LATEST TECH NEWS: Kenya’s Amitruck records 300% revenue growth. 2 other things and a trivia you need to know today, November 30, 2020

These latest stories from the tech space will keep you updated with trends today.

1. Kenya’s Amitruck records 300% revenue growth

Amitruck, Kenya-based P2P trucking logistics marketplace has announced recording revenues growth of 300 per cent. According to the company, the growth was recorded in the span of 12 months as its app downloaded more than 10,000 times under the period in review. The one year old Amitruck is a trucking logistics marketplace that seeks to bring trust, transparency and efficiency to transport, leveraging technology. The startup’s platform connects transporters directly with cargo owners via its web or mobile application, avoiding middlemen.

Going by the model, transporters bid for work on the platform, ensuring competitive prices, while cargo owners have convenient access to a range of competitive offers and can choose a transporter based on price, rating and experience. Industry experts noted that the company has recorded an impressive traction with its customer-side mobile app been downloaded more than 10,000 times, while the startup has seen a 300 per cent increase in revenues over the last 12 months. Confirming the development, Mwangi, Amitruck’s chief executive officer (CEO), acknowledged that the vision was to see top brands become their customers. He said: “We are happy to have among our customers a number of successful companies like Twiga Foods and Sky.Garden. On the supply side, Amitruck is now able to serve any kind of cargo need, having all types of vehicles available on the platform, from motorcycles to 28T trucks.”

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Tech Trivia:

Which of these digital tools doesn’t help monitor mentions online?

A. Google Alert
B. Awario
C. Agorapulse
D. AdWords

Answer: See end of post.

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2. Tanzania’s Medikea launches appointment-booking platform

Tanzanian e-health startup Medikea has join list of startups launching a platform that allows patients to find and book appointments with doctors at their preferred clinics, for free. Launched last month, the Medikea app allows users to search for doctors by name, speciality, location or accepted insurance, and compare them by availability, rating and reviews. Follow each search query, they can then book an appointment using the service. Although, the booking is free for patients, however, the startup charges doctors and clinics a monthly subscription fee for helping clinics go digital.

Read also: LATEST TECH NEWS: Accelerex Holdings signs new $20m partnership agreement. 2 other things and a trivia you need to know today, November 27, 2020

Dr Elvis Silayo, Medikea’s co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) while describing the service of the startup noted that the company is a software development firm with interest in solving medical challenges. He said: “We provide a software as a service tool for doctors and hospitals to help them go online, add their availability and manage their appointments. They can also send automatic email and SMS appointment reminder notifications to patients, reducing no-shows and minimising staff time spent on the phone.” In addition, he revealed that he launched the company in order to reduce hassle for people seeking doctors in various specialties, and having also discovered that doctors have significant near-term availability due to cancellations and last minute rescheduling.

3. Acuity launches operations with data-driven approach to investment

Leading Africa-focused VC firm Acuity has launched operations with a data-driven approach that enables smart investment decisions. The startup seeks to support investee company growth. Roughly one year old, Acuity has its roots in another fund, Singularity Investments which was launched by Lexi Novitske in 2014 to invest in early-stage technology companies across Sub-Saharan Africa. Two years ago, Novitske acquired the Singularity portfolio – which includes the likes of Paystack, Migo and mPharma – and proceeded to form a new company, which has taken shape as Acuity.

Meanwhile, press noted that the company has executed six deals this year, investing in OnePipe, Mono, Lemonade, Send, Indicina and Spektra, utilising its in-house data science team for value creation. According to Acuity, its team says it has built a platform providing a leading value proposition for its investee companies and investors, including a strong investment track record, smart decision making and investee company support through the use of data science, a truly local presence, and expertise in helping businesses drive growth.

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Tech Trivia Answer: AdWords

While Awario, Agorapulse and Google Alert are web/social mentioning tools, AdWords is an online advertising platform developed by Google, where advertisers pay to display brief advertisements, service offerings, product listings, video content, and generate mobile application installs within the Google ad network to web users.

Monitoring tools, on the other hand, help users keep track of the digital mentions of netizens, brands, companies, and/or products.

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