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In the month of August in India, we witnessed over ten new smartphone launches. While the numbers are not as big as July, it was still a busy month. The month started with the launch of the Infinix Smart 5A budget phone and the last phone to launch was the Vivo Y33s. 

In the first half of the month, we saw just four phone launches 一 Infinix Smart 5A, Vivo Y53s, Galaxy Z Flip 3, and the Galaxy Z Fold 3. Later on, Moto Edge 20 and Edge 20 Fusion devices were unveiled. 

Realme launched their GT series in India with the flagship Realme GT and mid-range Realme GT Master Edition. Samsung also launched a new mid-range 5G device, Galaxy M32 5G. One of the most anticipated launches of the month, the Asus 8z was not revealed in India. 

Let's take a look at all the smartphones launched in the month of August 2021. 

Cut to the chase:

• How many smartphones were launched in India in August? 一 About 11 new phones
• Which company launched most phones in August 2021? 一 Samsung (3)
• Costliest phone for August 2021? 一 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

Infinix Smart 5A

(Image credit: Flipkart)

The first phone to launch in the month of August, the Infinix Smart 5A is an affordable phone priced under Rs 8,000. The phone comes with a 6.52-inch HD+ display, a big 5,000mAh battery, and is powered by MediaTek Helio A20 chipset. 

Further, the Infinix Smart 5A comes with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. The phone comes in Midnight Black, Quetzal Cyan, and Ocean Wave colour options and measures 8.7mm and weighs 183 grams. Other notable features include a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, a triple rear camera, and an 8MP selfie camera. 

Buy Infinix Smart 5A on Flipkart 

Rs 6,499

Vivo Y53s

(Image credit: Vivo )

The Vivo Y53s is a mid-range phone from Vivo in the Y series and is the successor to the Vivo Y52. It comes with a 6.58-inch FHD+ LCD display with a 60Hz refresh rate and it is powered by a MediaTek Helio G80 processor. 

The Vivo Y53s is available in the sole 8GB+128GB variant. In the optics department, the device comes with a 64MP main camera, a 2MP macro shooter, and a 2MP depth sensor. The Vivo Y53s comes with a 16MP selfie camera. Lastly, the device packs in a 5,000mAh battery that supports 18W fast charging. 

Check out the Vivo Y53s on Amazon

8GB + 128GB at Rs 19,490

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Flip 3

(Image credit: Samsung)

The biggest and much-awaited launch of the month is undoubtedly the Samsung launch. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3 are cheaper than the last-gen models. Both models come with an improved design and minor upgrades in terms of hardware. 

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 now comes with an IPX8 rating and Gorilla Glass protection for added durability. It has a main screen measuring 7.6-inches with a 120Hz refresh rate, Eco² OLED technology and an under-display camera, while a 6.2-inch cover screen, also with a 120Hz refresh rate. It also supports S Pen input.

The device is powered by Snapdragon 888 with 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage. The battery is rated at 4,400mAh and supports 25W fast charging and 11W wireless charging. Cameras include a 12MP primary shooter, a 12MP ultra-wide lens and a 12MP telephoto shooter. 

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 comes with a 6.7-inch foldable screen and a 1.9-inch large cover screen. It too has Gorilla Glass Victus protection and IPX8 certification. The device is powered by Snapdragon 888, 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of storage. Cameras include a 12MP primary shooter and a 12MP ultra-wide lens, along with a 10MP selfie camera on the front. Other features include stereo speakers, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and a 3,300mAh battery.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 review

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 review

Moto Edge 20 series

(Image credit: Srivatsa Ramesh)

The Moto Edge 20 series was unveiled globally in the last week of July and the same is launched in India on August 17. The Moto Edge 20 and Moto Edge 20 Fusion will be launched in India. The Moto Edge 20 Fusion is a tweaked version of the Moto Edge 20 Lite. 

The Moto Edge 20 is the slimmest 5G phone with 6.99mm thickness. The phone is powered by Snapdragon 778G SoC, 8GB RAM and will come with a 144Hz display with a 576Hz touch sampling rate. In the optics department, the Moto Edge 20 comes with a 108MP main camera, 16MP ultra-wide and macro lens, and an 8MP 3x telephoto lens with OIS. 

On the other hand, the Moto Edge 20 Fusion comes with a 90Hz 10-bit AMOLED display, a 108MP main camera, and is powered by MediaTek Dinmensity 800U SoC. Both phones run on Android 11 OS and feature a 32MP selfie shooter. 

