Top 10 Venture Capital Startup Investors in Africa

Last updated: Apr 2024 A list of 10 angel investors and VC funds that invest in Venture capital startups based in Africa. We rank investors based on the number of investments they made in Venture capital companies from Africa. We update this investor list every month.

Top 10 Venture Capital Startup Investors in Africa

Investor	Venture Capital Africa investments
Phillip Sebole Masango	2
GreenHouse Capital	2
Flying Doctors Nigeria	1
ARCH Emerging Markets Partners	1
Federico Pirzio-Biroli	1
Kalon Venture Partners	1
Microsoft for Startups	1
Stanbic IBTC Bank	1
Helena Riese Harstad	1
Zenith Bank	1

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Investor list

Phillip Sebole Masango is a Mentor at Allan Gray Orbis Foundation, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Eclipde Hub and Black Silver Capital, a Strategic Intelligence Member of World Economic Forum, a Member of Norval Foundation, Heavy Chef, Startup Grind Stellenbosch, The Silicon Cape Initiative, DueDash, and SimplyBiz_SA, and an ExecutiveDirector and Founder of Aesthetic Prosthetic Bionics Co.

Investment focus

Information Technology, Robotics, Aerospace
Series A, Seed, Private Equity
South Africa

Portfolio highlights

Black Silver Capital — Black Silver Capital invests in and builds a portfolio of high growth companies and businesses with innovative business models, geared to existing and emerging institutions and their customers. We invest growth capital in the form of equity to be used to assist established, but still high-risk ventures in expanding activity such as creatingadditional traction launching products into diverse markets as well as creating new products & technology lines.
Cyrrix Cybersecurity — At Cyrrix Cybersecurity, we understand the importance of protecting your business from online threats. Our team provides a full range of cybersecurity services to help safeguard your company's sensitive information and systems. We offer comprehensive risk assessments, penetration testing, and incident response planning to identify and addressvulnerabilities in your network. Our managed security services provide ongoing monitoring and threat detection to keep your business protected around the clock. With our help, you can rest easy knowing that your company's valuable assets are secure.
Aesthetic Prosthetic Bionics — Biological Engineering, Bionics, Biomimetics, Hydraulics, Prosthetics, Neuroprosthetics, Exoskeleton Suits, Dynamics, Kinematics Robotics, Human-Robot Interaction, Artificial Organs, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Knowledge Reasoning, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, Computer Vision, Robotics, Artificial GeneralIntelligence, Deep Learning, Bayesian Networks, Evolutionary Algorithms, Computational Neuroscience, Neurocybernetics, Cybernetics, Cognitive Science, Source Coding, Channel Coding, Algorithmic Complexity Theory, Algorithmic Information Theory, Information-Theoretic Security, Grey System Theory & Biotechnology

GreenHouse Capital’s Founding Partners took their own fintech company Venture Garden Group (VGG) from a 7 employee, ₦30 million revenue startup to a 200 employees, ₦2 billion power house in just 4 years and raised an attention grabbing Series A round from Convergence Partners of South Africa. The uniqueness of their position was not lost on thefounders who then cultivated Garden Institute of Business Entrepreneurs (GIBE) to identify, incubate, and invest in young and innovative tech startups solving global challenges in Emerging Markets. GIBE was created to build a world class talent management hub for young and passionate entrepreneurs while creating a pool of technology inclined businesses and innovation oriented leaders.

Investment focus

Financial Services, FinTech, Payments
Seed, Pre-Seed, Funding Round
Nigeria, Kenya, United States

Portfolio highlights

Credpal — Buy now, pay later. Split in 6.
Encore Pay — Encore Pay is a UAE-based FinTech and Payment solutions provider.
MarketForce — MarketForce connects Africa’s informal retail outlets and consumers directly to suppliers of consumer goods and financial services by digitizing orders, delivery, and payments with the aim of solving the last mile distribution challenge.

Flying Doctors Nigeria is an ambulance service company that provides medical emergency services. The company also provides medical solutions such as air ambulance and medical evacuation and ground ambulance services. They offer rapid transfer and the highest standards of care to patients in acute medical need, serving both states and privatecompanies on a yearly retainer basis.Flying Doctors Nigeria operates stations manned by specially trained medical doctors across the country from where real-time responses are affected. It was founded in 2009 and is based in Lagos, Nigeria.

