Launch Base Africa

Shyft Power Solutions has made a unique mark as a female-founded and led African tech company, a rarity in the region’s venture capital ecosystem

The new funding will enable BPS to expand its operations beyond Nigeria and Ghana into additional markets across Eastern and Southern Africa.

Originally launched in 2017 across seven African countries, including Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Ghana, Madagascar, and Cameroon, YUP was Société Générale’s attempt to penetrate Africa’s fast-growing mobile payments market.

The debt-free short-term position, combined with a recent acquisition bid, signals a potential turnaround year for Mobius as it seeks a path to long-term sustainability.

The 2024 report placed Cairo alongside global hubs like Silicon Valley, Munich, and Shenzhen, affirming Egypt’s growing presence in the global innovation landscape.

For many African-focused VC firms, transitioning to the VC model comes with thinking mostly like VCs.

By the time they reach unicorn status, most African startups have extended beyond their home markets.

"Our focus is on sectors recovering well post-COVID, like manufacturing, trade, construction, technology, and retail services."

For many, the move isn't simply a preference but a matter of business survival.

For many founders, the influx of capital brings with it a set of demands that can fundamentally alter the trajectory of their companies.

Founded in 2013 as BitPesa, Aza Finance has steadily expanded its reach across Africa and beyond, providing foreign exchange, payments, and treasury services to companies operating in emerging markets.

Karim Beguii and Zohra Slim founded Instadeep in 2014. The company was recently acquired by BioNTech in a $680M+ deal. Image credit: Instadeep

For Elmawkaa, the acquisition marks a significant success for its founders and early investors, who include entities such as Flat6Labs, TIEC, 500 Global, and Taqadam.

As the first blockchain fintech company in South Africa to receive the Crypto Asset Service Provider (CASP) license from South Africa’s Financial Sector Conduct Authority (FSCA), Kotani Pay has also positioned itself as a trusted bridge between fiat and digital currencies.

African startups themselves also seem ignorant of what succession plans are and how to effectively implement them.

Shyft Power Solutions has made a unique mark as a female-founded and led African tech company, a rarity in the region’s venture capital ecosystem

“With the rise of e-commerce, it’s essential to have a system that guarantees efficient last-mile delivery. Our solution ensures accurate identification, while helping the country meet Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements for banking services."

The new funding will enable BPS to expand its operations beyond Nigeria and Ghana into additional markets across Eastern and Southern Africa.

For many African-focused VC firms, transitioning to the VC model comes with thinking mostly like VCs.

The move marks a strategic ownership shift as the platform continues to gain traction in Morocco’s expanding digital economy and pursues ambitions for regional growth.