Moto Edge 20 Fusion review

Expected specs for Edge 20 Fusion

	Edge 20	Edge 20 Fusion
Display	6.7" 10-bit OLED, 144Hz	6.7" 10-bit OLED, 90Hz
Processor	Snapdragon 778G	Dimensity 800U
RAM	8GB	8GB
Storage	128GB	128GB
Rear cameras	108MP+8MP+16MP	108MP+8MP+2MP
Front camera	32MP	32MP
Battery	4,000mAh, 30W	5,000mAh, 30W

Realme GT series

(Image credit: Srivatsa Ramesh)

Realme’s true flagship phone, the Realme GT was finally launched in India. Along with the Realme GT, the Realme GT Master Edition was also unveiled as a sidekick. The Realme GT brings features like  Snapdragon 888, up to 12GB of RAM,  256GB of UFS 3.1 storage, 6.43-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, 4,500mAh battery and 65W fast charging. You also get 64MP main, 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro snappers and a 16MP selfie shooter. 

On the other hand, the Realme GT Master Edition is powered by a Snapdragon 778G and features a 120Hz display, 64MP triple camera, 4,300mAh battery with 65W fast charging and a 32MP selfie camera. 

Realme GT review

Realme GT Master Edition review

Samsung Galaxy M32 5G

(Image credit: Amazon)

Samsung's new 5G phone is under the M series. The new Samsung Galaxy M32 5G will come with Dimensity 720 chipset 一 a new chipset for India. It has a 6.5-inch HD+ resolution V-display with a water-drop notch. You get 12 5G bands to support in India as well. 

In terms of cameras, the Samsung Galaxy M32 5G comes with a quad-camera setup on the back with a 48MP primary sensor accompanied by an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 5MP macro lens and a 2 MP depth sensor. On the front, it features a 13MP camera sensor. It is powered by a massive 5,000mAh battery along with support for 15W fast charging technology. 

Others

• Realme launches C21Y smartphone in India with T610 chipset
• Vivo Y33s launched in India with a 50MP camera, 5000mAh battery

phones launching in August 2021:

Phone	Launch date	Price
Infinix smart 5A	August 2	Rs 6,499
Galaxy Z Fold 3	August 11	Rs 1,49,999
Galaxy Z Flip 3	August 11	Rs 84,999
Moto Edge 20	August 17	Rs 21,499
Moto Edge 20 Fusion	August 17	Rs 29,999
Realme GT	August 18	Rs 37,999
Realme GT Master Edition	August 18	Rs 25,999
Realme C21Y	August 23	Rs 8,999
Vivo Y33s	August 24	Rs 17,990
Samsung Gakaxy M32 5G	August 25	Rs 20,999

• Upcoming smartphone launches in India
• Realme GT Master Edition review
• Moto Edge 20 Fusion review
• Best phones under Rs 30,000 in India

Want to know about the latest happenings in tech? Follow TechRadar India on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

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Most Labor Day mattress sales have now officially launched, and there are plenty of deals around to browse from all the major brands - we've rounded up all the best offers here. 

Take Nectar: the memory foam specialist has launched a preview of its Labor Day mattress sale, with $400 off every Nectar mattress, plus $399-worth of free gifts added to every order. Meanwhile, Tempur-Pedic has cut up to $200 off adjustable mattress sets; and side sleeping expert Helix has knocked $200 off all mattresses and is giving away two free bed pillows.

Although the Labor Day sales don't officially start until Monday, September 6, 2021, it's normal for mattress deals to start early. So will prices drop any further between now and then? We think most are now fixed. If you're after the lowest possible price then it is still worth waiting for the day itself, just in case there's another $50-$75 discount, but we think most won't move now.

Labor Day mattress sales: quick links

• Editor's choice - Nectar: Up to $400 off + plus $300 of free accessories
• Exclusive - Saatva: Save $210 when you spend $1,000
• Amerisleep: 30% off mattresses + $239 in free accessories
• Awara: $400 off all mattresses + free $499 sleep bundle
• Bear Mattress: 25% off + free gift set worth up to $250
• Big Fig: Save $300 on any mattress for Labor Day
• Casper: 15% off its highest-end mattresses for Labor Day
• Cocoon by Sealy: save 35% on Chill mattresses + free pillows and sheets
• DreamCloud: $200 off mattresses + $399 of free gifts
• Ghostbed: 30% off mattresses + two free pillows
• Helix: Up to $200 off + two free pillows in the Labor Day sale
• Layla: Save up to $950 off bundles or $200 off mattresses
• Leesa: $500 off mattresses and 20% off bundles
• Mattress Firm: up to 50% off select mattresses
• Nest: $300 off mattresses in the Labor Day sale
• Nolah: up to $300 off mattresses + two free pillows
• Purple: get up to $350 off mattress bundles
• TempurPedic: Save up to $700 on adjustable mattress sets
• Tuft & Needle: Up to 15% off everything for Labor Day
• Zoma: $150 off mattresses + up to $540 in free gifts

