Business Description: FriendnPal is a predictive AI-powered behavioral intelligence platform leveraging multilingual multimodal AI to enable early detection of mental distress, relapse prediction, and continuous behavioral monitoring across low-resource populations. Through WhatsApp, voice, web, and low-bandwidth systems, we improve patient engagement and support decentralized clinical trials, Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), and real-time patient-reported outcomes across 32 languages, while generating population-level behavioral insights that help healthcare providers, researchers, and governments improve mental health outcomes at scale.
FriendnPal
Founded in 2023, Based in Nigeria
Join the ClubSubscribe to our
Subscribe to our
newsletter
Stay updated with the latest
news and articles.
news and articles.
Follow our socials
M-KOPA’s Kenya Mobility lands $30 million debt facility as FinTech reaches 10 million customers
July 24, 2026
They offer a variety of bikes, including the locally made Roam Air, as well as the Ampersand Turaco and Spiro models that come with battery-swapping technology.
Acquisitions, News, Technology
US-based agentic intelligence firm Native acquires African traditional trade intelligence platform Frontline Research Group
July 24, 2026
The acquisition extends Native's footprint from Latin America into Africa, marking the next step in the company's plan to serve the world's largest offline consumer markets.
African EV soonicorn Spiro publishes first sustainability report, targets net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2040
July 23, 2026
The report comes a few weeks after Spiro secured an additional $55 million investment from NewTrails Capital, bringing its latest funding round to a close at $270 million.
Kenyan FinTech startup Sevi secures Oxano Capital backing to expand working capital access
July 23, 2026
By joining Oxano Capital, Sevi will be able to widen access to working capital for micro and small businesses across the country.
Fusepay launches AI-powered platform to replace spreadsheets and manual invoicing for African trade businesses
July 23, 2026
Fuse360 includes AI-powered credit intelligence that analyses payment behaviour, outstanding exposure, and historical payment patterns to help wholesalers make more informed decisions before extending trade credit.
Cape Town-based safari booking startup Conservio acquired by Dutch platform Glampings.com
July 23, 2026
The deal adds over 1,000 bookable nature lodges to Glampings.com's existing collection of more than 4,500 accommodations across 18 European countries.
BioLite secures $10.7 million from Africa Go Green Fund to roll out clean cookstoves across Zambia
July 22, 2026
The carbon credits generated by the project will be sold to Switzerland's KliK Foundation under a Mitigation Outcomes Purchase Agreement, implemented pursuant to the Article 6.2 bilateral agreement between Zambia and Switzerland.
LemFi partners with BVNK to move cross-border payments onto regulated stablecoin rails
July 22, 2026
The partnership delivers near-instant value transfers between markets at a fraction of traditional costs, without changing anything about how customers experience the LemFi app.
After Rivia and VDL Fulfilment, Village Capital invests $500k in three more Ghanaian startups
July 22, 2026
The latest round completes the facility's initial portfolio in Ghana, spanning SME enablement, agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare and logistics.
Botswana Tech Fund announces $6.7 million first close to back digitisation across Sub-Saharan Africa
July 22, 2026
BTF invests across the full stack of digitisation in southern Africa, from foundational infrastructure and payment rails through to the software application layer that transforms how businesses operate day to day.
South Africa’s Zazu secures Seed funding from Launch Africa Ventures to scale SME banking platform
July 21, 2026
The new backing marks the startup's latest milestone as it works to build out a full finance operating system for entrepreneurs across the continent.
Egypt’s Elevate Capital acquires Nile Scan & Labs, marking exit of Misr Capital and Bank Misr
July 21, 2026
The transaction also marks the exit of previous investors Misr Capital and Bank Misr and gives Elevate Capital sole control of the company.
France-based CFAO Healthcare enters Botswana with acquisition of 75% stake in Medswana
July 21, 2026
The deal marks the latest step in CFAO Healthcare's strategy to build an integrated pharmaceutical distribution network across southern Africa, following its launch of operations in South Africa in 2024.
BasiGo partners with Rubis Energy to build EV fast-charging network across Kenya
July 21, 2026
The first charging station under the partnership is now operational at the Rubis service station in Sabaki, Athi River, with three additional sites in Meru, Nanyuki, and Nyeri scheduled to go live later this month.
Nigerian FinTech startup Busha partners with Tether to expand stablecoin infrastructure across Africa
July 21, 2026
The collaboration helps companies access globally connected stablecoin liquidity for faster cross-border payments, more efficient treasury management, and quicker settlement of international transactions.
Master Power Technologies unveils $3 million data centre experience centre in Midrand
July 20, 2026
It features a 2 MVA UPS test platform and a 400kW cooling systems test centre, which MPT describes as the most comprehensive of its kind on the continent.
