TechCabal Daily – MAXing out

THE DAY IN REVIEW

Metro Africa Xpress Inc. (MAX) has raised $31 million in a Series B funding round. 

The Nigerian mobility tech startup was founded in 2015 by Chinedu Azodoh and Tayo Bamiduro to revolutionize motorcycle transportation by making it safer and efficient. It has since expanded beyond just transportation to include delivery services and vehicle financing. The last funding round for MAX was in 2019 when they raised $7 million in a funding round led by Kenyan Novastar Ventures and Yamaha.

There were talks of expanding into electric motorcycles after MAX’s Series A round, but the Lagos State government banned motorcycles in 2020. With Lagos being MAX’s biggest market at the time, the company’s growth was stalled.

With this round of funding, MAX plans to expand into more African markets, specifically Ghana and Egypt by the end of Q1 2022, and other additional markets by the end of 2022.

2. SWEEPSOUTH ACQUIRES FILKHEDMA

South African on-demand home cleaning service SweepSouth has acquired Egypt’s FilKhedma. 

Sweepsouth was launched in 2014 by Aisha Pandor and Alen Ribic who once struggled to find cleaners in their town. It’s like Uber, but for home cleaning services. 

FilKhedma on the other hand runs similar services in Egypt. It is an online home maintenance service platform that offers services ranging from home repair to plumbing and the likes. Launched in 2014 by Omar Ramadan, it allows users on its platform book home services, get price quotations, and have verified technicians sent to their homes. Earlier this month, after receiving bridge capital from Cairo Angels, Egypt’s angel investment network, Ramadan hinted about a “significant milestone” they—FilKhedma—would be announcing soon. It appears that this milestone is now its acquisition by SweepSouth. 

Speaking on the acquisition, SweepSouth’s co-founder Alen Ribic said, “Coming together with the Filkhedma team represents the next phase of building SweepSouth into a global platform that will continue to expand our services not only on the continent but further abroad as well.”

TECHCABAL’S CHRISTMAS WATCHLIST

Yesterday, we recommended you get your loved ones video streaming subscriptions for Christmas. If you took our advice, here are some Christmas movies and TV shows available on-demand to get you fully in the spirit of the holidays:

1. HOW TO RUIN CHRISTMAS: THE FUNERAL

Tumi is up to her antics again, and this time it’s killing someone…allegedly.

In the first five minutes, she swears at a child. There’s also a proposal at a crematorium, Shadrack and Succulent are closer than ever, and by the end, somebody eats cremation dust.  It’s not entirely Tumi’s fault this time, we promise, but in typical Tumi style, she destroys and then rebuilds again. 

Get on Netflix and start your chaotic journey with the Sellos and Twalas in this South African comedy.

2. A NAIJA CHRISTMAS

Directed by Kunle Afolyan, this Netflix Original is advertised as “Nigeria’s first Christmas movie”. 

The fun, family movie is about three brothers bringing home brides to appease their dramatic Nigerian mother during Christmas with the hopes of winning her house.  Find out how everything goes wrong while simultaneously laughing your head off.

This is Nollywood star Rachael Oniga’s last movie before she passed, and the movie is dedicated to her. 

3. A ZULU CHRISTMAS

Christmas in many African cities is never complete without people going home a.k.a. the village, or township. 

When a spoiled city boy is dropped off at his grandmother’s rural KZN home for the holidays, he has no idea the shock he’s in for and the lessons he’s about to learn about Christmas and chores.
This is an endearing and heartwarming tale about family and the roots that build them.

Log on to Showmax and enjoy streaming this from anywhere.

4. 6 HOURS TO CHRISTMAS

With Nollywood’s recent uprising, you might be feeling nostalgic. 

This Christmas, get on IROKOtv and go old school Nollywood/Ghallywood with this wacky, chaotic movie about a not-so-single creative director who receives a “gift certificate” from a work colleague he’s attracted to. This gift certificate can only be redeemed in her bedroom and he has to decide between his girlfriend and work colleague with many twists and turns along the way.

5. A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE

While you’re on Showmax, also check out A Christmas Surprise. 

It’s a funny story that follows the usual Christmas theme of wacky families and in-laws. In true Christmas movie fashion, the movie follows a woman who has to deal with her daughter’s engagement to a less-than-ideal son-in-law and his own domineering mother. 

Happy streaming.

OPPORTUNITIES

• The Auda-NEPAD Home Grown Solutions Accelerator for Pandemic Resilience 2022 is open to African healthcare companies who aim to strengthen the continent’s response to pandemics. Benefits include support for a six-month acceleration roadmap and network access. Check it out.

• If you want to run a high-impact NGO, then you should check out Charity Entrepreneurship Incubation Programme. The programme provides open-minded early-stage founders with two-month full-time training, as well as funding up to $175,000.

• The Flourish Africa Grant for Women 2021 is now open to applications from female Nigerian entrepreneurs. 2,500 business owners will get the chance to get up to ₦2,000,000 ($4,800) in grants. Check it out.

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