Ghanaian agri-tech startup DigiExt is helping farm cooperatives grow via a variety of tech-based platforms and then assisting them in selling their produce to processing companies and export agencies. The startup gathers data by satellites and drones, weather information and soil sensors to disseminate relevant production information to smallholder farmers at the right time in a cost-effective manner.
Merqueo offers more than 8,000 products, including fresh foods, packaged goods, home essentials, beverages and frozen products. It currently operates in more than 25 cities in Colombia, Mexico and Brazil and has over 600,000 users. The market opportunity in Latin America is massive considering that online grocery sales only represent just 1% of the market –– far lower than in the U.S., EU or China, for example.
A new African DeFi start-up will deliver blockchain banking to the 2.3 billion underbanked adults in the world. Bora Finance is developing an online banking environment that will include a saving and investment platform, a loan and collateralization segment, insurance, and payment/POS platforms. The Bora Finance solution will give access to secure and cost-effective banking services to billions right through their mobile devices.
Salesforce has reversed course on its bid to acquire data management and integration platform Informatica a source has told Reuters. Informatica itself said that it is not in talks to be acquired. Salesforce stocks rose on this latest news while Informatica’s fell.