Startup Portfolio

We’ve accelerated 71 companies across 15 markets since 2015

We will continue to accelerate inclusive tech companies across key markets in the coming years – from early-stage fintech startups, to digital commerce companies, to those focusing on climate change adaptation and more.

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Asia

Zebra Cropbank
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Nigeria

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Thola
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

South Africa

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Scrapays
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Nigeria

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Medikea
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Tanzania

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Keep IT Cool
sector

Location

Kenya

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Earthbond
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Nigeria

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Mazao Hub
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Tanzania

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NoorNation
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Egypt

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Tolbi
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Senegal

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Bamba
sector

Digital Commerce

Location

Mexico

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Farmz2U
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Nigeria & Kenya

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Octavia Carbon
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Kenya

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Paddy Cover
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Nigeria

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Agro Supply
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Uganda

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Sand to Green
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Morocco

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Assuraf
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Senegal

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Farm to Feed
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Kenya

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Eight Medical
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Nigeria

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Kudigo
sector

Digital Commerce

Location

Ghana

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VAIS
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Egypt

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Bekia
sector

Climate Resilience

Location

Egypt

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Boost Ghana
sector

Digital Commerce

Location

Ghana

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Tendo
sector

Digital Commerce

Location

Ghana

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Shopa
sector

Digital Commerce

Location

Ghana

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Swoove
sector

Digital Commerce

Location

Ghana

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ColdHubs
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Nigeria

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Mujer Financiera
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Argentina, Mexico

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Oze
sector

Digital Commerce

Location

Ghana

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Koltin
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Mexico

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TopUp Mama
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Kenya, Nigeria

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Verqor
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Mexico

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Aquarech
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Kenya

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OHM Mobility
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

India

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Tulix
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Kenya

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Pocketfin
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

India

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Crop2Cash
sector

Location

Nigeria

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HealthDart
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

South Africa

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Ziada
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Kenya

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Lami
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Kenya

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Jetstream
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Ghana, Nigeria

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Power
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Kenya

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Kandua
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

South Africa

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Indicina
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Nigeria

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Koa
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Kenya

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MangoLife
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Mexico

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WellaHealth
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Nigeria

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KarmaLife
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

India

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Flex Finance
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Nigeria

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Paymenow
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

South Africa

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FarMart
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

India

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Kwara
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Kenya

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Cowrywise
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Nigeria

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Pesakit
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Kenya, Tanzania

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Hover
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

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Turaco
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Kenya, Uganda

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Spoon
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

South Africa

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Meerkat
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

South Africa

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Salutat
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Singapore

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Grao
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Brazil

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Zippi
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Brazil

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Banco Maré
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Brazil

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Chipper Cash
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Kenya

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PayAgri
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

India

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LEAF
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Rwanda

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Wasoko
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda

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Rukula
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Sri Lanka

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Asaak
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Uganda

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PayLatr
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

India

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Abalobi
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

South Africa

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MobiLife
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

South Africa

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ToGarantido
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Brazil

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Harvesting
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

India

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SmileID
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

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Escala
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Colombia

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Destacame
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Mexico, Chile

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PayGo
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Kenya

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Atikus
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Rwanda

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Flowigo
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal

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WorldCover
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Uganda, Ghana

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Graviti
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Mexico

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OHM Mobility
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

India

OHM Mobility
Pocketfin
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

India

Pocketfin
KarmaLife
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

India

KarmaLife
FarMart
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

India

FarMart
Salutat
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Singapore

Salutat
PayAgri
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

India

PayAgri
Rukula
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

Sri Lanka

Rukula
PayLatr
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

India

PayLatr
Harvesting
sector

Inclusive Fintech

Location

India

Harvesting
Abalobi
Mobile app suite improving the financial health of small-scale fisheries

Abalobi

South Africa
B2B
Payments + financial management

ABALOBI is a South African-based, global social enterprise. Their mission is to contribute towards thriving, equitable, climate change resilient and sustainable small-scale fishing communities globally. Their technologies and programs poise small-scale fishers for social, economic and ecological sustainability. They believe in participatory fisheries rebuilding strategies that consider ocean life and livelihoods.

Agro Supply
USSD-based layaway system that enables smallholder farmers to save

Agro Supply

Uganda
B2C
Mobile Layaway System

A mobile layaway system that helps farmers save money gradually using their mobile phones and to cash out in order to purchase farm inputs such as hybrid (drought-resistant) seeds, from maize to sorghum, sunflower and soybean during the planting season.

