Jaza Rift Ventures

Jaza Rift Ventures is an impact investment firm founded in 2022 and based in Nairobi, Kenya, with additional offices in Accra, Ghana, and Luxembourg. Launched in partnership with Villgro Africa, the firm is exclusively focused on healthcare in Africa. The maiden Jaza Rift Pioneers Fund is a $5 million impact VC fund deploying checks of $100K to $500K at pre-seed, seed, and seed-extension stages into healthtech, medtech, and biotech founders across the continent. The firm also targets a larger $50 million fund for early-stage investments in digital health, medtech, and biotech. Jaza Rift leads rounds within its portfolio. The firm is a recognized Beyond The Billion partner. Managing Partner Sewu-Steve Tawia brings more than 20 years of experience in development finance, consulting, angel investing, and venture capital across Europe and Africa. Tawia holds CAIA and CIFE certifications and is an alumnus of London Business School, Audencia Business School, and Stanford GSB. The partnership with Villgro Africa provides access to a pipeline of more than 1,600 startups, with 20 identified as potential fund returners. Portfolio companies include Taneel (life and health insurance), Neopenda (medical devices for emerging markets), Plural Health (enterprise healthcare systems), and YeneHealth (Ethiopian femtech, where Jaza Rift led the pre-seed round in July 2023). Jaza Rift's thesis is straightforward: affordable, accessible, and high-quality healthcare in Africa represents both an urgent social need and a significant investment opportunity. The firm provides the '4Cs' framework alongside a network of advisors spanning biotech, medtech, and digital health to help portfolio founders navigate the unique challenges of building healthcare businesses across African markets.