Over the past decade, Dubai-based Network International has become one of the dominant payment processors across the Middle East and Africa, thanks in part to a pair of acquisitions. However, many large incumbents can fall prey to slower innovation, opening the door for smaller, faster-moving startups. The latest development is Enza, a fintech founded in […]
Korean Soldier Goes Viral For “Serving” In The Military
Lee Ji Hwan, better known to their followers as @o._.rora__ on Instagram, is a dancer enlisted to serve military duty for the ROK Army. Lee Ji Hwan | @o._.rora__/Instagram Lee has been somewhat regular in uploading dance covers—a few in their military uniform, too—but it was the one uploaded on May 17, 2024, that went viral. […]
TechCrunch Minute: The FTC bans anonymous social app NGL from serving minors
Not gonna lie, things aren’t looking great for NGL. The FTC is banning NGL from serving minors or advertising to them, marking the first time that the government agency has taken this sort of action against an app. You might recognize the app from your friends’ Instagram stories, when people post links to asking friends […]
Once serving war-torn Sudan, YC-backed Elevate now provides fintech to freelancers globally
In early 2022, the fintech startup Bloom — not to be confused with the Gen Z-focused investing app, or the heavily capitalized revenue financing platform — was accepted into Y Combinator as the first-ever startup from Sudan to participate in the famed accelerator. Alongside its four founders’ track records at Amazon, Meta, IBM, and Goldman Sachs, […]
Accion’s new $152.5M fund will back financial institutions serving small businesses globally
Accion, a global nonprofit, announced on Tuesday the launch of the Accion Digital Transformation Fund, a $ 152.5 million fund for large financial institutions, including microfinance serving small businesses currently excluded from the world’s financial system. The firm said in a statement that it will provide growth capital and strategic support to these companies for […]