Village Capital

Dabchy SARL operates an online peer-to-peer fashion marketplace that connects buyers and sellers of new and used fashion items. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Tunis, Tunisia, the platform allows users to list a variety of products, including clothing, shoes, jewelry, accessories, bags, and beauty items. Dabchy fosters a community atmosphere where users can engage with one another by liking, commenting on listings, and sharing fashion advice. This unique combination of marketplace and social interaction enables customers to buy, sell, and exchange fashion items while participating in a vibrant online community.

CoAmana is a technology-driven company focused on enhancing Africa's agricultural sector and addressing economic disparities across the continent. By identifying viable business cases, CoAmana develops market-enabling digital technologies that strengthen trade links and improve information sharing within the food systems. The company aims to provide accessible financing and promote climate-resilient agricultural practices, ultimately fostering a more sustainable and prosperous future for African food systems. Through these initiatives, CoAmana seeks to bridge significant economic gaps and contribute to the growth and development of the region.

Octavia Carbon is the first Direct Air Capture (DAC) company in the Global South, focused on filtering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to combat climate change and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The company designs, builds, and deploys patented technology that utilizes Kenya's geothermal energy and geological resources to enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of DAC technology. By capturing CO2 directly from the air, Octavia Carbon enables the conversion of this greenhouse gas into stable underground rock formations or repurposes it as an industrial gas, helping to replace polluting fossil fuels. This innovative approach not only addresses environmental concerns but also supports industrial power users in East Africa, contributing to the fight against energy poverty in the region.

Duma Toys, established in 2018 and headquartered in Giza, Egypt, is a brand dedicated to crafting high-quality, handmade children's toys and products. Their offerings include soft crochet blankets, dolls, and animal dolls, each meticulously crafted to inspire imagination and support children's mental and psychological development. The company also provides job training and employment opportunities, utilizing sustainable materials in their production process.

BeSingularity, headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is a technology company that provides a sales outsourcing platform. This platform aims to help businesses grow their sales, acquire and retain customers, and achieve overall business growth objectives. It enables clients to optimize their sales strategies, expand market reach, and ultimately sell their products and services more effectively.

Cupmena operates in the agri-tech and waste management sectors, focusing on maximizing value through the reuse of spent coffee grounds. The company has developed an efficient waste collection system that collects these grounds to serve as the primary soil for mushroom cultivation. In addition to its current operations, Cupmena is actively engaged in research and development, working on new mushroom strains and exploring additional agricultural solutions derived from spent coffee grounds. This initiative aims to enhance the agri-sector in Egypt and the broader MENA region by providing sustainable and innovative solutions.

Stars From All Nations ® is a Ghana-based education social enterprise on a bold mission to unlock the potential of Africa’s young geniuses by helping them turn their passions into businesses and fulfilling careers. SFAN believes that young people are smart and if given the skills and opportunities to engage the real world, magic will happen! The team’s work stems from a desire to raise the next generation of leaders that will contribute to creating the most incredible economic phenomenon the world has ever seen on the continent. The company’s signature initiative, ReadyforWork, is a digital career accelerator that uses Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to equip entry-level job seekers with skills and help recruiters make data-driven hiring decisions.

ICT for Development Kenya reaches out to undeserved communities in East Africa offering Technology literacy.

Fundi App is a mobile application designed to connect customers with vetted handymen offering various installation, repair, and maintenance services. The app addresses the challenges faced by skilled youth in Africa, where a significant number of individuals enter the labor market annually, yet only a fraction find employment. Many young workers struggle with low productivity and wages in the informal sector, leading to economic instability. Fundi App aims to bridge the gap between demand for quality service and the availability of skilled workers by providing a platform that allows users to find reliable and affordable service providers in real-time. This solution not only streamlines the job-finding process for customers but also facilitates decent work opportunities for young workers, contributing to the development of thriving communities in sub-Saharan Africa.

Angaza Elimu is an ed-tech company focused on transforming education in Kenya and across Africa by addressing challenges in classroom efficiency and access to educational resources. The organization provides a comprehensive e-Learning platform that simplifies classroom management, allowing teachers to dedicate more time to effective instruction. It features a Student Portal designed to engage learners and foster critical thinking skills. Angaza Elimu also emphasizes skill-based learning to prepare African youth for success in a digital economy. Additionally, the company offers supplemental STEM training to cultivate innovation among young learners and operates an Internet of Things (IoT) school to provide hands-on training in hardware engineering, enabling students to learn both in and out of the classroom at their own pace.

