Kobo360’s Comeback, Antler’s Bold Bet, & Africa’s VC Surge 🚀💰

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⟹ 🚀 STARTUPS WATCH 🚀 ⟸

Here are the 5 top startups in the African eco-system we think you need to know:

Talk360 is the leading international voice-calling app, allowing affordable, high-quality calls to any mobile or landline—no internet required. With 60+ payment options and support for 40 currencies, it’s designed for underserviced communities, bridging the connectivity gap.

🚀 Why Talk360?
✔ No internet? No problem! Call any number, anywhere.
✔ Budget-friendly & crystal-clear quality
✔ Seamless payments with 1.25M+ cash points

Now scaling Africa’s first single-payment platform, Talk360 is redefining connectivity. Download & start calling today! 📲

Flux is a next-gen mobile payments platform that empowers users to send, spend, bank, and invest—seamlessly and securely.

🚀 What Makes Flux Stand Out?
✔ Send & receive money instantly across 40+ countries
✔ Create flexible virtual dollar cards for shopping & subscriptions
✔ Enjoy free local transfers—no hidden fees
✔ Invest in 90+ cryptocurrencies & store cash in USD/EUR

Whether you’re shopping online, transferring funds, or investing in crypto, Flux makes financial freedom effortless. Download & take control today! 📲💰

Mukuru Clean Stoves is a social enterprise revolutionizing household cooking by manufacturing affordable, energy-efficient stoves from recycled metal and mosquito-repellent fuel from agricultural waste.

🌍 Why It Matters
✔ Cuts fuel use by 30-60%, saving families money 💰
✔ Reduces toxic smoke emissions by up to 90%, improving health 🏥
✔ Lowers the risk of burns in children under 5 by 40%, ensuring safety 👶
✔ Empowers women by working with local business owners to distribute stoves 🚀

Founded by Charlot Magayi, who grew up in Nairobi’s Mukuru slum, the company is on a mission to eradicate household air pollution in Africa—ensuring that clean cooking is not a luxury but a right. 💙🔥

⟹ 💼 💰️ VENTURE CAPITAL WATCH 💼 💰️ ⟸

Africa’s VC landscape is heating up, with fund launches, strategic acquisitions, and high-profile investments reshaping the startup ecosystem. Whether it’s deep tech bets, fintech dominance, or bold expansion moves, here’s what’s driving capital allocation this week:

👉 LoftyInc Capital secures $43M for pan-African seed investments
LoftyInc Capital announced the first close of its $43M Alpha Fund, targeting late-seed investments in Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, and Francophone Africa. Backed by DFIs like FMO, Proparco, and the IFC, the fund prioritizes fintech, AI, healthtech, climate tech, and logistics, doubling down on Africa’s high-growth sectors.

👉 Khula raises $6.8M Series A to digitize agriculture supply chains
South Africa’s Khula, a marketplace for fresh produce and farm inputs, closed a $6.8M Series A led by Absa Bank and PepsiCo’s Kgodiso Fund. With 7,000+ active farmers and 5,000+ products, Khula is driving efficiency in Africa’s agritech sector, bridging the gap between farmers, buyers, and financial institutions.

👉 Antler VC enters Nigeria, committing $100K per startup
One of the world’s most active early-stage VCs, Antler, is making a bold move into Nigeria with pre-seed investments of $100K for a 10% stake. This marks its second African market after Kenya, bringing its sector-agnostic, founder-first approach to funding startups from ideation to scale.

👉 Fawry deploys $1.6M into Egyptian tech startups
Egypt’s fintech leader Fawry is reinforcing its dominance with EGP 80M ($1.6M) in strategic acquisitions. The company now holds majority stakes in Dirac Systems (ERP software), Virtual CFO (financial services), and Code Zone (business management tools), expanding its B2B fintech ecosystem under the “Fawry Business” umbrella.

👉 Widebot raises $3M to build an Arabic large language model (LLM)
Egypt-based Widebot, now headquartered in Riyadh, secured $3M in pre-Series A funding to develop AQL Mind, an LLM trained specifically for Arabic dialects. Backed by Keheilan Asset Management, DisrupTech, LoftyInc Capital, and SparkLabs Ventures, Widebot is positioning itself as a key AI player in MENA’s growing deep tech space.

👉 Kenya’s Badili lands $400K debt funding from Proparco
Refurbished smartphone marketplace Badili secured a $400K debt facility from Proparco’s Bridge by Digital Africa fund. Operating in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, Badili is tackling e-waste and affordability by making high-quality refurbished smartphones accessible across East Africa.

🌍 The Takeaway?

Africa’s VC momentum is shifting toward sector diversification. While fintech remains dominant, AI, logistics, agritech, and deep tech investments are gaining traction. DFIs, corporate investors, and global VCs are deploying capital across multiple verticals, signaling strong conviction in Africa’s long-term market potential.

💡 For investors: The trend is clear—early-stage funding is still active, but sector-specific bets and strategic acquisitions are leading the charge. The next wave of unicorns will emerge from AI, fintech infrastructure, and high-impact digital solutions.

👀 This week’s featured investor: Samurai Incubate Africa 👀

Samurai Incubate Africa is a Tokyo-based venture capital firm backing early-stage African startups with a hands-on, execution-driven investment approach. Since 2008, Samurai Incubate has supported problem-solvers, builders, and doers who are reshaping industries across the continent.

💡 Why Samurai Incubate Stands Out?
📌 Founder-first approach—prioritizing honesty, respect, and deep commitment to execution.
📌 Active investors—offering more than capital, including strategic support and operational expertise.
📌 Sector-agnostic investments—backing diverse startups tackling Africa’s biggest challenges.

💰 Key Investments & Success Stories:
✅ Kwara – Digitizing credit unions across Africa, raised an additional $3M.
✅ Complete Farmer – Closed a $10.4M round to revolutionize agritech.
✅ HAKKI AFRICA – Featured by NHK GLOBAL for its impact in fintech.

Led by Kentaro Sakakibara, Rena Yoneyama, and a team of seasoned investors, Samurai Incubate Africa is bridging Japan’s venture ecosystem with Africa’s thriving startup scene.

👉 Learn more about Samurai Incubate Africa and their investment thesis! 🚀

⟹ 📺️ MEDIA WATCH 📺️  ⟸

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

1. Egypt’s Fawry makes strategic investments in 3 local startups - Disrupt Africa

2. Zipline in talks to launch drone logistics in five additional states in Nigeria   - Techcabal

3. LoftyInc Capital announces $43m 1st close of new pan-African seed fund - Disrupt Africa

4. Egyptian AI startup Widebot raises $3m pre-Series A funding round - Disrupt Africa

5. With $100,000 per startup, Antler VC enters Nigeria to back startup ideas - Techcabal

And that’s your weekly dosage of the African startup ecosystem!

If you have any comments or feedback, just respond to this email. Thanks for reading, and have a great week ahead!

Gitonga, the Stoic Founder at StartupHub.Africa 🚀

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