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African energy businesses to pitch for millions in funding at Energy Investment Village

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3 years ago

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energy projects

The initiative is open to start-ups in the early stages of rolling out clean-tech projects, as well as large-scale energy projects of between 20 and 100MW, requiring finance to get off the ground

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 4, 2023/APO Group/ — 

The Green Energy Africa Summit (GEAS) (GreenEnergyAfricaSummit.com) has announced the launch of the 2023 Energy Investment Village (EIV), an exciting deal-pitching event for African clean-tech starts-ups and energy projects.

The EIV is now open for entries from emerging African energy businesses, and will culminate in a lion’s den-type pitching event during the GEAS in Cape Town on 11 October 2023.

The EIV is a partnership between Saldanha Bay Innovation Campus and the Research Institution for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS), supported by Anza Capital and Afida.

This is the second year of the EIV. Last year’s event saw finalists representing local clean-tech projects pitching to energy leaders holding potential investments worth more than $100 billion.

The event was won by Brayfoil Technologies (www.Brayfoil.com), a South African wind-energy company whose adaptive turbine designs enable more efficient applications in the wind energy, aerospace, sailing and automotive sectors. Following the win, the Brayfoil team hosted several meetings with potential investors on the sidelines of the GEAS.

“We are proud to have been able to put some of Africa’s best emerging clean-tech firms in touch with serious funders looking to invest in the sector,” says GEAS Vice President for Energy Paul Sinclair, “We look forward to amplifying that commitment with this year’s event, and helping to develop black-owned business in the booming green-energy industry.”

Sinclair called upon all African clean-tech start-ups and energy projects to enter this year’s EIV. The initiative is open to start-ups in the early stages of rolling out clean-tech projects, as well as large-scale energy projects of between 20 and 100MW, requiring finance to get off the ground.

The EIV is an excellent platform to strengthen the building blocks of collaboration that are critical for problem solving in a fast-changing world

“If you’re solving for a cleaner, sustainable future for South Africa and Africa, we want to hear from you,” says Sinclair.

EIV is also calling for organisations looking to become strategic partners to support its commitment to giving Africa’s clean-tech start-ups and energy projects access to global investors.

Freeport Saldanha CEO, Kaashifah Beukes explains that the conceptualisation of the EIV was driven by the need to connect and capacitate clean-tech start-ups and energy projects. “The work that is being done in clean energy innovation and development in South Africa and Africa is hugely exciting. But the challenge is that investors who have an appetite for investing into these kinds of projects, often do not have sight of them. The EIV seeks to become a conduit between investment and solution.”

Davis Cook, CEO of advisory firm RIIS, says the Energy Investment Village is a unique opportunity to accelerate innovation through the development and deepening of supportive ecosystems.

“Long-term sustainability can only be achieved if we ensure a responsive and connected environment in which business and society can innovate,” says Cook. “The EIV is an excellent platform to strengthen the building blocks of collaboration that are critical for problem solving in a fast-changing world.”

The EIV has become an exciting innovation pipeline at a time of global energy crisis due to bottlenecks in international power supply, geopolitical uncertainty and a rapidly evolving energy mix.

As part of the GEAS, it supports stimulating deals and transactions across the African Energy Industry. GEAS brings together governments, national regulators and utility companies, independent power players, investors, financial institutions and service providers to drive deals and investment into energy projects, provide energy access and solutions for the future of Africa.

At EIV 2022, besides securing invaluable investor engagement, Brayfoil Technologies won a R20 000 cash prize from FNB, a year’s business membership with the Africa Scotland Business Network (ASBN) and an ASBN branding and marketing workshop.

At the EIV finals, judges adjudicate start-up pitches according to criteria such as innovativeness, sustainability and business merit.

To register your interest in the Energy Investment Village, visit here (https://apo-opa.info/40Ur6LS) or email Belinda.Williams@Hyve.group

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Green Energy Africa Summit.

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Novum Studio Secures New Funding to Launch Ahoy Project, an AI-Native Enterprise Transformation Platform, Building on Its 20-Million-User Gen Z App Frog

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13 hours ago

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July 24, 2026

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Novum Studio
  • Novum Studio has raised a new round of funding to launch Ahoy Project, its enterprise AI solution, with internal testing scheduled for July 2026.
  • Ahoy Project is positioned as the infrastructure for AI-native enterprise transformation – an AI-native communication platform serving as the underlying system, delivered as an end-to-end tailored solution.
  • The launch expands the company beyond Frog, its Gen Z consumer social app that has reached 20 million users across the U.S. and Europe.
  • Novum Studio said it is applying lessons from operating high-frequency social platforms at scale to workplace communication and knowledge systems.