RiseUp, A15, and BitRoot partner with NVIDIA to launch SIGNALS programme in Egypt
July 20, 2026
Led by Basil Fateen from NVIDIA, the launch event highlighted trends in the industry, strategies for scaling using NVIDIA technology, and key factors that investors consider when evaluating early-stage AI startups.
After $500k GIF backing, Egypt’s Reme-D raises $1.45 million to expand molecular diagnostics manufacturing
July 20, 2026
The funding comes just months after the startup secured a $500k equity investment from Global Innovation Fund in April.
Vercel acquires Egyptian-founded DevOps startup Stakpak days after Better Auth deal
July 20, 2026
Stakpak was founded in 2023 by George Fahmy with the goal of creating "self-driving infrastructure" using AI to automate software deployment and infrastructure management.
Acumen’s impact Agri VC fund secures $90 million to back climate-resilient agribusinesses across Africa
July 17, 2026
ARAF is an impact fund managed by Acumen Capital Partners, a wholly owned subsidiary of Acumen, that backs fast-growing food and agribusinesses whose models help African smallholder farmers adapt to a changing climate.
Renew Capital selects these 15 African startups for its inaugural Renew Venture Lab: EmFi Series
July 17, 2026
This selection is part of its inaugural Renew Venture Lab: EmFi Series, a programme focused on embedded finance opportunities targeting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
South Africa’s Creation Capital lists private credit fund to bridge $21 million SME financing gap
July 17, 2026
The Creation Yield Fund is among the first in the country to combine privately originated debt investments within a regulated, exchange-listed note structure.
Raxio secures over $380 million as Roha and Meridiam boost stakes to scale African data centre footprint
July 16, 2026
The move follows a sixfold jump in contracted power capacity during the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year.
Mylerz raises $2 million to scale its logistics infrastructure across Egypt
July 16, 2026
Lorax Capital Partners led the round, marking its continued backing of the company since first investing in 2022.
Kenyan FinTech Flowt reaches first close of pre-Seed round to finance Africa’s climate-smart SMEs
July 15, 2026
Flowt aims to grow its loan book up to $1 million by the end of 2026 and is seeking capital to achieve this target.
Cape Town-based Cue raises $5 million to scale AI-powered customer service agents
July 15, 2026
Cue already powers customer conversations for more than 500 companies across the UK and South Africa, spanning the automotive, retail, insurance, finance and education sectors.
Nigerian agribusiness Noma Service secures $650k working capital and capex loan
July 14, 2026
The financing was extended through Sahel Capital's Social Enterprise Fund for Agriculture in Africa (SEFAA).
Moroccan super app ORA Technologies raises $2 million, taking Series A funding to $10 million
July 14, 2026
The latest raise brings its total funding to date to nearly $12 million since launching in 2023, making it one of Morocco's better-funded consumer technology startups.
South Africa’s HyperDev, founded by ex‑OpenAI and Google experts, secures over $1 million pre-Seed funding
July 10, 2026
The pre-Seed round was backed by a network of venture capital investors from Europe and the UK.
Impact Fund Denmark commits $28.58 million to NSIA Bank to expand MSME financing in Côte d’Ivoire
July 10, 2026
The investment will strengthen the lender's capital base and enable it to expand financing for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across the country.
Ethiopian-founded Better Auth acquired by US-based Vercel a year after raising $5 million Seed round
July 9, 2026
Better Auth's TypeScript authentication library has amassed more than 4.7 million weekly downloads on npm and draws contributions from over 850 developers.
South Africa’s Wamly secures $3.05 million Series A to scale all-in-one hiring platform
July 9, 2026
The new capital will go toward three priorities: expanding Wamly's AI capabilities across the hiring workflow, growing the team, and entering new international markets.
South African FinTech Bridgement secures $20.3M to expand AI-powered SME lending
July 8, 2026
The funding will enable the company to increase its lending capacity, helping thousands more South African businesses gain faster access to working capital.
Meet the five African winners of Bayer Foundation Women Entrepreneurs Award 2026 tackling healthcare and food security
July 8, 2026
The award, run by the Bayer Foundation in partnership with the Impact Hub Network, saw 1,172 applications from Africa and the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Latin America.
After Ripple backing, Flutterwave secures Circle Ventures investment to expand USDC payments and settlement in Africa
July 7, 2026
The latest investment from Circle Ventures will support Flutterwave's efforts to integrate USDC settlement directly into its existing payment infrastructure.
Sango Capital appointed manager of nearly $460 million in committed capital across three African fund portfolios
July 7, 2026
A consortium of institutional limited partners initiated the management change, according to Sango.