Aquarech
Feed marketplace and precision fish farming app, with optional hardware sensor

Aquarech

Kenya
B2C
Aquaculture solution

Feed marketplace and precision fish farming app, with optional hardware sensor

Asaak
Providing access to quick, mobile-based credit

Asaak

Uganda
B2B
Digital lending

Their mission is to close the credit gap in emerging markets through a mobile technology-enabled marketplace while creating a new asset class for global investors. The company plans to expand throughout Sub-Saharan Africa and emerging markets, offering a full suite of mobile financial services.

Assuraf
An inclusive digital platform offering insurance products from 20+ companies

Assuraf

Senegal
B2C
Insurtech

A digital insurtech platform offering end-users access to a range of insurance products (e.g. agriculture, automotive, health, housing, natural disasters) from over 20+ insurance companies with a fully integrated claims management system.

Atikus
Helping financial institutions better manage risk

Atikus

Rwanda
B2B
Risk mitigation for financial institutions


No longer operating

Atikus was a SaaS company that helped financial institutions better identify, quantify and mitigate their operational and credit risks.

Bamba
Providing tailored financial services and insurance for low income earners

Bamba

Mexico
B2C
Online financial services

Bamba is an online platform that distributes tailored financial products, especially insurance and debit cards, to low-income and financially excluded domestic workers in Mexico.

Banco Maré
Offering digital financial services for low-income populations

Banco Maré

Brazil
B2C
Blockchain-powered DFS

BancoMaré offers bill payments, top-ups, P2P transfers, TEM Saude, a health assistance plan and debt payment assistance. The platform is accessible via a mobile app and supported by local Kioscos, or shops offering BancoMaré services. They make transactions leveraging their own cryptocurrency, Palafita, currently converted to Real at a 1 to 1 exchange rate. This approach secures payments in a high risk environment, eliminating the risks associated with carrying cash.

The team recently launched a pre-paid credit card for R$ 10,00 ($2.70) / month, which can be converted to mobile phone credit and can be used widely in shops and for purchases online. As well, they are enabling the digitization of small businesses via POS machines, which allow for cashless transactions and digitized accounting.

Bekia
An app for people to exchange their valuable waste for cash through their mobile

Bekia

Egypt
B2C
Tech-Enabled Waste Collection

A tech-enabled waste collection solution enabling companies and households to exchange their waste (plastic, paper, electronics, metals, cooking oil) against a financial incentive paid on a digital wallet.

Boost Ghana
Helping informal micro and small businesses thrive in Africa’s digital economy

Boost Ghana

Ghana
B2B
Helping informal micro and small businesses thrive in Africa’s digital economy

Boost Ghana provides digital solutions to support micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in Ghana and drive efficiency in the distribution of fast-moving consumer goods. They have a range of solutions for SMEs that include stock on demand at a fair price, access to support services, and access to stock advances for merchants to increase order volumes and sell more. For suppliers, they provide direct access to last-mile retail customers at scale, providing critical data and reducing the cost of distribution.

Boost Ghana is part of the Catalyst Fund Inclusive Digital Commerce Accelerator, supported by the Mastercard Foundation, in partnership with MEST.

Chipper Cash
Enabling free, interoperable + mobile cross-border money transfer

Chipper Cash

Kenya
B2C
P2P transfers

Chipper Cash is a mobile cross-border money transfer app. In Africa, due to high costs and interoperability issues, transferring money across borders is a major barrier for low-income populations who need to send money to family or business partners in other countries.

Chipper Cash offers a free, interoperable P2P transfer platform operating in 7 African countries (South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, and Nigeria).

ColdHubs
“Plug and play” modular, solar-powered cold storage

ColdHubs

Nigeria
B2B
Cold storage

A “plug and play” modular, solar-powered walk-in cold room, for 24/7 off-grid storage and preservation of perishable foods, enabled through digital payments.

Cowrywise
A digital wealth management platform

Cowrywise

Nigeria
B2C
Savings + investment

Cowrywise is a digital wealth management platform. It uses technology to make financial planning, smart savings and investment products affordable and accessible to the underserved in Nigeria. Its mission is to democratize access to wealth management services.

Crop2Cash
Unlocking affordable financing for smallholder farmers

Crop2Cash

Nigeria
B2C
Digital credit

Crop2Cash provides smallholder farmers with access to formal financing for agricultural inputs, and enables them to receive digital payments and additional access to digital financial services.

