Venture capital

Are these SA’s 11 biggest disclosed VC deals in 2019? [Updated]

UPDATE (20 and 23 December): This article was updated to correctly state that SweepSouth’s R30-million raise from Naspers Foundry was part of a R60-million…

Africa-focused fintech Chipper Cash raises a further $6m

San Francisco based fintech startup Chipper Cash announced yesterday that it had raised a further $6-million, in a seed round led by California-based Deciens…

Egyptian online dental marketplace DentaCarts nets $450k investment

Egyptian online dental marketplace DentaCarts has raised $450 000 from AUC Angels, African health-care investor Asia Africa Investment & Consulting and 500 Startups. Earlier…

SA’s GotBot to use R2.5m investment to grow SaaS platform, says founder

SA artificial intelligence (AI) solutions startup GotBot plans to use a R2.5-million investment it raised from SA venture capital (VC) firm Capaci.Tech earlier this…

Kenyan AI startup UTU raises $500k round from Japanese VCs

Nairobi-based artificial intelligence startup UTU has raised $500 000 in a round in which at least two Japanese venture capital (VC) firms participated in….

SA startup 3X4 Genetics lands $2.5m VC deal to market offering in the US [Updated]

The SA founders of biotech startup 3X4 Genetics have landed $2.5-million in investment from US venture capital (VC) fund Alethea Capital Management. Founded by…

Microtraction invests in Ghanaian fintech startup Bit Sika

Lagos-based early-stage investor Microtraction announced yesterday that it has invested in Ghanaian fintech startup Bit Sika. The Accra-based startup provides a money transfer service which…

Section 12J industry body established to ensure industry sustainability

South Africa’s private equity and venture capital (VC) sector are gearing up for a final push to raise millions of rands from wealthy investors…

Andela secures $100m Series-D round led by Generation Investment Management

Andela — a New York-based company that identifies, develops and outsources talented African software developers — has secured a $100-million Series-D funding round led…

Egyptian startups increasingly turning to angels to land their first funding

Cairo Angels claims to have invested up two $2.3-million in 24 startups across six cities

Goodwell makes $2m equity investment in Kenyan-based ecommerce firm Copia

Dutch impact investor Goodwell Investments has made a $2-million investment in Nairobi-based consumer goods catalogue and delivery service Copia. The firm — founded by…

Newtown Partners shifts focus to offshore deals amid SA challenges

SA entrepreneur Vinny Lingham’s angel investment fund Newtown Partners has shifted its focus to sourcing deals outside of South Africa because of the poor…

SA startup Virtual Actuary may consider ‘combo valuation’ with US partner

Six months after turning down an investment offer from a major SA insurance company, SA startup Virtual Actuary is in the US for talks…

WhereIsMyTransport to take on India, Latin America after $1.85m investment

Cape Town based public transport data startup WhereIsMyTransport has secured a $1.85-million investment as part of of its Series-A round in a deal led by Mexico City-based corporate venture capital fund LiiL Ventures.

Here’s all you need to know about Oui Capital’s $10m fund

Oui Capital will make initial investments of $100 000 in fintech, edtech, healthtech, mobility and logisitics as well as marketplace ventures.

More private equity firms to participate in later stage million-dollar VC deals

Obasanjo-Adeleye said last year she’d noted what she described as an “interesting trend” in the increasing number and rising participation of private equity firms in later stage transactions in the “tens of millions”.

Rising Tide Africa to establish Pan-African fund in 2019 says co-founder

Rising Tide Africa aims to make between five and 10 investments annually. Although the investment network’s focus is sector-agnostic, the organisation has a preference for tech and tech enabled businesses.

JUMO’s $12.5m deal from UK investor, brings funding raised to $64.5m in 2018

In a further sign that fintech startup JUMO will again be a company to watch in 2019, the Mauritius-registered mobile financial services platform earlier…

Nigeria’s Wakanow secures $40m investment from The Carlyle Group

In what is one of the biggest disclosed deals this year, Lagos-based online travel company Wakanow.com has secured a $40-million equity investment from US alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group.

AgroCenta to expand operations in Ghana after recently closed $650k round

AgroCenta CEO and co-founder Francis Obirikorang says the Accra-based agritech and mobile financial services startup will use its recently closed $650 000 round to expand operations in Ghana.

Africa Development Bank approves $7.5m investment in Kenyan VC fund

African Development Bank has announced that its board of directors has approved a $7.5-million in Nairobi-based venture capital firm Africa Tech Ventures.

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