Unlimit, the leading global fintech and payment solutions company, is thrilled to announce its entry into the Kenyan market and the receiver of the Central Bank of Kenya license, marking a significant milestone in its ongoing expansion throughout Africa.

This strategic move follows Unlimit’s recent acquisition of the Central Bank of Nigeria license, solidifying the company’s official recognition as a reputable provider of payment solutions within the region.

As part of its strategic expansion, Unlimit is committed to delivering an unparalleled payment experience by integrating internationally acclaimed payment best practices, industry-leading security protocols, comprehensive merchant analytics, and a customer-friendly interface.

By offering diverse payment solutions, Unlimit will cater to the preferences and support the unique requirements of local enterprises in Kenya. This milestone demonstrates Unlimit’s dedication to advancing the payment landscape in Africa and empowering businesses with cutting-edge payment solutions.

Trevor Goott, Director for Africa, and India at Unlimit, expressed immense enthusiasm about the company’s African expansion and its entry into the Kenyan market. “It gives me great pleasure to bring on board Kenya as our second African country, following the recent announcement of the awarding of our Nigerian license,” said Goott.

“We are also pleased to add Kenya to our global portfolio for our foreign merchants seeking access to the Kenyan market. The high demand from our international merchants to establish local operations in Kenya has further motivated us to enter the market. Also, given its strategic location in East Africa, Kenya serves as an ideal hub for the expansion of our operations in the region.”

Commenting on the expansion, Unlimit’s CEO, Kirill Evstratov, said: “We have ambitious plans for Kenya and East Africa, and are looking forward to supporting local businesses on their expansion goals. For 14 years we have successfully been aiding companies worldwide to enter new markets and go beyond borders, strengthening their business outreach and expanding their customer base. Now, we are bringing those years of expertise to Africa. Our unwavering ambition is to establish ourselves as the benchmark in the payments processing industry, setting the standard for excellence and innovation, and allowing companies around the globe to go borderless with their payments. ”

Over the last 15 years, Kenya has emerged as a leading force in the African payment ecosystem, gaining global recognition for its ground-breaking mobile money revolution. This

innovation has not only propelled Kenya’s economy forward but has also facilitated business expansion for numerous companies. Leveraging mobile payment technology, Kenya has created a robust payment infrastructure that presents promising opportunities for domestic and foreign enterprises seeking to establish a presence there. By expanding its operations to Kenya, Unlimit strengthens its position in the continent’s payment landscape as part of its mission to lead Africa’s payment evolution in the coming years.

Tech giant Google has opened application for the Startups Growth Academy which aims to help startups use artificial intelligence (AI) to improve healthcare solutions in Africa and the Middle East.

The hybrid program is the first of a series of Google for Startups Growth Academies, which is hyper-focused on enabling startups to innovate and solve and develop tech solutions in the healthcare and wellness industry with AI.

Selected seed to Series A startups will participate in a series of tailored workshops over the course of three months and partner closely with Google and other industry experts to grow their companies, share best practices, and drive the responsible development of AI solutions in the health and well-being industry.

Speaking on the programme, Chief Health Officer at Google, Dr Karen DeSalvo said,

“For more than 10 years, Google for Startups has partnered with founders using technology to solve societal challenges, and the organisation intends to continue collaborating to activate the benefits of human-centred AI in healthcare and medicine”.

After the completion of the program, startups will have access to long-term Google mentorship and support as part of the Google for Startups alumni network.

Criteria Startups Must Meet to Qualify For The Programme

• Be a Seed to Series A startup based in Europe, the Middle East, or Africa, but looking to scale internationally; 
• Must have demonstrated traction, such as a clear track record of users and revenue;
• Focused on leveraging AI to address health or well-being challenges.
• Must have a scalable product or service, with both a significant total addressable market and a defensible growth model.

Applicants can proceed here to apply, as the deadline for the application is on the 10th of July 2023.

Founders will be interviewed between July and September. The cohort will be announced in September, followed by the commencement of the program in October.

Investors King understands that Google’s Academy Programme to Support Health-Tech Startups with AI, will pave the way for innovative solutions, promotion of knowledge/ideas, and encourage partnerships that can drive significant advancements in healthcare delivery and outcomes across the African continent.

Nigerian fintech startups dominated the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Fintech Africa Accelerator Cohort list, as 11 startups were selected out of the 25 startups chosen for the program set to commence in June this year.

The eleven Nigerian startups that dominated the list are as follows, Vagrent Africa, KoinWa, Fluna, Incash, Deempay, Zainnest, Zeeh Africa, Ashiri NG, Bunce, and WALLX Africa.

Others include Chumz, Mauzo, Kiotapay, hela.money, Asaana Pay, Edanra, Exxtra, H28 technologies, eMaisha Pay, xazu Technologies, Moya Money, Abela Mali, Mazaid, and Dreamcash.

Speaking on the accelerator cohort which is set to commence in June 2023, Startup Segment Lead at Amazon Web Services (AWS), Napa Onwusah said,

“’At AWS, we’re thrilled to be a part of Africa’s digital transformation, making core financial services accessible to more individuals and businesses. We believe that anyone regardless of their location, should be able to access innovative technologies and realize their dreams. I am excited that the accelerator will be instrumental in empowering these startups to grow and scale their businesses.”

Although all startups chosen are fintech, they have diverse operations and propositions they offer, such as freelancer payment & invoice management, Cryptocurrency transactions, export and import management, global remittance products, educational institution smart solutions, savings, and investments, amongst others.

Benefits Startups Stand to Gain

Each startup will get technical review workshop sessions and up to $25k in AWS technical credits, world-leading sector advice, and one-to-one mentorship from major industry players including the Africa Fintech Summit (AFTS), Lendsar, and Vestbee to help them build their businesses.

Technology Fast-Track

Tech resources, guidance, and a community of peers. From technical deep dives to round tables on day-to-day CTO challenges.

CEOs and CTOs

Partner Offers & Special Discounts, Access to credits, valuable discounts & offers from AWS Partners.

Cloud Support

One-on-one meetings with AWS Solution Architects and access to product, regulatory & compliance, security specialists.

Business Boost

1: Many sessions, workshops, and one-on-one mentor meetings with subject-matter experts and advisors.

Investors King understands that Amazon Web Services (AWS) accelerator program is making a huge impact on startups globally, as it allows them to focus on developing innovative products to attract VC funding. It has also continued to expand its investments in innovative startups, particularly in Africa, after its first entrance into the world of accelerator programs in 2016.