The fundraising effort marks a notable development in an African venture ecosystem that has historically directed the vast majority of its capital toward financial technology
Three years ago, when electric mobility was still an experimental idea in much of Africa, Japanese entrepreneur Yuma Sasaki made an unconventional choice.
A circular issued recently by the CBE expands the legal definition of "financial companies" to include fintech startups, money transfer operators, and SME lenders.
"Growth is outpacing the structures built to hold it. The answer is not more stores, it is a better middle layer." - Larry Hodes, CEO Grow Franchising & FASA Board Member, writes from Johannesburg.
The Cairo-based firm has quietly returned more than ten times invested capital to its first fund. Its method - rooted in infrastructure built two decades ago for mobile telecoms - is worth examining.
Disruptions to tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — which typically handles 20% of global oil flows — have slashed exports through the corridor from 20 million barrels per day to 3.8 million during peak disruptions.
Founded in 2023 by CEO Sahil Affriya, Shiprazor operates as an infrastructure layer connecting online merchants with a disparate network of delivery providers.
The fundraising effort marks a notable development in an African venture ecosystem that has historically directed the vast majority of its capital toward financial technology