Labor Day mattress sales: the best early deals

Nectar Memory Foam mattress: from $798 $499 + $399 of free gifts at Nectar
Editor's choice - This popular 12-inch, all-foam, medium-firm mattress has a new cooling cover to stop you overheating at night. We found it extremely comfortable and supportive when we slept on it, and while this discount isn't new for the Labor Day mattress sales, it is phenomenal value, with $400 off, plus $399-worth of free sleep accessories. However, we've seen the queen size drop to $799 before (it's currently $899) and think the price may fall again closer to Labor Day - so if you can wait, you might get it slightly cheaper.

Saatva Classic Mattress: from $887 at Saatva
Save $210 - Our exclusive offer cuts $210 off the price off the luxury innerspring Saatva Classic mattress when you spend $1,000. (That's better than the official $200 discount.) With this deal a twin stays at $887, but all other prices become lower, with a queen dropping from $1,574 to $1,364. This is a hotel-quality mattress, available in soft, medium, and firm versions, and it comes in two different heights: 11.5 or 14.5 inches. It also comes with free white glove delivery to the room of your choice. 

Helix Midnight hybrid mattress: from $699 $599 + two free pillows at Helix
Save up to $150 - Helix specializes in mattresses for side sleepers, and there's currently up to $150 off its most popular option, the Helix Midnight. This medium-firm hybrid mattress uses foam layers to cushion your shoulders and hips, and support your contours, while a layer of wrapped coils adds extra support and reduces motion transfer, so you're less likely to notice a restless partner. It sleeps cool, too. With a twin down to $599 and a queen sitting at $999 (was $1,099) - plus two free pillows - this Labor Day mattress sale is worth a look.

Nolah Evolution 15: from $1,799 $1,099 + 2 free pillows at Nolah
Save up to $898 - Another great choice for side sleepers is the top-tier Nolah Evolution 15, an ultra-high-tech luxury hybrid mattress that's packed with high-performance materials to keep you cool, comfortable and supported all night: think thermally conductive foams and fibres, tri-zoned support coils and a high-density orthopaedic core for extra durability. There's currently up to a $700 discount on the Evolution 15 in the company's Labor Day mattress sale, which drops the price of a queen from $2,299 to just $1,599 - plus all sizes comes with two free pillows worth $198.  

Tuft & Needle Original Mattress: from $645 $580.50 at T&N
Save up to $109.05 - There's 10% off the T&N Original mattress in the company's Labor Day sale. This budget foam mattress delivers great pressure relief and comfort for the price - but we've seen 20% off in the past, with prices down to $405 (was $450) for a twin, or $625.50 for a queen, down from $695, and we think the pricing may drop again closer to Labor Day.

Casper Nova Hybrid mattress: from $1,195 $1,015.75 at Casper
Save up to $359 - Casper's Labor Day mattress sale cuts 15% off the price of its most high-end mattresses, including the Nova Hybrid - a plush four-layer mattress made from premium foam and springs. There's 15% off the Casper Nova Hybrid Snow, too - an ultra-cooling version of the Nova Hybrid that's particularly well suited to hot sleepers (it now starts from $1,440.75, down from $1,695). These are great prices for two of Casper's best mattresses, and we don't expect to see them cheaper closer to the time.

GhostBed Luxe mattress: from $1,795 $1,257 + 2 free pillows at Ghostbed
Save up to $1,170 - GhostBed's Labor Day mattress sale matches its best-ever Black Friday offer with up to 30% off mattresses, plus two free pillows worth $170. GhostBed calls the Luxe the 'coolest bed in the world,' and this 13-inch tall luxury foam mattress is packed with cooling tech, including a cool-to-touch quilted cover, gel memory foam, and a layer of thermo-sensitive foam.

Amerisleep AS3: from $1,149 $804.30 + free gifts at Amerisleep
Save up to $719 - You can get 30% off any Amerisleep mattress, plus $239 in free accessories with the promo code AS30 - but the AS3 is our top pick. It's the company's most popular memory foam mattress, and aims to provide cooling comfort no matter which position you sleep in. It comes with a 20-year warranty, which is longer than average, and with the 30% discount a queen is reduced from $1,499 to $1,049, saving you nearly $450.

The Big Fig Mattress: from $1,499 $1,199 + free foundation at Big Fig
Save up to $699 - Big Fig's medium-firm cooling hybrid mattress is specifically designed for heavier bodies: the more pressure you put on it, the more the high-density foam and flexible wrapped coils  react to support you. The company's Labor Day mattress sale knocks $300 off the BigFig - which is better than the usual $200 discount - and you can choose whether you want a free super-strong foundation too, worth $399. This one comes with a 120-night trial, so you can check whether it's right, plus a generous 20-year warranty as well.

