Africa VC Funds

Techstars is a global platform for investment and innovation that has supported over 4,000 startups since its inception in 2006. Based in Boulder, Colorado, Techstars operates accelerator programs worldwide, providing early-stage startups with access to capital, mentorship, and a vast network of investors and partners. Their portfolio spans a diverse range of industries, including HealthTech, FinTech, Web3, CleanTech, and more. Notable companies in their portfolio include Chainalysis, DataRobot, and Remitly. Techstars has facilitated over $27.3 billion in total funding for its startups, with a cumulative market cap of $113.6 billion​. Techstars' investment strategy involves pre-seed and early-stage investments through their accelerator programs. They invest up to $120,000 in each startup during the accelerator program, and follow-on investments through their Venture Fund. This strategy allows them to support companies from their initial stages through to growth​.

TEN13 is an innovative venture capital firm based in Fortitude Valley, Australia, co-founded by Stew Glynn and Steve Baxter in 2019. TEN13 operates on a deal-by-deal investment model, allowing its network of over 500 investors to choose specific deals they want to back. This model offers flexibility and targeted investment opportunities, enabling investors to allocate capital more precisely. TEN13 focuses on early-stage investments in diverse sectors, including fintech, health and wellbeing, education, and AI. Notable portfolio companies include Clipchamp, an online video editing platform acquired by Microsoft, Go1, an online learning platform that recently raised $200 million from Softbank, and Chipper Cash, a leading African fintech app. The firm has seen significant growth, deploying over $70 million across 32 startups since its inception. TEN13 is known for its supportive approach, providing more than just capital. They offer strategic guidance, network connections, and operational support to help startups scale effectively. This hands-on approach has been a key factor in their success, with several of their portfolio companies achieving substantial growth and recognition. TEN13’s team includes experienced professionals like Sophie Robertson, who was recently promoted to Partner, and Joel Pobar, who joined as a Venture Partner to strengthen their AI investments. The firm continues to expand its presence, recently building connections in Southeast Asia and North America to support and discover new opportunities.

The Fund VC, established in 2018, is a unique venture capital firm that operates a community-driven investment model. It focuses on early-stage startups across a variety of sectors including technology, consumer goods, and healthcare. The Fund VC operates through a network of micro-funds spread across different cities such as New York, Los Angeles, London, and Sydney, each managed by a group of local investors with deep expertise in their respective markets. The Fund VC has made notable investments in companies like Tia, a women’s health tech company; Parsley Health, a holistic health startup; and Bravely, a platform providing on-demand professional coaching. This portfolio reflects their commitment to backing innovative solutions that address significant market needs. The firm leverages its extensive network of founders, operators, and investors to provide not just capital but also mentorship and strategic support to its portfolio companies. This approach helps startups navigate early challenges and scale effectively. The Fund VC is particularly known for fostering a strong community among its portfolio companies, encouraging collaboration and shared growth​

The Helm is a New York City-based early-stage venture capital firm with a mission to invest in female-founded companies and redefine the venture landscape by focusing on gender-lens investing. Founded by Lindsey Taylor Wood, The Helm has become a prominent player in supporting women-led startups across various industries including healthcare, sustainability, and technology. Notable portfolio companies include Tia, a modern healthcare provider for women; Venus Aerospace, pushing the boundaries of hypersonic transportation; and Rebellyous Foods, revolutionizing plant-based meat production. The Helm’s investment strategy emphasizes identifying undervalued companies that demonstrate significant promise early on, ensuring they have the capital to achieve their potential. Their average check size varies, but they are known for leading funding rounds and maintaining active engagement with their portfolio companies. Startups seeking investment should highlight innovative solutions and robust business models that align with The Helm’s focus on female empowerment and sustainability. The team at The Helm includes Lindsey Taylor Wood, who leads the fund’s strategy and fundraising efforts; Julie Weber, COO and General Partner, with extensive experience in fund administration and operations; and Olivia Fleming, Partner, who directs the fund’s sustainability initiatives and angel investor network. This experienced team supports a diverse portfolio of over 20 companies and maintains a strong community of investors and founders committed to advancing female entrepreneurship.

