Omidyar Network

Omidyar Network, established in 2004 by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam, is a global impact investing firm that combines philanthropy and venture capital to catalyze social change. It invests in for-profit and non-profit organizations across sectors such as digital society, emerging technology, education, financial inclusion, governance, and property rights. The firm focuses on early-stage investments, typically committing between $1 million to $10 million in for-profits and $0.5 million to $5 million in non-profits. Omidyar Network operates globally, with a significant focus on India, and seeks to create opportunities for people to improve their lives and make a difference in their communities.

Michael Kubzansky

CEO

Shilpa Kumar

Partner

Siddharth Nautiyal

Partner

Pam Omidyar

Co-Founder

Badri Pillapakkam

Partner

Jayant Sinha

Partner

Past deals in Africa

Rensource

Series A in 2019
Founded in 2015, Rensource offers subscription-based solar power services primarily for consumers and small businesses in Nigeria. The company generates electricity using small solar-hybrid systems installed on-site, providing flexible plans such as Go, Eco, Duplo, and Pro based on customers' energy needs.

PowerGen Renewable Energy

Series B in 2019
PowerGen Renewable Energy is a leading provider of energy solutions in East Africa, focused on transforming energy access for residential, community, commercial, government, and industrial customers. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, with additional offices in Arusha, Tanzania; Freetown, Sierra Leone; and Lagos, Nigeria, the company specializes in the development, construction, and operation of solar mini-grids. PowerGen offers a range of services including engineering, procurement, construction, and financing, ensuring affordable and reliable power for communities that are not connected to national electricity networks. As a pioneer in the solar mini-grid sector, PowerGen is committed to driving the clean energy transition across Africa and is a founding member of the Africa Mini-grid Developers Association, collaborating with various sector leaders to enhance energy access in the region.

Paga

Series B in 2018
Paga is a mobile payment company focused on creating a digital ecosystem for money transactions, primarily in Nigeria, where it is recognized as a leading provider in the sector. The company's application facilitates sending and receiving money through mobile devices, making financial services accessible to a broad audience. In addition to transferring funds, Paga's platform allows users to purchase airtime credits, pay bills, and make retail payments, addressing the growing demand for viable payment options. With an ambitious mission to simplify financial access for one billion people, Paga aims to overcome the challenges associated with traditional banking and enhance the overall financial inclusion in its target markets.

African Leadership Academy

Series B in 2018
African Leadership Academy is an educational institution based in Roodepoort, South Africa, founded in 2004. It offers a two-year program that emphasizes leadership, entrepreneurship, and African studies. In addition to this core program, the academy provides a Gap-Year Program and a Global Scholars Program, both designed to cultivate entrepreneurial leadership. ALA aims to develop a robust network of over 6,000 leaders committed to tackling Africa's most pressing challenges and driving significant social impact, thereby contributing to the continent's growth and transformation.

Lidya

Series A in 2018
Lidya is a financial services platform focused on small and medium enterprises in Nigeria, enabling online account opening, funds management, credit building, and access to working capital. Founded in 2016 and based in Lagos, the company uses mobile-first technology and proprietary credit scoring to help SMEs open accounts quickly, manage receivables and cash flow, and secure affordable credit with higher limits as their credit profiles improve.

Rensource

Seed Round in 2018
Founded in 2015, Rensource offers subscription-based solar power services primarily for consumers and small businesses in Nigeria. The company generates electricity using small solar-hybrid systems installed on-site, providing flexible plans such as Go, Eco, Duplo, and Pro based on customers' energy needs.

Lendable

Series A in 2017
Lendable is a San Francisco-based company that provides debt financing to fintechs in emerging and frontier markets and offers risk analytics for lenders and originators of debt in developing markets. Its products include a database containing market repayment, demographic and contextual data to support model improvement and validation, and a risk engine that models individual credit risk as well as portfolio-level risk. The company also operates technology-driven lending platforms to connect institutional debt investors with high-growth fintech lenders in Africa and other frontier markets, helping lenders grow their loan books and fintechs secure financing. Founded in 2014, Lendable aims to unlock financing for hundreds of millions of borrowers and position impact investing as a competitive asset class.

Twiga Foods

Series A in 2017
Twiga Foods Ltd. is a mobile-based supply platform that caters to retail outlets, kiosks, and market stalls across Africa. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the company facilitates a cashless, business-to-business supply chain that connects small and medium-sized vendors with essential agricultural products. Twiga Foods enables vendors to order a variety of supplies, including bananas, pineapples, and tomatoes, through its innovative platform, streamlining the distribution process in urban markets. This approach not only enhances efficiency but also supports local businesses by improving access to quality produce.

