following the transaction. It is therefore important to distinguish the $5 million secondary deal from new funding paid directly to the company. More broadly, the transaction reflects the growing importance of alternative exit opportunities in African startup investing, where investors may realize returns through secondary share sales rather than waiting for an acquisition or public listing.
NeoFleet Capital Raises $4 Million Pre-Seed to Finance Taxi Fleets in Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire
NeoFleet Capital, a fintech startup focused on mobility financing, has raised $4 million in a pre-seed round combining equity investment and debt financing. The company plans to use the capital to expand its taxi fleet financing model, with a particular focus on Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire. The investors participating in the round were not disclosed. The company was founded by Igor Shiyanov, while former inDrive executive Mark Loughran has joined as president and co-founder, bringing experience in the ride-hailing and mobility sector.
NeoFleet Capital treats taxi vehicles as income-generating assets by co-financing purchases alongside fleet operators, with investors receiving returns linked to revenue generated by the vehicles. The model aims to address a financing gap faced by taxi drivers and fleet operators who struggle to obtain credit to purchase vehicles, particularly those without established banking relationships or sufficient credit histories. The company currently operates in Senegal, Peru and Côte d’Ivoire. Its network of partners covers more than 800 vehicles, with funded or committed assets exceeding $10 million.
In Côte d’Ivoire, NeoFleet Capital has begun operations through three taxi financing transactions worth approximately $3 million in total and aims to exceed 1,000 vehicles in the market in the coming phase. Its expansion comes as other companies, including Gozem and Kai, also develop vehicle financing solutions in French-speaking West Africa. The startup plans to build an international investment platform that finances taxi fleets across emerging markets, using vehicle operating revenues to generate returns for investors. The model’s long-term success will depend on fleet utilization, vehicle operating efficiency, credit and collection risk management, and the ability to deliver sustainable returns to both investors and transport operators.