2026 Mata 21, Kuwa kabiriIkoranabuhanga, ibigo bishya n'imari ku rwego mpuzamahanga — ku Banyafurika.
Africa’s startup scene continues to expand, with founders across health, fintech, and mobility tech securing support to grow locally and regionally. Investments and partnerships are enabling digital tools, operational upgrades, and new service models. Acquisitions in safety tech and payments hint at consolidation in key markets, while public and private initiatives are backing talent, AI […]
By AU-Startups
Africa’s startup scene continues to expand, with founders across health, fintech, and mobility tech securing support to grow locally and regionally. Investments and partnerships are enabling digital tools, operational upgrades, and new service models. Acquisitions in safety tech and payments hint at consolidation in key markets, while public and private initiatives are backing talent, AI skills, and women-led ventures. Across the continent, startups are leveraging capital, partnerships, and technology to scale operations, strengthen supply chains, and build solutions that meet rising regional demand.
Funding Round: $2.05M Seed
Investor(s): Raba Partnership, Founder Collective, Terry Angelos, Anton Katz, David De Picciotto, Nadir Khamissa, Chris Harmse
Founder(s): Daniel Katz, David Katz, Jonathan Katz
Founded in: South Africa (2023)
About Company
Ezeebit builds cryptocurrency and stablecoin payment infrastructure for African merchants. The platform enables businesses to accept crypto payments while settling in stablecoins or local currency. Ezeebit supports point-of-sale systems, e-commerce integration, and APIs, enabling seamless cross-border and domestic transactions. The company operates under South Africa’s Financial Sector Conduct Authority, providing compliant crypto services that reduce friction in emerging markets.
What’s Next
The seed funding will enable the company to expand operations in South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria. Ezeebit plans to partner with banks, payment providers, and telecom operators to increase adoption and strengthen stablecoin usage for commerce, improve cross-border payments, and provide faster, cost-effective transaction solutions.
Funding Round: $5M Series A
Investor(s): Tell Group, Groupe Industriel Babahoum Algérie
Founder(s): Mohamed Abdelhadi Mezi, Hacene Seghier
Founded in: Algeria (2023)
About Company
VOLZ operates a travel technology platform for international flight booking. The platform allows users to pay for flight-related expenses in Algerian dinars and supports multiple online and offline payment methods. It addresses barriers in traditional booking channels, including access to foreign currency and digital banking. VOLZ targets both individual travellers and corporate clients, providing tools for ticket search, booking, and management while addressing the specific needs of Algerian travellers.
What’s Next
VOLZ plans to grow its technical team, strengthen partnerships with airlines, and expand across North and West Africa. Hence, the funding will be funnelled into enhancing product development, platform automation, and reliability for the company.
Funding Round: $3M Loan
Investor(s): Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Founder(s): Dr. Sangu Delle
Founded in: Ghana (2017)
About Company
CarePoint operates clinics and hospitals in West Africa, combining physical healthcare delivery with digital tools through its MyCareMobile platform. The company provides consultations, patient record management, and care coordination. CarePoint’s phygital model blends in-person and telemedicine services to improve healthcare access in Ghana, Nigeria, and Egypt. The company focuses on scalable, high-quality healthcare services and enhancing patient outcomes in urban and peri-urban areas.
What’s Next
JICA’s $3M loan will fund clinic expansion, hospital upgrades, and digital health service scaling. CarePoint plans to expand its micro clinic model, improve telemedicine capabilities, and strengthen operational capacity in existing facilities. The investment accelerates access to quality healthcare while reinforcing the company’s presence in multiple African markets, positioning CarePoint as a key driver of regional health system growth.
Eos Capital has completed its first exit in Namibia by selling the Allegrow Fund’s stake in Erongo Medical Group. The transaction marks a milestone for the local private equity market and demonstrates the potential for value creation in the country’s healthcare sector.
Founded to invest in healthcare infrastructure and specialised medical services, Erongo Medical Group has benefitted from Eos Capital’s operational support and strategic guidance. The firm, led by Immanuel Kadhila and Elzine Mushambi, has spent a decade building a diverse portfolio across Namibia. This first realised exit confirms the firm’s ability to deliver returns and positions it to attract further local and regional investors.
The sale signals strong demand for healthcare assets and highlights the capacity of domestic private equity to drive operational improvements. While details such as the buyer and transaction terms remain undisclosed, the exit sets a precedent for Namibia’s emerging private equity market and reinforces healthcare as a strategic investment sector.
Community Wolf has acquired South African emergency response app Namola in a move to combine community-driven safety reporting with professional emergency response services. The acquisition positions Community Wolf as a leading safety-tech platform, enhancing the speed and effectiveness of incident reporting nationwide.
Founded in 2024, Community Wolf operates a WhatsApp-first reporting platform, turning citizen reports into geolocated safety data. Namola, established in 2014, connects users with police, medical, fire, and private responders through a dedicated SOS network. Together, the platforms aim to reduce response times and provide a seamless safety experience.
The acquisition preserves Namola as a standalone service while integrating AI-driven reporting from Community Wolf. This approach strengthens South Africa’s safety ecosystem and demonstrates the growing role of technology in emergency services. Co-founders Nick Mills and Michael Houghton plan to extend the combined platform into other African markets, building on Namola’s established brand and network.