WhereIsMyTransport

Seed Round in 2016
WhereIsMyTransport Ltd is an urban transportation technology company based in London, United Kingdom, with a presence in Cape Town, South Africa. The company specializes in providing comprehensive public transport data for emerging-market megacities, focusing on regions in Africa, Latin America, Southeast Europe, and South and Southeast Asia. By digitalizing network information from various modes of public transport, WhereIsMyTransport ensures data accuracy amidst the dynamic changes of these systems. Their platform offers a data collection framework for mapping both formal and informal transport networks, equipping businesses, municipalities, and citizens with essential information to enhance infrastructure and navigate urban environments effectively. Through its innovative products and data services, WhereIsMyTransport aims to improve the public transport experience for users and support industry stakeholders in their operational needs.

Zoona

Series B in 2016
Founded in 2009, Zoona is a mobile technology company that provides safe and reliable financial services to underserved communities across Africa. It offers products such as money transfers, electronic voucher payments, and agent payments through its interoperable distribution network. With operations in Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and support offices in South Africa, Zoona has processed over $2 billion in transactions since inception.

Andela

Series B in 2016
Andela is a technology company that recruits, screens, trains, and manages software developers for organizations worldwide. Through its AI-powered talent platform, Andela Talent Cloud, it enables clients to hire individual engineers or fully managed teams with rapid onboarding and flexible engagement models, often at lower cost and faster delivery than traditional hiring. The company handles the groundwork for global staffing, including recruitment, onboarding, payroll, compliance, and ongoing talent management, allowing clients to scale engineering capacity as needed. Andela maintains a diverse, geographically distributed network of developers across numerous countries, with emphasis on Africa and other emerging markets. Its expertise spans application development, artificial intelligence, cloud and DevOps, data engineering, and related fields. Andela serves a range of customers from startups to established brands, helping them accelerate project delivery and access top technology talent.

ZOLA Electric

Series C in 2015
ZOLA Electric specializes in providing off-grid solar solutions, primarily serving African markets. It offers solar home kits through leasing or sales, targeting individual households and businesses in rural communities across Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. Founded in 2012, ZOLA Electric operates from Arusha, Tanzania with an additional office in San Francisco, California.

Paga

Series B in 2015
Paga is a mobile payment company focused on creating a digital ecosystem for money transactions, primarily in Nigeria, where it is recognized as a leading provider in the sector. The company's application facilitates sending and receiving money through mobile devices, making financial services accessible to a broad audience. In addition to transferring funds, Paga's platform allows users to purchase airtime credits, pay bills, and make retail payments, addressing the growing demand for viable payment options. With an ambitious mission to simplify financial access for one billion people, Paga aims to overcome the challenges associated with traditional banking and enhance the overall financial inclusion in its target markets.

Code For Africa

Grant in 2015
Code For Africa is a Nairobi-based initiative established in 2012 that focuses on data journalism and civic technology. It operates CitizenLabs, which facilitate digital experimentation and transformation within newsrooms and social justice organizations. The organization provides various digital fellowships and skills programs aimed at enhancing digital literacy. Additionally, Code For Africa supports digital journalism pioneers through its funding initiatives, including innovateAfrica and impactAfrica. The organization is dedicated to building digital democracy solutions that empower citizens with actionable information, enabling them to make informed decisions and effectively engage with those in power.

Segovia Technology

Series A in 2015
Segovia Technology Co., established in 2014 and headquartered in New York, specializes in facilitating critical payments in challenging environments worldwide. Its online platform enables real-time data analysis, automated task management, action tracking, and seamless integration with various payment providers. Segovia's technology supports corporate payments and social programs across Africa and Asia, benefiting refugees, disaster-stricken communities, gig economy workers, and other vulnerable populations. The company's team comprises experts in emerging-markets payments, machine learning, biometric identification, and adaptive fraud detection, ensuring secure and accessible digital payments even in isolated regions with limited infrastructure.

