Latest Technology News In South Africa
Mercari was founded in Japan in February 2013 and launched a smartphone-first marketplace designed to make person-to-person selling simple. By 2026, Mercari remained a major Japanese consumer-to-consumer marketplace with adjacent fintech services.
Read More
ZOZO was established in Japan in 1998 as Start Today, initially selling imported CDs and records through mail order. By 2026, ZOZO operated one of Japan’s best-known online fashion marketplaces and related technology services.
Read More
Zalando was founded in Berlin in 2008 by Robert Gentz and David Schneider as an online shoe retailer. By 2026, Zalando was a large European fashion and lifestyle e-commerce platform serving consumers and brand partners across the region.
Read More
Vipshop began operations in China in August 2008 with a flash-sale model focused on branded products sold online at discounts. By 2026, Vipshop remained an online discount retailer with a particular emphasis on branded fashion and lifestyle goods.
Read More
Etsy was founded in Brooklyn in 2005 as an online marketplace intended to connect makers and independent sellers directly with buyers. By 2026, Etsy operated a two-sided e-commerce marketplace built around individual sellers and differentiated merchandise rather than a first-party retail inventory model.
Read More
Jumia was founded in 2012 and built an e-commerce marketplace across multiple African countries, supported by logistics and payments infrastructure. In 2026 Jumia continues to operate e-commerce and related services in selected African markets, with logistics efficiency, payments and customer affordability central to the model.
Read More
Michael Mente and Mike Karanikolas founded the company behind Revolve in 2003, using e-commerce data and rapid merchandising decisions to target younger fashion consumers. In 2026 Revolve combines fashion retail, proprietary data, creator relationships and digital merchandising across its main brands.
Read More
LuxExperience is a new corporate identity built on older luxury-commerce businesses. Mytheresa grew from a Munich luxury retailer and developed a major online business before its parent listed in New York in 2021. In 2026 LuxExperience operates a portfolio of luxury e-commerce brands while integrating the acquired YNAP operations and preserving distinct customer propositions.
Read More
momo.com was incorporated in Taiwan in September 2004, with home-shopping television operations beginning soon afterwards and the momoshop online platform launching in 2005. By 2026 momo.com operates as one of Taiwan’s major commerce platforms, combining online retail, logistics capabilities and the legacy of its television shopping operations.
Read More
Hiroshi Mikitani founded MDM, Inc., the company that became Rakuten, in February 1997 after leaving banking and deciding that the internet could give small merchants a better route to customers. Rakuten Ichiba launched in May 1997 with six employees, one server and 13 merchants.
Read More