Bear Pro: from $895 $672 + free pillows and sheets at Bear
Save up to $373 - Bear's Labor Day sale is now live, with 25% off mattresses, plus a free gift set worth up to $250. Our top pick of the three Bear mattresses is the mid-range, medium-firm, memory foam Bear Pro. It’s an upgrade on Bear's cheaper all-foam model, with more cooling tech and pressure relief, and better motion isolation. The free gift set includes two Cloud pillows and a sheet set, and with $250 off it's worth a look - a queen size currently costs $972, down from $1,295.

Zoma Mattress: from $749 $599 + free gifts worth up to $375 at Zoma
Save up to $250 - The Zoma Mattress is a good option for active people. It's designed to help you recover faster from training, with a ventilated cover fabric to keep you cool at night, and breathable gel memory foam to relieve painful pressure points. This deal slashes the price of a queen size from $949 to $799 - that's $150 off. Plus you get a free bedding bundle worth up to $375, which includes a customizable sports pillow and mattress protector.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

When will the Labor Day mattress sales start?

Labor Day 2021 takes place on Monday September 6, but early deals are already running from several major mattress brands, including Nectar, Casper, Amerisleep, and Zinus. 

We expect to see most official Labor Day mattress sales live at least a week in advance - as soon as they launch, you’ll find the full details here first. These are our favourite early Labor Day mattress deals so far: 

1. Nectar Memory Foam Mattress: from $798 $499 + $399 of gifts at Nectar
2. The DreamCloud Luxury Hybrid: from $ 1,198 $699 + $299 of gifts at DreamCloud
3. Tempur-Adapt: from $2,699 $2,499 + $500 off a power base at Tempur-Pedic
4. Cocoon Chill Memory Foam: from $769 $499 + $199 of free gifts at Cocoon
5. Zinus Green Tea mattress (10-inch): from $167 at Amazon

Who will have the best Labor Day mattress sale?

We predict that leading online mattress maker Nectar will have the best mattress sale on Labor Day. Nectar’s been offering a phenomenal $400 discount plus $399-worth of free sleep accessories on all its mattresses for the last 12 months - and we think this deal will continue into Nectar’s Labor Day sale. After all, it’s the biggest offer the company has ever run, and Nectar didn’t change it for Black Friday or Memorial Day. 

With it, the price of the flagship Nectar Memory Foam mattress drops from $1,298 to $899 for a queen size. That makes this 12-inch, mid-range mattress very competitively priced - but Nectar mattresses also come with two free cooling pillows, a sheet set and mattress protector worth $399. Plus, Nectar gives you a year-long risk-free trial, and there’s a forever warranty. That's exceptional value for money.

So that’s our top pick - it isn't a unique offer for Labor Day, but we’d be surprised to see another brand beat it for value. 

Where else will you find the best Labor Day mattress sales? Well, it depends on what you're looking for. If you want a very cheap mattress, Amazon regularly has some of the lowest prices on budget options over the long Labor Day weekend. Walmart will have some good budget mattresses on sale too. 

And if you don’t mind choosing an older model, Macy’s always has a strong selection of closeout deals on some of the major brands, including Sealy and Serta. When it comes to the biggest price cuts, the retailer’s Labor Day mattress sale is usually one of the best - it isn’t unusual to find discounts of over $1,000. 

Just be aware that because these mattresses are classified as clearance merchandise, you won’t be able exchange, return or receive a price adjustment on them, and they’re not covered by any warranties for existing or future damage.

Are mattresses cheaper on Labor Day?

Yes and no. Most mattresses aren’t cheaper on Labor Day than they are on any other major US holiday. There are big mattress sales throughout the year, and we often see the best deals repeated on Memorial Day, the 4th of July, Labor Day and Black Friday - so don’t expect anything special for Labor Day. 

But it is usually a little cheaper to buy a mattress on Labor Day (or any other major holiday) than it is in a regular sale. And it’s a lot cheaper than buying a mattress at full price. You’ll also find more mattress offers to choose between on a major holiday than usual.

For context, last year we saw many of the mattress sales on Labor Day repeated two months later in November on Black Friday, and then again on Memorial Day, and again in the 4th of July sales. These discounts were generally between $25-$100 more than the typical discounts found at other times of the year, so they were good value, but you didn’t need to wait until Labor Day for those discounts - they popped up regularly throughout the year. 

When’s the best time to buy a mattress?