Andela

Series A in 2015
Andela is a technology company that recruits, screens, trains, and manages software developers for organizations worldwide. Through its AI-powered talent platform, Andela Talent Cloud, it enables clients to hire individual engineers or fully managed teams with rapid onboarding and flexible engagement models, often at lower cost and faster delivery than traditional hiring. The company handles the groundwork for global staffing, including recruitment, onboarding, payroll, compliance, and ongoing talent management, allowing clients to scale engineering capacity as needed. Andela maintains a diverse, geographically distributed network of developers across numerous countries, with emphasis on Africa and other emerging markets. Its expertise spans application development, artificial intelligence, cloud and DevOps, data engineering, and related fields. Andela serves a range of customers from startups to established brands, helping them accelerate project delivery and access top technology talent.

Hotels.ng

Seed Round in 2015
Hotels.ng is an online travel agency based in Lagos, Nigeria, specializing in hotel bookings throughout the country. Founded in 2012, the platform enables clients to book hotel rooms online with ease. It offers comprehensive support and assistance, along with hotel recommendations and reviews, ensuring that customers have access to quality accommodations. By focusing on user experience, Hotels.ng aims to facilitate a smooth booking process, helping travelers find good, clean, and safe hotels across Nigeria.

Siyavula Education

Venture Round in 2015
Siyavula Education is an edtech company that enhances high school mathematics and science learning via intelligent software. This software adapts to each student's needs, providing targeted feedback to help them master essential concepts.

Andela

Seed Round in 2014
Andela is a technology company that recruits, screens, trains, and manages software developers for organizations worldwide. Through its AI-powered talent platform, Andela Talent Cloud, it enables clients to hire individual engineers or fully managed teams with rapid onboarding and flexible engagement models, often at lower cost and faster delivery than traditional hiring. The company handles the groundwork for global staffing, including recruitment, onboarding, payroll, compliance, and ongoing talent management, allowing clients to scale engineering capacity as needed. Andela maintains a diverse, geographically distributed network of developers across numerous countries, with emphasis on Africa and other emerging markets. Its expertise spans application development, artificial intelligence, cloud and DevOps, data engineering, and related fields. Andela serves a range of customers from startups to established brands, helping them accelerate project delivery and access top technology talent.

ZOLA Electric

Series A in 2014
ZOLA Electric specializes in providing off-grid solar solutions, primarily serving African markets. It offers solar home kits through leasing or sales, targeting individual households and businesses in rural communities across Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, and the Ivory Coast. Founded in 2012, ZOLA Electric operates from Arusha, Tanzania with an additional office in San Francisco, California.

Bridge International Academies

Series A in 2014
Bridge International Academies, founded in 2007 and based in Nairobi, Kenya, operates primary schools focused on providing education to underprivileged children. The organization offers scholastic services that adhere to national curricula and emphasizes comprehensive teacher training and development programs. Utilizing advanced wireless technology, Bridge International Academies aims to deliver quality education free of charge, enabling children from disadvantaged backgrounds to access the learning they need for a better future.

Paga

Series A in 2012
Paga is a mobile payment company focused on creating a digital ecosystem for money transactions, primarily in Nigeria, where it is recognized as a leading provider in the sector. The company's application facilitates sending and receiving money through mobile devices, making financial services accessible to a broad audience. In addition to transferring funds, Paga's platform allows users to purchase airtime credits, pay bills, and make retail payments, addressing the growing demand for viable payment options. With an ambitious mission to simplify financial access for one billion people, Paga aims to overcome the challenges associated with traditional banking and enhance the overall financial inclusion in its target markets.

Zoona

Series A in 2012
Founded in 2009, Zoona is a mobile technology company that provides safe and reliable financial services to underserved communities across Africa. It offers products such as money transfers, electronic voucher payments, and agent payments through its interoperable distribution network. With operations in Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and support offices in South Africa, Zoona has processed over $2 billion in transactions since inception.

African Leadership Academy

Grant in 2011
African Leadership Academy is an educational institution based in Roodepoort, South Africa, founded in 2004. It offers a two-year program that emphasizes leadership, entrepreneurship, and African studies. In addition to this core program, the academy provides a Gap-Year Program and a Global Scholars Program, both designed to cultivate entrepreneurial leadership. ALA aims to develop a robust network of over 6,000 leaders committed to tackling Africa's most pressing challenges and driving significant social impact, thereby contributing to the continent's growth and transformation.

Bridge International Academies

Grant in 2009
Bridge International Academies, founded in 2007 and based in Nairobi, Kenya, operates primary schools focused on providing education to underprivileged children. The organization offers scholastic services that adhere to national curricula and emphasizes comprehensive teacher training and development programs. Utilizing advanced wireless technology, Bridge International Academies aims to deliver quality education free of charge, enabling children from disadvantaged backgrounds to access the learning they need for a better future.
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