Editor’s note: African-Startups is a sister publication of EU-Startups, bringing trusted coverage of startups, venture capital, and innovation across Africa.
Impacc, an African impact investor, has taken a stake in HustleSasa, a Nairobi-based creator-commerce platform, becoming the lead investor in its latest funding round.
The amount raised has not been disclosed. Impacc led the round and has also brought additional investors into the financing.
“Peng is one of those founders who combines intelligence, speed and an almost frightening level of diligence with a very clear sense of what creators across Africa actually need. HustleSasa gives them the tools to organise events, sell tickets, market their work and sell products, all in one place,” said Till Wahnbaeck, founder of Impacc.
HustleSasa was started in 2021 by Peng Chen and Michael Denuh at the Antler Accelerator in Nairobi, where a team aimed to uplift African creators by improving their financial opportunities.
They noticed that the creator economy in Africa was fragmented and underfunded, hindering artists from maximizing their potential. To help, they offered event creators unique storefront URLs to sell directly to their audiences and leverage their brand.
HustleSasa started with a vision and has grown into a comprehensive system that supports live entertainment and sports in Africa, serving over 4,000 clients in six countries.
It now handles various industry aspects, including digital ticketing and events like ANZA MMA and Celebrity Fight Nights.
According to the company’s claims, in 2025, the platform sold over 521,000 tickets and provided important financial services.
“Peng’s data shows that, for every ten tickets sold, one gig worker gets employed: security staff, catering teams, gate staff, stage builders, technicians and many others,” adds Wahnbaeck.