Capitec Bank has acquired fintech Walletdoc in a strategic deal to strengthen its digital payments offerings for business and personal clients. Walletdoc provides payment infrastructure, including digital wallets, online and in-app payments, and real-time payouts, serving merchants seeking secure and efficient solutions.
Founded in 2015 by Leonard Shenker and Dan Wagner, Walletdoc grew organically before the acquisition, building a strong merchant user base across South Africa. The deal enables Capitec to integrate Walletdoc’s technology into its business banking operations, expanding capabilities for SMEs and e-commerce users.
The acquisition secures immediate access to payment infrastructure while supporting Capitec’s long-term strategy to lead in digital banking. Founders exit with structured payouts while Capitec leverages their expertise for smooth integration. The transaction reflects a broader trend of banks acquiring fintech platforms to capture digital revenue and strengthen service delivery.
Africa Practice has acquired UK-based Brink Innovation, a boutique consultancy specialising in behavioural design and human-centred innovation. The acquisition enhances Africa Practice’s advisory services and extends its global reach in strategy and systems change.
Africa Practice, founded in 2003 by Marcus Courage, works across Africa, Europe, and the USA on policy, advocacy, and market systems strategies. Brink Innovation, founded in 2017 by Lea Simpson and Abigail Marie Freeman, brings expertise in creative, user-centred problem solving. The combined entity now employs approximately 100 experts and integrates behavioural insights with strategic advisory services.
Brink will retain its brand while benefiting from Africa Practice’s scale and network. The merger strengthens service offerings for clients seeking integrated innovation and strategy solutions, supporting markets, governance, and societal system improvements. The acquisition underlines the value of cross-border partnerships in expanding specialised advisory capabilities across Africa.
Gemcorp Capital and Angola’s sovereign wealth fund, FSDEA, announced plans to launch a $500 million fund focused on infrastructure across Africa. The fund aims to support energy, transport, communications, and financial systems, addressing critical development gaps.
FSDEA provides anchor capital and local insights while Gemcorp manages investment sourcing and project oversight. The initiative targets high-impact projects that can accelerate economic growth across multiple countries. By mobilising international and regional investors, the fund represents one of the first dedicated pan-African infrastructure vehicles based in Abu Dhabi while serving the continent.
The fund demonstrates how partnerships between sovereign wealth and asset managers can bridge financing gaps for strategic sectors. It also signals growing investor appetite for Africa-focused infrastructure, with a focus on sustainable, high-return projects that meet regional development priorities.
Business Partners Limited has launched the Basadi‑Women Growth Fund, targeting women-owned SMEs in South Africa. The fund combines flexible finance with advisory support to help women entrepreneurs grow their businesses and overcome systemic barriers to capital.
Structured as a dedicated financing facility, the fund offers loans tailored to business needs, including working capital, asset purchases, and property financing. Borrowers receive mentorship, networks, and technical support alongside funding. Eligibility criteria ensure ownership and management involvement, ensuring capital reaches intended women founders.
The initiative seeks to improve access to finance for women-led businesses and foster sustainable growth, job creation, and local economic development. By combining structured lending with guidance, the fund addresses a persistent gender gap in SME financing and promotes inclusive entrepreneurship.
Google.org has launched a $2.1 million initiative to strengthen AI skills and digital safety in Nigeria. The program partners with universities, training organisations, and youth-focused groups to build capacity in AI, cybersecurity, and online safety.
The initiative targets students, developers, and young professionals, providing practical training, mentorship, and tools to enhance AI readiness. The program also aligns with Nigeria’s national AI strategy, supporting the country’s goal to become a regional hub for digital innovation.
The funding will help strengthen the local talent pipeline and prepare institutions and individuals for AI-driven transformation. It will also complement broader efforts to equip startups and students with practical resources for innovation, fostering sustainable economic and technological growth.
The Nigerian government has introduced the Student Venture Capital Grant, offering up to ₦50 million in equity-free funding for student-led ventures. The program targets tertiary students and aims to accelerate the commercialisation of innovative projects.
The grant focuses on STEMM fields and is designed to encourage students to build startups without giving up ownership. Participants will gain access to incubation, mentorship, and technical support, including AI-powered evaluation tools from Google. The program complements national efforts to nurture entrepreneurship and cultivate a culture of innovation among young talent.
Selected ventures will receive funding, guidance, and networks to scale solutions, with a focus on impact, feasibility, and long-term growth. Overall, the initiative provides a rare pathway for student founders to move from ideas to market-ready businesses.
NBA Africa’s 2025 Triple-Double Accelerator supported ten African startups with funding, mentorship, and access to OpenAI technology. Selected from over 700 applicants, the program focused on sports, fitness, and creative sectors.
Finalists received prizes, incubation support, and technology credits, enabling startups to scale operations and refine products. Highlights include Morocco-based Reborn, Egypt’s Fitclan and Athlon Technology, and Nigerian startups Atsur and Songdis.
The program reinforces the growing ecosystem for African innovators, providing mentorship, exposure, and resources to accelerate business development. By bridging technology, funding, and capacity-building, the accelerator strengthens Africa’s emerging sports and creative tech landscape.