DriversNg provides reliable and professionally trained drivers to individuals, companies and organisations all over Nigeria.

Tustawi is a Kenyan company specializing in e-learning solutions for professional development. It leverages technology to create customized, job-specific, and market-relevant training programs, helping professionals enhance their skills and stay competitive in the job market.

WorkNasi Plus is a platform empowering businesses in Africa by connecting them to the best-skilled freelancers and remote workers from across the continent.

Gradely.ng Limited operates a personalized learning platform designed for secondary school students in Nigeria. Founded in 2019 and based in Yaba, the platform utilizes artificial intelligence to provide tailored learning materials, online tutorials, and video lessons. Gradely focuses on exam preparation and offers assessment reporting, tracking, and training tools for teachers, as well as computer-based tests and progress tracking for schools. The platform features weekly adaptive homework tests that enable real-time intervention for learning gaps by recommending specific practice sets, remedial videos, or tutoring based on students' performance. Teachers can quickly set up homework aligned with the WASCCE and Cambridge curricula, and the system generates progress reports for teachers, parents, and schools. Gradely aims to enhance learning outcomes by continuously adapting to students' needs through its data-driven approach.

Khazna operates a mobile application platform designed to enhance financial services for Egyptians, particularly targeting the 50% of smartphone users who lack access to formal financial systems. The super app provides a range of services including General Purpose Credit, Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), bill payments, savings, and insurance. It also facilitates cash advances for employees to address unforeseen emergencies and allows users to transfer and receive funds without incurring transaction fees. By focusing on digitizing cash transactions, Khazna aims to offer convenient, effective, and secure financial solutions, thereby improving financial inclusion in Egypt and potentially beyond.

PiggyVest is a financial technology company based in Nigeria that provides an automated savings platform aimed at helping individuals and businesses manage their finances efficiently. The platform enables users, particularly from low- and middle-income backgrounds, to save small amounts of money regularly—whether daily, weekly, or monthly—thereby promoting sustainable savings habits. By automating the saving process, PiggyVest reduces the temptation to withdraw funds prematurely, as users can only access their savings on predetermined withdrawal dates. The company previously operated as Piggybank.ng and has since acquired a microfinance bank license. All funds saved through the platform are securely managed by a licensed asset management company. PiggyVest also facilitates the earning of competitive interest rates on savings, enhancing the value of users' money while eliminating withdrawal and monthly fees, thereby making financial management accessible and user-friendly.

Riby is a finance technology company based in Lagos, Nigeria, that offers a digital finance management platform tailored for cooperatives, trade groups, associations, and micro and small businesses. The platform facilitates the creation and management of bank or mobile money accounts, providing users with access to essential financial services. By collaborating with banks and payment processing firms, Riby assists middle to low-income earners in automating savings processes, securing collateral-free loans, and making payments through various efficient channels. This comprehensive approach enables clients to effectively manage their finances and enhance their growth potential.

Ensibuuko is a Ugandan startup founded in 2014 that develops cloud-based micro-finance software tailored for community-level financial entities in Sub-Saharan Africa. The company's software provides essential banking solutions, allowing users to access their accounts via mobile phones, where they can check balances, make deposits, and withdraw funds. Designed to function effectively even in areas with poor telecom infrastructure, Ensibuuko's software includes standard accounting and reporting features, thus enhancing the viability and competitiveness of community microfinance schemes. By offering affordable financial products and services, Ensibuuko aims to support the growth of local businesses and improve financial access in rural communities.

Ennota is a financial management startup based in Egypt, specializing in cash flow management, budgeting, and financial projections for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the MENA region. Its primary offering, ennota.com, is a cloud-based cash flow management tool designed for business owners with limited technical or accounting expertise. The platform allows users to securely record transactions and visualize their financial data in an intuitive manner. Ennota.com is customizable, enabling businesses to tailor their spending and expenditure categories while tracking trends that are vital for informed decision-making. With robust visual reporting capabilities, the platform provides detailed or summary views of financials, helping SMEs gain insights from historical data and anticipate potential issues for better financial management.

