After a slow start to the year, the week of July 14–20, 2025, saw more investor interest like last week.
This period was marked by strategic growth plays in sectors like logistics and clean energy, the emergence of a new financing programme for climate-focused ventures, and deeper investor traction in innovative mobility and data-driven startups.
Here are the top stories of the week.
Funding Rounds of July 14–20, 2025
1. Moove – Mobility Fintech (Nigeria & Global)
- Amount: ~$300 m equity in advanced talks, plus $1.2 b debt facility
- Sector: Mobility fintech / EV fleet finance
- Country: Origin Nigeria, operating across Africa, Latin America, Middle East, and Asia
- Lead Investors: Global infrastructure and growth investors; previous backers include BlackRock, Kreos, Uber, Mubadala.
- Details: Aiming to cross $1 b valuation. The $300 m equity round would lift it to Africa’s unicorn ranks, while the debt tranche supports U.S. expansion.
- Investor quote: Dario Giuliani of Briter Bridges noted: “Logistics is raising money for asset finance. Cleantech is raising money for lending.”
2. Nithio Flexible Financing Facility (Kenya & Nigeria)
- Amount: Up to $500 k per clean-energy startup
- Sector: Climate tech / clean tech
- Countries: Kenya & Nigeria
- Lead: Nithio
- Details: Offers working capital to early-stage providers of solar homes, clean cooking, and solar fridges. This builds on the continent’s growing wave of ESG investment.
3. Stitch – API Fintech Expansion (Pan‑Africa)
- Amount: $55 m Series B, bringing total to $107 m
- Sector: Fintech – payments API
- Countries: South Africa & Kenya
- Lead Investors: QED Investors, Glynn Capital, Flourish Ventures, Norrsken22, and existing backers (Ribbit, PayPal Ventures).
- Details: Funds used to integrate in-person payment services (via recent ExiPay acquisition) and scale omnichannel fintech offerings.
4. Paymenow – Earned Wage Access (South Africa)
- Amount: $22.5 million working capital facility
- Sector: Fintech – earned wage access
- Country: South Africa
- Details: Funded by Knife Capital in July.
5. Village Capital & Partners – Ecosystem Catalysts Fund
- Amount: $4 million fund
- Sector: VC / early-stage support
- Countries: Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania
- Lead: Village Capital, FMO (Dutch development bank), RVO
- Details: Ecosystem activation fund in partnership with local ESOs.
- Investor Quote (Nathaly Botero): “No single investor can be an expert in every context… this model allows us to invest across markets while staying grounded in local realities.”
6. Engage Capital – Offer to Acquire Lipa Later (Kenya)
- Amount: $24.5 million tender offer
- Sector: BNPL fintech
- Country: Kenya
- Details: Offer to acquire loan assets from distressed BNPL firm Lipa Later.
7. Tactful AI – PropTech Founder Buy‑Back (Egypt)
- Type: Founder reacquisition
- Sector: PropTech / AI
- Country: Egypt
- Details: Founders reacquire ownership to pivot into regional growth.
Overview
| Sector | Startup / Initiative | Deal Type | Capital Raised or Offered | Use Case / Focus | Country / Reach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobility Fintech | Moove | Equity + Debt | ~$300M equity + $1.2B debt facility (pending close) | EV fleet financing, global expansion | Nigeria (Pan-Africa, LATAM, MENA) |
| Clean Tech / Climate | Nithio Flexible Financing Facility | Funding Facility (grant / working capital) | Up to $500K per startup | Early-stage solar and clean energy lending | Kenya & Nigeria |
| Fintech (API payments) | Stitch | Series B Equity | $55M (total raised ~$107M) | Payments infrastructure & POS expansion | South Africa, Kenya (Pan‑Africa) |
| Earned Wage Access | Paymenow | Working Capital Facility | $22.5M | Scaling EWA services across markets | South Africa |
| Ecosystem Support | Village Capital Ecosystem Catalysts Fund | Early Stage Fund | $4M | Capacity building via local ESOs | Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania |
| BNPL / Lending | Lipa Later (Asset Acquisition) | Tender Offer / Acquisition | $24.5M proposed purchase | Acquiring performing loan book | Kenya |
| AI / PropTech | Tactful AI | Founder Buy-Back | Not disclosed | Strategic pivot into AI-driven proptech | Egypt |
Trends to Watch This Week
1. Logistics & transport still in focus
The sector has attracted $1.8 billion over the last five years, including $72.7 M in H1 2025. Multimillion-dollar platforms like Moove, Swvl, Yassir, Spiro, Kobo360, and Trella remain the epicenter of investor appetite. Expect a shift toward containment and consolidation, as seen in increased M&A (e.g., Moove acquiring QuickBus in Kenya) and partnerships across borders.
2. Rise of climate-focused financing
Nithio’s new programme supports clean energy startups in Kenya and Nigeria with up to $500 k each. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria are increasingly shaping investment decisions.
3. Deep tech & AI on the radar
AI-integrated tools are gaining traction, especially in logistics and small business operations. The Africa Deep Tech Foundation’s 2025 challenge (deadline July 31) underscores investor and policymaker focus on resource-constrained computing. Voice-AI systems like “Dukawalla” are being piloted for SMB analytics in Nairobi.
4. Geographic hotspots
Funding remains concentrated in the “Big Four”: Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa, plus rising interest in Algeria. Cross-border expansion is accelerating: Moove’s Brazilian acquisition and Kenya-Nigeria integrations by BuuPass illustrate pan-African reach.
5. Investor strategy shift
VCs prioritize sectors with proven durability—fintech, logistics, climate tech, and deep tech. There’s growing emphasis on clear use of funds, disciplined operations, governance, and exit roadmaps.
See Also: Inside Moniepoint’s Journey: From POS Terminals to Africa’s Fintech Powerhouse
What this Means for Founders & Investors
- Founders should prepare to showcase disciplined execution, clear sustainability strategies, and strong governance—demonstrating long-term value over short-term scale.
- Investors see value in tradable revenue models in logistics, climate, and deep tech—especially those aligned with ESG goals.
- The emergence of VC-backed legal/regulatory programs (like the Deep Tech Challenge) signals greater institutional support for innovation under constraint.
Conclusion
This week highlights a recalibration—with smart capital flowing into sustainable, strategically vital sectors like climate tech, logistics, and deep tech. For founders, the bar is rising: traction must be accompanied by professionalism (governance, disciplined growth).
For VCs, these trends underscore the continent’s maturing ecosystem—one ready to shift from “spray and pray” to structured, value-focused deployment.
The clear message? Ecosystems that understand constraints—and build to last—stand the best chance of thriving.
Leave a comment and follow us on social media for more tips:
- Facebook: Today Africa
- Instagram: Today Africa
- Twitter: Today Africa
- LinkedIn: Today Africa
- YouTube: Today Africa Studio
