African startups are making significant progress. In this context, the digital economy platform FollowICT highlights the top startup news across Africa over the past week.
– SA’s Shiprazor raises $2.65m to build intelligent logistics layer for African e-commerce
South African e-commerce merchant technology and smart logistics platform Shiprazor has raised US$2.65 million in seed funding to help African online merchants reduce delivery costs, improve conversion, and simplify fulfilment.
Founded in 2023 and based in Cape Town, Shiprazor is an e-commerce logistics platform that helps merchants reduce delivery costs, improve fulfillment performance, and simplify shipping at scale. Through a single integration, merchants can access a network of more than 20 courier partners, optimise delivery decisions, and manage the full journey from checkout to final delivery.
With tools spanning courier selection, shipment tracking, post-purchase communication, and AI-powered workflow optimisation, Shiprazor says it is building the intelligent logistics layer for the next generation of African commerce. So far it has processed over 1.5 million deliveries across South Africa.
To further that goal, the startup has now raised US$2.65 million in a seed round of funding led by pan-African venture capital firm Norrsken22, with participation from AAIC, E4E, Tremis Capital, and angel investors that include senior leaders at Google.
The round, which brings Shiprazor’s total secured funding to date to US$3.3 million, will be deployed directly into three key areas – more couriers, better coverage, lower shipping costs. Shiprazor will expand its courier and logistics supplier network across South Africa, including areas where single-courier dependency has historically meant higher costs and unreliable delivery. More options mean better pricing and fewer failed deliveries for merchants.
– OneBio Closes USD 6 M First Fund To Build & Scale Africa’s Biotech Startups
OneBio Venture Studio, a Cape Town-based life sciences investor, has reached a ZAR 100 M (USD 6 M) first close of its second fund, targeting ZAR 300 M (USD 18 M) by 2027.
Led by Michael Fichardt, Nick Walker, and Gian-Marco Melfi, the firm, which also scored a USD 1.16 M grant earlier this month, operates a hybrid venture fund and studio model, building biotech startups from scratch rather than just investing in them.
The new capital will support expansion into Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt, while advancing its mission to commercialise scientific research. Despite high attrition rates typical of biotech, OneBio has backed notable ventures like LifeQ and CapeBio.
– Dodai Secures $13 Million Series A to Scale Electric Mobility in Ethiopia
Dodai announced the successful closing of its $13 million Series A financing round, comprising $8 million in equity and $5 million in debt, to accelerate the rollout of electric motorbikes and battery swapping infrastructure in Ethiopia. The round includes participation from Value Chain Innovation Fund, IPC, Nagase, Persistent ACV Fund, For Seasons, CBC, and ICJ, alongside British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution.
With this new funding, Dodai is entering its next phase of growth. Over the next 12 months, the company aims to reach 3,000 battery swapping users supported by 30 battery swapping stations across Addis Ababa. Within three years, Dodai is building toward 30,000 users and 1,000 battery swapping stations across Addis Ababa, before expanding into other fast-growing urban markets across Africa such as Abidjan, Kinshasa, Accra, and Dar es Salaam.
– Rare Eswatini-Born Startup Swoop Raises USD 7.3 M Seed To Enter Nigeria’s Food Delivery Market
Swoop, an Eswatini-based food delivery startup formerly known as Thumo, has raised USD 7.3 M in seed funding to expand into Nigeria and advance its super-app ambitions.
Founded in 2025 by Aubrey Niederhoffer and Edwin Ruiz, the company launched in Eswatini before entering Lagos, starting in Yaba.
Long Journey, Variant, Version One, Dune Ventures, Soma Capital, Zero Knowledge Ventures, Walter Kortschak, and Base Capital backed the round.
Swoop plans to begin with food delivery, leveraging independent riders and commission-based revenue, before expanding into additional verticals like groceries and mobility.
Targeting Nigeria’s underpenetrated but growing food delivery market, the startup aims to grow demand rather than compete on price, focusing on converting new users.
