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Wednesday 10 July 2024

Innovate Africa Launches $2.5M Angel Fund to Empower Early-Stage African Startups


Innovate Africa, an angel investment fund dedicated to supporting early-stage founders in Africa, has officially launched with an initial $2.5 million fund. Co-founded by Kristin Wilson and Christian Idiodi, this sector-agnostic fund aims to back up to 20 startups in its first year, addressing pressing issues such as insecurity, unemployment, and poverty through innovative, purpose-driven technology.

The African funding landscape has shown positive growth since 2019, with disclosed exits exceeding $2.3 billion, accounting for 13.4% of the total $17.2 billion raised by African startups. Despite this, early-stage founders often struggle to secure funding and achieve market fit. Innovate Africa seeks to bridge this gap by providing insight-driven capital to help startups transition from Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to Product-Market Fit (PMF), thus enabling them to contribute to Africa’s economic growth.

Offering an average investment of $50,000, Innovate Africa provides a comprehensive support package designed to propel startups towards success. This includes expert guidance in finance, governance, public relations, and strategy, alongside critical product development support through its Product Leadership Accelerator. The fund also assists with talent resourcing via a robust partner network, connecting startups with skilled professionals.

Innovate Africa's holistic portfolio strategy encompasses first cheque funding, a refined product operating model, valuable network and partnerships, assistance with revenue model iterations, and comprehensive operations and governance advisory. This approach aims to equip startups with the necessary tools, resources, and connections to navigate early-stage challenges and achieve sustainable growth.

Kristin Wilson, Managing Partner of Innovate Africa, brings extensive experience to the table. She is the Chief Strategy Officer at Spurt!, a Venture Partner at Oui Capital, an Investment Lead for the Rising Tide Africa Angel Network, and a General Partner at the Bold Angel Fund. Her portfolio includes 34 African startups, with 26 in the tech sector, such as Hoaq, Clafiya, Shuttlers, and OmniRetail—recognized as Africa’s Fastest Growing Company in 2024 by the Financial Times. Collectively, her portfolio companies have generated over $100 million in revenue and serve over 100,000 users. Innovate Africa leverages this deep well of knowledge and experience to guide early-stage founders towards success.

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