For a while now, Africa has been considered an increasingly important market for global business.

However, not until the last decade has it been looked at seriously as a source of growth opportunities in the technology sector.

Now as Africa's billion-plus population continues to adopt technology at unprecedented rates, international tech powerhouses are increasingly targeting Africa for investment and new growth opportunities.

As consumer spending grows across Africa, it's not surprising that foreign direct investment (FDI) is on the rise. But while corporates invest in flashy storefronts and branding, startup Delaala is harnessing the network effect to empower Africans to capitalise on growth for themselves.

The Nairobi-based Savannah Fund has accepted three more tech startups into its accelerator class. The latest entrants, Zevan Limited from Kenya, Ghana's BIGxGh and Nigeria's UniSmart, take the tally of supported companies to 13 in just a few years.

Most people in sub-Saharan Africa may not have a computer, but 60% of them (and rising) have phones: and Sterio.me is using them to empower African education systems.

In an effort to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs and developers in Africa, Microsoft is offering financial support to five of the continent's brightest startups. Under the 4Afrika initiative, the American Goliath will act as both financial backer and entrepreneurial mentor to a fortunate handful of David enterprises.