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.
Medikea Raises $1.2 Million in Pre-Seed Funding to Expand Digital Healthcare Services in Tanzania
Tanzanian digital health startup Medikea has raised $1.2 million in pre-seed funding to expand its operations and develop its healthcare services. The funding comes alongside the opening of two new clinics in Arusha and Morogoro, bringing the company’s total number of clinics to four. Medikea aims to expand its network to 10 facilities by the end of 2027.
Founded in 2022, Medikea operates an integrated healthcare model combining 24/7 virtual medical consultations with a network of company-operated clinics, pharmacies, and diagnostic laboratories. Its services cover primary healthcare and several specialties, including pediatrics, women’s health, dermatology, fertility, and chronic disease management. The model allows patients to move between online consultations, in-person examinations, prescriptions, and remote follow-ups within a single healthcare ecosystem.
The funding round included Baobab Network, Catalyst Fund, and develoPPP Ventures, alongside Madica, Impacc, Hustle Fund, O’Shaughnessy Ventures, and other investors. Medikea plans to use the capital to expand its footprint, improve its products, and introduce additional medical specialties. The company aims to serve more than 100,000 patients over the coming year before exploring expansion into other African markets.
Madica Secures $6 Million from Flourish Ventures to Extend Its African Pre-Seed Investment Program
Madica has secured an additional $6 million from Flourish Ventures to extend its pre-seed investment program for African startups by another three years. The initiative focuses on founders who face barriers to accessing venture capital, combining early-stage funding with hands-on support to help startups build their businesses and strengthen their operating capabilities.
Since launching in 2022, Madica has invested in 18 startups across 10 African countries and 12 sectors. With the new funding, the program plans to invest in an additional 25 to 30 companies over the next three years. Its approach extends beyond capital provision to include practical support in company building, business development, and operational growth.
According to the program, the 18 portfolio companies have attracted follow-on funding averaging twice the amount invested by Madica. The next phase will focus on testing how startups operating in less-developed funding ecosystems can achieve sustainable growth and generate investment returns. The initiative also aims to provide evidence that could encourage more investors to allocate capital to underserved African markets.
Investable.Africa Launches Platform to Connect African Startups with Investors
Investable.Africa has launched its open beta platform to help African startups connect with investors through a database of more than 4,000 investment organizations. The platform enables founders to identify potential investors suited to their funding needs, while giving investors access to startup opportunities across all 54 African countries.
The platform builds on a community originally established by Craig McLeod through WhatsApp approximately a decade ago to facilitate direct connections between startup founders and venture capital investors. Founders can create profiles outlining their business problems, solutions, performance indicators, teams, and current fundraising rounds. Profiles are reviewed before publication, and users can share pitch decks and investment documents with verified investors while controlling access to sensitive information.
Investable.Africa offers search tools that allow users to identify opportunities by sector, funding stage, investment size, and geography. It also incorporates AI-powered tools to help founders identify relevant investors and prepare personalized outreach messages. Founders can create profiles for free, while company listings cost $99 per month or $299 annually. The platform does not take a percentage of the funding raised and does not manage investment capital.
Ghanaian Agritech Startup Vitara Agritech Raises $2 Million to Expand Sustainable Shea Supply Chains
Ghanaian agritech startup Vitara Agritech has secured a $2 million equity investment to expand its shea supply operations, improve agricultural supply-chain transparency, and support women farmers in northern Ghana. The funding round included AgriFI, an agricultural investment initiative supported by the European Union, and Acumen, alongside a group of angel investors.
Founded in 2020 under the name Sommalife, the company connects smallholder producers with international buyers through a model that combines agricultural sourcing, farmer services, and digital technology. Its TreeSyt platform records farmer data, tracks product purchases, provides agricultural training, and monitors trees. These capabilities help improve product traceability and increase transparency throughout the supply chain.
Women account for approximately 91% of the farmers in the company’s network, and Vitara Agritech reports that it worked with nearly 47,000 women farmers during the most recent shea production season. The new funding will support supply-chain expansion, improvements to digital traceability tools, sustainable farming practices, and the protection of natural shea-growing areas. The company aims to help farmers access international markets while meeting buyers’ growing demand for products with transparent sourcing and more sustainable supply chains.
Talent Nation Secures Pre-Seed Funding to Train One Million African AI Engineers
Talent Nation, a company focused on developing African talent for the artificial intelligence industry, has secured pre-seed funding to expand its training programs and connect qualified African engineers with global technology companies. The company did not disclose the amount raised. The round was led by Enza Capital and LocalGlobe, with participation from Future Africa, Kaleo Ventures, Ajim Capital, and other investors.
The company was co-founded by Nigerian entrepreneur Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, a former co-founder of Flutterwave and Andela, and CEO Kesiah Valkin. Talent Nation operates through its Learn2Earn NG initiative, which identifies, trains, and prepares African developers for AI engineering roles. The program does not charge tuition fees to accepted trainees. Instead, the company generates revenue by connecting qualified talent with international employers seeking specialized technical skills.
According to the company, its programs have received more than 63,000 applications, with over 32,000 candidates assessed. It currently supports approximately 1,400 active trainees across nine training locations in Nigeria. Talent Nation aims to train and connect one million African AI engineers with employment opportunities over the next decade. Its strategy comes amid growing global demand for professionals capable of developing, deploying, and maintaining AI systems, with the new funding expected to support training infrastructure and relationships with international employers.
Ground Up Investing Secures $6 Million First Close for Fund Targeting Agricultural Businesses
Ground Up Investing, the social-impact investment arm of Corus International, has secured $6 million in the first close of its second fund, which targets agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises across Africa and Latin America. The fund aims to raise $20 million, with Corus International serving as the lead investor in this initial phase.
The fund focuses on providing working-capital loans to agricultural businesses that purchase crops from smallholder farmers and connect them with markets. Its target African markets include Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda, alongside Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador in Latin America. Individual investments are expected to range from $250,000 to $1 million, structured as two-year loans. The financing is intended to address funding needs that may not be adequately served by microfinance institutions or traditional commercial investors.
Across its six target markets, the fund aims to help increase farmers’ incomes by approximately $200 million and improve land management across more than 20,000 acres. Its strategy builds on the experience of the first fund, launched in 2017, which invested $5 million in 15 agricultural businesses. According to Corus International, those companies collectively facilitated more than $50 million in payments to farmers and supported over 800 local jobs. The new fund seeks to strengthen agricultural supply chains by financing businesses that connect farmers’ output with market demand.
Angolan Fintech Startup CYTO Secures $40,000 from Catalytic Africa
Angolan fintech startup CYTO, which specializes in financial technology and accounting automation, has secured $40,000 through Catalytic Africa. The funding involved investors from the African Business Angel Network (ABAN) and timbuktoo, an initiative supported by the United Nations Development Programme. The investment forms part of a co-investment mechanism designed to improve access to early-stage capital for African startups.
CYTO develops a digital platform that helps businesses automate financial and accounting processes, including invoicing, supplier verification, transaction reconciliation, and tax compliance. By reducing reliance on manual procedures and consolidating financial operations into a single system, the company aims to improve accounting efficiency and help businesses meet regulatory requirements, particularly as Angola advances the implementation of mandatory electronic invoicing.
The company plans to use the funding to improve its platform, expand its customer base, and work toward introducing solutions for open banking and cross-border payments. Founded in 2024, CYTO reports cumulative revenue exceeding €110,000 and monthly revenue of approximately €9,000.