Madica has announced a $600,000 investment in three African tech startups—Kilimo Fresh, Hakimu, and Biovana—each receiving up to $200,000 in pre-seed funding. The startups will join Madica’s 18-month support program, which provides mentorship, training, and access to global investors. Alongside these investments, Madica has launched a comprehensive fundraising guidebook designed to help first-time African founders successfully raise pre-seed capital and navigate the venture ecosystem.
Category: Startups
Startup insights, founder stories and analysis covering entrepreneurship, venture capital, funding and emerging businesses in Africa.
Kulipa Raises $6.2M to Scale Stablecoin Payments and Card Issuing Infrastructure for Global Fintech Platforms
Kulipa raises $6.2M in seed funding to scale its stablecoin-native card issuing infrastructure, enabling fintech platforms to offer globally accepted payments directly from stablecoin balances across Europe, Latin America, and Africa.
African Unicorns 2026: Africa’s Billion-Dollar Startups and Latest Valuations
Africa’s 2026 unicorn landscape includes Flutterwave, OPay, Wave, Tyme Group, MNT-Halan, Moniepoint and other billion-dollar private technology companies. Here are their latest known valuations and what those figures actually mean.
Delta40 Completes $20M Fundraising Effort to Build & Support Innovative Ventures Across Africa
Delta40 secures $20M in funding to accelerate Africa’s first institutional Venture Studio + Fund, supporting innovative startups across energy, agriculture, and fintech. Backed by 54 investors—including 25 founders and 14 African investors—Delta40 combines early-stage capital with hands-on operational support to scale startups faster and more efficiently. With offices in Kenya and Nigeria, the venture studio provides expertise in fundraising, commercial growth, finance, legal, and strategy, helping founders move from idea to pan-African scale. Delta40’s model addresses gaps in Africa’s innovation ecosystem, empowering diverse founders and building resilient, high-impact businesses while creating jobs and advancing sustainable solutions.
Founders in Focus spotlights André de Wet and the real economics of building tech for emerging markets
Founders in Focus: Unstoppable Entrepreneurs & Their Game Plans highlights André de Wet’s journey from early failure to building scalable digital commerce solutions for emerging markets through Flood’s SuperApp-as-a-Service model. The book emphasizes practical entrepreneurship, infrastructure challenges, and sustainable growth across Africa and other developing regions, offering insight into how technology, distribution, and execution can transform informal retail into inclusive digital ecosystems.
Africa Tech Summit Nairobi Unveils 12 Investor-Ready Ventures for 2026 Showcase
Africa Tech Summit Nairobi has revealed 12 investor-ready African startups set to showcase at its 2026 Investment Showcase in Nairobi. Spanning fintech, Web3, healthtech, climatetech, agritech, and AI, the selected ventures highlight Africa’s next wave of scalable, impact-driven innovation attracting global investors and partners.
Best Startup Ideas 2026: High-Growth Ventures Backed by Premium Domains
Explore the Best Startup Ideas 2026 backed by premium, brandable domain names. This investor-focused guide highlights high-growth opportunities in AI, fintech, B2B SaaS, climate tech, and research platforms, detailing startup concepts, target markets, and projected ROI. Ideal for VCs, investors, and domain marketplaces looking for scalable digital assets with instant brand authority and SEO advantages.
Innovate Africa Fund Proves ‘Founder-First’ Model: Inaugural Portfolio Unlocks 5x Follow-on Capital at Concept Stage
Innovate Africa Fund’s inaugural Year in Review demonstrates how a founder-first, product-led investment model can unlock outsized results at the concept stage. Launched with a US$2.5M rollout, the early-stage fund selected just three portfolio companies from more than 5,600 applicants, backing founders solving Africa’s most complex challenges. Within months, flagship investments TNKR and Oikus secured 5x follow-on angel capital, validating the Fund’s disciplined approach to structured experimentation, early pivots, and hands-on support. The report highlights how patient capital, rigorous founder selection, and product-first validation are reshaping early-stage venture building in Africa.
Awareness Gap Stalls NGX Tech Listings and Blocks Local Exits, TLP Advisory Report Reveals
A new TLP Advisory report reveals that Nigeria’s low awareness of NGX listing requirements is slowing tech IPOs and pushing founders toward offshore exits. With 53% of founders unfamiliar with the NGX process and 77% facing currency mismatch pressures, the study highlights how structural barriers, liquidity concerns, and regulatory frictions limit local listings. The report urges reforms, stronger education initiatives, and improved market infrastructure to unlock Nigeria’s IPO pipeline and strengthen the country’s digital economy.
South African-founded maxwell+spark Closes $15M Series B Round with Chevron Technology Ventures, Idemitsu, and Klima
South African green-tech pioneer maxwell+spark raises $15M Series B led by Klima, Chevron Technology Ventures, and Idemitsu to expand its unified lithium-ion battery ecosystem. The funding accelerates global electrification across forklifts, transport refrigeration, and backup power — replacing diesel and lead-acid systems with cleaner, data-driven solutions.