NEW YORK, USA – Media OutReach Newswire – 24 July 2026 – Novum Studio, the company behind Frog – a Gen Z social app often described as a “new-generation Snapchat” – said it has raised a new round of funding and will use the proceeds to launch Ahoy Project, an AI-native enterprise communication and collaboration platform, with internal testing scheduled for July 2026.

The Novum Studio team at London Tech Week 2025.

Unlike conventional workplace software, Ahoy Project will not be sold as a standalone software subscription, the company said. Novum Studio provides the infrastructure and a full tailored solution for enterprises undergoing AI-native transformation, with the communication platform serving as the underlying system on which that transformation is built.

Founded as a consumer social company, Novum Studio has reached more than 20 million users across the U.S. and Europe. Frog gained traction among younger users through spontaneous, real-time sharing designed around authenticity and low-pressure interaction. The company said its experience building large-scale social “spaces” – where millions of people communicate, form groups and coordinate in real time — directly informs its approach to enterprise collaboration.

The new funding will support the launch and international expansion of the enterprise business as artificial intelligence reshapes how organizations communicate, collaborate and operate, the company said.

Novum Studio was founded by Anna Danyi, who graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 2018 and began her career in consulting and technology. Before founding Novum Studio, she built multiple consumer applications and exited through an acquisition. In 2025, Forbes China recognized her among the Top 100 most influential global Chinese figures in AI digital products area.

“We spent years understanding how millions of users communicate online,” Anna Danyi said. “In the AI era, communication itself is becoming intelligent. We believe the next generation of platforms will not only connect people — they will understand workflows, collaboration and organizational behavior.”

From Consumer Social to Enterprise AI

Modern organizations face growing challenges as critical knowledge, decisions and workflows become fragmented across chats, meetings and disconnected tools, the company said. Ahoy Project addresses this as a conversation-driven, AI-native collaboration layer: it captures context from day-to-day communication to build a searchable enterprise knowledge base and support workflow coordination.

Core capabilities include conversation-based knowledge organization, AI-assisted collaboration and workflow support integrated directly into team communication. Because the platform sits at the layer where work is discussed and decided, it can serve as the foundation for a broader AI-native operating model – with Novum Studio designing and delivering the surrounding transformation solution for each enterprise client.

Ahoy (Popeye AI) turns everyday team conversations into a searchable enterprise knowledge base.

A New Direction for Social Technology

Novum Studio said its expansion reflects a broader shift across the technology industry. Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram defined how content was distributed and consumed in the mobile social era; as AI becomes embedded in digital products, the company believes the next stage will center less on feeds and more on intelligent systems that understand communication and coordination.

“We are no longer just building products where people post content,” Anna Danyi said. “We are building systems that understand how humans communicate and operate together.”
 

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Energy

Venezuela Energy Week to Host Houston Industry Showcase, Unlocking United States (U.S.) Commercial Engagement Ahead of October Summit

Published

17 hours ago

on

July 24, 2026

By

African Energy Chamber

Ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2026, U.S. exploration companies, independent operators, oilfield service providers and investors are invited to explore commercial opportunities across Venezuela’s upstream sector at the Houston Industry Showcase next month

HOUSTON, United States of America, July 23, 2026/APO Group/ –Venezuela Energy Week will host an Industry Showcase in Houston on August 18, 2026: a targeted industry roadshow designed to engage U.S. energy stakeholders ahead of the October summit. Held at The Post Oak Hotel, the showcase will convene senior representatives from across the U.S. upstream ecosystem – including exploration and production companies, Texas-based independents, oilfield service companies, engineering and technology firms, commercial banks, private equity firms and family offices – to assess commercial pathways for participation in Venezuela’s energy sector.

 

As Venezuela looks to expand production, U.S. companies remain well positioned to contribute technical expertise, capital and operational capabilities across the upstream value chain. Chevron’s longstanding presence in the country highlights the continued importance of U.S. industry participation, while the scale of Venezuela’s resource base continues to attract interest from major international energy companies, including ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips. Opportunities extend across exploration, field development, production optimization, infrastructure rehabilitation and digital modernization as Venezuela seeks to strengthen its energy sector.