Emirates NBD partners with Techstars to fast-track agentic AI and FinTech startups into its banking ecosystem
July 6, 2026
The partnership pairs Techstars' international founder network spanning more than 11,000 entrepreneurs with Emirates NBD's existing analytics infrastructure, which the bank says already runs over 50 active AI use cases.
Adenia acquires majority stake in Minet Group to tap Africa’s growing insurance brokerage market
July 6, 2026
The acquisition from Capitalworks marks its latest investment in the continent's financial services sector as demand for insurance products continues to grow.
Nigerian-founded LemFi acquires Wealth8 to enter WealthTech and expand investment services
July 3, 2026
The acquisition follows the company's decision in April to establish London as its global headquarters.
Catalyst Fund reaches $30M second close for pan-African ClimateTech fund, eyes final close later this year
July 3, 2026
The second close attracted a mix of development finance institutions, foundations, venture investors and private investors.
Kenyan FinTech startup Lemonade Payments lands Plug and Play backing to scale payment infrastructure across Africa
July 2, 2026
Founded in 2023 by Mark Machiri Kihara and Andrew Kibe, Lemonade Payments set out to address what its founders identified as a persistent trust problem in African digital payments.
TLG Capital’s Africa Growth Impact Fund II hits $120M second close to back African SMEs
July 2, 2026
AGIF II's lending model, known as BOMA (Bank Originated & Mitigated Assets), sees TLG originate loans to African SMEs in partnership with local banks.
South Africa’s Nesa Power secures $9.14 million mezzanine debt funding to scale solar PPA portfolio
July 1, 2026
The capital will be used to acquire solar photovoltaic (Solar PV) sites and grow the company's long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) portfolio as it scales its integrated solar, storage and energy solutions across South Africa.
BrainsMingle secures $400k Seed investment to scale its video-first professional networking platform
July 1, 2026
The Seed funding comes as the company looks to scale its AI-driven, video-first platform for experts and professionals worldwide.
Angola and AfDB launch Luanda Tech Park to connect academia, research and young entrepreneurs
June 30, 2026
The park, known as Luanda Tech, was inaugurated as part of the broader Science and Technology Development Project (STDP), a partnership between the Angolan government and the African Development Bank.
AfricInvest Europe invests in France’s HTDS to power security and detection growth in Africa
June 30, 2026
The investment round allows the Moudarres family, who founded and lead HTDS, along with the company's management team, to increase their stake in the business as part of what is described as the group's second leveraged buyout.
IFC backs CrossBoundary Access with $10 million equity investment to scale mini-grid deployment across Africa
June 29, 2026
The investment will finance the continued construction of projects and technology expanding energy access on the continent.
France’s Proparco backs Luanda-based Anda to expand affordable mobility and EV transport
June 29, 2026
The financing will support the company's drive-to-own vehicle financing programme while accelerating the rollout of its electric vehicle fleet and battery-swapping network.
Three Kenyan ClimateTech startups selected among Tencent CarbonX 2.0 winners sharing nearly $30 million
June 26, 2026
The winners were announced during an event at the London Science Museum, co-hosted with TED as part of London Climate Action Week 2026.
From Lagos to Lisbon: Why the EU–Africa startup partnership is the most important economic story of our time
June 26, 2026
The EU–Africa partnership is not a development story in the old sense of that word. It is not about aid or philanthropy. It is about two regions with complementary strengths, complementary needs, and a shared interest in building an equitable and technologically advanced future.
IFC backs Madagascar-based WeLight in $30.7 million funding round to scale mini-grid deployment in Africa
June 25, 2026
The funding will also support the company's expansion into Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), while strengthening its existing operations in Madagascar and Mali.
Lagos-based Daya raises $2.4 million pre-Seed to build stablecoin-powered cross-border payment infrastructure for Africa
June 25, 2026
The startup's founding team previously built Helicarrier, one of Nigeria's earliest crypto remittance platforms, and brings experience from major technology and FinTech companies.
Dubai-based FinTech Credable rebrands to _able to expand financial infrastructure platform across Africa
June 24, 2026
The new name, _able, drawn from the Latin habilis, meaning capable and ready, is intended to signal movement from belief to enablement.
Tunisia’s RoboCare secures investment to scale AI-powered precision agriculture across Africa and the Middle East
June 24, 2026
The funding will be channelled into new market entry, commercial team expansion, and the continued development of the startup's AI models.
4G Capital surpasses $1 billion in loans to African entrepreneurs; reports $3 billion economic impact
June 23, 2026
The company pairs supply chain financing with customised business training, enabling micro and small enterprises to strengthen cash flow and build resilience.
Spiro closes $270 million funding round after securing $55 million from NewTrails Capital; nears unicorn status
June 23, 2026
This deal follows Spiro's $215 million equity round announced earlier this month, which was backed by Impact Fund Denmark alongside Equitane and FEDA.
