TechCabal Daily – Samurai Incubate Africa is offering $150,000 to help you scale that air-conditioning service idea

Get rewarded for saving!. Join the Backup Cash 21 Day Savings Challenge to win amazing cash prizes of N250,000 and more. For details on how to join, follow @mybackupcash on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter (T & C’s Apply). Backup Cash is backed by SFS Capital and powered by Paystack.

Wefarm has raised $13 million to improve its capacity to serve its network of over a million smallholder farmers. The Nairobi and London-based startup was founded in 2015 to help farmers cut out time and money losses arising from fake or faulty agricultural products. This Series A round was led by Silicon Valley’s True Ventures with participation from AgFunder and June Fund, among others. Wefarm’s service connects farmers to quality seeds, fertilizers and other non-agricultural items from trusted retailers and brands.

Venture capital firm Samurai Incubate Africa is placing up to $150,000 for grabs in the Daikin-Samurai Incubate Africa Ideathon set to hold between 10 and 11 December in Nairobi. The organizers are looking for 10 of the most innovative African startups interested in partnering and expanding their businesses with Japanese partners. If your product or service is designed for scale; if you are based in or planning to expand to one or more countries on the continent where air conditioners are in demand, and have at least a two-person management team, be sure to get your application in before November 20.

Multichoice has walked back its earlier plan to cut channels from DStv. Three channels – History, Crime + Investigation, and Lifetime – were headed for the chopping block but the South African cable television company has reached an agreement with A+E Networks Africa (also based in South Africa) to extend the current contract to air History and Lifetime channels on DStv. Crime + Investigation will no longer be available from November 1, but premium and compact customers can look forward to new shows thanks to the renewed terms agreed by Multichoice.

Nigerian fintechs are growing remarkably, in customer adoption and global recognition. However, there is some way to go before they are able to achieve the much needed financial inclusion goals that distinguish them from traditional financial institutions. From conversations at the 2019 Nigeria Fintech Week, I explore why fintechs need access to Nigeria’s capital market, and why it makes sense that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has unveiled a formal roadmap on the future of fintechs in Nigeria.

We are also putting together a map of the African edtech industry. If you have an edtech startup or you are a technology company doing significant work in the industry we would like to hear from you. Please fill this form.

Seedstars is partnering with the Swiss Association for Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets (SAFEEM) and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) to launch the Gender Equality Entrepreneurship Track of the Seedstars World Tour and the Seedstars Summit Africa 2019. The Women Entrepreneurship Prize will consist of an all-inclusive flight, accommodation, VIP access to the Regional Summit for 10 women-led startups. The Seedstars World competition is the largest seed-stage startup competition for emerging markets and fast-growing startup scenes. The Women Entrepreneurship Prize is expected to impact 50 to 75 women-led startups across 4 countries: Mozambique, Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, South Africa.

Facebook and Andela are organizing #DevCCareerFair, an event to connect top developers with employment opportunities in their local markets. It is a follow-up to #DevCTrainingwithAndela organised three months ago, at which 2500  developers within the Developer Circles community participated. #DevCCareerFair is scheduled to hold on Saturday, November 23rd and November 30th in Nairobi and Lagos respectively. The fair is open and free to businesses that apply and get through the selection process. You can take advantage of this opportunity by signing up on http://bit.ly/DevCCareerFair

Over 100 African and African-focused tech startups and innovators from over 20 countries will battle out in pitch sessions before an audience of investors at this month’s AfricArena Summit between 11 and 12 November in Cape Town, South Africa. Investors expected to be in attendance include representatives from Breega Capital from Europe, South Africa’s Knife Capital and SA SME Fund, Germany’s Greentec Capital, MAVA Ventures from the USA, GSMA from the UK and Pwc Japan, along with more than 150 others from all over the world. Iyin Aboyeji, one of Africa’s more familiar tech faces, is scheduled to speak at the summit.

In South Africa, car thieves have been using a software device to override vehicle security systems. The device works as a diagnostic key reader, enabling the thief clone the owner’s key and make away with the car. Law enforcement authorities have made a number of arrests; on one bust, they found 15 computer boxes, 35 ignition switches, digital key readers for Fords and Toyotas and a police scanner.

What should African governments do to enable startups grow? Yes, funding is important but could governments do more by becoming paying customers? Here’s Tom Jackson’s five-point agenda on the matter

We have crossed the halfway mark of the #JollofRoad trip. Currently in Guinea, the 7th country so far, the team continues to open our eyes to the social and economic diversities across West Africa. They are trying out new food on market streets and restaurants, confirming that Malaria is endemic across the sub-region, and experiencing Africa’s developmental challenges first hand. What will the next 40 days bring? Visit jollofroad.com every day to catch up on all the stories from the road!

Tek Experts, a leading, global provider of business and IT support services is hosting its first Open Day Forum themed ‘Preparing for the Future of Work in Nigeria’. The Forum, which is a gathering of IT industry professionals, is holding on the 14th of November 2019 and 5 lucky TechCabal Daily readers will get special invites to attend. If you’re interested in attending, please register here.

CcHUB is hosting another edition of the monthly Breakfast Chat series on Thursday, November 7. At the series, tech founders get the opportunity to interact with accomplished entrepreneurs across various fields of business. Alon Lits, General Manager for Uber, Sub-Saharan Africa, will lead the conversation on “Building a globally sustainable business” as the guest speaker. The event begins at 8:45am at Co-Creation Hub Nigeria: 5th floor, 294 Herbert Macaulay way Lagos, Nigeria. Do indicate your interest by requesting an invite – bit.ly/bchatwithalon

Early-stage fintech accelerator DFS Lab and The Subtext are organising a 5-part course about the opportunities in African Fintech. Learn more about the course and sign up here.