Led · Seed · Mar 2022

Founded in 2020, Yemaachi Biotech focuses on diversifying precision oncology by creating a first‑of‑its‑kind Pan‑African genomic and clinical knowledge base and research platform. The company combines immunogenomics, bioinformatics and deep‑learning/AI to develop novel diagnostics and identify therapeutic targets. Yemaachi also offers clinical testing services, including NGS‑based screening and diagnostic testing optimized for local populations. It has launched the AMBER Study with Lucence to characterize breast cancer genomics in women of African descent using liquid biopsy and introduced the at‑home Sheba HPV Test in Ghana. Yemaachi is building deep clinical partnerships across Africa to support research, product development and broader access to precision oncology. Financially, the company closed a $3 million seed round and was named a recipient of a $1 million grant through the Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellowship awarded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Led · Debt Financing · Feb 2022

MarketForce operates RejaReja, a merchant super app that lets informal traders source hundreds of FMCG SKUs directly from manufacturers and distributors, place and pay for orders digitally, accept utility payments, and access loans. The company is rolling out merchant inventory financing (an overdraft-like BNPL for merchants) after a successful pilot that tripled order stock value, and plans to introduce additional fintech services like BNPL, insurance, savings, and investment. RejaReja is asset-light, relying on partner-owned logistics and aims to expand across more East and West African markets. Operational traction includes more than 87,000 orders to date at an average basket of $151, 40% month-on-month growth, and an expected run-rate above $60M in annualized transaction volume last year. MarketForce says it will scale headcount and merchant base rapidly — targeting 250,000 merchants in the coming months (up from 5,000 a year earlier) and previously projecting 1 million merchants by year-end. The company also uses merchant transaction history to build credit profiles and partners with lenders like Pezesha to extend loans. MarketForce operates a retail distribution SaaS and RejaReja, a B2B e-commerce marketplace that lets informal merchants buy FMCGs and digital financial services with next-day delivery for hundreds of SKUs. RejaReja, launched in December 2020, is an asset-light marketplace that leverages partners (distributors, manufacturers, 3PLs) rather than owning warehouses or trucks. The company integrated acquired platform Digiduka to provide a wallet and enable merchants to collect mobile money and bank payments via app, WhatsApp bots, or USSD. MarketForce extends working capital to kiosks based on ordering habits and uses its network to distribute both FMCGs and financial services. The startup has a presence in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania; over 15,000 retail customers use RejaReja to process thousands of orders daily. Its legacy SaaS product has over 10,000 monthly active users, and users have completed 300,000 transactions worth more than $500 million since 2018. With recent traction on the e-commerce side, the company plans to scale RejaReja across more East African towns and launch in Nigeria.

Participated · Seed · Feb 2022

Mecho Autotech operates a platform that connects individual vehicle owners and corporate fleets with approved workshops for repairs and maintenance while expanding into wholesale spare-parts importation and distribution. Since founding in 2021, the firm has serviced more than 6,000 cars through over 110 approved workshops (three owned). Its core revenue comes from commissions on vehicle repairs and ancillary maintenance-subscription revenues. Management says difficulties sourcing quality replacement parts drove the move into wholesale distribution and parts procurement. The company plans to supply inventory to 150 parts vendors and develop supply-chain apps in Q4 2023 to enable inventory finance for vendors, working capital for workshops, and maintenance finance for fleets. Mecho has access to a bank credit line of ₦650 million (~$675,270) and will enable vendors and workshops to access up to ₦10 million (~$10,380) in financing via bank partners. The product roadmap ties spare-parts distribution, financing, and B2B/B2C marketplace flows to improve inventory availability and standardize parts quality. Mecho Autotech operates a network of vetted in-house and third-party mechanics across Nigeria, targeting both B2B fleet customers and retail vehicle owners via a mobile app and mobile service vans. The company started work in 2019, fully launched in April 2021 and participated in Y Combinator’s Summer 2021 batch. It currently serves 40 B2B customers that own over 20,000 vehicles, has serviced over 2,000 vehicles, and has onboarded over 7,000 third-party mechanics across three Lagos workshops. Mecho charges roughly 15% commission (10% service, 5% spare parts) and is building a spare-parts value chain that has already served more than 100 third-party mechanics. The startup launched a B2C mobile application last month and plans to scale B2C acquisition through subscription plans and a pay-per-download arrangement on the Google Play Store. It will use new funding to expand multi-channel service capacity, grow its engineering team, scale its marketing for B2C, and deepen its spare-parts and mobile service capabilities.

Participated · Series A · Apr 2021

Appzone develops proprietary banking and payments software, including core banking, interbank processing and end-user fintech layers. Its platforms power 18 commercial banks and more than 450 microfinance banks, processing about $2 billion in annual transactions and $300 million in yearly loan disbursements. The company claims several continental firsts, such as a decentralized payment processing network, cloud core banking and a multi-bank direct debit service. Appzone began as a services firm and progressively launched branchless banking, mobile/internet banking, instant card issuance, lending automation and blockchain switching products. Going forward it plans to aggressively scale pan-African expansion, deepen its presence in several West and Central African markets, and grow its engineering team (engineers are half of its 150 employees). The firm emphasizes building and training local senior and junior talent to sustain its proprietary-technology advantage and reduce costs for clients.