There are good mattress deals to be found all year round - Nectar's been running its biggest-ever mattress offer continually for the last year - but the best months are February, May, September and November. 

February marks the moment, post Christmas, where a lot of people start to have more available money to spend again, and mattress companies capitalise on this with big Presidents Day sales. Earlier in the year luxury mattress maker Saatva, for example, briefly dropped its most popular mattress, the Saatva Classic, to the lowest price we’ve seen.

In May, the Memorial Day sales are packed with huge discounts as retailers and manufacturers look to shift older stock to make way for newer models that will be launched in June and July. Typically, the scale of discounts and variety of mattress deals over Memorial Day make it one of the best times of year to grab a bargain - matched in scale by Black Friday.  

September brings Labor Day - and the end of the financial year for many mattress companies. Sales can boost struggling revenue figures and are a good way to clear merchandise, so while most Labor Day mattress deals are typically the same as those offered during other major holidays, don’t be surprised to see a few outstanding discounts at this time of year.

Finally, November is consistently a good month to buy a new mattress - and not just due to an abundance of Black Friday deals and Cyber Monday deals. Two of the best mattress deals of last year actually happened, briefly, at the start of November: Nectar ran an extremely rare flash sale, cutting 25% off the price of its mattresses - that’s the cheapest we’d ever seen them. Saatva, too, ran a flash £275 discount the week before Black Friday, and then put the offer back up to a $200 discount on Black Friday itself.

5 tips for buying a mattress online

(Image credit: Cocoon by Sealy)

Buying a mattress online is probably easier than you think, if you've never done it before - and it's likely cheaper too. Increased competition online has led to lower prices for consumers. Plus, many brands have been able to save money by choosing not to have physical stores and have instead invested in better quality materials, so you often get more for your cash when you buy online too. 

To help you find exactly the right mattress, all the top brands now offer long, risk-free sleep trials so you can test them properly (and safely) by sleeping on them in your own home. Most of them come with free deliveries and returns, too - all of which makes buying online an easier, quicker and more reliable way of ending up with the right mattress than spending five minutes testing one in a showroom.

Here are five things to look for when buying a mattress online. 

1. Choose a mattress with at least a 60-night trial
The only way to know whether a mattress is right is to sleep on it. That's why most top brands now offer a risk-free trial, and promise to collect the mattress and give you a full refund if you don't like it (as long as it isn't damaged).

We've made sure all the mattresses in our Memorial Day mattress sale round-up come with at least a 60-night trial - the majority come with 100-nights, and some, such as Nectar, give you an entire year to decide whether you like it.

2. Check for free returns
As part of the risk-free trial, most brands offer a full refund and free returns if you decide the mattress isn't right for you. However, some do charge a fee for collection, around $75, so check the policy first.  

3. Read third-party T&Cs
We usually recommend buying your mattress directly from the manufacturer so that you can make the most of generous sleep trial and warranties. You're more likely to get a better deal from the manufacturer too, with competitive discounts and free gifts often added to your order. 

However, sometimes a third-party retailer can run a deal that makes it slightly cheaper than buying through the manufacturer. If you're looking for the cheapest price possible, this can be a good way to get it - however bear in mind that you may not receive the same trial or warranty benefits if you buy from a retailer such as Amazon, so always read the T&Cs carefully first.

4. Ensure it's the right size with the elbow test
Do the elbow test to work out what size mattress you need. Lie back with your hands behind your head. If you share a bed, your elbows should be able to extend without touching your side of the bed or your partner's elbow; if you don't share a bed, your elbows should be able to extend without touch either side of the bed.

5. Try a new mattress for three weeks
It can take up to 21 days for your body to adjust to a new mattress. So even if it isn't comfortable initially and you wake up with aches and pains, stick with it - particularly if your body is used to sleeping on a much older mattress. If after three weeks you still don't like it, then you know it's because it isn't right - rather than because your body still hasn't readjusted from sleeping on a less supportive or different mattress.

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While PUBG Mobile is no longer available in India and exists as the the global version of BGMI for Indian players, the updates that the former gets is usually reproduced in the latter. 

With that said, PUBG Mobile is set to get a new update numbered at 1.6 which would introduce among many things, the Vikendi map to the game again. And considering this, the Indian version of the game BGMI is also expected to get the map again sometime soon.

PUBG Mobile 1.6 Update contents

The new update will bring the revamped Vikendi 2.0 map to PUBG Mobile and which was taken down by the developers during the 1.3 update. The frosty Vikendi 2.0 map is probably being released in time for the winter season.

