🍯 HoneyCoin Hits $4.9M | 🛵 Chowdeck Scales with $9M Series A | Gozem’s $30M Bet 🚛

In partnership with

Learn from this investor’s $100m mistake

In 2010, a Grammy-winning artist passed on investing $200K in an emerging real estate disruptor. That stake could be worth $100+ million today.

One year later, another real estate disruptor, Zillow, went public. This time, everyday investors had regrets, missing pre-IPO gains.

Now, a new real estate innovator, Pacaso – founded by a former Zillow exec – is disrupting a $1.3T market. And unlike the others, you can invest in Pacaso as a private company.

Pacaso’s co-ownership model has generated $1B+ in luxury home sales and service fees, earned $110M+ in gross profits to date, and received backing from the same VCs behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

Invest for $2.90/Share

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

⟹ 🚀 STARTUPS WATCH 🚀 ⟸

Here are the 3 top startups in the African ecosystem I think you need to know:

Founded in 2021, BasiGo is electrifying Kenya’s iconic matatu ecosystem with clean, affordable bus technology. Backed by $5M+ in funding, the Nairobi-based startup offers modern electric buses built for African roads, paired with Pay-As-You-Drive financing that slashes upfront costs for operators.

With over 100 buses deployed and more than 5 million electric kilometers logged, BasiGo is reshaping public transport—reducing emissions, diesel reliance, and urban air pollution. Charging depots, local servicing, and strategic OEM partnerships make it a full-stack solution powering Africa’s e-mobility revolution..

⟹ 💼 💰️ VENTURE CAPITAL WATCH 💼 💰️ ⟸

This Week in African VC: Super Apps, Stablecoins & Francophone Firepower

3️⃣ | 🇰🇪 HoneyCoin Raises $4.9M to Build the Operating System for Money

Kenya’s HoneyCoin just banked a $4.9M round led by Flourish Ventures, with Visa Ventures, TLcom Capital, 4DX, Antler, Stellar, Lava, and Musha backing the play.

Founded by David Nandwa, HoneyCoin is quietly becoming a global payments backbone — blending traditional rails with stablecoin infra to serve 350+ enterprise clients and power $150M+ in monthly transaction volume across 45 markets.

The startup’s full-stack platform lets users collect payments, issue cards, spin up wallets, and move money in real time — all while abstracting away the complexity of FX, banking partnerships, and local compliance.

Takeaway: When stablecoins meet smart orchestration, you get HoneyCoin: Africa’s clearest shot at redefining global financial plumbing.

2️⃣ | 🇳🇬 Chowdeck Closes $9M Series A to Expand Q-Commerce Footprint

YC-backed Nigerian delivery startup Chowdeck has raised $9M to scale its on-demand logistics empire across Nigeria and Ghana — and accelerate its quick commerce ambitions. The round was led by Novastar Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator, AAIC, Rebel Fund, HoaQ, and others.

With 20K+ riders, 1.5M users, and industry-best 30-minute delivery averages, Chowdeck is now integrating groceries, meds, and POS infrastructure via its recent Mira acquisition.

This isn’t just another food app — it’s a full-stack logistics infra play baked into hyperlocal demand and deep merchant relationships.

Takeaway: Super app plays aren’t dead, they’re just going local-first, ops-heavy, and dark-store savvy. Chowdeck is what Glovo should’ve been.

1️⃣ | 🌍 Gozem Secures $30M Series B to Scale Mobility + Fintech Across Francophone Africa

Francophone Africa’s biggest super app just got a fuel injection. Gozem raised $30M ($15M equity + $15M debt) from MSC’s SAS Shipping and Al Mada Ventures to expand across Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal, and DRC.

With 1M+ users, 10K+ drivers, and a vertically integrated vehicle financing arm (backed by IFC), Gozem is embedding mobility, digital payments, insurance, and credit into a single platform. It recently launched Gozem Money and piloted EV bike financing in Togo.

Takeaway: Don’t sleep on Francophone Africa. Gozem is writing the playbook for integrated vertical super apps—mobility + fintech + embedded credit.

👀 Investor Spotlight: Jozi Angels 👀

📍 Johannesburg, South Africa 🇿🇦 | Est. 2016

Jozi Angels is one of South Africa’s most active angel networks, backing early-stage startups with capital, coaching, and connectivity. With a flair for spotting high-potential founders and a passion for ecosystem building, they’ve been catalyzing innovation since 2016.

🧠 Thesis:

They invest in scalable, high-differentiation startups, tech, and non-tech—through equity or convertible instruments, connecting founders with experienced investors aligned to their sector.

🌍 Geographic Focus:

South Africa 🇿🇦 | Select international deals 🌍

💸 Check Size & Stage:

•Pre-seed to early growth

• Equity or convertible instruments

• No debt or mezzanine finance

🔗 Approach:

• Group-based investing for scale and risk diversification

• Investor-founder matching based on domain expertise

• Events, education, and active deal sourcing to grow the SA startup ecosystem

💡 Vibe:

New school energy meets old school values. Trendy, entrepreneurial, and plugged into the scene, Jozi Angels is where serious capital meets bold innovation.

⟹ 📺️ MEDIA WATCH 📺️  ⟸

Here are the 5 key things in the news this week that you need to know:

1. Gozem’s $30 million bet is driving mobility and fintech inclusion across Francophone Africa - Techcabal

2. Kenya’s HoneyCoin raises $4.9m to transform stablecoin-powered payments - Disrupt Africa

3. Chowdeck raises $9 million to launch quick commerce strategy and expand operations  - Techcabal

4. Egypt’s Wuilt raises $2m to expand free website builder across MENA - Disrupt Africa

5. SA travel fintech TurnStay raises $2m to accelerate Africa expansion - Disrupt Africa

And that’s your weekly dosage of the African startup ecosystem; thanks for reading.

See you next week!

Gitonga, the Stoic Founder at StartupHub.Africa 🚀

^{_{Be a friend, tell a friend something nice, it might change their life}}