Notes from the foundry
Research and field notes on building technology ventures, AI in business, SaaS and innovation. Every figure links to its source.
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AI in business
AI for small businesses: where to start, and what to leave alone
Most small businesses now use some AI. The surveys show where it pays off first, what owners worry about, and a simple 30-day plan for getting real value without the risk.
27 October 2026 · 5 min read -
SaaS
Offline-first: designing software for field teams in low-connectivity markets
Coverage is not the same as connection. Why field software must keep working when the network drops, what Android and PWAs make possible, and the design rules we follow.
27 October 2026 · 4 min read -
SaaS
Building SaaS that actually gets paid in Africa
Mobile money, low card ownership, gateways that cover some countries and not others, and currencies that move. A practical guide to billing software customers across Africa.
27 October 2026 · 5 min read -
Innovation
AI in construction: from site plan to bill of quantities
Construction is one of the least digitised industries, and Africa needs tens of millions of homes. Where AI can genuinely speed up estimating, and why qualified people must stay in the loop.
27 October 2026 · 4 min read -
Innovation
Games that teach how cities work
Africa's games market is approaching US$2 billion and is overwhelmingly mobile. What the evidence says about games as a way to learn about cities, and what that means for game builders.
27 October 2026 · 3 min read -
AI in business
Selling where your customers already talk: social media, WhatsApp and AI for African businesses
Africa's buyers discover and buy on Facebook, WhatsApp and TikTok. What the data says about each platform, and how businesses can use AI to reply faster and turn chats into sales.
27 October 2026 · 4 min read -
Venture studios
Why the venture studio model suits Africa
Studios build companies instead of just funding them. The evidence on how they perform, how African studios are doing, and the lessons from one that collapsed.
27 October 2026 · 4 min read -
Building ventures in Africa
One base, many markets: building software for the whole continent
The AfCFTA promises a single market of 1.3 billion people, but digital trade rules and data protection laws still differ country by country. What software builders need to know.
27 October 2026 · 4 min read -
Building ventures in Africa
What African startup funding really looks like in 2026
Five trackers, five different totals. Here is what the 2025 and early-2026 numbers actually say about debt, concentration and what founders outside the Big Four should do.
27 October 2026 · 5 min read