There's a new mode being added to the game by Krafton like in the previous update and the new mode is called Flora Menace. It features abilities like Cell-Matrix, Rejuvenation Barrier, and Dynahex Supplies. Besides this the some Evo ground Modes which were removed is being added back to PUBG Mobile with 1.6 update. One of the modes making its way back is the Infection mode which was a player favourite. Payload 2.0 mode and Survive Till Dawn are also set to return with this update.

Another new feature being added to the game this time is called Highlight Moments which will be available in the Settings section. When enabled this new feature will automatically recorded the gameplay of the players which can be viewed later in the results section. 

Besides these major ones some other new features that will be added to the game with the 1.6 update include realistic and better graphics, new damage colour, new crosshair colours, new punch animation, hit effect optimization, a new Quad Bike, the 2x Anti-Aliasing graphics feature and Control Optimization.

We can expect these updates to hit the BGMI servers with the next big update to the game which is expected to come at the end of the current season. 

• Hands on: Battlegrounds Mobile India
• Battlegrounds Mobile India download, and latest news
• BGMI has hit 50 million downloads and introduces new rewards

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LoftyInc Capital, a pan-African VC firm, announced today that it is launching its third fund — LoftyInc Afropreneurs Fund 3 — at $10 million for tech startups in Africa.

The firm has reached the first close of $5.5 million. Some of the limited partners in the vehicle include those from its second fund, FBNQuest Funds, Camac, syndicates from The Green Investment Club, HNIs from multinationals like Google, Facebook, and ExxonMobil; and Andela CEO Jeremy Johnson, among others.

So far, LoftyInc has written checks to over 20 startups since it began raising money for the fund. They cut across various industries like e-commerce, fintech, healthcare, logistics, and media in different regions within and outside Africa.

In Francophone Africa, the company has invested in Afrikrea and Star News Mobile. Then in Omnibiz, RXAll, Sudo Africa, Tech Advance, Aladdin, Flex Finance, Star Kitchens Group, and EPump across West Africa.

For LoftyInc’s portfolio in North Africa, there’s Odiggo, Illa, Tagaddod, and Instadiet. Akiba Digital, Beamm, and Zazu Africa make up LoftyInc’s portfolio in South Africa, while Cashback and Dash are the startups funded in East Africa. LoftyInc also has Diasporan interests in OjaExpress and FitMatch.

LoftyInc runs three funds simultaneously. The second fund, which is its first formal VC fund, is largely focused on Nigeria. On the other hand, this third fund follows the thesis of LoftyInc’s first fund: investing in startups across different markets and sectors in Africa and the diaspora.

The fund says it wants to take big bets on markets outside the Big Four — Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and Egypt.

Operating three funds

A month ago, TechCrunch covered one of Africa’s most important angel investors Olumide Soyombo. He is one of the few giants in a game that includes LoftyInc founder and general partner Idris Bello.

Bello likes to describe his 12-year venture into technology and entrepreneurship as an “Afropreneurship journey.” While in business school in the U.S, he realized that the next wave of innovation that Africa as a continent needed rested on the shoulders’ of up-and-coming founders.

With that in mind, Bello started LoftyInc Allied Partners alongside other entrepreneurs as an enterprise development company. It spun off a technology hub and venture accelerator called Wennovation Hub and also the venture arm called LoftyInc Capital.

In 2012, the firm launched the first fund — LoftyInc Afropreneurs Fund 1 — as its pre-seed stage investment vehicle. The fund act more like a syndicate or an angel group of which investors includes senior executives in key industries across Africa.

L-R: General partners [Marsha Wulff (sitting), Michael Oluwagbemi (standing), and Idris Bello (right)

Over 180 business angels are investing via the first fund and have collectively put more than $4 million into 40-plus startups across the continent. Some big names from Nigeria and Egypt origins include unicorn Flutterwave (pre-seed), soonicorn Andela, Trella, Chefaa, and Koniku.

Five years later, as the founding partner, Bello teamed up with a long-time advisor Marsha Wulff, an early investor in healthtech company Teladoc. They launched the second fund, LoftyInc Afropreneurs Fund 2, alongside Michael Oluwagbemi, who also acts as a general partner at the firm. 

From 2017 to 2020, LoftyInc wrote checks worth over $1.2 million in nine rounds to six Nigerian startups — Printivo, RelianceHMO, Epump, YouVerify, Shyft Power Solutions, and Flutterwave (at pre-Series A).

Flutterwave serves as LoftyInc’s first exit, one which Bello said returned 3x to its LPs. It was this successful exit that laid the foundation for the third fund.

“When we exited our Flutterwave stake in February, our LPs wanted us to raise and put together another fund because we made returns for them. At first, we wanted to do a $2.5 million fund but after making enquiries from LPs, it rose to $4 million. Then eventually we just decided to make it $10 million, so we could invest in more startups,” Bello said to TechCrunch.