TheVentureCity, founded in 2017, is a global early-stage venture capital firm focused on product-centric startups across the US, Europe, and Latin America. The firm manages over $150 million in assets, investing from pre-seed and seed stages up to Series A, with investment sizes ranging from $100,000 to $500,000. TheVentureCity's diverse portfolio includes companies such as Sidekick in financial services, Tiny Health in biotechnology, and Moonflow, a SaaS platform for debt collections. These investments highlight their commitment to sectors like AI/ML, cybersecurity, FinTech, and SaaS. Operating with an operator-led model, TheVentureCity provides both financial backing and strategic support to help startups scale globally. This approach has led to successful funding rounds and the growth of companies like Fixme Connect, BrandLovrs, and Plexigrid. Key team members, including founders Laura González-Estéfani and Clara Bullrich, leverage their extensive experience in technology investment and international scalability to drive the firm’s success and support portfolio companies effectively.

Third Prime is an early-stage venture capital firm focusing on financial and industrial technology sectors. Established in 2016 by Keith Hamlin and Wes Barton, the firm leverages their extensive backgrounds in M&A law, private equity, and hedge funds to identify and invest in paradigm-shifting startups. Notable investments include companies such as Moonware, which automates aviation ground operations, and Paywatch, which offers financial wellness services in Asia. The firm prioritizes close partnerships with entrepreneurs, offering both capital and strategic guidance. With a keen eye for early insights and a commitment to optimizing outcomes for both founders and investors, Third Prime has built a diverse portfolio. This includes companies like Halborn, providing blockchain security, and Inspiren, using AI to enhance patient safety in healthcare​. Third Prime's team is composed of seasoned professionals with backgrounds in law, investment banking, and technology. Key members include Mike Kim, with over a decade of investment experience, and Jenny Bloom, a former corporate associate at Wilson Sonsini. This experienced team supports Third Prime's mission to drive success through independent thinking, focus, and rigor.

Tiger Global Management, founded in 2001 by Chase Coleman III, is a leading investment firm that focuses on internet, software, consumer, and financial technology companies. The firm has made significant investments in some of the most notable high-growth companies globally. Among its prominent investments are Alibaba, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Spotify. More recent investments include companies like OpenAI, Roblox, Square, and SentinelOne​​. Tiger Global's investment strategy is characterized by its aggressive approach to deal-making, often moving quickly to close deals and providing substantial funding to its portfolio companies. This strategy has helped the firm build a diverse portfolio, which includes a significant number of unicorns and high-profile public companies​. The firm has also been involved in substantial funding rounds for tech startups, such as OpenAI's $11.3 billion funding round, which has significantly impacted the AI industry. Their ability to identify and support innovative companies early has been a hallmark of their success.

Timon Capital is a venture capital firm with a strong focus on backing early-stage technology companies, particularly in emerging markets. Founded in 2018, the firm operates out of Lagos, Nigeria, and New York City, with a specific emphasis on Seed-stage investments within Sub-Saharan Africa, although it also participates in growth-stage financing globally. Timon Capital prides itself on partnering with exceptional founders who are leveraging technology to reshape industries and address significant market challenges. Their portfolio includes companies across diverse sectors such as fintech, e-commerce, logistics, and digital infrastructure. Notable investments include Omnibiz, Thepeer, and Kraken, which illustrate their commitment to supporting innovative solutions in both African and global markets. The firm was founded by Chris Muscarella, who, along with his team, brings deep entrepreneurial experience to the table. They understand the unique challenges faced by startups in emerging markets and aim to provide not just capital, but also strategic support and guidance to help these companies scale successfully.

Travel Capitalist Ventures is a sector-focused venture capital firm that has invested exclusively in travel technology since its inception in 2010. It positions itself as the only sector-native, emerging-market-native fund dedicated to travel, providing venture and growth equity to travel fintech, travel technology platforms, payments, travel content and hospitality businesses. The firm backs founders across B2B, B2C and B2B2C models, investing from pre-seed and seed through to Series B. Cheques generally range from about $500,000 to $1.5 million, and the firm reserves growth capital for companies that have achieved product-market fit and are looking to capture defensible market territory, typically as a co-investor. Its geographic focus is on high-growth emerging markets including MENA, Africa, South Asia and Turkey, and to date it has made roughly ten investments across seven countries spanning the Middle East, India, Asia and the United States. The firm is headquartered in Irvine, California, with additional offices in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa and Qatar, and its partners and venture partners are former travel executives who have scaled companies in more than 50 countries. Travel Capitalist Ventures was founded and is led by Founding Partner Abrar Ahmad, a former travel agent, online travel agency owner and travel-technology CTO who is based in Dubai. Notable portfolio companies include Eilago, TRK.ALL and Jatri, alongside a travel AI platform, a Brazilian meta-search engine, a corporate apartment service and a cruise membership program. By focusing solely on travel technology in emerging markets, the firm backs founders digitizing global travel.

