Digital Africa’s Fuzé programme, a French-backed initiative providing early-stage funding to African tech startups, has launched its challenge in Zimbabwe as part of a strategic push beyond its traditional Francophone strongholds. The move signals growing investor interest in Southern Africa’s emerging tech ecosystems.
Fuzé, which offers funding between €20,000 and €100,000 to high-impact startups, is partnering with the French Embassy in Zimbabwe, the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, and audit firm Forvis Mazars Group to identify and support local innovators. A delegation including Digital Africa’s Fatimata Wane, Malek Lagha, and Lina Harichi will engage with Zimbabwean founders in the coming weeks.
The expansion follows a record year for Digital Africa, which facilitated 29 startup deals in 2024 across 18 African countries, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Investments spanned fintech, agritech, healthtech, and greentech, with 34% of funded startups led or co-led by women.
Historically, Fuzé has concentrated on Francophone Africa, where access to venture capital remains limited compared to Anglophone markets like Nigeria and Kenya. However, its 2024 portfolio included startups in Ethiopia, Sudan, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, reflecting a deliberate shift toward pan-African coverage.
“Our mission is to provide the keys to success for African tech entrepreneurs in underserved ecosystems,” said Grégoire de Padirac, CEO of Digital Africa. The organisation, a public-private partnership, aims to bridge funding gaps by combining capital with mentorship and market access.
Orange Ventures Partnership Boosts Funding Pool
A key driver of Fuzé’s growth is its collaboration with Orange Ventures, the investment arm of telecoms giant Orange Group. Under an agreement announced at VivaTech 2024, Orange Ventures matches Fuzé’s investments in startups within the Orange Digital Centers (ODC) network, effectively doubling available funding.
Last year, Fuzé disbursed up to €50,000 each to five startups in Cameroon and Senegal, including healthtech platform Clinihome and digital wallet Koree. The additional capital from Orange Ventures is expected to accelerate their scaling efforts.
Digital Africa also runs talent development programmes, such as Talents 4 Startups, which trained 294 students in its pilot phase and plans to award 1,000 scholarships in its next cohort. Another initiative, Bridge, supports later-stage startups with follow-on investments from a €6.5 million envelope.
The organisation recently participated in a $1.4 million pre-seed round for Moroccan-French mobility startup Enakl, underscoring its broader investment strategy.
With Francophone Africa still receiving the bulk of its funding, Fuzé’s entry into Zimbabwe represents a test case for deeper penetration into Anglophone markets. If successful, it could encourage further cross-border venture activity in Southern and East Africa.
“Zimbabwe’s tech ecosystem is ripe for smart capital,” said one Harare-based entrepreneur, who asked not to be named. “The challenge is ensuring funding reaches scalable solutions, not just buzzworthy ideas.”
As African startups face a tightening global investment climate, initiatives like Fuzé may prove critical in sustaining innovation — provided they can adapt to diverse markets beyond their original scope.
Zimbabwean startups are invited to apply for funding here: https://application.fuze.digital-africa.co/