Rise of Fearless, an African-owned mobile battle royale game inspired by the continent’s history and culture, has secured US$1 million in funding from advisory firm Epic Edges Capital to accelerate its growth and strengthen its position in the global gaming industry.
The investment, structured as a Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE), will fund the company’s expansion across talent acquisition, technology, infrastructure, marketing and community development. It will also support the recruitment of experienced international game developers and gaming executives as the company prepares to expand beyond its existing markets.
Launched in 2025, Rise of Fearless offers an African-inspired interpretation of the battle royale genre, drawing its narrative inspiration from Ethiopia’s historic victory at the Battle of Adwa in 1896. Its characters, environments, hairstyles and costumes are deliberately designed to reflect African identities and experiences, providing an alternative to the Western-centric narratives and visual styles that have traditionally dominated mainstream gaming.
The company is developing Rise of Fearless as an African-owned intellectual property (IP) with global ambitions. Its original gaming universe draws on African history and culture while targeting international audiences and retaining African creative and commercial ownership.
Available as a free-to-play mobile game on the Apple App Store and Google Play, Rise of Fearless has surpassed 15,000 downloads. Its largest player communities are currently in Nigeria, Ethiopia and South Africa.
The latest investment will also strengthen the company's leadership and technical capabilities through a team of experienced professionals and organisations spanning game development, publishing, marketing, market research and investment.
Among the new partners is Miniboss Solutions, an embedded publishing partner providing AAA-calibre marketing expertise. Its leadership includes Adam Krause, Founder and Managing Partner, who previously held roles at Ubisoft, 2K/Take-Two, Capcom and Striking Distance Studios, and TJ Consunji, Founder and Managing Partner, whose experience includes PlayStation, Striking Distance Studios and Krafton.
IDG Intelligence, a market research, data analytics and strategic advisory firm specialising in the gaming industry, will provide investment and due diligence expertise. The company has more than 300 clients across over 60 countries and is led by President and CEO Yoshio Osaki.
Trick Question Studios, founded by TQ Jefferson, will contribute franchise development and creative direction for entertainment IP. Jefferson previously held positions at Survios, 20th Century Fox Games, Marvel, Pixar and Disney.
The team also includes Spectra Entertainment, a full-stack AAA game developer specialising in art and technical art.
Commenting on the development, Kanessa Muluneh, Founder of Rise of Fearless, said: “We couldn’t be more excited about our new team taking an African-owned gaming franchise to international distribution and commercial scale.”
Speaking on the new funding, Muluneh added: “The launch of Rise of Fearless filled a gap in the gaming space, but it has also forced us to think beyond game downloads, shifting our focus towards a much wider African gaming ecosystem where African intellectual ownership and talent development are key. As a bootstrapped company, this investment is pivotal to our ambitions and the future of African gaming. We are grateful to partner with Epic Edges to support us on this exciting journey.”
The company plans to use its expansion to address some of the structural challenges facing African gaming businesses, particularly access to reliable technology, server infrastructure and cross-border payment systems. It also aims to create opportunities for international industry experts to collaborate with local talent and strengthen development capabilities across the continent.
Remco Coerman, Founder of Epic Edges Group, said: “Rise of Fearless represents the kind of ambitious, culturally rooted IP that has the potential to resonate far beyond its home market. We believe there is a significant opportunity for African creators to build globally relevant gaming experiences that reflect the continent’s stories, identities and talent. We’re proud to invest in the game as it strengthens its team, scales its development capabilities and continues building an ecosystem where African and international talent can collaborate and create for a global audience.”
The funding comes amid growing momentum in Africa’s gaming industry, which is home to more than 400 million gamers and is projected to generate US$1.98 billion in revenue in 2026. Mobile gaming accounts for the largest share of activity, reflecting the continent’s mobile-first digital economy and increasing smartphone accessibility.
Through the investment, Rise of Fearless aims to demonstrate the potential of African-owned gaming intellectual property when supported by the capital, expertise and infrastructure required to compete internationally.
The company also hopes its growth will help create a pathway for African gaming studios and creators to develop, commercialise and retain ownership of intellectual properties capable of attracting audiences worldwide.
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