Destacame
Digital financial management platform offering alternative credit scoring

Destacame

Mexico, Chile
B2C
Alternative credit scoring

Destacame is a digital financial management platform offering an alternative credit scoring system that gives low-income individuals in Chile and Mexico control over their data to build their financial capabilities and access financial products.

Earthbond
The one-stop-shop for businesses that need reliable solar energy to save money

Earthbond

Nigeria
B2B

As climate impacts intensify, the need for affordable, reliable and clean energy solutions for SMEs will grow. Earthbond meets this need by offering a clean energy marketplace matching SMBs with solar financing and installation providers tailored to their budgets and energy needs. Their platform makes financing solar energy accessible for overlooked SMBs via partnerships with banks, micro-lenders and solar companies.

Eight Medical
A cloud-native Emergency Medical Services (EMS) platform

Eight Medical

Nigeria
B2C
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)

A cloud-native Emergency Medical Services (EMS) platform that provides on-demand urgent care when and where it is needed. This “911 for Africa” connects emergency medical responders on motorcycles to users in distress in 10 minutes or less, including for climate-induced crises.

Escala
Increasing access to higher education via automated savings plans

Escala

Colombia
B2B
Savings for education

ESCALA offered safe, automated savings plans to increase access to higher education for low- and middle-income families in Colombia. ESCALA customers also received benefits such as matching funds from their employers, savings and career advice and discounts at designated educational institutions. ESCALA was acquired in 2019.

FarMart
Improving customer service for agri-input retailers

FarMart

India
B2B
Agri-supply chain efficiency

Farmart is a customer service and engagement app for agri-input retailers in India, to help them better reach the farmers they serve and grow their businesses. Through their app, merchants can send updates to farmers about inventory, new products, crop advisory and end of season stock clearing discounts, as well as track and manage credit repayments. Long-term, the team aims to improve the efficiency of the agri-supply chain across the country.

The team's mission is to make agri-business a respectable, profitable and preferred choice of profession for the next generation

Farm to Feed
A digital marketplace providing a market for odd-looking and surplus produce

Farm to Feed

Kenya
B2B
Food Supply Chain Solution

A food supply chain company that is providing a digitally-enabled solution to food loss/waste. Their climate-smart solution focuses on providing a market for imperfect and surplus produce from farmers, contributing to food security and greenhouse gas emissions reduction.

Farmz2U
An agtech enterprise driving sustainable agriculture

Farmz2U

Nigeria & Kenya
B2B
Agriculture

An agtech enterprise driving sustainable agriculture. Through Farmz2U, farmers can access personalized farming advice (especially on regenerative farming practices), affordable credit, quality and traceable inputs, and direct buyers for their harvest.

Flex Finance
Digitizing small and medium sized businesses in Nigeria

Flex Finance

Nigeria
B2B
Financial management for MSMEs

6 out of 10 businesses close shop every 3 years due to poor financial management. Flex was built to change that. Flex Finance allows businesses to create a digital footprint and bring expenses and operations online, while receiving insights that help them make smarter spending decisions and over time, save on extra, unnecessary costs. Flex Finance is committed to enabling more SMEs and solo entrepreneurs to make it past their third year, so they can continue to provide the income and jobs that sustain the vast majority of Nigerians.

Their simple, accessible mobile platform allows SMEs and solo entrepreneurs to manage and track their daily business expenses and finances. With an intuitive UI, operating the app requires little-to-no financial knowledge.

Flowigo
SaaS tools for solar businesses in Africa

Flowigo

Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal
B2B
Solar lender

No longer operating

Flowigo provided SaaS services for inventory, customer review and other business management functions, to small African solar businesses in six African countries: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal. They deployed tools such as point-of-sale mobile apps, data dashboards, databases and integrations to enable these businesses better serve their customers. Flowigo was acquired in 2017.

Grao
Enabling micro-savings for low-income people in Brazil

Grao

Brazil
B2B
Savings

Grão is the first B2C micro-savings mobile app designed for low-income customers in Brazil. It offers an easy way to save and invest, enabling users to set goals, create a savings schedule and access better returns. Users commit to deposit an amount of savings into their Grão account, and Grão invests it in public bonds and other funds to generate interest. Grão also aims to serve customers who have never had access to formal savings channels through an offline cash-in channel.