Investment focus

Health Care, Retail, Medical
Seed, Pre-Seed, Series A
Nigeria

Portfolio highlights

GetEquity — GetEquity is a NASDAQ for venture capital. We provide an exchange and liquidity for private companies, and an infrastructure for different cadres of venture capital around investing, founder liquidity, and shareholder management
Healthtracka — Healthtracka is a digital health platform that allows consumer direct access to lab tests bookings, at-home sample collection and digital results in 1-3days
Helium Health — Helium Health empowers healthcare providers in Africa with digital tools, financing solutions, and data partnerships. Learn more about our innovative solutions.

ARCH is a specialist emerging markets investment advisor with deep experience of emerging markets, private equity, asset management and legal and governance matters over many decades.

Investment focus

Solar, Finance, Consumer
Series D, Debt Financing, Private Equity
Kenya, South Africa, United States

Portfolio highlights

CrossBoundary — CrossBoundary Energy's renewable energy solutions help decarbonize enterprise by providing cleaner, cheaper and more reliable power.
Sun King — Sun King solar lanterns and home systems enables underserved communities to achieve more with inclusive distribution and flexible financing options.
The Sun Exchange — The Sun Exchange is the peer-to-peer solar leasing marketplace. We leverage financial innovation and the power of the crowd to drive sustainable energy development and make the environmental, social and economic benefits of solar accessible and affordable for all. Through the Sun Exchange online platform, anyone, anywhere in the world, can buyremotely-located solar cells and then lease them to power businesses and organisations in sunny emerging markets. Solar cell owners earn income from the electricity that’s generated, while schools, businesses, clinics and other organisations gain access to affordable clean energy, reducing electricity costs and carbon emissions.

Fede started out as an angel investor in 2010. His portfolio quickly grew, so he built a team around him and thus Playfair Capital was born. We have since gone on to become one of Europe’s most active and well-known early-stage VC funds. Before becoming a technology investor Fede worked for several NGOs in Africa, with a particular focus on aidtransparency. He recently renewed his focus on Africa by relocating to Kenya and becoming an angel investor in East Africa’s burgeoning startup ecosystem. He maintains an active role at Playfair and continues to lead our investment team.

Investment focus

Non Profit, Software, Venture Capital
Seed, Angel, Pre-Seed
United Kingdom, Kenya, Sweden

Portfolio highlights

Bibblio — Conversion optimization, powered by AI. Increase user engagement, grow revenues and drive new audiences, for stronger site metrics and ROI.
Brewbot — Brewbot is dedicated to the wonderful world of beer and beerbrewing
Purple Elephant Ventures — We are Africa's first venture studio focusing on the travel & tourism sector. Our aim is to build businesses that will lead Africa's tourism industry to a greener future

A growing number of South Africans are investing in venture capital companies that operate under Section 12J of the Income Tax Act. Contact us now.

Investment focus

Apps, Mobile Apps, Software
Seed, Series A, Funding Round
South Africa, Luxembourg, United States

Portfolio highlights

GoMetro — GoMetro designs deploy and operate flexible mobility platforms. Their proprietary technology stack empowers city leaders, transport managers, corporates, retail centres, property developers, airports and downtown to introduce bold new mobility strategies. Their connected transport digital platform equips transport planners to respond to thechallenges of increased congestion, aged infrastructure, disruptive mobility players, self-driving vehicles and a lack of quality public transport services.
Talk360 — Talk360 is an easy-to-use calling app that helps people make affordable international calls to any mobile and landline number. They believe that reliable communication and digital services must be affordable and accessible to everyone, regardless of someone's background. Especially people in emerging countries in Africa, who often need theseservices the most, do not always have the necessary banking possibilities. To bridge this distance, Talk360 will launch the world's first single checkout platform for Africa. This platform will combine all locally available payment methods and currencies across Africa, together with over 1.25 million cash points of sales, and will eventually be available to other companies as well. This means that 500 million Africans will be able to purchase digital services they never had access to before.
Sendmarc — Stop cyber criminals from sending emails using your domain and protect your customers, suppliers and employees from cyber attacks with DMARC Security.