Nigeria’s DBN secures $229.2 million EIB loan to back SMEs in agriculture, renewable energy and digital innovation
June 22, 2026
This new investment will be focused on agriculture, renewable energy, digitalisation and innovation.
Nigeria’s Eja-Ice secures $1 million from All On to scale solar-powered cold chain in off-grid communities
June 22, 2026
The funding is expected to broaden Eja-Ice's reach in off-grid and weak-grid communities across Nigeria.
Mercy Corps Ventures backs Logidoo to strengthen West Africa’s trade corridors
June 19, 2026
Logidoo is a tech-enabled fifth-party logistics (5PL) platform purpose-built for Francophone West Africa's trade corridors.
Acquisitions, News, South Africa
South Africa’s CA&S Group acquires 30% stake in TDMC, eyes majority ownership
June 19, 2026
The deal marks a significant step in its effort to strengthen its digital commerce capabilities across Southern and East Africa.
IFC, AfDB-backed Zafiri launches with $176 million to accelerate energy access in Africa
June 18, 2026
Zafiri expects to reach a final close of $300 million within 12 months, with a longer-term ambition to scale up to $1 billion to accelerate energy access in Africa.
Valu secures $12.2 million EBRD loan to bring green finance to Egyptian households
June 18, 2026
The funding will support financing for products, including energy-efficient appliances, solar solutions, and other green technologies.
African FinTech unicorn Flutterwave secures Ripple’s backing to accelerate stablecoin-powered cross-border payments
June 17, 2026
The partnership will embed Ripple's USD-denominated stablecoin, RLUSD, directly into Flutterwave's payment infrastructure.
Johannesburg-based Creslow Energy secures funding to scale world-first explosion-proof lithium batteries for coal mines
June 16, 2026
The investment was driven in part by the company's development of the world's first explosion-proof lithium battery for coal mining operations.
Launch Africa Ventures returns $2.5 million to LPs as Seed Fund I turns DPI-positive after 11 exits
June 16, 2026
The payout is the fund's first cash distribution to LPs and comes on the back of 11 completed exits from the portfolio, pushing the 2020-vintage fund into DPI-positive territory.
MTN Nigeria taps First WATT Renewable to power network infrastructure and EV stations with clean energy
June 15, 2026
The strategic partnership strengthens operations at MTN Nigeria's most critical facilities, and powers a new network of electric vehicle charging stations across the country.
Nigeria’s Yikodeen secures follow-on funding from Aruwa Capital as it marks its 10th anniversary
June 15, 2026
Founded in 2016, Yikodeen manufactures safety footwear for regulated and safety-critical sectors, including oil and gas, manufacturing, construction, utilities and select public-sector customers.
Agridex lands backing from Launch Africa Ventures to tackle Africa’s agricultural trade settlement bottlenecks
June 12, 2026
Founded in 2020, the London-based Agridex operates as a B2B payments infrastructure provider for exporters and importers of agricultural commodities such as coffee, tea, flowers, and grain.
Nigerian InsurTech startup Myka raises pre-Seed funding to boost mass-market insurance distribution
June 12, 2026
The fresh capital will support Myka's mission to build digital infrastructure for mass-market insurance distribution across Nigeria.
African entrepreneurs take home over $5 million at Cascador Pitch Day 2026
June 12, 2026
The event was hosted by Cascador, an Africa-focused platform supporting founders building businesses with measurable social impact.
Morocco’s PropTech startup Agenz raises $5 million to digitise real estate transactions
June 11, 2026
Founded in 2021 by brothers Malik and Badr Belkeziz, Agenz was built to address a longstanding problem in Morocco's property market.
Meet the 13 startups joining EdVentures and Mastercard Foundation’s Cohort 3 of the EdTech Fellowship in Egypt
June 11, 2026
The Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship is an entrepreneurship acceleration programme designed to support promising African EdTech companies.
Nigeria’s CreditChek raises $600k to scale credit data infrastructure across East Africa
June 8, 2026
CreditChek enables FinTechs, lenders, and financial institutions to assess risk, reduce defaults, and scale lending through credit and alternative data.
Egyptian FinTech Blnk secures $37.1 million in equity and debt to scale AI-powered consumer credit
June 8, 2026
The equity round was led by Algebra Ventures, with participation from SANAD Fund for MSME, Endeavor Catalyst, and Emirates International Investment Company (EIIC).
3IF Ventures hits $12 million first close to back Africa’s early-stage insurance startups; eyes $30 million final close
June 5, 2026
The fund targets a final close of $30 million and plans to make between 15 and 20 portfolio investments.