Graviti
Connects customers and essential service providers to democratize access

Graviti

Mexico
B2C
PayGo Essential Services

Graviti brings providers and customers together via a marketplace. Its control meter is pre-installed on solar water heaters by the manufacturer to monitor usage. Using alternative data points, Graviti also assigns an alternative credit score to users and is able to provide affordable financing for otherwise excluded individuals, allowing for pay-as-you-go and pay-to-own models. Customers can make payments using the app or conveniently in-store using Graviti’s barcodes.

Harvesting
AI, remote sensing data and alternative data for agri-lending

Harvesting

India
B2B
Alternative credit scoring

Harvesting provides a software-as-a-service (SAAS) tool which allows stakeholders in the agricultural value chain to view, analyze and manage their agroclimatic business risk via precise data collection, data analysis and data reporting, while leveraging data points to better determine a farmer's creditworthiness.

HealthDart
Enabling easy and affordable access to healthcare in Africa

HealthDart

South Africa
B2C
Healthcare access and credit via digital platform

HealthDart’s mobile app connects customers in South Africa’s low-income areas with a network of local, independent pharmacies and healthcare providers. It enables customers to get health advice, and order medication or health products for doorstep delivery.

Hover
Enabling USSD services for Andriod developers

Hover

B2B
USSD API for developers

Hover's Android API makes USSD-based services more affordable to illiterate and innumerate segments by enabling end-users to interact with financial and informational services via graphical user interfaces.

Indicina
AI-powered digital credit infrastructure & credit underwriting services

Indicina

Nigeria
B2B
AI-powered credit infrastructure

Indicina's offers an AI-powered credit infrastructure to digitize the credit value chain in Africa. Lenders (both banks and non-banks) can apply a data-driven approach to credit underwriting at scale, providing insights into potential customers that they currently don't have, while de-risking unsecured loans.

Jetstream
Enabling African businesses to export goods across borders & access financing

Jetstream

Ghana, Nigeria
B2B
Cross-border trade solution

Jetstream offers a tech-enabled, vertically-integrated, cross-border trade solution that eases international supply-chain constraints for SMEs across Africa, through instant pricing, cargo tracking, customs regulation transparency, digital payments, and trade financing.

Kandua
A holistic platform for skilled home-service professionals

Kandua

South Africa
B2C

Kandua provides a digital marketplace that connects vetted, skilled home service professionals with customers looking for service providers. Kandua also offers a set of tailored financial and business tools for "pros" on their platform, to upskill them, professionalize their offerings and help grow their businesses.

KarmaLife
Providing digital financial services to India's gig workers

KarmaLife

India
B2B
Financial services for gig workers


KarmaLife offers real-time access to credit for gig workers, based on their payroll account, via partnerships with the digital platforms they work for. KarmaLife operates an interest-free subscription model in which the platform or the gig worker can pay a flat fee and access credit equalling up to one-third of their monthly income. The company analyzes alternative data points and payment behavior over time to unlock higher credit lines for the workers.

Keep IT Cool
Disrupting the smallscale farmer value chain by decentralizing cold chain access

Keep IT Cool

Kenya

Keep It Cool is addressing food supply chain challenges for small-scale fish and poultry farmers in East Africa through proximate solar-powered cold chain solutions. With this solution integrated across the entire value chain, this initiative aims to achieve a 98% reduction in waste, while also enhancing market access and resilience for farmers experiencing food insecurity. Utilizing the Markiti e-commerce platform, Keep It Cool facilitates direct sales of white meat products to fishmongers and small businesses. The commitment to transparent pricing, fair compensation, and guaranteed off-take benefits both producers and consumers, ensuring a reliable supply of fresh, affordable white meats with doorstep delivery in and around Nairobi. Learn more

Koa
Enabling users of existing tech solutions to more easily save & invest

Koa

Kenya
B2C
Savings & investments

Koa is a savings and financial services platform that can be embedded in other tech solutions and financial services apps via its API, to help users save more easily with a hassle-free, goal-based interface, and earn higher returns. In sub-Saharan Africa, 60% of consumers struggle to access formalized financial services (wealth management, asset management etc.) due to high minimum balance requirements, lack of visibility and inefficient distribution channels.

Koltin
Tech-enabled senior health insurance

Koltin

Mexico
B2C
Health insurance

Digital health insurance solutions and preventative care for the region’s growing senior population.

