Rebel Seed Capital has made a new investment in Shoptreo, a fast-rising digital commerce startup helping artisans and micro-entrepreneurs digitize their operations and connect with wider markets.
The investment was made through Rebel Seed’s Edge Fund, which targets early-stage founders in Africa’s Secondary Cities with ticket sizes ranging from $10,000 to $50,000.
Shoptreo, co-founded by Emmanuel Tochukwu Jacobs and George Uteh, is unlocking value in informal markets and underserved production ecosystems like the Aba Artisanal Leather Cluster—one of Africa’s largest hubs for handcrafted leather goods—by equipping artisans with digital storefronts, integrated logistics, payments, and inventory tools to efficiently meet global demand.
Beyond marketplace support, it offers strategic inventory financing to trusted distributors and bulk buyers, enabling them to scale, fulfill large orders, and overcome cash flow bottlenecks.
By blending fintech innovation with grassroots manufacturing, Shoptreo is shaping the future of African commerce.
Emeka Okoye, managing partner at Rebel Seed Capital, said:
“The Aba Artisanal Leather Clusters represent a major economic and commercial opportunity which, if properly harnessed through digital transformation, will unlock wealth and prosperity at an insane level. The Shoptreo team has demonstrated enough hunger, drive, and execution, which we believe are the right combination of attributes required to win.”
George Uteh, Founder and CEO of Shoptreo, added:
“Rebel Seed Capital’s vision aligns with Shoptreo’s goal of driving value at underrepresented segments. The funding will help us continue our expansion drive while taking Aba Leather products global.”
With this investment, Shoptreo plans to double down on product development, onboard hundreds of new artisans, and deepen integration with logistics and financial service providers to ensure seamless order fulfillment and cross-border commerce.
A share of the investment will also go into expanding their financial retail services—particularly inventory financing—to equip distributors and bulk buyers with the capital to scale purchases of Made-in-Aba products, boosting liquidity and accelerating growth across Africa’s informal manufacturing sector.
Rebel Seed Capital
- Rebel Seed Capital is a pre-seed venture capital firm backing bold founders solving critical challenges in Africa’s Secondary Cities.
Through its Edge Fund, Rebel Seed invests between $10,000 and $50,000 in high-potential ventures that are often overlooked by mainstream investors.
Shoptreo
- Shoptreo is a commerce enablement platform helping artisans and micro-businesses create digital storefronts, manage inventory, accept payments, and fulfill orders across local and global markets.
In addition, Shoptreo offers inventory financing to trusted distributors and bulk buyers—providing them with the capital needed to stock up on locally made products and scale their operations.
Shoptreo is on a mission to bridge Africa’s informal markets with the digital economy, driving growth through technology and inclusive financial services.