But when you look at Bello’s status in the African tech ecosystem and what similar Africa-focused funds are raising these days, one may wonder why the investor isn’t raising more.

His answer to that:

“I always say this — my approach is very different. I’m quite organic which is evident in how we moved from a group of angels to LPs. I feel once you get up to $50m to $100m, your problem becomes good deployment, especially in Africa. And what I’m doing is to build a smaller base to a pyramid so when I’m raising a large fund, it won’t be a problem deploying the funds.”

Another point he makes has to do with the limited partners involved. Most of the firm’s LPs in this third fund hold C-suite and managerial positions in banks and other multinationals. Bello argues that if Fund 3 can make good on its promise to make fantastic returns for these individual LPs, it will be a no brainer to onboard the institutions they work with for a bigger fund.

“We want to build an ecosystem of African investors. After that, we’ll start building up the institutions to also partake in making investments.”

LoftyInc has a robust deal flow and views about 30 decks per week, according to Bello. He says the fund receives this much flow because the founders of portfolio startups are the firm’s strongest source of proprietary deals. And that’s what he thinks differentiates LoftyInc from other VC firms.

For instance, in a brief chat with TechCrunch, Andela CEO Jeremy Johnson mentioned that before anyone knew about his startup, LoftyInc already backed him. And to him, it only makes sense to do the same by sourcing deals and investing in the fund.

In addition, the firm, via its first fund, also has an extensive investor base of African origin who live in and outside the continent. Per Bello, this angel network double as venture scouts for the firm.

“We usually invest before any major investor does, hold the hand of new founders, source their initial clients within our large portfolio of over 65 African startups and our large African-based angel and LP network.

“We also provide meaningful introductions to regulators, partners, mentors, top hires and experienced board directors. Also, founders want us in their deals because they have seen us attract both early and later-stage investors to prior ventures.”

In terms of what LoftyInc looks for in companies it invests in, there’s a bias towards those who go for a large market with little or no competition, a product that users love, and execution.

As with most VC firms out there, LoftyInc claims to be sector agnostic. However, there’s some affinity towards startups playing in the IoT, fintech and healthtech space, Bello said. 

LoftyInc’s first fund, mostly catered to by angel investors, is most bullish at the pre-seed stage. This year alone, the group has done over 50 pre-seed deals. For the others, the focus is on seed to Series A deals with an average ticket size of $250,000. 

While LoftyInc’s target for Fund 3 is $10 million, Bello tells TechCrunch that the firm is hoping to achieve a final close above that figure before the end of Q4 2021.  

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Motional revealed Tuesday the first images of its planned robotaxi, a Hyundai all-electric Ioniq 5 SUV that will be the centerpiece of a driverless ride-hailing service the company wants customers to be able to access starting in 2023 through the Lyft app.

The purpose-built vehicle, which will be assembled by Hyundai, is integrated with Motional’s autonomous vehicle technology, including a suite of more than 30 sensors including lidar, radar and cameras that can be seen throughout the interior and exterior. That sensing system provides 360 degrees of vision, and the ability to see up to 300 meters away, according to Motional.

The company, which was born out of a $4 billion joint venture with Aptiv and Hyundai, intentionally showcases the numerous sensors, president and CEO Karl Iagnemma said in a recent interview.

“We see so many competitors bending over backwards to try to hide this sensor suite and conceal it in these big plastic casings,” Iagnemma told TechCrunch. “And the fact is, you can’t hide the sensors. They need to be where they need to be and they’re an important part of the car and a key part of the technology. So our strategy was to celebrate the sensors, and to adapt the design language of the vehicle and carry that through the design of the integrated sensor suite.”

Motional has not announced where it will launch its first driverless robotaxi service. It’s likely that it will be in one of the cities it currently is testing and validating its technology, a list that includes Boston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh.

Image credit: Motional

The base of Motional’s robotaxi is the Hyundai Ioniq 5, an electric vehicle revealed in February with a consumer release date expected later this year. The consumer version will not be equipped with Motional’s autonomous vehicle technology. Unlike some AV developers, Motional didn’t chose a  shuttle design or even a larger van for its first robotaxi.

Iagnemma said that the company’s research shows the vast majority of taxi or ride-hailing trips are for two or fewer passengers. The Ioniq 5 is the right size vehicle for Motional’s use case, he added.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is the first vehicle based off the automaker’s dedicated battery electric vehicle platform called the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). The vehicle — both the consumer and robotaxi version — is equipped with an 800-volt electrical system. This higher voltage system is able to supply the same amount of power as the more common 400-volt with less current. The 800-volt system, which debuted in the all-electric Porsche Taycan, is lighter, more efficient and allows the vehicle to charge at a faster rate.

