On Saturday, 50 builders kicked off the Paystack AI Builder Challenge in Lagos! 💙 Over two weeks, they’ll build and test AI solutions to real business problems before Demo Day on Oct 24. 🚀 Big thanks to our partners, @AntlerGlobal and @googledevs! 📸 flic.kr/s/aHBqjD7r9i

Building a business means adapting, solving problems, and deciding what comes next. Through four weeks of clinics, office hours, and tailored conversations, Paystack Small Business Launchpad gave merchants room to do all three. Here’s what they learned. 💙

In this post, we cover: ✅ Why observability starts before launch ✅ How we monitor transactions, partners, & merchant impact ✅ How we automatically remove failing payment gateways ✅ How our engineers investigate incidents faster 👉🏿paystack.com/blog/engineerin…

What does AI look like in practice? We’re teaming up with @OpenAI for an evening of conversations, use cases, & demos on how AI is shaping business & work. 📆 Oct 27 | 6PM WAT 📍 Lagos RSVP 👉🏿 luma.com/ypb977c6

The Paystack Merchant App can do much more now 🚀 We’ve rebuilt it to help you accept in-person payments, monitor your money, manage transactions, track payouts, and stay on top of your business from your phone. Wherever business happens, take Paystack with you.

What does it take to shape what it feels like to use Paystack? Four members of our Product Design team share how they understand problems, learn from merchants and users, and turn those insights into thoughtful experiences across different markets 💙

What takes too much time in your business? Paystack & @GoogleAfrica invite SMEs using Paystack to submit one recurring problem. During our two-week hackathon, builders will develop AI solutions for selected problems. Submit by Sept 24: paystack.com/aichallenge

Build an AI product people can actually use. We’re partnering with @GoogleAfrica to launch the Paystack AI Builder Challenge, a two-week hackathon. Bring your own idea or solve a real problem submitted by a Paystack business. Apply by Sept 24: paystack.com/hackathon

The session also covered which taxes small businesses need to pay and file, the exemptions available to them, and how to keep their accounts audit-ready. A useful reminder that understanding your numbers is essential to building a healthy business. 💙

Last week, selected Paystack merchants joined the second session of our SMB Launchpad Clinic, focused on managing business finances. They learned how to separate personal & business finances, understand their numbers, & keep accurate records.