Investors backing African startups

• Sunny Side Venture Partners

  Sunny Side Venture Partners is a Japanese venture investment partnership focused primarily on early-stage startups in North Africa. It supports entrepreneurs through capital and connections, linking its regional investment work with networks in Japan.

  Egypt

• Mastercard

  Mastercard is a global payments technology company providing payment networks and services for consumers, businesses and governments. Its activities include money movement, commercial payments, open finance, cybersecurity, fraud prevention and data-driven services.

  United States

• ODBA & Co Ventures

  ODBA is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on founders building technology businesses in Africa. Alongside investment, it provides mentorship, operating guidance and access to its network.

  Mauritius

• Lateral Capital

  No description available.

  United States

• Startup Wise Guys

  Startup Wise Guys operates venture capital funds and accelerator programmes for business-to-business startups. It combines early-stage investment with structured founder support, mentoring and investor networks across several technology sectors.

  Global

• Visa

  Visa is a global digital payments company connecting consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments. Its corporate investment arm, Visa Ventures, invests in technology businesses shaping payments and commerce and provides access to Visa’s expertise and network.

  United States

• WeFunder

  Wefunder is an investment crowdfunding platform that enables businesses to raise capital from their communities. Its community rounds allow customers, users and other supporters to invest alongside a company’s broader investor network.

  United States

• GreenHouse Capital

  GreenHouse Capital is a venture capital firm focused on fintech and businesses using financial technology in Africa and the Middle East. It supports portfolio companies with investment, industry connections and assistance with business expansion.

  Nigeria

• Motsepe Foundation

  The Motsepe Foundation is a philanthropic organisation supporting education, employment, entrepreneurship and community development. Its programmes also address gender equality, wellbeing, sport and social cohesion, alongside innovation prizes supporting solutions to development challenges.

  South Africa

• Endure Capital

  Endure Capital is an entrepreneur-led investment firm backing early-stage companies. It focuses on founders building scalable businesses that address substantial customer problems, with portfolio interests spanning businesses such as commerce and biotechnology.

  United States

• Global Founders Capital

  Global Founders Capital is Rocket Internet’s global venture capital platform. It invests in companies across sectors from their early development, partnering with founders as they establish and grow their businesses.

  Germany

• Naspers Foundry

  Naspers Foundry was Naspers’ early-stage technology investment unit in South Africa, launched in 2019. Its investments were absorbed into and managed by Naspers’ corporate office in 2023, following the end of its operation as a separate unit.

  South Africa

• Beltone Venture Capital

  Beltone Venture Capital invests in technology and technology-enabled businesses across Africa and the Middle East. It provides equity and startup debt financing, supporting companies at early and growth stages across sectors.

  Egypt

• E3 Capital

  E3 Capital invests in early-stage African businesses using technology to support a low-carbon economy. It backs companies advancing digitisation, decentralisation and decarbonisation, combining equity investment with hands-on support for founders.

  Kenya

• Madica

  Madica is an investment and company-building programme for pre-seed startups operating in Africa. It combines capital with structured mentoring, executive coaching, peer learning and access to networks, with an emphasis on founders who are underrepresented or underfunded.

  Kenya

• 216 Capital

  216 Capital is a venture capital firm founded in Tunis that invests in early-stage technology businesses across sectors. It supports entrepreneurs with capital, strategic advice, fundraising assistance and connections for business development and expansion.

  Tunisia

• 4Di Capital

  4Di Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm backing African entrepreneurs building businesses for regional and international markets. It combines investment with the experience and networks of a team with entrepreneurial backgrounds.

  South Africa

• Bpifrance

  Bpifrance is France’s public investment bank, supporting businesses through financing, guarantees, equity investment and export services. Its activities span company creation and growth, with programmes for innovation, industrial development and environmental transition.

  France

• Flourish Ventures

  Flourish Ventures is a global investment firm focused on early-stage financial technology businesses. It backs founders working to improve financial services in the United States and emerging markets, combining capital with practical support.

  United States

• Hustle Fund

  Hustle Fund is a venture capital firm investing in pre-seed startups. Alongside capital, it supports founders with sales and customer acquisition guidance and access to a network of investors, operators and entrepreneurs.

  United States

• Quona Capital

  Quona Capital invests in financial technology businesses expanding access to financial services for underserved people and companies. It combines investment with operational support across markets including Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

  United States

• Speedinvest

  Speedinvest is a venture capital firm investing in technology companies from seed through growth stages. Its sector teams cover areas including financial technology, healthcare, climate and industrial technology, deep technology, and consumer marketplaces.

  Global

• Co-Creation Hub

  Co-Creation Hub is a pan-African innovation organisation supporting entrepreneurs and technology-led responses to social and economic challenges. Its work includes startup incubation, funding and ecosystem development across areas such as education, health and sustainability.

  Nigeria

• Cairo Angels

  Cairo Angels was an Egyptian angel investment network founded in 2011. It evolved into Acasia Group, combining angel investment and startup support activities; Acasia subsequently announced its acquisition by Sultan Ventures in 2024.

  Egypt

• Chui Ventures

  Chui Ventures is a venture capital firm investing in early-stage businesses led by African founders. Its pan-African investment approach includes an emphasis on gender diversity, with offices listed in Nairobi and Lagos.