Unicorn Growth Capital is a forward-thinking venture capital firm, established in 2020 and headquartered in New York City. The firm focuses on investing in fintech-enabled companies that are reshaping the financial services infrastructure of the digital economy. Unicorn Growth Capital specializes in bridging traditional finance (TradFi) with decentralized finance (DeFi), positioning itself at the forefront of innovation in Web3 technologies, blockchain, and cryptocurrency. This unique investment strategy aims to support the development of new financial systems that are more accessible, efficient, and inclusive. Led by Barbara Iyayi, the firm’s CEO and Founding Partner, Unicorn Growth Capital targets early-stage investments, particularly in emerging markets such as Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America. The firm believes that these regions offer significant opportunities for financial technology innovations that can address longstanding challenges in financial inclusion and economic development. Unicorn Growth Capital’s portfolio is diverse and impactful, featuring companies like VertoFX, a global B2B payments platform; Bitmama, a startup driving crypto adoption in Africa; and Credrails, which is building open banking infrastructure across the continent. By backing these high-growth startups, Unicorn Growth Capital is not only driving financial innovation but also contributing to the broader goal of economic empowerment in underserved markets. With its strategic focus and expertise, Unicorn Growth Capital is well-positioned to continue leading investments in the fintech sector, particularly as the digital economy continues to evolve and expand​.

Vast Ventures is a venture capital firm that focuses on investing in disruptive companies with a global impact. Founded in 2004 by Doug Chertok, the firm is headquartered in New York, New York. Vast Ventures has a diverse portfolio, investing in sectors such as healthcare, finance, AI, cloud software, and sustainability. They have a strong track record with notable investments in companies like Sweetgreen, Conductor, and Clover Health​. The firm's investment strategy centers on fostering innovation and supporting entrepreneurs who aim to create significant positive change. They emphasize long-term partnerships, providing not just capital but also strategic guidance and support to help their portfolio companies grow and succeed​. Vast Ventures is managed by a team of experienced professionals, including Doug Chertok, Aniq Rahman, and Talia Zapolanski. The team leverages their extensive backgrounds in finance, entrepreneurship, and venture capital to help startups navigate the challenges of early-stage growth​. For startups seeking investment, Vast Ventures is particularly interested in companies that aim to improve health and happiness, promote resource sustainability, increase human potential and productivity, and foster knowledge and empathy. They prefer to lead investment rounds and take active roles in the development of their portfolio companies​.

Velocity Capital Fintech Ventures is a venture capital firm dedicated exclusively to financial technology, based in Bussum, in the Netherlands, and active since the early 2010s. The firm backs fintech companies led by what it calls 'unstoppable founders,' providing early-stage, post-seed capital and then continuing to support them through subsequent funding rounds, positioning itself as an ally and counselor to entrepreneurs whenever they face crossroads, adversity or complex challenges. Velocity invests globally, partnering early with fintech companies across Europe, Africa, Asia and North America, with its portfolio concentrated most heavily in the Netherlands and the United States but spanning the United Kingdom and numerous other countries, generally as a co-investor. In June 2019 the firm announced a EUR 105 million global FinTech Ventures Fund dedicated to backing early-stage fintech companies, reinforcing its follow-on, multi-round approach. Across its history Velocity has made roughly 42 investments and holds an active portfolio of around 23 companies. The firm is led by founder and general partner Willem Willemstein, a long-tenured Dutch fintech entrepreneur and investor who serves as CEO, alongside fund managers Allard Luchsinger and Don Montanaro. As one of Europe's earliest specialist fintech investors, Velocity combines deep sector focus with a founder-first philosophy and a global, multi-stage investment strategy, backing financial-technology founders from their early post-seed rounds through subsequent growth financings across multiple continents.

Ventures Platform is a leading Pan-African venture capital firm, renowned for its founder-friendly approach and substantial investments in tech-driven startups. With notable portfolio companies like Paystack, PiggyVest, and Remedial Health, Ventures Platform has a keen focus on fintech, health tech, edtech, and agritech sectors. Their geographic focus spans across Africa, targeting high-growth potential in emerging markets. The fund's investment strategy is characterized by early-stage investments, usually taking the lead in funding rounds, with average check sizes ranging from $50K to $500K. Ventures Platform emphasizes a hands-on approach, offering extensive portfolio support through their Platform and Networks team. This includes market analysis, ecosystem engagement, and strategic communications to ensure their portfolio companies scale successfully. To approach Ventures Platform, startups are encouraged to demonstrate innovative solutions with clear market potential, preferably in sectors aligned with the fund's focus. Building connections through ecosystem events and demonstrating strong growth metrics can significantly enhance the chances of securing investment.

Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures (VKAV) is a pan-African venture capital firm investing in tech-enabled, growth-stage companies across the continent. It was formed in 2021 as a joint venture between Kepple Africa Ventures, a Japanese VC active in African startups, and Verod Holdings, an African growth-capital private equity firm. The firm is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, with an office in Nairobi, Kenya. VKAV closed its inaugural fund at $60M in April 2024, with plans to back up to roughly 21 growth-stage companies. Its limited partners include SBI Holdings, Toyota Tsusho, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, JICA, the Japan ICT Fund and SCM Capital. The fund typically invests $1M to $3M per company with follow-on capacity, focusing on post-revenue, scalable startups at Series A and Series B, and it is willing to lead. By fund close it had deployed about $17.5M across 12 companies. Its investment thesis centers on three areas, Inefficiency Solvers, Homegrown Innovation and Infrastructure, spanning fintech, mobility, e-commerce, proptech, deep tech, insurtech, energy and healthcare. The firm offers operational support via Verod and exit and partnership opportunities in Japan via its LPs. Partners include Satoshi Shinada, Ryosuke Yamawaki and Ory Okolloh. Portfolio companies include Shuttlers, Ceviant and Navettes in Nigeria, NowPay, Nawy and Chefaa in Egypt, KOKO Networks and mTek-Services in Kenya, Chari in Morocco, Cloudline in South Africa, and Moove Africa and Julaya across multiple markets. By uniting Japanese and African investors, VKAV backs growth-stage African founders and bridges them to Japanese partners.

VestedWorld is a Chicago-based venture capital firm focused on catalyzing growth in emerging markets, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Founded with a mission to drive sustainable economic development, VestedWorld invests in early-stage companies across sectors such as agribusiness, consumer products, and technology-enabled services. The firm's strategy emphasizes identifying high-growth potential businesses that can create significant economic and social impact in regions often overlooked by traditional investors. VestedWorld operates with a strong belief that the most effective way to alleviate poverty is through economic development. By channeling capital into promising startups in countries like Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana, the firm aims to foster entrepreneurship, create meaningful jobs, and support the broader economic ecosystem. VestedWorld's approach is not just about providing financial returns to its investors, but also about contributing to the overall prosperity and stability of the regions it invests in. The firm’s leadership, including Managing Director Euler Bropleh, brings extensive experience in both venture capital and emerging markets. They maintain a hands-on approach, working closely with portfolio companies to help them scale and succeed in challenging environments. VestedWorld's impact-driven investment model allows investors to "do well by doing good," aligning financial success with positive social outcomes. With a clear focus on sectors critical to economic development, such as agriculture and technology, VestedWorld is committed to making a transformative impact in some of the world's fastest-growing but undercapitalized markets.

Vibe Capital is a venture fund founded by Ankur Nagpal, known for its focus on early-stage investments in technology-driven startups. The fund's strategy is centered on identifying and supporting innovative companies, particularly those in emerging markets like India, Brazil, and across Africa, reflecting a belief in the transformative power of venture capital in these rapidly growing regions. Vibe Capital has raised two funds so far: the first at $12 million and the second at $70 million, with a significant portion of investments directed outside the U.S. The fund targets sectors like AI, Web3, and deep tech, emphasizing a proactive approach to wellness, financial innovation, and entrepreneurship-enabling platforms. What sets Vibe Capital apart is its no-management-fee structure, ensuring that all raised capital is directed into startups, with a third of the fund's capital coming from the founders themselves. The fund is particularly attractive to entrepreneurs due to the hands-on experience of its team, who are all former founders and operators, providing invaluable support in growth, marketing, and go-to-market strategies. The fund’s network is another strong point, with ties to prominent investors and firms like Bessemer and General Catalyst, offering startups crucial connections for future fundraising.