Kudigo
Redefining consumer retail in Africa

Kudigo

Ghana
B2B
Retail management solution

KudiGo provides a holistic, mobile-based retail management solution for micro and small enterprise (MSE) owners, including inventory management, a CRM, digital payments, and an online storefront, enabling businesses to build a digital footprint and access financial services more easily. They also offer their MSE customers last-mile delivery via partners.

KudiGo is part of the Catalyst Fund Inclusive Digital Commerce Accelerator, supported by the Mastercard Foundation, in partnership with MEST.

Kwara
Providing secure online and mobile banking for SACCOs

Kwara

Kenya
B2B
Online banking platform

SACCOs, or savings and credit cooperatives, create financial safety nets for un- and underbanked populations in Africa, who are often excluded by traditional banks by providing affordable access to savings and credit. Kwara offers a secure online and mobile banking solution for SACCOs in Kenya.

LEAF
Providing blockchain-based virtual banking for refugees in Rwanda

LEAF

Rwanda
B2C
Payments + savings

Leaf is a virtual bank designed to help refugees transfer their assets across borders safely. It offers cross-border asset storage and transport via a mobile platform which enables the conversion of cash into virtual currency through blockchain technology while creating an economic identity.

Lami
Democratizing access to tailored, flexible insurance

Lami

Kenya
B2C

Lami offers an end-to-end digital insurance platform and API that enables companies across sectors to easily offer insurance products to their users, through a seamless digital experience. Its API allows underwriters to connect with consumer facing companies that can provide embedded insurance as a value add for existing customers, many of whom are uninsured.

MangoLife
Offering affordable insurance to families in Mexico

MangoLife

Mexico
B2C
Insurtech

Mango Life offers life insurance, retirement insurance, education Insurance and hospital medical expenses insurance, and is the first fully digital life and health insurance broker in México. They work with insurance providers to offer tailored and unique solutions with digitized processes to protect families against external financial shocks.

Mazao Hub
Powering farming with hyperlocal soil analytics in Africa

Mazao Hub

Tanzania
B2B

In Tanzania, over 19 million people live on degraded lands, confronting challenges like malnutrition, migration, and lost incomes. Mazao Hub meets this need by empowering Tanzania’s 22 million smallholders with tools to regenerate their soil and double or triple yields profitably. Their platform matches farmers with localized climate-smart farm management advice, inputs, and finance - facilitating climate adaptation and food security.

Medikea
Modern and affordable medical outpatient care powered by technology for Africa

Medikea

Tanzania
B2B

As climate change impacts intensify, the need for affordable preventative and primary care, diagnostics, and compliance support will also intensify. Medikea makes such services accessible to overlooked Tanzanians, directly empowering vulnerable groups to safeguard their well-being in the face of growing threats. Medikea’s hybrid model blends round-the-clock telemedicine with physical clinics located in underserved communities to make trusted care convenient and cost-effective. Learn more

Meerkat
Improving financial health for underserved South Africans

Meerkat

South Africa
B2C
Savings & debt counseling

Meerkat aims to improve financial health for underserved consumers in South Africa, with savings at the heart. They have developed simple financial solutions that help consumers gradually reduce their reliance on debt and improve their savings habits, via debt counseling, easily accessible savings tools and replacing their credit life insurance with the Meerkat solution.

MobiLife
Africa’s first 100% ‘built for mobile’ life insurance

MobiLife

South Africa
B2C
Insurtech

MobiLife is Africa’s first 100% ‘built for mobile’ life insurance, using the power of smartphones to bring effective and affordable insurance solutions to low-income consumers. It's appropriately designed for underserved consumers, allowing them to skip premium payments whenever needed, without canceling their policy. In addition to life and health insurance, the team also offers estate insurance, and FoodSurance, which provides weekly grocery vouchers for families if a breadwinner should pass away.

Mujer Financiera
Financial wellness for underserved women

Mujer Financiera

Argentina, Mexico
B2C
Financial wellness

Financial wellness with a multi-tiered approach to build the financial literacy, financial health, and resilience of underserved women

NoorNation
A startup providing farmers with solar energy and water solutions

NoorNation

Egypt
B2B

NoorNation, is an Egyptian startup providing decentralized solar energy and water solutions tailored for farming businesses and underserved communities. NoorNation’s flagship product, the LifeBox, bundles solar energy capabilities with water pumping and desalination—all from one plug-and-play unit. This unique solar-powered approach brings essential, climate-resilient infrastructure directly to those who need it most.

Here’s a closer look at why we’re excited to partner with NoorNation.

