Techzim

Zimbabwe and regional technology news and updates


Want To Be An African Venture Capitalist? Dream VC opens applications for 2023 programs

We talked about Dream VC, the investor accelerator, last year. To refresh your memory on what that means, they run intensive remote programs teaching and training professionals to work in or excel in the Venture Capital Industry in Africa. Not much has changed in the grand scheme of things when it comes to the number […]


Attention digital and fashion designers, applications open for Design Futures Lab 2023

For the ultra-creatives out there, an opportunity has presented itself. If you happen to love both fashion and technology then Design Future Labs is the programme for you. This lab “allows for the worlds of fashion and immersive technology to merge in a radical exploration of storytelling, world-building, and reimagining futures by combining the skillsets […]


Zim Startups! Applications open for Google for Startups Black Founders Fund 2023

Image Credit: Google for Startups I’m not normally a fan of any discrimination even when it benefits historically disadvantaged groups. However, after years of talking to black startup founders in multiple African countries, I now understand why a Black Founders Fund is needed. Startup founder after startup founder will tell you that unless you have […]


BongoHive, a Zambian Tech innovation hub is hosting a webinar for Zimbabwean businesses small and large.

BongoHive, a Zambia Technology Innovation hub is hosting an information-sharing webinar in partnership with the World Bank and Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises. The webinar will be taking place on Friday the 13th of January 2023 at 2pm and is open for anyone to attend. BongoHive is hosting the webinar on […]


Paynow, the B2B and B2C payments platform celebrating 8 years. Announces USSD code *828#

Paynow has been around for a while now and their business is all around facilitating payments. The service they offer came about to solve 2 big problems. Allowing small businesses to have access to one platform with as many payment options as possible. This then leads to solving the second payment problem on the customer […]


myRunner: Finally a place I can withdraw my PayPal balance

Zimbabwe is just a place that poses its own unique set of challenges especially when it comes to payments. We are either barred from using certain platforms because of sanctions or our financial systems just do not have support for some of the more convenient payment platforms that exist. Recently I had an emergency requiring […]


Local startup will do your laundry, house cleaning and meal prep, you need only click a button

Life would be hell without outsourcing. Modern society only works because we get to specialise on stuff we like while some other people handle what we cannot bear to do.  I know that if I had to farm my own food, I would have died of starvation ages ago. So, I deal with the eye […]


Locals creating platform that allows content creators to collaborate easily

Do you remember the old days where the set of people you would ever know were those geographically close to you? Yes, you could have pen pals from across the world but that was a a silly little pastime. Communication tech and the internet in particular really shook that up. It still feels like magic […]


[Video] “We are solving the problem that nearly put us under” – Gugulethu Siso, Thumeza Founder

Thumeza has been active in the logistics industry for the past 4 years. The company started out as a last-mile service provider. Thumeza then transitioned to a freight-centric platform connecting small-scale transporters to large enterprises with goods to be moved. Thumeza has experienced the joys of landing large clients & the lows of realizing they […]


Local startup takes on movie recommendations via WhatsApp

When it comes to entertainment we have an embarrassment of options these days. Want to listen to music? You have access to a catalogue you cannot run through in many lifetimes. Want to watch television, you’re just as spoilt. There are so many movies out there you couldn’t possibly watch them all even if you […]


Is your startup promoting sustainability? Check out Impact Hub Harare’s Green Economy Startup Project

Are you an entrepreneur working within the green economy? Are you promoting responsible consumption and production? Are you contributing to the fight against climate change? If you answered ‘Yes’, apply to join Impact Hub Harare’s Green Economy Startup Project, supported by Enrich in Africa and funded by the European Union. They are looking for entrepreneurs who […]


Zim fintech startups! Check out this global challenge

Inclusive Fintech 50 (IF50) is a global innovation competition that aims to identify and elevate cutting-edge emerging inclusive fintech startups that have the potential to drive financial inclusion. IF50 uncovers high-potential fintech enterprises addressing limitations in financial services delivery for unserved or underserved customers. Over the last three competitions, IF50 has attracted over 1,000 eligible […]


3 Zim startups to pitch at Africa Blockchain Incubation demo day, you can watch live

The Africa Blockchain Institute prides itself for championing initiatives that drive digital transformation in Africa through blockchain technology. They have an Incubation program where they groom startups from across the continent to leverage blockchain technology to deliver unique use cases. It was just in December 2021 that we wrote about them opening up applications for […]


Local startup to provide housing finance to the informally employed. Yes, mortgages for those without pay slips

If you’re an urban dwelling millennial like most of our readers are, chances are you don’t own a house. This is a global phenomenon, millennials are poorer than the generation before them.  The Zimbabwean economy has especially been rough and official stats say about half of urban dwellers are renting. Personal experience says the actual […]


Game Changers Zim announces finalists for its US$1.5 mil challenge

A couple of months were reported on a program called Game Changers that was looking for 30 local entrepreneurs to give a share of US$1.5 million as well as mentorship, and a full-stack business support system. Well, the finalists have been announced and they come from all 10 provinces in Zimbabwe. Game Changers Harare Finalists […]


Wondering what an Angel Investor is? Tech Hub Harare has you covered

The team over at Tech Hub Harare has announced that it will be hosting a webinar that will be attended by the Angel Investors Network of Zimbabwe this Wednesday starting at 18:00hrs. Speakers for the Tech Hub Harare Webinar include: Bekithemba Nkomo – the Managing Director for Lloyd Corporate Capital which recently announced that its […]


Zim Startups! Check out this European Union Africa-wide accelerator

The SBC Virtual Acceleration powered by EiA (Enrich in Africa) encourages and eases the mobility of entrepreneurs from African or European countries to Europe through various modules. The program promotes skills development, skills transfer as well as the internationalization of innovative solutions! The aim of the call for application is to select 10 startups in […]


Zim Startups! PC hardware firm NVIDIA wants to give you access to its tech!