South Africa’s Breaze Delivery secures $1.23 million to scale on-demand delivery infrastructure for SMEs
June 5, 2026
Founded in 2021 by entrepreneurs Avi Maja and Braden Snyman, Breaze Delivery offers customised, on-demand and same-day delivery solutions to SMEs across South Africa.
BluePeak invests $16 million in Côte d’Ivoire’s Groupe Centaures to scale sustainable logistics across West Africa
June 4, 2026
The deal is structured as a sustainability-linked loan tied to measurable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets.
AethexAI emerges from stealth with $3 million pre-Seed round to build voice AI for Africa and the Middle East
June 4, 2026
The company's core product is Kora 1, a proprietary model stack trained on real conversational speech with human-labelled data across emerging markets.
Afreximbank’s equity investment arm FEDA appoints Emmanuel Assiak as CEO
June 3, 2026
Assiak is no stranger to the institution. He has been part of FEDA's story from the beginning, serving successively as Pioneer Director, Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer for over six years.
Nigeria’s Lagos Angel Network backs Midddleman Technologies to build the AI-powered operating system for Africa-China trade
June 3, 2026
The deal brings not just capital but also strategic support and network access to a startup that has quietly racked up over $1.6 million in payment volume since launching its payments product in May 2024.
EU-backed Challenger Digital & Green Accelerator awards €50,000 to these six African startups in debut cohort
June 2, 2026
The Challenger Digital & Green Accelerator was launched to support entrepreneurs from Eastern and Southern Africa tackling environmental and economic challenges through technology-driven innovation.
FASA commits $5 million to Catalyst Fund as pan-African climate VC reaches $30 million in capital commitments
June 2, 2026
FASA was established to channel catalytic capital into investment funds that support agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises across the continent.
Spiro raises $215 million to expand electric mobility and battery-swapping network across Africa
June 1, 2026
Spiro recently acquired India-based Coexlion, an international motorcycle engineering and design firm, in a move that will also see the company open its first African R&D centre in Kenya.
Acquisitions, News, South Africa
South African FinTech Yoco acquires Dyner.ai to bring AI-powered operational tools to independent businesses
June 1, 2026
The transaction marks a significant step in the payments company's evolution into a broader commerce platform.
Meet the African startups that raised funding in May 2026; 9 of them are hiring right now
May 29, 2026
Below are the African startups that announced funding rounds or strategic investment backing in May 2026, and several of them are hiring.
Belmoney and DigiPay launch DigiTransfer to power France-Belgium remittances to Congo and the DRC
May 28, 2026
The app, available on both Android and iOS, allows users to send funds directly from their smartphones into mobile money wallets and bank accounts in both the Republic of Congo and the DRC.
Wasoko founder Daniel Yu launches Africa Jobs Fund to mobilise $100 million towards labour mobility and export manufacturing
May 28, 2026
The fund is co-founded by Daniel Yu, who previously built Wasoko into Africa's largest B2B e-commerce company, and Ben Hyman, founder of Talent Safari.
AHL Venture Partners hits $30.5 million first close for Africa Credit Fund I to back African businesses with flexible debt
May 27, 2026
The AHL Africa Credit Fund I is anchored by the AHL Charitable Foundation (AHLCF) and backed by three family offices.
Egypt’s MoneyHash taps Ozow veteran Hwan Lee to spearhead Africa growth strategy amid rising demand for payment infrastructure
May 27, 2026
Lee brings over eight years of FinTech experience to the role, most recently as Head of Partnerships at Ozow, one of South Africa's leading payments companies.
Nigeria’s OPay adds Google-backed Innovation Challenge to its $874k scholarship programme
May 26, 2026
Now rebranded as OPay Scholars for its 2026 edition, the programme is also adding an Innovation Challenge developed in partnership with Google and OPay Futures.
Africa GreenCo secures $10 million from Sanlam Alternative Investments to scale renewable energy trading across Southern Africa
May 26, 2026
The transaction gives Sanlam Alternative Investments a 10% stake in GreenCo and is intended to further expand the company's electricity trading operations across the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP).
South Africa’s Mia Healthcare raises $910k to expand affordable dental clinics and locally made aligners
May 25, 2026
Founded by Dr Zane Stennings and Dr Karishma Soni in 2021, Mia Healthcare is on a mission to improve access to affordable dental and orthodontic care across Southern Africa.
African Space Agency and ESA seek African Earth Observation startups and SMEs for new innovation programme
May 22, 2026
he programme is designed to help African Earth Observation (EO) startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) sharpen their commercial offerings, validate their solutions in the market, and scale their businesses.
Egypt’s ARRW secures $4 million from Tasheed Egypt to scale its licensed ride-hailing platform
May 21, 2026
The capital will be deployed across platform expansion, driver network growth, and technology development.