OHM Mobility
Fintech mobility platform to modernize vehicle financing

OHM Mobility

India
B2C
Clean tech financing

Ohm Mobility is digitizing and expanding vehicle financing in India, revolutionizing urban mobility by enabling the adoption of clean, shared transport – starting with 3-wheeled vehicles.

Octavia Carbon
The Global South’s first Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC) company

Octavia Carbon

Kenya
B2B
Direct Air Carbon Capture

The Global South’s first Direct Air Capture (DAC) company that is building the world’s lowest-cost DAC hub. Octavia is currently building DAC machinery to capture carbon from the air for resale as either carbon dioxide or carbon credits to off-takers.

Oze
Enabling MSEs to become better businesses and better borrowers.

Oze

Ghana
B2B
Digitizing MSMEs

Oze enables MSEs to become better businesses and better borrowers. Businesses keep digital financial records on OZÉ which in turn provides them with the insights and information they need to make better decisions. This improves their performance and enables them to access much-needed formal credit such as for inventory financing. 97% of high-active OZÉ users were growing, profitable or both.

Paddy Cover
Designing and offering bespoke insurance products via a multi-channel platform

Paddy Cover

Nigeria
B2C
Insurtech

Paddy Cover works with established insurers and digital platforms to design and offer bespoke products via their platform that facilitates flexible insurance packages, including health, life and, in the future, index-based crop insurance. The offerings are built into the lifestyle touchpoints of the customer, either as a convenience or as complementary value-adds.

PayAgri
Providing a full stack Agri-Ecosystem platform for farmers in India

PayAgri

India
B2C
Agri-supply chain

PayAgri is an agri-fintech startup that brings together key players in the Indian agriculture value chain to facilitate trade and funding flows. PayAgri’s primary platform, Agri Value Engine (AVE), connects farmers and buyers by removing inefficiencies in the value chain, such as middlemen, cash-based transactions and misinformation.

PayGo
Smart cookstove solution offering affordable access to clean energy

PayGo

Kenya
B2B
Essential services + PAYGo

PayGo Energy provides smart metering technology that eliminates upfront fuel costs, enables customers to access modern fuels on a pay-as-you-go basis and allows them to monitor their fuel usage and trigger automatic refills via consistent providers through a smart metering system.

PayLatr
Providing a mobile micro-credit solution in India

PayLatr

India
B2C
Microlending

No longer operating

PayLatr was a recurring micro-credit mobile platform offering interest-free monthly credit to low-income households in India so they can easily pay for retail transactions without cash, credit cards or other pre-paid means. PayLatr was acquired in 2017.

Paymenow
Helping South African workers smooth cash flows through pay advances

Paymenow

South Africa
Cash advances

Paymenow was designed to even cash flows throughout the month by enabling access to already earned wages at a flat fee. At no additional cost to the employers, employees are able to withdraw a percentage of their earned wages when they need to, and the amount is deducted from the final salary amount at the end of the month. The company also uses a gamified structure within the app to take the users through a financial education journey and encourage better spending and savings habits in a month.

Pesakit
Platform for mobile money agents enabling e-float lending and DFS

Pesakit

Kenya, Tanzania
B2B
Mobile lending + DFS

Pesakit is a platform for mobile money agents in Kenya, empowering them to borrow e-float and add revenue sources, while providing a new channel for digital financial services to reach low-income populations.

Pocketfin
Financial products for the underserved in India

Pocketfin

India
B2C
Digital CRM

PocketFin's digital CRM tool enables local community members to become agents that can help underserved individuals in India’s tier 2-4 cities access a range of digital financial products. With the tool, agents can simplify the process of onboarding customers and find the right products for their needs.

Power
Holistic financial services for employees and gig workers

Power

Kenya
B2C
Holistic financial services

Power is dedicated to providing holistic financial services to employees and gig workers across sub-Saharan Africa. They enable individuals to access earned wages, loans, insurance, payments and contribute to savings, so they can live with dignity, reduce financial related stress, and take control of their financial well-being.

Rukula
Mobile lending for low-income families in Sri Lanka

Rukula

Sri Lanka
B2C
Digital lending

Rukula offers small loans for household consumer durables and electronic items to Sri Lankan financially excluded communities to enhance their quality of life. The company scores customers using a proprietary credit scoring algorithm.