Baby Grubz is a social enterprise based in Lagos, Nigeria, founded in 2013, that focuses on providing nutrition solutions for infants. The company produces a variety of affordable dried homemade cereals, grains, fruits, vegetables, and condiments designed to create nutritious and convenient meals for babies. Its product line includes organic infant cereals, meals, snacks, and fresh homemade options aimed at addressing moderate malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. By offering these wholesome food products, Baby Grubz enables parents to enhance the nutritional status of their children effectively.

PiggyVest is a financial technology company based in Nigeria that provides an automated savings platform aimed at helping individuals and businesses manage their finances efficiently. The platform enables users, particularly from low- and middle-income backgrounds, to save small amounts of money regularly—whether daily, weekly, or monthly—thereby promoting sustainable savings habits. By automating the saving process, PiggyVest reduces the temptation to withdraw funds prematurely, as users can only access their savings on predetermined withdrawal dates. The company previously operated as Piggybank.ng and has since acquired a microfinance bank license. All funds saved through the platform are securely managed by a licensed asset management company. PiggyVest also facilitates the earning of competitive interest rates on savings, enhancing the value of users' money while eliminating withdrawal and monthly fees, thereby making financial management accessible and user-friendly.

ARED Group is a company focused on bridging the digital divide, particularly in developing countries. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda, ARED has developed a business-in-a-box solar kiosk platform that provides various services, including Internet access, intranet solutions for offline users, phone charging, airtime, mobile money, prepaid electricity, and tax payment services. The company aims to support underserved communities, including women and individuals with disabilities. ARED's innovative approach utilizes renewable energy through solar kiosks and mini-server platforms, which store digital applications closer to users, thereby reducing internet costs and enabling access to digital services. After several years of development, ARED began piloting its technology in six African countries in 2020, with a mission to eliminate the digital divide by creating a distributed infrastructure that enhances connectivity and accessibility for users.

Lekki Peninsula Affordable Schools (LPAS) is a low-cost private school chain in Nigeria designed to deliver high-quality education to low-income families. Operating as a social enterprise, LPAS aims to make education accessible to those at the bottom of the economic pyramid by implementing an all-inclusive fee structure that covers tuition, books, uniforms, exams, and after-school lessons, including Saturday classes. The school offers a flexible payment system, accommodating families who prefer to pay weekly. LPAS ensures that students learn in a safe and clean environment while also providing a range of extracurricular activities such as sports, drama, leadership training, and arts. Through these initiatives, LPAS seeks to equip students with the skills necessary for socially responsible and economically productive lives.

EDOM is a Kenya-based fortified flour and enriched porridge producer mitigating malnutrition in Sub-Sarahan Africa through a BoP-targeted sales strategy. The business has achieved a 68% revenue CAGR since inception, 4-fold net margin increase in 2013, and has a 4,000+ smallholder farmer network in Uganda and Kenya. With I-DEV support, EDOM has engaged a leading global impact investor to secure the first tranche of a multi-stage investment which will be used to provide WC and M&E financing to double production and extend BoP outreach.

UBELONG LLC is an international volunteering and talent development organization that connects individuals across borders to foster positive change through shared experiences. Founded in 2008, the company operates from its headquarters in Washington, D.C., with an additional office in Lisbon, Portugal. UBELONG provides safe and affordable short-term volunteering opportunities in regions including Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Its initiatives are supported by a team of volunteers and university professors dedicated to promoting humanitarian efforts and personal growth.

Lipisha is a Nairobi-based company that develops a mobile payment platform designed to facilitate the integration and automation of mobile payments for businesses in Africa. The platform allows clients to seamlessly connect and accept payments from their customers via various mobile money channels. It employs high-grade data encryption and anti-fraud mechanisms to ensure secure transactions. Additionally, Lipisha provides a comprehensive suite of reporting tools that enable users to search, view, and analyze payment data, enhancing business intelligence and decision-making capabilities. By streamlining mobile payment processes, Lipisha aims to support businesses in efficiently managing their financial transactions.

Access Afya Limited is a healthcare provider based in Nairobi, Kenya, focused on delivering essential medical services to low-income neighborhoods through a network of micro-clinics. Founded in 2012, the company operates standardized digital clinics that offer a range of services including consultations, pharmacy services, rapid diagnostic tests, family planning, and immunizations. Access Afya also engages with local schools by providing health check-ups, health report cards, deworming services, hand-washing education, and nutrition counseling. Utilizing modern health technologies, Access Afya aims to improve access to quality healthcare in underserved communities.