While the spotlight often shines on headline-grabbing mega-rounds, the bedrock of Africa’s rapidly growing startup ecosystem lies in the consistent flow of smaller (or missed bigger rounds), yet equally vital, investments. This week’s edition of the African Startup Deal Tracker delves into these under-the-radar transactions, encompassing pre-seed funding, angel investments, and strategic acquisitions that collectively paint a picture of sustained growth and investor confidence across the continent. These deals, spanning diverse sectors from agri-tech to legal tech, highlight the ingenuity of African startup founders and the breadth of opportunities being seized.

Here’s a closer look at the notable under-the-radar investment activity we’re tracking this week:

Octavia Carbon (Kenya)

• Investment: Secured investment from the Carbon Drawdown Initiative. The specific amount was not disclosed.
• Sector/Technology: Climate Tech / Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology to filter CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it into rock.
• Purpose: To scale their Project Hummingbird pilot plant and roll out next-generation, lower-cost DAC technology.
• Significance: Seen as a significant step for scaling DAC in Kenya and building momentum for the country as a global carbon removal hub.

Zimi (South Africa)

• Funding: Secured $320,000 (R6 million) in grant funding.
• Investor: Energy and Environment Partnership (EEP Africa Trust Fund).
• Sector/Technology: Electric Vehicle (EV) charging solutions / Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology.
• Purpose: To test V2G technology, investigate its limitations and challenges, develop real-world pilot applications, and create a commercial model.
• Significance: Aims to turn parked EVs into backup power sources to address load shedding and grid instability in South Africa, particularly by partnering with logistics companies transitioning to EVs. Zimi was one of 32 projects funded by EEP Africa out of over 530 applications.