DFS Lab

Founded in 2017, DFS Lab is an early-stage incubator focused on empowering communities in sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia. It supports high-potential entrepreneurs refine and launch fintech businesses that profitably serve the poorest at scale.

Joseph Benson-Aruna

Partner

Stephen Deng

Co-Founder and General Partner

Jake Kendall

Co-Founder, Director and General Partner

Past deals in Sub Saharan Africa

NALA

Seed Round in 2022
NALA Incorporation Company Limited is a FinTech firm based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, founded in 2017. The company develops a mobile payments application that facilitates various financial transactions, including bill payments, peer-to-peer transfers, and airtime top-ups, all without requiring an internet connection. NALA's platform is designed to enhance financial inclusion by providing services that cater to users in regions with limited internet access. The application incorporates bank-grade security encryption and multi-factor authentication to ensure the safety of transactions. Additionally, NALA offers budgeting tools and transaction history tracking, enabling users to manage their finances effectively. Through its services, NALA aims to simplify mobile money transfers for Africans worldwide and support international payments.

PesaKit

Pre Seed Round in 2021
PesaKit is a platform for last-mile agent networks in Africa that provides inclusive, interoperable digital and financial access for mobile money agents and merchants. It features an AI-powered virtual assistant via an API-driven interface to digitize distribution and access channels for mobile money and digital finance, enabling liquidity management and conversion processes for agents. Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.

Rivy

Pre Seed Round in 2021
Rivy is making it easier to finance small and medium sized businesses in Africa. There is a need for financing of $158 bn for SMEs in Nigeria alone. To start, Rivy o helps SMEs access and spend lender capital effectively. During their first full operational year in 2020, the Rivy o co--founders leveraged their domain expertise and founding experience to beat their 2020 goal by 50%.

ORDA

Pre Seed Round in 2021
ORDA is a cloud-based restaurant operating system built for African chefs and food business owners. ORDA's ePos, integrations, and lending solutions enable Africa’s millions of food business owners to scale and grow their business. The company was founded in 2020 and is based in Lagos, Nigeria.

ORDA

Seed Round in 2021
ORDA is a cloud-based restaurant operating system built for African chefs and food business owners. ORDA's ePos, integrations, and lending solutions enable Africa’s millions of food business owners to scale and grow their business. The company was founded in 2020 and is based in Lagos, Nigeria.

NALA

Seed Round in 2019
NALA Incorporation Company Limited is a FinTech firm based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, founded in 2017. The company develops a mobile payments application that facilitates various financial transactions, including bill payments, peer-to-peer transfers, and airtime top-ups, all without requiring an internet connection. NALA's platform is designed to enhance financial inclusion by providing services that cater to users in regions with limited internet access. The application incorporates bank-grade security encryption and multi-factor authentication to ensure the safety of transactions. Additionally, NALA offers budgeting tools and transaction history tracking, enabling users to manage their finances effectively. Through its services, NALA aims to simplify mobile money transfers for Africans worldwide and support international payments.

Nobuntu

Seed Round in 2018
Nobuntu is a South African company focused on designing and distributing community-oriented savings products aimed at enhancing retirement preparedness for individuals. With a mission to ensure that all South Africans can age comfortably, Nobuntu offers innovative solutions that include funeral cover and pension savings products. These services are crafted to support employees and their families, enabling them to benefit from a community-driven approach to savings and insurance. By addressing the challenges of retirement planning, Nobuntu seeks to transform the retirement savings landscape in South Africa, ensuring that comfort in old age is accessible to everyone, regardless of their initial planning efforts.

NALA

Pre Seed Round in 2018
NALA Incorporation Company Limited is a FinTech firm based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, founded in 2017. The company develops a mobile payments application that facilitates various financial transactions, including bill payments, peer-to-peer transfers, and airtime top-ups, all without requiring an internet connection. NALA's platform is designed to enhance financial inclusion by providing services that cater to users in regions with limited internet access. The application incorporates bank-grade security encryption and multi-factor authentication to ensure the safety of transactions. Additionally, NALA offers budgeting tools and transaction history tracking, enabling users to manage their finances effectively. Through its services, NALA aims to simplify mobile money transfers for Africans worldwide and support international payments.

Inclusive Financial Technologies

Non Equity Assistance in 2017
Inclusive Financial Technologies is a Ghana-based company established in 2016 that develops a mobile application designed to assist financial institutions in reaching customers through digital channels, including USSD and the web. The company specializes in ID verification and multi-factor authentication specifically tailored for Sub-Saharan Africa, utilizing a single API for streamlined integration. Its offerings encompass user onboarding, compliance with KYC and AML regulations, fraud detection, and document authentication. By leveraging technologies such as machine learning, forensics, imaging, and voice capture, Inclusive Financial Technologies aims to facilitate financial access for unbanked individuals by enabling the creation of thin file identities. The company's key products include Smart Bank, Inclusive ID, and iCapture.

Pezesha

Angel Round in 2016
Pezesha is a digital financial marketplace based in Nairobi, Kenya, founded in 2016. The company focuses on connecting small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to various financial resources, including working capital, float financing, and LPO financing. By leveraging credit and data analytics, Pezesha facilitates affordable credit options for underserved micro-businesses, enabling them to access the formal financial system. The platform serves as a bridge between lenders and low-income borrowers, promoting a shared economy and broadening financial access for SMBs. Through its innovative approach, Pezesha aims to be a leading player in Africa's digital financial landscape, enhancing the growth potential of small businesses across the region.
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