Beemi, the Ethiopian startup transforming traditional livestreams into interactive, gamified experiences, has raised $1 million in seed funding as it sets its sights on scaling across Africa and beyond.

Founded by Dawit Abraham and Samuel Sisay — the creators behind Qene Games — Beemi bills itself as Ethiopia’s first gamified livestreaming platform. The company integrates real-time games, audience polls, quizzes, and interactive overlays into livestreams on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch. It aims to turn passive viewers into active participants and streams into dynamic storefronts.

The round was co-led by early-stage VC firms Antler and Vibe Capital, with participation from Renew Capital, NaiBAN, angel investor Nicholas Talarico, and several other backers with interests in gaming and the creator economy.

“Beemi isn’t just about streaming — it’s about reshaping how creators engage their audiences,” said CEO Dawit Abraham. “Our Marketplace enables developers to publish interactive content instantly usable by streamers, which is already delivering measurable results.”

Streamers using Beemi in Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Cape Town, Toronto, and London are reporting up to five times longer watch times and ten times higher engagement compared to traditional livestreams, according to the company.

Beyond interactive features embedded in streams, Beemi offers two key products:

• The Beemi Marketplace — a library where developers can upload and monetize interactive experiences, from mini-games to live quizzes.
• The Beemi Shop — a gamified e-commerce tool allowing stream viewers to buy digital collectibles, merchandise, and stream-related power-ups without leaving the broadcast.

This recent capital injection follows a year of iterative development and pilot tests backed by pre-seed funding from Antler and Vibe Capital. With the new funding, Beemi plans to grow its engineering team, deepen partnerships with content creators, and expand the Marketplace’s content offering.

“We’re also developing new verticals such as interactive educational streams and live selling features tailored for creators in both digital and physical product spaces,” said Chief Marketing Officer Bereket Lakew.

The move taps into a global wave of innovation at the intersection of content, commerce, and community. Livestreaming is increasingly becoming a multifunctional medium, blending real-time interaction with entertainment and monetization — a market forecasted to reach $247 billion globally by 2027, according to industry estimates.

While Africa’s creator economy remains in its early stages compared to Western and Asian markets, platforms like Beemi suggest a shift is underway — one that merges local innovation with global digital trends.

As Beemi expands beyond Ethiopia, its founders are betting that the fusion of gaming, livestreaming, and commerce will be the next frontier in Africa’s digital entertainment landscape.