African startups can tap up to six-digit funding with launch of Ampion Ventures

Newly launched Berlin-based company builder Ampion Ventures is looking to provide African tech startups with “up to six-digit” funding (in dollars) its founder and CEO Fabian-Carlos Guhl has revealed.

Announcing its launch, Ampion Ventures said in a statement on Tuesday (12 March) that it aims to build scalable business models in selected African countries by providing seed capital and strategic expertise support to startups.

The company builder said Berlin based Plutos Ventures Holding will provide Ampion Ventures with its first seed financing.

Ampion Ventures will focus on the agritech, energy and fintech verticals

Responding to Ventureburn questions on Tuesday, Guhl (pictured above) said the venture builder will provide “up to six-digit (dollar) funding”.

He explained that although the firm is seeking pre-seed and early-stage ventures, it will also consider applications from individual entrepreneurs.

However, he declined to disclose just how much it would receive from the firm — saying only that the Plutos Venture Group would provide “continuous and open-ended funding” to Ampion Ventures.

He explained that although there are no “hard limitations” as to which countries Ampion Ventures will invest in, the company builder prefers investing in firms from “key economies” on the continent, singling out Nigeria and Kenya.

“But we consider smaller countries like Rwanda too as great hubs to conduct a pilot test for new models,” he added.

Ampion Ventures will specifically focus on the agritech, energy and fintech verticals.

In addition to providing startup capital, Amplion Ventures will offer local startups with operational and strategic support, a “strong network”, and international corporate partnership opportunities.

Guhl is no stranger to Africa’s tech scene, having worked for years with the some of the continent’s founders and early-stage startups through Ampion. The NGO, which Guhl founded, supports African startups focused on making a social and economic impact in their local communities.

Between 2013 and 2016, Guhl travelled to a total of 23 African countries, covering 16 of these — including Morocco, Tunisia, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Benin — while on The Ampion Venture Bus, the organisation’s flagship initiative.

In all, over the past six years Ampion claims to have supported over 80 startups — including Nigerian accounting platform Accounteer, medtech Yapili and Ivorian cleantech Coliba— while working with partners like MTN, SAP, Merk and Microsoft.

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Featured image: Apion Ventures founder and CEO Fabian-Carlos Guhl (Supplied)