Tunisian retail-tech startup Winshot secures 6-figure funding to improve customer experience

Tunisian retail-tech startup Winshot has secured a six-figure round of funding to enhance operational efficiency and elevate the overall customer experience for brands, retail chains and franchise leaders.   Winshot aims to tackle the intricate challenges of retail distribution networks by focusing on two pivotal elements – fostering stronger connections, deeper involvement, and heightened engagement among internal teams operating both in the field and at the point of sale; and utilising real-time monitoring to ensures seamless application of processes and adherence to brand standards at every point of sale within a distribution…

Electric cars made in Tunisia soon to hit market

Produced in Mghira, in the governorate of Ben Arous by a Tunisian company and engineers, the Bako electric car will be on the market in April 2024. Compact and practical, Bako is the name of the electric car made in Tunisia that has just left Boubaker Siala’s workshops in Mghira, in the governorate of Ben Arous. With three seats, a sunroof, a reversing camera, and air conditioning, the one-by-two-meter prototype looks great. Fully rechargeable at home, this electric car does not require a driver’s license, vignette or registration. Market launch…

Call for applications to the “Start’n’Trade” program

In a methodical approach designed to stimulate exporting SMEs and put them in touch with innovative startups, CEPEX is kicking off the “Start’n’Trade” program. Implemented by GIZ in partnership with the Ministry of Communication Technologies, this initiative aims to :Facilitate collaboration between SMEs and startups.Stimulate SME exports.Create opportunities for startups.Encourage the development of partnerships.Encourage open innovation. The exp At the heart of the Start’n’Trade program lies the opportunity for the most advanced company-startup pairs, in terms of Proof of Concept (POC), to win one of three vouchers worth 10,000 euros.…

Diaspora: Tunisian-French fintech My Easy Transfer raises €400,000 from 216 Capital

216 Capital announced that it has invested 400,000 euros in Tunisian-French startup My Easy Transfer, which facilitates secure diaspora transfers. “This fund-raising marks a major step in the history of the startup, which aims to evolve its platform to meet all the payment needs of the diaspora: money transfer, sending mobile top-ups, local bill payment…in a single mobile application”, points out 216 Capital. It adds: Founded in 2022, My Easy Transfer also plans to evolve its model to become the first payment Super App for the diaspora, strengthening its presence…

Solar car start-up Bako Motors drives sustainable future

Bako Motors, a pioneering Tunisian-German solar car start-up, is making waves in the sustainable transportation sector with their innovative approach to urban mobility. Founded in 2021, the company has gained international recognition for its eco-friendly solutions, most notably the Bako B1 electric tricycle. Now, on the cusp of a ground-breaking revelation, Bako Motors tells Ventureburn it is gearing up to unveil their second model, set to further revolutionise last-mile delivery and introduce an innovative passenger option. The Bako B1, the company’s first venture into sustainable mobility, has been a game-changer…

GBarena to acquire Tunisian gaming startup Galactech for USD 15 mn

GBarena will acquire Tunisian gaming startup Galactech in a USD 15 mn share swap that will boost the Egyptian e-sport platform’s presence in the MENA region, it said in a statement. How much of GBarena Galactech will own is unclear: A company representative declined to disclose the details of the agreement when we reached out yesterday, saying the information is confidential. More acquisitions in the pipeline: GBarena plans to make several more acquisitions in the tech and gaming industry later this year, the company told us. The company is focused…

BioNTech acquires Tunisian-born and UK-based AI startup InstaDeep for £562M

German-based biotech company BioNTech SE is set to acquire InstaDeep, a Tunis-born and U.K.-based artificial intelligence (AI) startup, for up to £562 million (~$680 million) in its largest deal yet. Per Financial Times, the German vaccine maker intends to use InstaDeep’s machine learning to “improve its drug discovery process, including developing personalised treatments tailored to a patient’s cancer.” BioNTech is said to pay £362 million — a mix of cash and an undisclosed amount of BioNTech shares — upfront. The remaining £200 million is dependent on how InstaDeep performs in…

Reedz app wins Al Quoz Creative Entrepreneurship Pitch award

The Tunisia-based startup bagged a micro fund of $3000 for its idea of a podcast and audiobook smartphone app that gives summaries of English non-fiction books in Arabic. Reedz, a Tunisia-based startup, has won the Al Quoz Creative Entrepreneurship Pitch held in Dubai. It has bagged a micro fund of $3000 for its idea of a podcast and audiobook smartphone app that gives summaries of English non-fiction books in Arabic. The event, which was conducted by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) at Al Quoz Creative Zone, was designed…

Yassir pulls in $150M for its super app, led by Bond

Yassir, an African super app platform that offers on-demand services such as ride-hailing, food and grocery delivery, and payments, has raised $150 million in Series B funding, five times what it raised in its previous priced round last November.  The investment was led by Bond, the growth-stage firm that Mary Meeker spun out of Kleiner Perkins in 2018. Other investors in the growth round include DN Capital, Dorsal Capital, Quiet Capital, Stanford Alumni Ventures and Y Combinator via its Continuity Fund, among other strategic investors.  The African startup, first launched in Algeria,…

Startup Tunisia: Turnover of startups grows despite ongoing difficult context

The 3rd edition of the annual Startup Tunisia report, published Tuesday, shows that 6.7 million dinars have been invested by startups until 2021 with more than 22 investments in 2021, an increase of 900,000 dinars compared to the previous year. In 2021, the fundraising by Business Angels was carried out by 45 people and 1 network/ They were concentrated up to 57% on startups operating in B2B. According to Startup Tunisia, the labelled startups achieved a turnover of 120 million dinars in 2021, i.e. an evolution of 67% compared to…