Victoria here,

I've got three quick bits of news for you. I mean, as a reader, this should matter to you.

Yesterday, June 1, 2022, Google announced the integration of two of its video-calling apps, Duo and Meet, into a single platform.

This means that there will only be Google Meet, and Google expects that it will be the only calling app users need.

Moreover, Slack is introducing new features like the ability to add name pronunciation guides either by recording audio or adding phonetic spelling to promote team collaboration and connection.

Lastly, Instagram has incorporated Amber Alerts, a tool that helps locate kidnapped children, into users' feeds. While the feature was only launched in the United States yesterday, the company plans to expand it to 25 countries in the coming days.

Today, I'll be discussing:

• How Victoria Fabunmi helps founders get capital
  
• Talk360's $4 million seed
  
• Appetito's acquisition
  

Unrelated, but help Techpoint Africa determine how much African tech workers earn by filling out this form or sharing it with your developer friends.

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I mentioned yesterday that the editorial team is cooking. These meals are ready for consumption. And I'm sure you've started to enjoy them.

Still unclear? I'll help you out. The editorial team — Nifemi, Emmanuel, Chimgozirim, Bolu, and Ogheneruemu — have got new and "retouched" series. And if you noticed, we also brought back How I Work, handled by Samuel, our content guru.

Whether you're interested in blockchain, AI, IoT, how tech helps everyday people, experts' journeys in tech, East Africa coverage, or venture capital and startups, we've got you covered! 

On today's episode of the Techpoint Africa Podcast, the editorial team discussed their series and why you should care. While you know Nifemi's The Experts, I'd like to discuss Chimgozirim's series, Equity Merchants, today.

If you're a regular, you're probably familiar with Chimgozirim as the guy who covers VCs and startups in Africa. Well, his new series is not far from this.

He'll talk to angel investors, venture capitalists, private equity merchants, and founders. If you want to understand how the Venture Capital market works, look for his story every Wednesday at 12 p.m. WAT!

He's also adding a podcast and a newsletter. While the articles will be available on the website every Wednesday at 12 p.m. WAT, the podcast can be found anywhere you get your podcasts, and the newsletter will be sent directly to your inbox. Isn't this fantabulous?

In his words, this week's story is the "most interesting conversation he has ever had in a long time." Chimgozirim had a chat with Victoria Fabunmi, CcHUB's Head of Investment.

Interestingly, Fabunmi, like many Nigerian students, was unsure of her career path despite studying accounting at the University of Lagos in Nigeria.

You can probably relate if you are or were a Nigerian student. But how did you decide on a career path? You can share with me. I mean, I don't bite. 😁

For Fabunmi, she was determined to make a difference. And one way she could do that was to venture into investment banking to help businesses bridge the financing gap.

Clearly, her undergraduate degree had an impact on her career choice.

Perhaps you’re wondering how to get started in venture capital; wonder no more! Irrespective of your background, you can get started. And Fabunmi gave some pointers on this.

Check them out here: How Victoria Fabunmi helps startup founders get capital to drive growth

In 2021, transportation contributed $4.8 billion to Nigeria’s GDP but it could have done three times as much. Accidents and insecurities in transport are contributing to rising cost of goods and services, but all that could change with the right policies and innovative technologies. 

Experience the revolution at the Africa Mobility Conference with the theme: Pathway to the future of mobility in Africa, taking place today, Thursday, June 2, 2022. Register immediately!

Talk360, South Africa's international calling platform, had announced a $4 million seed round.

HAVAÍC led the round. 4Di Capital and some angel investors like Gaston Aussems, Robert Kraal, Gabriel de Montessuss, and Marnix van der Ploeg participated.

In 2016, Dean Hiine, Hans Osnabrugge, and Jorne Schamp launched the startup as a travelling app to avoid roaming fees. However, after social media apps like WhatsApp introduced Internet calls, the co-founders were forced to reconsider their model.

Now, Talk360 is an African Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provider that allows users to make international calls for a fee through its app.

It's quite different from a voice call on WhatsApp or Telegram, for instance. Only the person initiating the call requires the Talk360 app and an Internet-enabled smartphone.

In other words, the recipient doesn't need a smartphone or Internet access. Essentially, you can use it to reach your cousin who lives in a village where Internet penetration is low.

Talk360 claims that it connected 2 million people in 2021. Besides, the startup relies on integrations with older payment service providers, which are severely limited by region.

The company wants to use some of its funding to build its own payment platform to make payment and checkout easier for its African users. According to Hiins, the platform will bring all of Africa's "scattered payment methods" onto a single platform.

Further, he believes that the product will provide businesses with access to Africa's largest pool of localised payment options.

While the app is primarily used in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, the startup is looking to expand its international calling operations across Africa and build a hub in Kenya.

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Appetito, Egypt's on-demand delivery startup, has acquired Lamma, a similar startup with operations in Tunisia and Morocco's Maghreb regions.

Launched by Shehab Mokhtar, Appetito delivers groceries and household products to customers from 11 dark stores across three cities in the North African country.

In 2020, Lamma was founded by Yassir El Ismaili El Idrissi, Hamza Guesmi, and Koussi Aymen as a carpooling service in Tunisia.

Soon after that, the startup shifted to a quick commerce platform that delivers groceries, personal care, and fashion items to users in Tunisia and Morocco — which launched this year.

What does this acquisition mean? The Lamma team, its three dark stores, and a distribution centre will be integrated into Appetito as the two companies "explore many synergies." Also, El Idrissi will join Appetito as CEO.

What's more, Appetito intends to become the leading on-demand delivery player in frontier and emerging markets.

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Opportunities

• Binance has open roles in Communication, Business Development, Customer Support, Engineering, Marketing, Product, Customer support, and other departments. Check out the details and how to apply here.
  
• The African Leadership Group and Udacity are offering 5,000 scholarships to African citizens who want to advance their careers in tech. by learning new digital skills. Scholarship recipients will enrol in one of the following Udacity Nanodegree programmes: Data Analyst, Full-Stack Web Developer, or Cloud Developer. Apply here.
• Grant Master has announced the start of its second Creative Writers Fellowship cohort. The Fellowship for Creative Writers will take place virtually from July 4th to August 26th, 2022. Apply here.
  
• MOBI Automation, a startup that uses Web3 technologies to solve business problems, is looking for a Chief Technology Officer, UI & UX Designer, Senior Frontend Developer, and Creative Designer. Send your resume here.
  

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