 

Demand is also expected to grow for oilfield service companies, engineering firms, technology providers and financial institutions that can support upstream investment and project execution. Companies including SLB, Halliburton and Baker Hughes have been identified as potential partners in advancing production optimization and infrastructure rehabilitation, while commercial banks, private equity firms and family offices will play an important role in financing future investment opportunities.

 

Against this backdrop, the Houston Industry Showcase will provide a structured engagement platform at a time when select international operators continue to operate under U.S. Treasury-authorized frameworks, and where policy considerations in the U.S. continue to shape engagement parameters in Venezuela’s energy sector.

 

The event will enable U.S. exploration companies, independent operators, oilfield service providers and investors to assess technical and commercial pathways across exploration, field services, project delivery and broader supply chain opportunities, while supporting early-stage dialogue between international investors and Venezuela-focused stakeholders in a structured commercial environment ahead of the October summit.

 

To register for the Houston Industry Showcase on August 18, visit www.venezuelaenergyweek.com/rsvp-houston. To learn more about delegate, sponsorship and partnership opportunities for the showcase or to secure your place at Venezuela Energy Week 2026 in Caracas this October, contact info@venezuelaenergyweek.com.

 

Supporting Venezuela’s Earthquake Recovery

 

Our thoughts are with the people and communities affected by the recent earthquakes in Venezuela. As the country begins the long process of recovery, we encourage members of the global energy community to support relief and reconstruction efforts through the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela, which channels contributions from individuals, companies and organizations to emergency assistance, essential services and long-term rebuilding efforts.

 

To learn more or make a contribution, please visit the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela (https://apo-opa.co/4fM0rLr).

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

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Business

Africa Trade Gateway Delivers US$5.3-Million Cross-Border Transaction in First Energy Sector Trade in Southern Africa

Published

17 hours ago

on

July 24, 2026

By

Afreximbank

The transaction represents an important milestone for both the participating institu-tions and the ATG ecosystem as it marked Innbucks Microbank’s first completed transaction through the platform and the ATG’s first recorded energy-sector transac-tion in Southern Africa

HARARE, Zimbabwe, July 23, 2026/APO Group/ –A US$5.3-million cross-border fuel (gasoil) trade transaction has been successfully completed with support of the Africa Trade Gateway (ATG), African Export-Import Bank’s (Afreximbank’s) (www.Afreximbank.com) flagship digital trade ecosystem, demonstrating the value and efficacy of the Gateway in powering African trade.

The transaction, which saw Zimbabwean fuel importer Witeva Trading source a gasoil shipment from a leading commodity trader and supplier in Switzerland, with Innbucks Microbank Ltd. participating as the local issuing financial institution and Afreximbank providing confirmation support under agreed trade finance structure, demonstrates how African businesses can leverage one connected ecosystem to identify opportunities, access finance and complete international trade more efficiently.

The ATG made it possible for the commercial opportunity to be connected to the right ecosystem participants, bringing together the buyer, supplier and participating financial institutions to support a successful execution of the transaction.

The transaction represents an important milestone for both the participating institutions and the ATG ecosystem as it marked Innbucks Microbank’s first completed transaction through the platform and the ATG’s first recorded energy-sector transaction in Southern Africa.

This transaction demonstrates the value of bringing African businesses and financial institutions together through one connected trade ecosystem

It also demonstrates how African Businesses can use a single digital ecosystem to identify commercial opportunities, connect with verified counterparties, access trade-finance support and execute cross-border transactions more efficiently.

Peter Olowononi, Director, Regional Operations, Southern Africa, at Afreximbank, said:

“This transaction demonstrates the value of bringing African businesses and financial institutions together through one connected trade ecosystem. By creating a digital ecosystem to expand access to trade finance, Afreximbank is enabling more businesses to participate easily in regional and international trade.”

Emeka Onyia, Director, Digital Business, at Afreximbank, added:

“The Africa Trade Gateway is more than a mere digital platform; it is the ecosystem that helps trade happen. We help businesses discover opportunities, connect with trusted buyers, suppliers and financial institutions, and facilitate the journey from commercial opportunity to completed transactions. Every successful deal strengthens the network, attracts new participants and creates more opportunities for African trade.”

“As more businesses, banks and trade partners join the ecosystem, every successful transaction expands the marketplace, strengthens trust across the network and increases opportunities for future trade,” Mr. Onyia added.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

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