Impact Fund Denmark invests $25 million in New Forests Company to triple forest area and curb East Africa’s timber import reliance
May 20, 2026
The capital injection will significantly expand NFC's plantation footprint and strengthen local timber production across East Africa.
Nigerian-founded LemFi secures investment from Tether to power stablecoin remittances across Africa and Asia
May 19, 2026
Tether, issuer of USD₮, the world's most widely used stablecoin, announced the investment without disclosing the financial terms.
Lightrock closes $500 million Accelerate7 fund to back energy access startups across Africa and Asia
May 18, 2026
The strategy targets three core sectors: Access to Electricity, Clean Cooking, and Enabling Technologies and Solutions such as electric mobility and energy storage.
Cairo-based GrowthLabs acquires Startup Gate, merging incubation tech and founder networks under one platform
May 18, 2026
The integration creates a unified platform that redefines how startups are discovered and supported by connecting community, data, and execution.
Acquisitions, News, South Africa
South Africa’s HOSTAFRICA acquires Zanode to bring git-driven, AI-ready app deployment to local developers
May 15, 2026
The acquisition will help HOSTAFRICA expand its offering beyond traditional web hosting into developer-first infrastructure built for the AI era.
France’s Mistral AI partners with Kenya’s Qhala to launch AI Accelerator Bootcamp for African founders
May 15, 2026
The partnership will see Mistral AI launch a flagship programme aimed at nurturing the continent's next generation of AI-driven startups.
Digital Africa launches DA Seed Fund to bridge Africa’s Seed-stage financing gap across 20 countries
May 14, 2026
Announced at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi on 12 May 2026, the fund will target around 30 startups across nearly 20 priority countries.
Ruka closes $4.5 million round to challenge the hair extensions industry with lab-grown alternatives
May 14, 2026
The round was co-led by Henkel Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of the German conglomerate behind haircare giants Schwarzkopf and got2b, and Freedom Trail Capital.
Nigeria’s Jiji acquires Bangladesh’s Bikroy, marking first deal outside Africa
May 13, 2026
The deal marks one of the rare instances of an African tech company buying a major Asian digital platform.
Nigeria’s MAX secures $8 million in debt funding to scale EV fleet and battery swap infrastructure across Africa
May 13, 2026
The funding will be used to accelerate the expansion of its clean transportation operations across the continent.
Cauridor secures $2 million from France’s Proparco to expand cross-border payment infrastructure across West and Central Africa
May 12, 2026
The funding is part of Cauridor's ongoing Series A funding round and brings its total funding to date to $13 million.
After EIB and IFC backing, Biovac secures $20 million from France via Proparco to boost African vaccine sovereignty
May 12, 2026
The deal was announced on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit, jointly organised by France and Kenya in Nairobi.
Egrobots launches first autonomous agricultural harvesting robot developed by Egyptian engineers
May 11, 2026
Developed entirely by Egyptian engineers, the robot brings a fundamental shift in agricultural automation and smart farming.
Cameroon’s AI waste recycling startup BleagLee wins $1 million Milken-Motsepe Prize; meet the other winners
May 11, 2026
Since its launch in 2021, the Milken-Motsepe Innovation Prize Programme has awarded more than $8 million in funding to over 50 innovators worldwide.
Egypt’s EdVentures named Investor of the Year at Global Startup Awards Grand Finale during EU-Startups Summit 2026
May 8, 2026
The global finalists were selected following the processing of more than 70,000 nominations, extensive jury evaluations, and regional competitions spanning six continents.
Interview: MedRef Healthbridge advances to Global Startup Awards Grand Finale with a mission to make African healthcare more accessible and affordable
May 7, 2026
In this interview, Ssekyanzi discusses MedRef Healthbridge’s journey, early challenges, traction, partnerships, funding plans, long-term vision for Africa’s HealthTech ecosystem, and what he hopes to gain from the Global Grand Finale.
Acquisitions, News, South Africa
Paymenow and PayCurve merge to build South Africa’s first end-to-end employee financial wellness platform
May 6, 2026
The combined business will operate under the Paymenow brand and create South Africa’s first fully integrated employee financial wellness platform.
dLocal and inDrive team up to bring cashless ride payments and instant driver payouts to South Africa
May 6, 2026
As part of this tie-up, inDrive passengers can now pay by card directly within the ride-hailing app, while drivers will receive their earnings through local South African payment rails.
South Africa’s Xago joins forces with French FinTech firm NGPES to streamline cross‑border payments
May 5, 2026
The partnership links the blockchain-powered payment network of Xago with NGPES's EU-regulated FinTech infrastructure.