Salutat
Customer communications and retention platform

Salutat

Singapore
B2B
Customer management

No longer operating

Salutat was created to help traditional financial institutions and MFIs better serve and retain customers. It offered a customized and comprehensive communications platform to help the staff of financial institutions improve customer relationships and drive customer engagement, using NLP and advanced tech.

Sand to Green
Transforms deserts into cultivable lands

Sand to Green

Morocco
B2B
Desert cultivation

Sand to Green transforms deserts into cultivable land using agroforestry methodology and a solar-powered desalination system to design climate-smart regenerative farms.

Scrapays
Enabling micro-entrepreneurs to launch and manage thriving recycling businesses.

Scrapays

Nigeria
B2B

In Africa, waste constitutes 8% of the carbon footprint, surpassing global averages. Scrapays tackles this crisis through an innovative model that enables individuals and small businesses to launch mini-waste enterprises. Their asset-light approach equips the enterprises with the relevant technology and materials, coordinates logistics and aggregation of waste, and sells the waste to processors and formal recyclers, thereby helping small-scale collectors and households augment their incomes and avoiding disasters caused by litter. Learn more

Shopa
Redefining informal retail distribution in Ghana

Shopa

Ghana
B2B
Inventory and restocking

Shopa is redefining Africa’s informal retail distribution and supply chain by connecting last-mile retailers with suppliers, and enabling access to stock on cash or credit. Leveraging digital tools and an integrated delivery network, Shopa helps informal retailers to restock and receive delivery within 4 hours, without ever leaving their shop.

SmileID
Onboarding, verification and KYC tool for developers

SmileID

B2B
Digital identification + KYC

Smile Identity uses computer vision, machine learning, human review and local integrations to provide a complete KYC and user identification solution for emerging markets.

Spoon
Micro-lending and savings platform for female informal traders

Spoon

South Africa
B2B
Savings + credit

Spoon Money supports female informal traders by facilitating savings and providing credit to fund working capital. This enables traders to transition from precarious livelihoods to more stable and sustainable micro enterprises. By building a financial and credit history for these traders, this can facilitate greater inclusion and access to other relevant and value-adding financial products and services.

Swoove
Enabling digital commerce via accessible logistics in Ghana

Swoove

Ghana
B2B
Logistics

Swoove connects e-commerce businesses with accessible logistics services at an affordable price, through its app and USSD short code, while creating opportunities for youth and female entrepreneurs and revenue streams for households. Swoove already partners with MTN and has the potential to be an enabler for the larger digital commerce ecosystem to address logistics challenges.

Tendo
Enabling entrepreneurs to start selling with zero upfront inventory

Tendo

Ghana
B2C
Social commerce

Tendo enables anyone in Africa to sell online with zero upfront inventory - their platform connects dropshippers to wholesalers. The sellers on the platform are able to source products through Tendo and resell items using social commerce tools, such as WhatsApp, arrange delivery and get paid, all through the Tendo mobile app.

Thola
Automating sustainability compliance intelligence for emerging green companies

Thola

South Africa
B2B

Thola liberates SMEs to catalyze climate resilience and food safety by transforming and democratizing compliance from an obstacle into an opportunity to unlock premium export markets, partnerships, and growth funding while broadcasting their commitment to equitable and eco-friendly practices.

ToGarantido
Insurance broker offering affordable insurance solutions

ToGarantido

Brazil
B2C
Insurtech

No longer operating

ToGarantido acted as a broker that offered affordable health insurance and discounted health services for low-income families in Brazil through a tech platform that leveraged Artificial Intelligence and advanced data analytics. The firm provided a wide range of insurance products from eight different insurers, offering options and variety to users, and registration was entirely digital.

Tolbi
An agtech startup using satellite data to support climate-smart agriculture

Tolbi

Senegal
B2B

Tolbi is a Pan-African climate-agtech startup using satellite imagery and AI to enable climate-smart agriculture practices on the continent with data. Tolbi's platform addresses the lack of agricultural and climate data in Africa. It offers smallholder farmers, agribusinesses, and agricultural stakeholders hyperlocal insights into weather patterns, irrigation requirements, soil health, and crop yields. This information helps to reduce inputs and operational costs, comply with new regulations on sustainable agriculture, and promote a net-zero emissions supply chain in agriculture. By optimizing inputs like water and fertilizer, farmers can boost productivity and incomes while adapting to climate change. For example, cashew farmers using Tolbi’s recommendations have increased yields by over 200% in some cases.

Here's why we invested.