Village Global is an early-stage venture capital firm that leverages a robust network of luminary investors to back innovative entrepreneurs from the very start. Based in San Francisco, the firm has garnered support from tech giants like Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Reid Hoffman, who also serves as the firm's Chairman​. Village Global focuses on a wide array of industries, including fintech, health, consumer, and enterprise technology. Their portfolio boasts successful investments in companies such as Kapwing, Pogo, and Stitch, highlighting their commitment to backing transformative and high-potential startups​. The firm's investment strategy involves leading pre-seed and seed funding rounds, typically writing checks between $250,000 and $1.5 million. Village Global is noted for its network-centric approach, offering unparalleled access to mentors, follow-on funding, and strategic advice from some of the world's most successful entrepreneurs​. With over $500 million in assets under management, Village Global's team includes influential figures like Anne Dwane and Ben Casnocha, who actively support their portfolio companies through hands-on guidance and connections. For startups looking to partner with Village Global, demonstrating a bold vision and the potential for significant impact is crucial. The firm's unique network-driven model provides startups with the resources and support needed to accelerate their growth from day one.

White Rhino Ventures is an early-stage impact venture firm headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, founded in 2004 to back novel technologies that can scale into 'Africa's next tech unicorns.' The firm's name is a deliberate metaphor, referencing the species' extreme rarity, applied to early-stage ventures designed for durable growth and disproportionate long-term industry impact. Its investment focus spans B2B software, financial technology, broader technology and infrastructure, alongside thematic impact verticals including sustainability and climate tech, biotech, agritech, edtech and emerging consumer technology in East Africa, generally as a co-investor. The firm's stated philosophy looks beyond IRR multiples and exit-window math toward 'ventures with timeless DNA' and commits both capital and active stewardship to portfolio companies. Publicly disclosed activity is sparse: the firm's most recent reported deal, indexed across major VC databases, is a seed-stage investment on June 4, 2018 in Tanda, a Kenyan retail and inventory-management platform that pioneered sub-1-hour inventory delivery for small shop owners and was the first in the region to layer an automated credit facility on top of inventory ordering. Subsequent rounds were planned to fund expansion across Kenya and into four additional African markets. Several major investor databases now flag the firm as permanently closed, and specific fund size, named partners and team rosters are not publicly disclosed. During its active years, White Rhino Ventures backed early-stage East African founders across software, fintech and impact sectors with capital and hands-on stewardship.

Zigg Capital is a venture capital firm based in New York City that specializes in proptech, aiming to revolutionize the real estate, construction, and retail sectors through technology. Their notable investments include Spruce Holdings, Crusoe Energy Systems, and Vontive, reflecting their focus on innovative solutions within these industries. Zigg Capital operates globally, investing from seed to Series B stages, with a typical check size ranging from $1M to $10M. They have a strategic approach, emphasizing demographic shifts, evolving preferences, and addressing societal inequalities to improve the quality of physical environments. This is evident in their recent $225 million second fund aimed at supporting visionary entrepreneurs in proptech. The team at Zigg Capital is led by Founding Partner Dave Eisenberg, who brings extensive experience from previous roles at companies like Floored and Red Swan Ventures. The firm values deep research, imagination, collaboration, and respect for the entrepreneurial journey, actively seeking to partner with startups that share their vision for transformative innovation. Startups can approach Zigg Capital via their website, where they encourage pitches that align with their mission to enhance the built environment through technology​

ZX Ventures is the global investment and innovation group of Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the world's leading brewer, established in 2015 and headquartered in New York City. It operates as both a corporate venture capital arm and a global incubator, focused on seeding, launching and scaling new products and businesses that deliver exceptional consumer experiences and bring people together. Its investment areas span beverage, direct-to-consumer, circular ventures, the future of socializing and agile industry, with deals across food and beverage, wine and spirits and retail, and a particular geographic focus on North America and Africa, generally as a co-investor. The group invests from seed to late stage, predominantly seed and Series A, and has made roughly 56 to 69 investments over its history, including one unicorn, Rappi, first backed in April 2016 at Series A, and at least five acquisitions such as Goose Island and Gastrograph. Other notable portfolio companies include Starship Technologies in autonomous delivery robots, Planetarians, Filteroff, Leaf Logistics, Swish Beverages (Babe Wine), Hiball Energy, RateBeer, Master of Malt and Sunniva Super Coffee. Beyond pure financial investing, ZX Ventures combines direct investments, M&A and internal brand-building to commercialize new consumer concepts for its parent. The team numbers around 15 people, including four partners, and has been led by Head of ZX Ventures Bernardo Novick, with senior leaders including Jerome Pellaud (VP Global Craft & Specialties) and Sergio Esteves (Global VP, Brand Experiences). By combining venture capital, M&A and incubation, ZX Ventures commercializes new beverage and consumer concepts for AB InBev.