Kenya’s Cloud9 acquires MTickets to bring credit and payments into Africa’s events economy
May 5, 2026
The tie-up is designed to embed financial services directly within the ticketing experience, eliminating friction for both consumers and event organisers while creating new financial opportunities across the board
Meet the 20 startups joining ClimaFii Alliance’s second cohort to scale ClimateTech across Africa
May 4, 2026
Supported by Shell Foundation and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and implemented across Africa by BFA Global and Accion, the ClimaFii Alliance was officially announced in January 2025.
South Africa’s OneBio Venture Studio hits $5.9 million first close for second fund, eyes $17.8 million target
April 30, 2026
It aims to co-create companies from the ground up by providing not just capital but operational support, scientific expertise, and go-to-market infrastructure.
South Africa’s Secha Capital reaches second close of $40 million SME fund, targets final close by July 2026
April 29, 2026
The fund, which targets small and medium-sized enterprises in South Africa’s productive economy, has already deployed 40% of its capital across eight businesses.
Nairobi-based WildMango partners with OpenAI to bring advanced AI to Africa
April 29, 2026
The deal is designed to put OpenAI's artificial intelligence tools and frontier models within the reach of African businesses, developers, and institutions.
Nigerian-founded LemFi picks London as global HQ, commits $134.9 million to UK expansion
April 28, 2026
The announcement, made on 28 April 2026, came during the historic UK state visit of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
Ethiopia’s Dodai raises $13 million to scale electric motorbikes and battery swapping across Africa
April 28, 2026
With the new capital, Dodai aims to reach 3,000 battery swapping users supported by 30 battery swapping stations across Addis Ababa within the next 12 months
Studia Inc partners with D.IA Advisory to help African governments digitise civil records and build inclusive identity systems
April 27, 2026
Studia Inc converts physical civil records into structured, searchable digital data at an industrial scale.
South African hair care brand Love Kinks lands funding to stock shelves and scale fulfilment
April 27, 2026
Founded by Sinovuyo Mondliwa in 2016, Love Kinks was built from the ground up to serve a market that had historically been underserved by mainstream retail.
Acquisitions, News, South Africa
South Africa’s Vertice MedTech acquired by this investor consortium: Know more
April 24, 2026
Ethos Private Equity, which had backed the company since it was founded in 2018 alongside a management group led by Hendri Pretorius, has exited the company.
19-year-old Thiel Fellow-led Swoop scoops $7.3 million to launch food delivery in Lagos, aims to become a super app
April 24, 2026
The startup also aims to eventually become a pan-African super app offering food delivery, groceries, and pharmacy services.
Inspired Evolution invests $40 million in CrossBoundary Energy to expand renewable energy projects in sub-Saharan Africa
April 23, 2026
The investment has been made through Inspired Evolution’s next-generation energy transition fund, Evolution III.
Meet the 15 AI-driven startups selected for the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme Class 10
April 23, 2026
Since its launch in 2018, the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa programme has supported 106 startups from 17 African countries.
Botswana Tech Fund launches $67.5 million venture fund to back Southern Africa’s digital economy
April 22, 2026
The fund is anchored by Pula Investments, the family office of Stephen Lansdown CBE, founder of Hargreaves Lansdown, and powered by Launch Africa Ventures, the pan-African VC firm focused on early-stage African startups.
Female-led VC firm Jambaar Capital invests in TrashCoin, the startup turning recyclable waste into digital cash
April 22, 2026
The company says its operations are already diverting enough material from landfills and roadsides to offset more than 750 tonnes of CO2 emissions monthly.
Nafasi Water raises $9.7 million to deliver scalable, sustainable water solutions across Southern Africa
April 21, 2026
The company will use the funding to rehabilitate water catchments in mining-affected areas, expand water reuse infrastructure at the municipal level, and advance technologies for complex water reclamation.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies closes $660 million debt deal, as $300 million Eurobond draws 2.5x oversubscription
April 21, 2026
The bond, listed on Euronext Dublin and issued under Rule 144A/Regulation S, formed the centrepiece of a broader debt paydown and refinancing completed by Liquid Intelligent Technologies.
Nigeria’s Terra Industries to open continent’s largest drone factory in Ghana to advance African defence sovereignty
April 20, 2026
Called Pax-2, the 34,000-square-foot facility will be Terra's second manufacturing facility and serve as its primary regional defence manufacturing base for drone and counter-drone systems.
Egypt’s MoneyHash and Visa deepen ties to scale Cybersource across MENA payments infrastructure
April 20, 2026
The two companies entered into an initial collaboration in 2024 and are now expanding that partnership with a formal commitment to scaling Visa's Cybersource platform across MoneyHash's infrastructure in the MENA region.
South African MedTech startup AI Diagnostics raises $5.1 million to scale AI-powered TB screening
April 17, 2026
The round was led by The Steele Foundation for Hope, with participation from the iFSP Group and the Global Innovation Fund (GIF), along with follow-on contributions from key early angel investors.