  Kenya

• Foundation Ventures

  Foundation Ventures is an Egypt-based investment firm backing startup founders. Its portfolio includes companies working in logistics, education technology, financial technology, retail and property technology, including Flextock, Abwaab, NowPay, Rabbit and Sakneen.

  Egypt

• Norrsken22

  Norrsken22 is an independent, for-profit growth fund investing in African technology businesses. It provides capital and strategic support, with interests in financial services, healthcare, education and platforms that improve how markets and businesses operate.

  Global

• Aruwa Capital

  Aruwa Capital Management is a growth equity investor focused on businesses in Nigeria and Ghana. It applies a gender lens, backing businesses led by women or serving women, with investments spanning consumer goods, healthcare and clean technologies.

  Nigeria

• CV VC

  CV VC is a Swiss venture capital investor backing early-stage frontier technology companies. Its current investment themes include automation, intelligent business software and digital finance, while its CV Labs ecosystem arm provides acceleration programmes and community infrastructure.

  Switzerland

• Futuregrowth Asset Management

  Futuregrowth Asset Management is a specialist investment manager with interest-bearing and developmental investment strategies. Its activities include listed and unlisted assets, business financing and early-stage investments alongside bond, income and money market portfolios.

  South Africa

• Norfund

  Norfund is Norway’s investment fund for developing countries. It invests in renewable energy, financial inclusion, scalable businesses and green infrastructure, seeking to create jobs, improve livelihoods and support the transition to a lower-carbon economy.

  Global

• Oikocredit

  Oikocredit is a cooperative and social impact investor working through local organisations to support people on low incomes. Its approach combines investment with capacity building, with attention to community resilience, climate challenges and sustainable livelihoods.

  Netherlands

• Zedcrest Capital

  Zedcrest is a financial services group whose proprietary investment activities include early-stage startups and business acquisitions. Its African venture portfolio spans financial services, infrastructure, education, healthcare and agriculture, alongside the group’s trading and investment management businesses.

  Nigeria

• LocalGlobe

  LocalGlobe is Phoenix Court’s early-stage investment fund, based in London. It follows a generalist approach, backing founders across sectors, with portfolio businesses spanning artificial intelligence, healthcare, food and agriculture, and financial technology.

  United Kingdom

• Kalon Venture Partners

  Kalon Venture Partners is a South African venture capital firm investing in technology businesses that have begun generating revenue. It backs entrepreneurs addressing African market needs with potential to expand internationally, combining investment with business-building expertise.

  South Africa

• Tencent

  Tencent is a technology company headquartered in Shenzhen, China. Its businesses include social communications, gaming, digital content, payments and cloud services, while its corporate development activities encompass business incubation, strategic investments and acquisitions.

  China

• Century Oak Capital

  No description available.

  Global

• Tiger Global

  Tiger Global is an investment firm based in New York that uses research to identify companies across different stages of development. It takes a long-term approach to partnering with businesses and is registered as an investment adviser.

  United States

• U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF)

  The U.S. African Development Foundation is an independent U.S. government agency established by Congress to support African-owned and African-led enterprises. Its mandate focuses on improving livelihoods and economic opportunities in underserved communities across Africa.

  United States

• Atlantica Ventures

  Atlantica Ventures invests in African technology and technology-enabled businesses. The firm combines early-stage capital with operational guidance, fundraising support and regional and international networks to help portfolio companies develop and expand.

  Nigeria

• Standard Bank

  Standard Bank is a banking and financial services provider offering personal, private and business banking. Its South African services include accounts, payments, lending, savings, investment products, insurance and financial planning.

  South Africa

• Accion Venture Lab

  Accion Venture Lab is now known as Accion Ventures, an early-stage investment strategy within Accion Impact Management. It backs fintech startups globally that develop financial services for underserved individuals and small businesses.

  United States

• African Development Bank

  The African Development Bank is a multilateral development finance institution supporting economic development and social progress in African countries. It works with governments and the private sector, providing finance and expertise to support development projects and reduce poverty.

  Cote d'Ivoire

• Bettervest

  Bettervest is a crowdfunding platform connecting investors with renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects worldwide. Investors select individual projects to finance, while the platform also hosts donation campaigns for organisations pursuing social or environmental objectives.

  Germany

• EMURGO

  EMURGO is a founding organisation in the Cardano blockchain ecosystem focused on commercial adoption of blockchain technology. Its activities include asset tokenisation, financial technology and ecosystem development, connecting businesses and users with blockchain-based services.

  Singapore

• Expert Dojo

  Expert DOJO is a technology investment and operating company. Its current approach centres on acquiring and developing technology businesses, combining long-term ownership with hands-on work on customer acquisition, product retention, marketing and distribution.

  United States

• Finnfund

  Finnfund is a development financier and impact investor supporting businesses in developing countries. Its investment areas include renewable energy, sustainable forestry, agriculture, financial institutions and digital infrastructure, combining commercial investment with development objectives.

  Global

• Plus VC

  Plus VC is a venture capital firm backing early-stage technology startups from or based in the Middle East and North Africa. It focuses on businesses with initial customer traction and supports founders through mentorship, community connections and fundraising introductions.

  United Arab Emirates