Catalyst Fund backs Okoa's interoperable battery-swapping network for e-motorcycles

Catalyst Fund has invested in Okoa, an interoperable battery-swapping network for electric motorcycles, according to a post the fund published on 27 July. The amount and round type were not disclosed, and no other investors were named.

What Okoa does

Okoa uses one standardised battery designed to fit many manufacturers' bikes. Swap points sit in existing fuel stations, shops and car washes under an asset-light franchise model. A battery-management platform called STIMA Insight and STIMA Care handles pack monitoring, charging optimisation, maintenance prediction and warranty claims. A swap takes about one minute, and a franchise site can be onboarded in about six weeks.

Who is behind it

Stima was co-founded in Kenya in 2020 by Jason Gras, Emile Fulcheri and Ahmed Ali. Alexandre Coster founded OKOA in 2023, and the two merged in 2024 to form OKOA Group. Stima software is used by operators in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana and Nigeria.

Where it is heading

Okoa is pre-launch and preparing to demonstrate its first interoperable swaps in 2026, starting in Tanzania. A partnership with utility EDF has accelerated a Cameroon launch, and the pipeline covers around 30 cities across six countries. A separate, debt-funded vehicle will own and finance the battery packs, while the operating company handles deployment and rider growth. Okoa estimates its design can cut rider energy spend by 40 to 60% compared with petrol.

At a glance

• Company: Okoa (OKOA Group)
• Raised: Amount not disclosed
• Investor: Catalyst Fund
• Founded: OKOA in 2023; Stima in 2020; merged in 2024
• Markets: Tanzania first, then Cameroon
• Key figure: Pipeline of about 30 cities across six countries