Ventures Platform provides early-stage capital and operational support to founders building scalable solutions for African customers.

The pan-African venture capital firm invests primarily at the pre-seed and seed stages. It is particularly interested in companies that make important products and services more affordable and accessible to people who have traditionally been excluded from them.

Ventures Platform is not a grant programme. Funding is provided as a venture capital investment, and the final terms are negotiated between the fund and the startup.

What Is Ventures Platform?

Ventures Platform was founded as an early-stage African investment platform and has developed into one of the continent’s recognised pre-seed and seed investors.

Its website reports more than 75 active portfolio companies, over 140 founders and more than $1 billion in follow-on capital raised by portfolio businesses.

In November 2025, Ventures Platform announced a $64 million first close for its second pan-African fund, which has a target size of $75 million. The new fund expands its ability to invest in startups across the continent and continue backing selected companies beyond their first financing round.

What Is Ventures Platform’s Investment Thesis?

Ventures Platform invests in companies that address “non-consumption.” This refers to markets where millions of people cannot access a product or service because it is too expensive, unavailable or difficult to distribute.

The fund backs startups that simplify products, reduce delivery costs, fill infrastructure gaps and improve access for underserved communities.

Its broader objective is to support market-creating innovations that improve livelihoods and democratise economic prosperity across Africa.

A founder pitching Ventures Platform should therefore explain not only the size of the current market but also how the company can convert underserved individuals or businesses into active customers.

How Much Does Ventures Platform Invest?

Ventures Platform’s typical initial investment ranges from $100,000 to $1 million.

The fund’s preferred entry points are pre-seed and seed rounds, and it often seeks to lead those rounds. It may provide follow-on funding through Series A and can invest more than $1 million in later rounds involving existing portfolio companies.

A startup does not need to be founded by an African entrepreneur. However, most of the company’s customers or intended market must be Africans on the continent or in the diaspora.

The fund invests across Africa and is not limited to companies in Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt or South Africa.

Which Sectors Does Ventures Platform Invest In?

Ventures Platform is broadly sector-agnostic when a company fits its investment thesis. Its existing investments cover areas such as:

• Financial services and insurance;
• Healthcare and life sciences;
• Education and digital talent;
• Enterprise software;
• Telecommunications and digital infrastructure;
• Agriculture and food security;
• Clean technology;
• Logistics and commerce.

Recognised portfolio companies include Paystack, PiggyVest, Remedial Health, Fez Delivery, Chargel and Credable.

What Does Ventures Platform Look for in Founders?

Ventures Platform invests in both first-time and experienced founders. It gives particular attention to founders who are mission-driven, resilient and capable of developing capital-efficient solutions to significant problems.

The fund says it values three qualities: innovation, commitment and character. It wants differentiated products, founders with the determination to navigate difficult markets and teams with strong technical or commercial capabilities.

Your application should demonstrate that the problem is urgent, the addressable market is large and the business can scale without permanently depending on excessive subsidies.

Support Beyond Funding

Ventures Platform has a dedicated Platform and Networks team that supports portfolio companies after investment.

Its support areas include fundraising, recruitment, regulatory compliance, distribution, partnerships and business development. The team may review pitch decks, assess financial projections, introduce founders to investors and help companies source senior talent.

Portfolio founders can also participate in expert-network activities and the firm’s annual founders’ retreat.

How to Prepare Your Ventures Platform Application

Start with a concise description of the problem and the customers who currently lack access to a suitable solution.

Your deck should include:

• Evidence of customer demand;
• Product differentiation;
• Market size;
• Revenue model;
• Current traction;
• Customer-acquisition strategy;
• Team experience;
• Financial projections;
• Amount being raised;
• Planned use of funds.

Founders should make it clear why their product can create a new market or substantially improve access to an existing one.

Because Ventures Platform values capital efficiency, explain how much progress the company has made with its existing resources and how the next investment will create measurable value.

Official Ventures Platform Application Link

Apply for funding from Ventures Platform

Founders should also read the firm’s official investment FAQ and investment thesis before applying.

There is no published annual deadline. Ventures Platform accepts startup pitches through its online application route, subject to its current investment capacity and fund strategy.