Makifaa, a Togolese media startup specializing in authentic African visual content, has secured funding from Digital Africa through its Fuzé program. This investment will fuel the expansion of Makifaa’s innovative platform, which offers a diverse range of professional images, videos, and illustrations tailored for creators, agencies, and brands across the African continent.
Founded in in 2023 by Doris DJAGLO and Jean Pignan, Makifaa’s unique approach blends the creative talents of local photographers with cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver personalized media solutions within an impressive 48-hour timeframe. By prioritizing authentic African narratives and ensuring legal compliance, the company aims to challenge stereotypes, foster positive representation of African communities, and contribute to a more inclusive media landscape.
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Digital Africa and receive this funding,” said Doris DJAGLO, Co-founder and CEO of Makifaa. “This investment will empower us to accelerate our growth trajectory and realize our ambitious vision of becoming the undisputed leader in African image stock.”
The strategic partnership between Makifaa and Digital Africa is underpinned by a shared commitment to address the historical underrepresentation of African communities in visual content and AI training data. By curating an extensive image bank that faithfully reflects the diversity of African communities, Makifaa aims to equip companies with the crucial data needed to develop AI technologies that serve all populations equitably.
“We wholeheartedly support Makifaa because we firmly believe in their mission to create a more inclusive and representative visual landscape in Africa,” stated Maël Odina Eugène, Investment Analyst at Digital Africa. “Their groundbreaking platform has the potential to reshape the media industry and drive the development of AI that benefits all.”
Makifaa’s comprehensive platform caters to a diverse clientele, including influencers, agencies, businesses, and NGOs. The company offers a range of services, including direct sales, custom orders, and value-added offerings like training workshops and industry events.
Backed by Proparco, Fuzé seeks to nurture opportunities, facilitate funding avenues, and increase the visibility of startups that develop technological solutions for Africa’s economic development.
The program offers a tiered investment structure, providing startups with ideation tickets of €20,000, follow-on tickets of €30,000, and cumulative tickets of €50,000. This funding model caters to startups at different stages of development, enabling them to access the resources needed to scale their businesses.
With the secured funding from the Fuzé program, Makifaa is well-positioned to revolutionize the African visual content landscape and play a pivotal role in the development of AI technologies that accurately reflect the richness and diversity of the African continent.