Yango Ventures, the recently launched $20 million corporate venture capital (CVC) arm of tech conglomerate Yango, has announced an investment in Zanifu, a Kenyan fintech providing working capital to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The deal marks the fund’s second major investment in Kenya this year, cementing the country as a key beachhead for Yango’s African expansion strategy. While the investment amount was not disclosed, it’s a strategic move into Africa’s crucial, yet underserved, SME financing sector.
Zanifu offers a digital platform that enables small retailers to access inventory financing, a critical need for businesses often locked out of traditional credit systems. The company has shown significant traction since launching its financing operations in 2018. According to figures shared by the fund, Zanifu has:
- Disbursed over $60 million in loans.
- Financed more than 15,000 SMEs.
- Reached breakeven for two consecutive months, a notable milestone in the cash-intensive fintech space.
“In a market where most small retailers are excluded from formal credit, Zanifu is building critical financial infrastructure from the ground up,” Yango Ventures stated. “We’re proud to support the team… as they scale across Africa and beyond!”
The Emerging Yango Playbook
This investment is not a one-off. It follows Yango Ventures’ debut deal in July 2025, when it backed Kenyan mobility startup BuuPass. The platform, which digitises bookings for buses, trains, and flights, has processed over 20 million tickets and is a key player in streamlining intercity transport.
Together, the two deals reveal a deliberate strategy. Yango Ventures is targeting asset-light, high-volume platforms that solve fundamental infrastructure challenges in fragmented markets — first in transport, now in finance. Both BuuPass and Zanifu operate in the online-to-offline (O2O) space, using software to organise and unlock value in real-world, often informal, economic activity.
This approach aligns with the fund’s stated focus on e-commerce, B2B SaaS, and fintech startups from seed to Series B. By backing these foundational players, Yango is creating an ecosystem of companies that could potentially integrate with its core ride-hailing and logistics services in the future.
“We are more than just a tech company; we are an ecosystem committed to empowering entrepreneurs,” said Yango Group CEO Daniil Shuleyko upon the fund’s launch.
Yango’s entry into the African venture scene reflects a broader trend of international tech companies launching CVC arms to tap into emerging markets. inDrive, another global mobility player, launched a $100 million venture arm in 2023 to invest in similar markets.
The appeal is clear. Corporate investors offer more than just capital; they provide access to a global network, operational expertise, and potential strategic partnerships. For startups like BuuPass and Zanifu, this “smart money” can be a significant competitive advantage.
The market need is immense. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) estimates the unmet financing need for formal SMEs in developing countries is $5.2 trillion each year. In Africa, where private sector credit as a percentage of GDP has been falling, fintechs like Zanifu play a vital role.
However, the challenge for Yango Ventures will be to compete for the continent’s top startups and prove that its operational support can translate across Africa’s diverse markets. For now, its calculated bets in Kenya show a clear intent to build a portfolio that powers the continent’s growth, one bus ticket and one inventory loan at a time.