Early growth capital for underserved African markets
An investment firm providing early growth-stage capital to companies in Sub-Saharan Africa that are past the startup phase but below the radar of larger funds.
Use when
You have outgrown angel funding but are too small for the large pan-African funds.
Skip when
You need a decision in weeks. The stated approach is to know a management team well over time, so a cold approach at the point of closing a round is the wrong moment to arrive.
Status (21 Sep 2026): raising the Rising Star Fund, US$20 million secured against a US$50 million target as at March 2025. Cheques of roughly US$100,000 to US$500,000 early on, with initial investments cited between US$500,000 and US$1 million, at pre-Series A and Series A. Primary markets are Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria, with Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda secondary. Sectors are agribusiness, consumer products and technology-enabled businesses. It publishes its process and prefers to meet founders early and track progress over months before investing.