That fast charging rate will be an important benefit for Motional’s robotaxi service.

Image Credits: Motional

The robotaxi version of the Ioniq 5 will be assembled by Hyundai, a noteworthy detail, Iagnemma said.

“This is vehicle that will come off the assembly line looking, as you see it in the pictures,” Iagnemma said. “This is not a scenario where we’ll take a base vehicle, move it to a different line, take the components off and then reintegrate or retrofit it.

Inside the robotaxi are displays to allow riders to interact with the vehicle during their ride, such as directing the robotaxi to make an extra stop, according to the company.

The robotaxi still has a steering wheel and other features found in traditional vehicles operated by a human driver. Riders will not be permitted to sit in the driver seat.

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Another Tesla crash involving Autopilot took place over the weekend, though thankfully, no one was seriously injured this time. 

The incident joins a long list of crashes where a Tesla running on Autopilot collided with an emergency vehicle. The growing number of collisions led the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to open an investigation earlier this month.

In this case, a Tesla Model 3 hit a Florida Highway Patrol cruiser near Orlando, according to CNN, barely missing the officer, who was there to assist with a disabled vehicle. The cruiser was hit just before 5 am and had its lights on while parked. 

The Tesla car struck the cruiser and then proceeded to hit the other car. The Highway Patrol’s report stated that the Tesla’s 27-year-old driver and the driver of the disabled vehicle saw minor injuries and notes that the trooper was unhurt.

Happening now: Orange County. Trooper stopped to help a disabled motorist on I-4. When Tesla driving on “auto” mode struck the patrol car. Trooper was outside of car and extremely lucky to have not been struck. #moveover. WB lanes of I-4 remain block as scene is being cleared. pic.twitter.com/w9N7cE4bARAugust 28, 2021

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When on Autopilot, who's at fault?

It’s unclear if the Tesla driver was misusing Autopilot at the time of the crash. The NHTSA’s recently opened investigation began after nearly a dozen similar crashes have taken place since 2018. 

Those crashes, which took place over nine states, led to 17 injuries and one death. Most of the incidents occurred in the dark when first responders’ vehicles were on scene with lights or other emergency notifications systems active.

Despite their names, Tesla’s Autopilot and Full Self-Driving (FSD) technologies cannot drive a car without human intervention. Neither system replaces an attentive driver, and neither is yet capable of recognizing and avoiding threats as well as a human can. 

The fact that Autopilot’s safeguards are so easily bypassed to allow people to take naps or have a dance party while driving down the highway at high speeds shows that more needs to be done to require driver attention behind the wheel. 

In the right hands and with the proper execution, technologies like Autopilot can save lives and reduce the number of crashes on our roadways. 

While it’s true that cars can’t drive themselves, it’s also true that humans get distracted by any number of things, not just cell phones. Driver assistance features, when used properly, act as a supplement to the driver and can fill in the attention gaps to help prevent serious accidents.

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Apple TV Plus has set the premiere date for comedian Jon Stewart's new show, and you won't have to wait very long: The Problem with Jon Stewart debuts on Thursday, September 30.

Stewart will both host and executive produce the new Apple TV Plus series. Each hour-long episode of The Problem with Jon Stewart will explore a single issue. This format is similar to Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, the popular HBO program hosted by Stewart’s old Daily Show colleague.

Apple describes The Problem with Jon Stewart:

"It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the world’s problems. It’s harder to pinpoint the systems responsible for creating them. In this series, Jon Stewart brings together people impacted by different parts of a problem to discuss how we come up with change."

Jon Stewart's return to TV

Stewart signed off from The Daily Show in the simpler times of August 2015, when Barack Obama was still US President, Straight Outta Compton was the top-grossing film, and there was no global pandemic dominating headlines and shutting down businesses. The now 58-year-old comedian had hosted the iconic Comedy Central show for 16 years.

Starting in 2015, Stewart worked with HBO on multi-platform digital shorts that would have allowed the comedian to re-enter the political fray without the daily demands of a live talk show. However, by 2017, Stewart and HBO formally canceled the highly anticipated initiative.

Since then, Stewart’s most notable public appearances have involved lobbying for 9/11 responders’ funding. In June 2019, he made a fiery speech in front of a US Congress panel about the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund’s depleting reserves. Stewart’s address went viral on social media, and the next month, the bill passed.

Stewart’s new series is the latest high-profile premiere on Apple’s nearly two-year-old streaming service. It follows the success of Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, and the Billie Eilish documentary The World’s a Little Blurry.

Apple TV Plus is available on most online platforms, including Apple and non-Apple devices and requires a monthly subscription.

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