Editor’s note: African-Startups is a sister publication of EU-Startups, bringing trusted coverage of startups, venture capital, and innovation across Africa.
Kilima Partners, a new independent financial advisory firm focused on African technology companies, has entered the market to bridge the tech funding and exit gap.
Founded by Nils Denis and Henri Huet, the firm advises founders and shareholders of African tech companies on mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and fundraising, from late Seed round to exit. Operating from Paris, Nairobi and Abidjan, Kilima Partners positions itself as a hands-on partner at every stage of a company’s lifecycle.
“After years in investment banking and more than 30 transactions across M&A, LBOs and fundraising in Europe and Africa, I wanted to do things my own way. I couldn’t have found a better partner to take this leap with than my friend Henri Huet,” said Denis, co-founder, Kilima Partners.
The firm says it intervenes at every stage if a company’s lifecycle, covering fundraising from late Seed to growth rounds with venture capital, CVCs, corporates and business angels; buy-side M&A for acquisitions and strategic investments in African tech; and sell-side M&A for full and partial exits, secondary sales and strategic partnerships with acquirers in Africa and abroad.
The partners’ background in operating and advising on the content gives Kilima an in-depth understanding of African tech dynamics, positioning and players. It is a knowledge base backed by direct access to investors, including venture capital and private equity funds, corporates, family offices and development finance institutions, matched by the financial engineering capabilities built in investment banking.
“After years of working together, betting on early-stage African founders, and closing meaningful transactions, we both felt it was time to start betting on ourselves and do things our way,” added Huet, co-founder, Kilima Partners.
Between them, Denis and Huet bring over 20 years of combined experience. Denis spent a decade in investment banking and advisory, starting at Lazard before joining Cambon Partners, where he focused on mid-cap M&A, and has advised on more than 30 transactions across M&A, LBOs and fundraising.
Huet spent 10 years as a tech operator, starting at Jumia in Dakar and later leading Francophone Africa expansion at Paystack, which Stripe acquired in 2020. He moved into an advisory role in 2023 and has since worked on more than 20 transactions, focusing on HealthTech and FinTech.
The launch of Kilima Partners aligns with a broader recovery in African venture activity. According to Parch’s annual AfricaTech Venture Capital Report, African tech startups raised $4.1 billion in 2025, up 25% year-on-year, marking the strongest year for the ecosystem since 2022. The report notes that equity funding reached $2.4 billion across 462 deals, while debt financing hit a record $1.6 billion, representing 41% of all capital deployed.
While the African ecosystem shows signs of resilience and growing sophistication in the market, exits are becoming an equally important priority for those who rode the 2023-24 slowdown, and specialist advisors like Kilima Partners are in demand. With its network of advisors and operators across Africa and beyond, Kilima Partners says it is well-positioned to serve that need.
