Techstars Tulsa accelerator admits Ghana’s Brolly. 2 other stories and a trivia

This line-up of stories will help you discover the latest happenings around the tech world, today.

 

1. Techstars Tulsa accelerator admits Ghana’s Brolly 

 

Brolly, a Ghanaian insurtech startup specialising in affordable car insurance, has been selected to participate in the Summer 2023 cohort of the Techstars accelerator in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The startup made the revelation in a media statement on Monday, noting that the opportunity opened it team to securing access to mentorship, US$120,000 in funding and the opportunity to secure further investment at demo day.

That startup, which is committed to providing fair pricing, convenient payment options, and hassle-free claims processes, is one of 12 companies selected from over 300 applicants. 

Speaking on the development, the team noted the Brolly is looking to raise a round of funding to power growth in Ghana and expansion to Nigeria.

Since its soft-launching in Ghana, its has recorded an average customer growth rate of 73 per cent month-on-month.

According to the startup, its artificial intelligence capabilities will enable swifter service delivery and efficient customer support informed by data.

 

TECH TRIVIA: Which of the following is a cloud computing platform?

1. Azure
2. Backblaze
3. Corel
4. Dropbox

Answer: see end of post

 

2. Kenyan agri-tech startup iProcure expands to Tanzania

 

A Kenyan data-driven agricultural input supply company, iProcure, has announced its expansion into Tanzania.

The startup made the announcement on Monday, noting that its expansion was facilitated through its partnership with the Farm to Market Alliance (FtMA). 

Ripples Nigeria gathered that it launched in 2013, and has developed its own distribution infrastructure, connecting major agricultural input suppliers directly to local agro-dealers via its proprietary distribution technology system.

The startup cuts out the multiple levels of middlemen in the traditional agricultural supply chain and providing technology-driven insights on supply levels and price.

Speaking in the new development, the startup noted that it was able to record the success by committing resources to ensuring the availability, quality, and delivery of critical agricultural inputs like fertilizers and seeds.

The expansion followed a fund raiser where the startup last year raised a US$10.2 million Series B funding round to support its expansion into new markets.

“iProcure has had its sights set on Tanzania and this partnership with FtMA presents the perfect opportunity to roll out our technology to an established network of agro-dealers. FtMA shares our vision of digitising agriculture, helping farmers, and improving supply chains, so we are excited to enter this new market alongside them,” said Niraj Varia, iProcure’s CEO.

 

3. Stripe Partners Airbnb to Power Bank Payments

 

Financial infrastructure, Stripe has announced partnering with Airbnb to power bank payments for Airbnb guests.

Stripe confirmed the development in a statement on Monday, May 22, 2023. 

According to media sources, the deal will allow Airbnb guests to use Stripe Financial Connections to securely and instantly add their bank account as a payment method. 

As payment by bank is growing in popularity, guests can use Link, Stripe’s native one-click checkout, to quickly make bank payments for all future bookings.

“We are excited to partner with Stripe to provide our guests with more options to pay for their travel, including paying by bank with Link,” said Dave Stephenson, chief financial officer at Airbnb.

Also speaking, Mike Clayville, chief revenue officer at Stripe said, “Anyone who’s made a booking on Airbnb knows how great the experience is. For guests who want to pay using their bank account, we’re thrilled to partner with Airbnb to offer bank payments as an option that’s just as fast and convenient as anything else.”

Trivia Answer: Azure

Azure is a cloud computing platform built and operated by Microsoft. It allows companies to run applications and host content in the cloud. While Microsoft designed Azure to support enterprise computing requirements, the service is also available to small businesses and individuals.

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