Targeted at supporting startups across the Middle East, COTU Ventures Fund focuses particularly on pre-seed to seed stages of development.

Led by founder and general partner Amir Farha, COTU Ventures aims to provide strategic investments and support to promising entrepreneurs in the region.

Established last year, the firm has been actively investing in startups across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, with a primary focus on countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Pakistan.

The firm has already backed over 20 early-stage startups spanning various sectors, enhancing innovation and entrepreneurship in the Middle East.

Amir Farha highlighted the company’s inclination towards fintech and B2B software, noting important opportunities for growth and innovation in these areas.

However, the firm remains open to exploring investment opportunities across diverse sectors, leveraging its expertise and network to identify high-potential ventures.

Reflecting on the evolving investment industry in the region, Farha emphasized the importance of providing comprehensive support to startups beyond just financial backing.

Drawing from his experience at BECO Capital, where he was involved in early-stage investments, Farha recognized the need for dedicated support at the earliest stages of startup development.

At the firm, Farha and his team prioritize building strong relationships with founders, understanding their personal and professional journeys, and offering guidance on various aspects of business development. In promoting trust with entrepreneurs, COTU Ventures aims to become a trusted partner for startups as it scales the challenges of growth and expansion.

COTU Ventures’ limited partners include Lunate, Mubadala, Dubai Future District Fund, Arab Bank, Bupa KSA, as well as leading venture capital firms and family offices. The support from these partners emphasizes the confidence in COTU Ventures’ leadership and its potential to drive innovation and entrepreneurship in the Middle East.

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Founded in 2019, Enza Capital initially launched an early-stage fund aimed at identifying and supporting startups in the pre-seed and seed stages. This fund remains active and has made investments in various sectors, including fintech, logistics, health, human capital, and climate tech.

Despite its early-stage focus, Enza Capital has evolved into a multi-stage investor, with a significant emphasis on follow-on investments, particularly up to Series B. The company’s mission is to back visionary founders and teams leveraging technology to address significant challenges across Africa, particularly those related to digitization and technology-driven solutions.

Enza Capital is headquartered in Nairobi, with a remote team spread across different locations, including Johannesburg, London, and New York. The firm is set to expand its presence in Lagos and a Francophone African city to better support its portfolio companies in these regions. To facilitate this expansion, Enza Capital plans to hire additional talent across various departments.

In a unique and altruistic move, Enza Capital is launching its founder partner program, allowing founders and leadership teams of portfolio companies to become co-owners of the firm. This program aims to foster trust and long-term partnerships beyond traditional venture capital structures. Enza Capital is committing 10% of its carry pool back to the founders as a gesture of shared success and commitment.

The firm has identified key verticals in Africa where significant problems can be solved through technology, and it remains dedicated to driving innovation and transformation in these sectors. Enza Capital’s investments range from pre-seed to Series B, with an evergreen investment vehicle called Enza Growth Capital capable of investing up to $20 million per company over longer holding periods.

Enza Capital’s investment strategy involves leading or co-leading investment rounds and collaborating with other high-quality investors aligned with the company’s vision and values. The firm focuses on factors such as team quality, market opportunity, problem relevance, technology, and transaction specifics when making investment decisions.

Some of Enza Capital’s portfolio companies include SeamlessHR, Autochek, and Jumba. The limited partners contributing to both funds encompass a diverse group of investors, including private individuals, family offices, foundations, fund of funds, hedge funds, and venture capital firms.

The successful closure of these funds positions Enza Capital to continue its mission of supporting African technology companies as they digitize key industries, transform offline to online, and drive innovation in various sectors across the continent.

The post Enza Capital Secures $58 Million to Deepen Focus on African Tech Startups appeared first on Tech | Business | Economy.

With a goal to bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and the capital needed to grow their businesses, Ajim Capital’s fund will range from $25,000 to $150,000 to pre-seed to seed African-based tech-enabled companies.

Ajim Capital’s criteria for startups to take part in the fund include the potential for rapid growth and fast adoption. These startups must be able to provide excellent returns to investors and fill significant economic and infrastructure gaps for consumers and enterprises across sub-Saharan Africa.

These founders must also have former entrepreneurial or directly relevant industry experience, initial indications of product-market fit such as revenue or users, highly scalable software solution, and a potential 10x CoC return for investors.

Founding partner at Ajim Capital, Eunice Ajim, is a tech founder and an executive who has experience in startup funding and management, leading a tech startup of over $10,000,000. She is an expert in profit maximisation despite the competitive market condition. 

Having met with over 100 African tech companies over the years, Ajim has participated as an angel investor in 10 of them. Some portfolio companies where she has invested in are Mono, Payhippo, TalentQL, Lemonade Finance, Bamboo, Payday, and Mecho Autotech. She targets focusing on developing the continent’s technology space and believes the best time to start is now.

Ajim Capital is inviting potential investors to reach out to them and aid in building Africa’s future in the tech space.

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