Participated · Seed · Jul 2024

Uncover is a data-driven skincare brand for women, established in 2021 in Kenya, that develops scientifically backed products tested and approved by women of color. The company has built an educational tech platform that enables community engagement, relatable product discovery, and educational content, using thousands of data points to personalize recommendations. In the past 24 months Uncover has grown revenue tenfold and established a digital community of over 200,000 women across Kenya, Nigeria, and the diaspora. The startup recently expanded into Uganda and Ghana and is seeing global demand from African diaspora populations. It plans to use new funding to further develop its platform, introduce new products, enter additional markets, and continue leveraging data for personalization. Leadership frames Uncover as a movement to prioritize women of colour and aims to become the leading skincare brand for skin rich in melanin. Uncover is a Nairobi-headquartered, data-driven, digital-first women's brand focused on skincare and women’s health and wellbeing in Africa. The company blends Korean skincare technology with African ingredients to develop its products. It was launched out of the global VC accelerator Antler by founders Sneha Mehta, Jade Oyateru, and Catherine Lee. Since founding, Uncover reports a 20x increase in monthly revenue and a community of almost 60,000 women. The startup plans to use recent funding to launch more products, expand into additional African markets, and improve its technology and data capabilities. Management is preparing to enter the Nigerian market in January 2023 and is working on a third country entry.

Participated · Series A · Sep 2021

ReelFruit produces premium dried fruit snacks and focuses on sourcing high-quality raw materials through collaborations with local farmers. The company plans to purchase a new plant in Ogun State to boost monthly dried fruit output from 6 MT to 30 MT and will employ around 200 people in the plant’s first year. ReelFruit intends to expand its collaboration with Nigerian fruit farmers and create an agro-extension services program for 250 registered mango and pineapple farmers to secure consistent raw-material supply. The firm plans to grow exports by tenfold to 15 MT in the first year and broaden local and international sales channels, including B2B white-labeling and co-packing. By Q4 2021 ReelFruit plans to launch an e-commerce platform for direct US sales and expects to have doubled sales by November 2021.