NVIDIA Inception is a free program designed to help your startup evolve faster through access to cutting-edge technology and NVIDIA experts, connections with venture capitalists, and co-marketing support to heighten your company’s visibility. Through NVIDIA Inception, your startup has access to unparalleled support, ranging from training through NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Institute, to unlimited access to […]


Hillcrest ICT Expo: drones, FOOD, rugby and supercomputers

Over the weekend, Hillcrest College hosted its annual Winter Fair and Tech Expo. The event was well attended with companies like Liquid Home Utande Old Mutual Fusertech Precision Arial Axis Solutions Zimbabwe Centre for High-Performance Computing and more exhibiting their wares in the Eastern Highlands. Students and attendants were treated to a show from all […]


Zim healthcare startups! Check out this funding opportunity

Health54 is the healthcare dedicated Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) vehicle of CFAO Group (part of Toyota Tsusho), a key player in mobility, healthcare, consumer goods, infrastructure, and energy in Africa. CFAO Healthcare is a leader in the African pharmaceutical market with operations in more than 23 countries in Africa. We believe that the future of […]


Zim innovators! POTRAZ has ZWL$175 mil up for grabs

The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) has announced that its annual hackathon has returned. POTRAZ is looking for local entrepreneurs and inventors who have solutions that can improve the social and economic standing of the country. Who can apply? The POTRAZ Hackathon is open to all Zimbabweans who are: A resident in Zimbabwe; Passionate […]


Zim mobility & logistics startups! Check out this funding opportunity!

Mobility 54 is a corporate venture capital of Toyota Tsucho & CFAO group – the largest distribution network in Africa. They are investing in high-potential startups in Africa and for Africa, as well as also providing industrial support to our partners. The initiative is organizing a startup pitch contest – “2022 Digital Transformation Challenge” calling […]


Want to learn from the best? Check out this free US-based startup school

US-based accelerator Y Combinator has announced that it has opened registrations for its free online startup school. “Startup School is completely free. All you need is a device with access to the internet. We believe that all founders should have access to the best startup advice – no matter where in the world you’re building […]


This local eLearning site is looking to bridge the gap for Grade 6 & 7 students

E-learning has been a steadily growing industry in Zimbabwe in the wake of the pandemic and for good reason because no one was prepared for the disruption that would be caused by the stay at home orders on students. Even now when we are returning to something resembling pre-Covid times, there is still a place […]


Zim startups! check out this US$25,000 Innovation Competition

The annual Digital Innovation Competition for African Startups is facilitated every year by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Africa Business Center (USAfBC) in partnership with AmChams across Africa. Each year, the Competition awards talented innovators, entrepreneurs, and startups behind digital products and services that create a positive impact on African citizens. The 2022 winner will receive […]


Fintech startups! Check out the US$50K Last Mile Money Accelerator

At Last Mile Money, our mission is to bring world-class financial services — like high-interest savings, auto payout insurance, radically affordable remittances, and more — to millions of last-mile users. We believe that thoughtfully designed solutions can help build financial resilience and create pathways to a better life for millions of last-mile users. Today, this […]


Zim innovators! Check out the US$1,000 imaGen Ventures Youth Challenge

Generation Unlimited is a dynamic partnership that draws on the expertise of young people, representatives from governments, multilateral organizations, the private sector and civil society to inspire urgent investment in education, skills training, and empowerment for the rapidly growing global population of adolescents and young people (14-24) – which will reach 2 billion by 2030. […]


Local digital identity startup FlexID receives funding from Algorand Foundation

Zimbabwean founded blockchain start-up, FlexID Technologies (formerly FlexFinTx), has signed a Simple Agreement For Equity (SAFE) with the Algorand Foundation, to further develop and scale their Self Sovereign Identity (SSI) platform. The startup strives to make its decentralized digital identity network available in emerging markets where over one billion people are thought to lack formal […]


Zim Startups!! Check out this €5,000 Challenge!

As the climate crisis intensifies and biodiversity loss accelerates, the work of nature conservation non-governmental organisations is becoming increasingly urgent. To tackle this matter, Impact Hub partnered up with the Luc Hoffmann Institute and the Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (IUCN CEESP) to launch the Future of Conservation NGOs Innovation Challenge. The challenge […]


Zim Startups! Check out the Social & Inclusive Business Camp

The Social & Inclusive Business Camp is an acceleration and capacity building programme. It is dedicated to entrepreneurs with an impact project on the African continent and willing to scale up.  The Social & Inclusive Business Camp is a hybrid support programme, including:  3 months of remote coaching on a dedicated online platform, alternating interactive […]