Microsoft for Startups is a global program designed to help startups scale with free access to Azure cloud and a streamlined path into selling alongside Microsoft and our vast partner ecosystem.

Investment focus

Software, Information Technology, SaaS
Seed, Funding Round, Pre-Seed
United States, India, Canada

Portfolio highlights

UniPay — UniPay is an eCommerce platform for infrastructure and industry-lacking regions that offers 5 products that enable trust, promote transparency, and enforce accountability.
NotJustEvent — NotJustEvent stands at the forefront of innovation as a comprehensive event platform transforming the event planning and management landscape, utilizing advanced technologies and offering a versatile suite of services. We seamlessly link event organizers, vendors, performers, and attendees within our dynamic ecosystem. Our platform elevates theevent planning process by providing an array of high-quality event-related services, such as venue rentals, catering, ticketing, decorations, and more.
Emission Sentri — Drive emission management and reduction with insights

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Investment focus

Energy, Mobile, Wireless
Debt Financing, Seed, Post-IPO Debt
Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa

Portfolio highlights

MTN Group — MTN is a JSE-listed multinational company that offers voice and data, mobile financial, enterprise, and digital services. It serves individuals as well as SME, public sector, and corporate clients.The company’s traditional voice and data offerings include voice bundles, data bundles, bonus on recharge, and low-denomination recharge vouchers. Itsmobile money product range includes international remittances, savings, lending, and insurance. MTN’s enterprise services are focused on connectivity, communication, cloud, M2M, and enterprise mobility.Through its investments with Rocket Internet AG in Africa Internet Holdings (AIH) and Middle East Internet Holdings (MEIH), MTN aims to to deliver a range of internet services in African continent and in the Middle East, including e-commerce retailing, market place, taxi, travel, classified, and food delivery services.MTN has launched, as part of its entertainment strategy, a host of products and services, including MTN FrontRow: a video-on-demand offering, and MTN Music+: a music streaming and downloading app which aims to promote African music.MTN was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company has operations in Afghanistan, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Cyprus, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic, Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Uganda, Yemen, and Zambia. It has ISP licenses in Namibia and Kenya and a Value Added Service license in Ethiopia.
M-KOPA — M-KOPA is the global leader for “pay-as-you-go” energy services for off-grid customers. M-KOPA was established in 2011. Following 2 years of piloting and development, M-KOPA began commercial sales in Kenya in October 2012. M-KOPA expanded to Uganda in 2013 and commences operations in Tanzania in late 2014. Their team includes over 500 staff andwe sell our product through more than 1000 retail agents and shops. The founders of the company are experienced mobile technology innovators who believe in the huge potential of transformative, affordable products designed for underserved consumers. While excellent technology is a pre-requisite, technology alone does not solve for customer needs. Success comes when smart technology is combined with a commitment to on-going, on-the-ground delivery. To that end, M-KOPA is beginning to license its technology to experienced and reputable third parties in markets outside of East Africa (licensing queries should be sent to licensing@m-kopa.com). M-KOPA has developed a proprietary, patented technology platform that combines embedded GSM + mobile payments to revolutionize asset financing in emerging markets. The M-KOPAnet platform has been designed and built from the ground up by our talented team of software engineers, who continue to innovate and improve the system every day. It offers the powerful combination of accounting + customer relationship management + inventory tracking in one complete system. Aside from enabling our business operations to scale at record speed, the M-KOPAnet™ platform captures and processes huge volumes of data, enabling us to improve our proposition, customer service, and security in real-time.
ANOH Gas Processing Company — ANOH Gas Processing Company is a midstream gas company committed to the processing of gas from OML 53 for distribution to the local market.

Helena Riese Harstad is the Co-Founder and Chairman of Optimizer Foundation. She previously worked at SBAB Bank as a Project Specialist. Helena Riese attended Stockholm University.

Investment focus

Travel, Tourism, Venture Capital
Pre-Seed
Kenya

Portfolio highlights

Purple Elephant Ventures — We are Africa's first venture studio focusing on the travel & tourism sector. Our aim is to build businesses that will lead Africa's tourism industry to a greener future

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