Purple Elephant Ventures (PEV), a Nairobi-based venture studio focused on innovation within the African tourism sector, has received an additional $500,000 in funding from Alphatron, a Dutch single-family office. This latest capital injection brings PEV’s total seed round to $5 million, following an initial announcement of $4.5 million in January.
The investment from Alphatron, part of the wider Alphatron Group, signals continued confidence in PEV’s strategy of using technology to modernise and enhance the tourism industry across Africa. The venture studio aims to foster sustainability and address key challenges within the sector through the development of new businesses.
Established after the pandemic, PEV has already launched five companies targeting various aspects of the tourism value chain. These include Nomad Africa, a travel discovery platform and agency; Zafari, a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform for hospitality bookings; Kijani Supplies, a procurement technology firm specialising in sustainable supplies for the hospitality sector; PowerTrip, a clean technology startup providing energy-efficient appliances for tourism businesses; and JOIN Africa, an initiative supporting safari guides, created in collaboration with Paul English, a co-founder of travel search engine Kayak.
The newly secured funds are intended to facilitate the expansion of these existing ventures and enable investment in further technological solutions for the tourism industry. PEV aims to deepen its impact across Africa’s travel ecosystem by scaling its current portfolio and exploring new opportunities within the market.
Ben Peterson, co-founder and chief executive of Purple Elephant Ventures, commented on the investment, stating that Alphatron’s support “not only strengthens our financial position but also aligns with our vision of leveraging technology to build a more sustainable, inclusive, and thriving tourism industry.”
Floris de Kort, director of the Alphatron Group, echoed this sentiment, highlighting PEV’s “perfect blend of innovation, sustainability, and market potential.” He added that PEV’s understanding of the need for environmental responsibility in technological advancements within tourism was a key factor in Alphatron’s decision to invest. De Kort stated that the investment reflects Alphatron’s commitment to partnering with businesses that are “reshaping industries for a climate-conscious future while delivering meaningful economic impact across Africa.”
Alphatron has a history of investing in businesses that drive change across various sectors, including radar equipment, city surveillance systems, and medical technology. Their investment in PEV represents a move to support innovation within the African tourism market, recognising its potential for growth and development.
With the expanded seed funding, PEV plans to focus on several key areas. These include broadening the reach of its current portfolio companies, launching new ventures to address gaps in the African tourism market, developing digital infrastructure to improve efficiency and accessibility, and strengthening collaborations with investors, conservationists, and technology experts.
Peterson emphasised the potential of the African tourism industry, stating that PEV is “rewriting this narrative by building technology-driven solutions that make the industry more efficient, scalable, and regenerative.”
Purple Elephant Ventures describes itself as Africa’s first venture studio dedicated to fostering regenerative tourism. The company aims to integrate technology, conservation, and community impact to redefine the tourism industry on the continent.