Birr & Byte
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Birr & Byte delivers short daily threads on business, finance, money, and technology shaping Ethiopia and the global economy.

From market trends and major investments to AI, startups, and policy shifts, we break down the stories that matter.
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Ethiopia Targets $2.4B in New Investments

Ethiopian Investment Commission is preparing to host the Invest in Ethiopia 2026 Forum in Addis Ababa, aiming to attract $2.4 billion in new investment deals.

More than 800 global and regional investors are expected to attend the forum, which will focus on sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, energy, and ICT.

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Ethiopia is actively positioning itself as a major investment destination in East Africa, with policy reforms targeting increased foreign direct investment and private-sector growth.

The forum will highlight opportunities in a market of over 120 million people, one of the largest consumer bases in Africa.

Source: Ethiopian Investment Commission
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Big Tech Is Set to Spend $650B in 2026

Major technology companies are preparing for record spending on AI infrastructure in 2026.

Companies like:
• Alphabet
• Microsoft
• Amazon
• Meta


are expected to spend $635B–$665B combined on data centers, chips, and AI systems this year.

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AI is becoming the largest capital investment cycle in tech history, with companies racing to build the infrastructure needed for advanced AI services.

This spending wave is fueling demand for data centers, AI chips, and cloud infrastructure worldwide.

Source: Yahoo Finance
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AI Infrastructure Boom Is Driving Billions in New Investments

The global AI race is pushing tech companies to invest billions in the infrastructure that powers artificial intelligence.

Nvidia recently announced plans to invest $2 billion each in photonics and optical technology companies to support future AI hardware development.

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The AI boom is no longer just about software.

It now includes massive investments in:

• chips
• data centers
• networking infrastructure
• energy capacity


Companies across the AI ecosystem are channeling billions to meet surging demand for computing power.

Source: Reuters
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Ethiopia Introduces Fuel Subsidies Amid Rising Global Oil Prices

The government of Ethiopia has introduced fuel subsidies to cushion citizens and businesses from rising global oil prices.

The policy aims to stabilize transportation and logistics costs as international energy markets face volatility.

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Fuel prices directly impact:

• transportation
• food distribution
• manufacturing costs

Subsidies are intended to protect consumers and businesses from inflationary pressure caused by global energy shocks.

Source: The East African
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Ethiopia’s Stock Exchange Moves Toward Digital Trading

Ethiopian Securities Exchange is rolling out a digital trading platform designed to broaden investor access and modernize Ethiopia’s capital markets.

The platform will allow investors to trade securities electronically, improving efficiency and transparency.

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Digital trading systems are essential for modern capital markets because they:

• increase liquidity
• enable remote participation
• attract institutional investors


The move is part of Ethiopia’s broader effort to build a modern financial market ecosystem.

Source: Extensia Tech
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Meta May Cut 20% of Its Workforce as AI Spending Surges

Meta Platforms is reportedly considering major layoffs that could affect more than 20% of its workforce as the company ramps up spending on artificial intelligence.

The move comes as the company pours billions into AI infrastructure, data centers, and model development.

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Big Tech companies are restructuring around AI.

Automation and AI tools are allowing companies to operate with smaller, more efficient teams, while capital is increasingly directed toward AI chips, compute infrastructure, and machine learning research.

Source: Reuters
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AI Startup Raises $1 Billion in One of the Largest Seed Rounds Ever

AI research startup AMI Labs has raised $1.03 billion in a seed funding round, one of the largest early-stage investments in startup history.

The company is building “world-model” AI systems designed to understand physical environments and support industries like robotics, manufacturing, and aerospace.

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Investors are betting that the next wave of AI will go beyond chatbots and move into real-world systems that can reason, plan, and interact with physical environments.

This signals a shift from software-only AI toward industrial and autonomous AI applications.

Source: Tech Startups
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Ethiopia Signs Potash Mining Agreement to Unlock Mineral Resources

Ethiopian Investment Holdings has signed a potash mining agreement with the Ministry of Mines to develop Ethiopia’s mineral resources.

The deal aims to accelerate exploration and commercialization of strategic minerals.

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Potash is a key ingredient used in fertilizer production, making it an important resource for global agriculture.

Developing Ethiopia’s potash reserves could:

• boost export revenues
• strengthen the mining sector
• support agricultural supply chains.


Source: Ethiopian Investment Holdings
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Ethiopian Startups Enter Global Innovation Programs

Twelve Ethiopian startups have been selected among the top 40 companies in a major African innovation program backed by the $1B Timbuktoo initiative.

The startups were chosen from 640 applications across 52 countries.

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Ethiopian startups are increasingly gaining international visibility.

Many of them are building solutions in:

• manufacturing technology
• fintech
• digital platforms
• logistics and supply chains.


Programs like these connect Ethiopian founders with global investors, mentors, and markets.

Source: Shega
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Habtamu Tadesse: Building Ethiopia’s Fintech Infrastructure

Habtamu Tadesse is the founder of ArifPay, one of Ethiopia’s pioneering fintech companies.

ArifPay provides mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) and digital payment systems that allow businesses to accept electronic payments through smartphones and POS devices.

Before launching ArifPay, he also founded ride-hailing platform ZayRide, helping digitize the taxi industry in Addis Ababa.

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Fintech founders like Tadesse are helping move Ethiopia toward a cash-lite economy, enabling merchants and consumers to use digital payments across the country.

Source: The Reporter / WeAreTech
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