South Africa’s Biovac lands funding from EIB, IFC to build Africa’s first end-to-end multi-vaccine manufacturing site
April 17, 2026
As part of the funding, Biovac will receive a $88 million (€75 million) quasi-equity investment from the EIB Group and a $20 million senior loan from the IFC.
Partner Africa acquired by Goldman Sachs-backed LRQA to scale responsible business practices across the continent
April 16, 2026
The deal is Birmingham-based LRQA's first in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region and the latest in a series of acquisitions by the company
NITDA launches cybersecurity training to put Nigerian women at the forefront of digital security
April 16, 2026
The initiative places Nigerian women at the centre of the country's efforts to build a resilient and inclusive digital security ecosystem.
African Development Fund grants $3.05 million to bolster West Africa’s private sector
April 15, 2026
The grant targets all eight WAEMU member states: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo.
NectarFi emerges from stealth with pre-Seed funding to build an all-in-one crypto finance platform
April 15, 2026
During the beta testing, the startup onboarded over 1,000 users and processed more than $7.2 million in transaction volume before its first public day.
Pan-African payments startup Cauridor appoints ex-Flutterwave operations leader Awa Koné as COO
April 14, 2026
The appointment comes as the company looks to scale the operational infrastructure behind its pan-African payments network.
Acumen backs female-led Nigerian startup Pullus to fix the poultry market for smallholder farmers
April 14, 2026
The investment backs the women-led company's mission to build fairer, more reliable poultry markets for smallholder farmers across Nigeria.
Meet the 10 startups shortlisted for Qualcomm’s 2026 Make in Africa Startup Mentorship Programme
April 13, 2026
This year's cohort was selected from a record pool of over 1,200 applications across more than 45 African nations.
Lagos-based PowerLabs lands Breega-led pre-Seed round to scale intelligent energy orchestration across Africa
April 13, 2026
The funding will help the African startup accelerate the rollout of its Pai Enterprise, the AI-enabled energy orchestration platform, across commercial and industrial enterprises in Nigeria.
Madica backs three African startups with $600k; unveils guidebook to pre-Seed fundraising in Africa
April 10, 2026
Madica has also launched the inaugural edition of its fundraising guidebook series, 'Zero to Funded: A Founder’s Guide to Pre-Seed Fundraising in Africa.'
Meet the African startups that raised the top 10 funding rounds in Q1 2026; 5 of them are hiring right now
April 9, 2026
In this list, we spotlight the 10 largest startup funding rounds announced across Africa in Q1 2026.
Kenyan aquaculture startup Victory Group secures $15 million to scale Nile tilapia production across East Africa
April 8, 2026
The financing will fund Victory Group’s next expansion phase, including several new farming sites in Kenya and Rwanda
Egypt’s Lucky secures $23 million after hitting profitability in 2025, gears up for neo-banking push
April 8, 2026
The latest funding round comes after the company reported a threefold year-on-year growth in 2025 and achieved profitability by the end of the same year.
Egypt’s Reme.D secures $500k to scale affordable, cold-chain-free diagnostics across Africa and the Middle East
April 7, 2026
Founded in 2022 by Salma Tammam, Reme.D develops and manufactures disease diagnostic testing systems that are suited for use in low-resource settings.
z.systems closes $1.65 million Seed round to digitise traditional retail in Morocco, eyes pre-Series A
April 7, 2026
The company also revealed that it is preparing for a Pre-Series A round in the coming months.
Mauritius Commercial Bank secures $100 million climate finance facility to back Africa’s climate transition
April 6, 2026
This latest facility marks MCB's second climate financing line, following a $120 million facility signed with Proparco and DEG in November 2023.
African FinTech unicorn Flutterwave secures Nigerian banking licence
April 6, 2026
This license enables the company to hold funds and deposits directly, thereby enabling more efficient financial services and settlement flows for consumers, businesses and enterprises.
Uganda’s Sawa Energy secures $10 million debt scale solar solutions for 250 East African businesses
April 2, 2026
Sawa Energy will use the capital to roll out its solar and battery systems in East Africa, targeting 35MW of capacity across 250 C&I projects over the next 36 months.
Nairobi-based Novastar Ventures closes third fund at $147 million, one of Africa’s largest climate-focused VC funds
April 2, 2026
In addition to its existing presence in East and West Africa, Novastar will now invest in startups in Egypt and South Africa.
African FinTech unicorn Moniepoint makes Kenya debut through Sumac Microfinance Bank acquisition
April 1, 2026
Nigerian FinTech unicorn Moniepoint announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Nairobi-based Sumac Microfinance Bank Limited.