TopUp Mama
Online restaurant partner enabling restaurants to access inventory and services

TopUp Mama

Kenya, Nigeria
B2B
Restaurant supply platform

Online B2B platform for restaurants to purchase all inventory required at wholesale prices, including perishable goods requiring an adapted (cold) supply chain, and access working capital to grow their business

Tulix
A digital payment wallet to enhance visibility of funds and collaboration

Tulix

Kenya
B2C
Digital payment waller

A digital payment wallet to enhance visibility of funds and collaboration between African migrants and their beneficiaries back home.

Turaco
Providing simple, affordable insurance for Africa

Turaco

Kenya, Uganda
B2B
Insurtech

Launched in 2018, Turaco is an insurtech company offering simple and flexible insurance products to customers in Kenya and Uganda at extremely affordable monthly premiums, starting as low as $2/month. In addition to offering insurance direct to consumer, Turaco partners with other consumer-services businesses to reach a larger pool of potential customers and uses technology to distribute its products and verify claims. Its subscription model enables consumers to opt in for automated medical policy renewals which are bundled with their existing payments.

VAIS
Leverages satellite data to provide precision farming support to farmers

VAIS

Egypt
B2C
Precision farming

A precision agtech startup committed to climate resilience and food security by providing data intelligence to farms via their FarmGATE application, which is powered by proprietary artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML)-based virtual field probing (VFP) technology, to enable better use of water and other farm inputs to produce better yields.

Verqor
Cashless credit for smallholder farmers in Mexico

Verqor

Mexico
B2C
Digital credit

Verqor helps smallholder farmers access affordable, cashless credit to purchase agricultural supplies, and connects them with a vetted network of buyers. Through Verqor, smallholder farmers are able to formalize their transactions, build a digital financial history and sell their produce at competitive prices.

Wasoko
E-commerce and credit platform for informal traders

Wasoko

Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda
B2B
E-commerce and digital lending

Wasoko is revolutionizing access to essential goods and services for informal retailers in East Africa by enabling them to order inventory at any time via WhatsApp, SMS or mobile app, and receive free same-day delivery to their store, at below-market prices. Based on customer data, Sokowatch also offers merchants short-term credit to purchase additional inventory, enabling them to sell more.

WellaHealth
Offering affordable and accessible healthcare coverage in Nigeria

WellaHealth

Nigeria
B2C
Insurtech

Wellahealth offers affordable healthcare coverage and financing to protect families from the financial shock that comes from unexpected health emergencies. Their financing options begin at 450 Naira (USD $1.16) and offer flexibility in the duration of the plans while ranging from individual to family cover.  Their core products include coverage for malaria, typhoid and other infection tests and treatments, telemedicine, as well as hospital cash for families impacted by COVID-19.

WorldCover
Providing affordable crop insurance for smallholder farmers

WorldCover

Uganda, Ghana
B2B
Microinsurance

No longer operating

Worldcover offered affordable micro crop insurance for smallholder farmers in Africa, protecting them against yield loss by using satellite imagery to monitor rainfall and effectively calculate risk. Their product was customized to farmers’ needs and encourages investors to “sell” insurance and make an unexpected return. WorldCover used NOA satellite systems to monitor weather risks and trigger payments.

Zebra Cropbank
Africa's post-harvest platform, for farmers to store & manage their produce

Zebra Cropbank

Nigeria
B2B

Zebra CropBank provides climate-smart solutions tailored to overcome the interlinked challenges holding smallholders back. Their solar-powered micro-warehouses allow farmers to safely store more of their harvest while integrated trading platforms connect them to stable markets and fair prices. Learn more

Ziada
An all-in-one platform for business owners

Ziada

Kenya
B2B
All-in-one platform

Ziada is a mobile application that helps service providers in the informal sector find more jobs and grow their businesses by linking them with clients who are actively seeking trusted services, as well as providing business advisory and access to equipment rental.

Zippi
Providing affordable and flexible credit for Brazil's gig workers

Zippi

Brazil
B2C
Digital credit

Zippi is a Brazilian online lending startup who is rebuilding financial services in Latin America by establishing a neobank designed for the 30M+ gig and iWorkers in the region.

Zippi's credit card and app help freelance workers to smooth their income and borrow as they need it, with rates adjusted according to their weekly income. The app enables them to track spending and expenses, so they can better manage their finances and plan ahead.

Join Catalyst Fund

We are actively looking for early-stage startups that improve the resilience of underserved and climate-vulnerable communities in emerging markets.