Operator of a food and beverage company intended to accommodate and provide space for micro and small businesses with bigger market during the Covid-19. The company offers pulses, rice bowls, and various other snack food and beverage services, enabling consumers to get food via a network of home cooks rather than restaurants.
RUTOPIA
Seed Round in 2024
Rutopia is a social enterprise that connects travelers with rural communities to gain authentic, off-the-beaten-path experiences. They assist protectors in generating sustainable income through regenerative tourism. They provide tourism and adventure activities in idyllic locations, from multi-day treks to quiet walks along beaches, forests, deserts, and jungles. They also help travelers learn about ancestral and traditional techniques from various cultures, such as wood carving, artisanal fishing, and making jewelry.
Oorja Development Solutions
Seed Round in 2024
Oorja Development Solutions aims to provide clean energy access to 450 million un/underelectrified people in rural Indian communities. It deploy smart micro-grids powered by biomass gasification and solar PV systems to generate, store and transmit reliable and affordable electricity to SMEs as anchor load and low-income households. It uses a scalable community-owned business model to leverage energy provision as a catalyst for socio-economic development to alleviate poverty, empower women and tackle climate change.
Elucid Social
Seed Round in 2024
Elucid Social is a health technology company focused on advancing human rights within global supply chains. The company utilizes a data-driven approach to develop and implement technologies that assess, report, and mitigate human rights risks associated with the sourcing of goods and services. By creating tailor-made digital health ecosystems, Elucid Social enables businesses to improve the health and livelihoods of producers within their supply chains. This integration of social good with business practices aims to yield measurable results and promote ethical sourcing in various industries.
Copia Global
Series C in 2023
Copia Global Inc. is an e-commerce company based in Nairobi, Kenya, founded in 2013. It provides an innovative application that allows users to browse and order products from local shopkeepers, facilitating access to a wide range of quality goods for consumers in the developing world. The platform is designed to empower middle to low-income Africans by enabling them to make purchases without needing direct internet access. Copia Global leverages mobile technologies and a network of local agents to serve as distribution points, ensuring efficient delivery of products at consumers' convenience. The application also incorporates a mobile payment system, allowing shopkeepers to fulfill customer orders seamlessly.
Pricepally
Seed Round in 2023
Pricepally is a direct-to-consumer food supply company that operates a digital cooperative platform designed to enhance access to fresh and affordable food in African cities. The company connects consumers directly with local farmers, wholesalers, and food brands, facilitating the purchase of bulk food items. By leveraging collective purchasing power, Pricepally enables individuals and businesses to buy and share food in larger quantities, resulting in lower prices and higher quality compared to traditional retail options. The platform aims to promote food security and sustainability while making high-quality food more accessible to its users.
Elucid Social
Seed Round in 2023
Elucid Social is a health technology company focused on advancing human rights within global supply chains. The company utilizes a data-driven approach to develop and implement technologies that assess, report, and mitigate human rights risks associated with the sourcing of goods and services. By creating tailor-made digital health ecosystems, Elucid Social enables businesses to improve the health and livelihoods of producers within their supply chains. This integration of social good with business practices aims to yield measurable results and promote ethical sourcing in various industries.
BluLever Education
Seed Round in 2023
BluLever Education is dedicated to creating a collaborative ecosystem that supports artisans at all stages of their careers. The company focuses on delivering demand-driven vocational education and skills training, aiming to enhance the professional development of craftsmen. By providing a platform for artisan education, BluLever Education fosters effective and forward-thinking training programs. These initiatives not only empower apprentices to thrive in their careers but also contribute positively to the ecosystem by promoting value addition within companies. Through its holistic approach, the company seeks to catalyze meaningful change in artisan communities, ensuring that craftsmen receive the necessary tools and opportunities to advance their enterprises and professions.
Yebo Fresh
Venture Round in 2023
Yebo Fresh is an online grocery shopping service based in Cape Town, South Africa, focused on delivering a wide range of products, including meat, poultry, fish, dairy, dry groceries, drinks, frozen foods, fruits, vegetables, toiletries, and household items. The company specifically targets underserved areas, such as Imizamo Yethu, Langa, Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, and Gugulethu, where access to formal retail options is limited. By leveraging unique business partnerships, Yebo Fresh is able to offer high-quality products and popular brands at competitive prices. Following recent funding, the company is expanding its reach throughout the greater Cape Town area, aiming to enhance grocery accessibility for its communities.
Virohan
Venture Round in 2021
Virohan is an innovative EdTech platform established in 2018 that focuses on training for the healthcare industry. It aims to address the gap between traditional education and industry needs through a demand-led, omnichannel training approach. Virohan utilizes a technology-driven model to deliver standardized learning outcomes at scale, emphasizing the development of core technical skills, language abilities, and life skills through gamified blended learning. The platform offers courses that include long internships at hospitals, allowing students to apply their skills in real-world settings. Its fee-based model provides financial support through installment-based repayment options once students secure employment. Virohan has successfully trained over 3,000 individuals, with more than 94% achieving job placements. With operations in 20 cities across India and partnerships with over 750 employers, the company has experienced significant growth, doubling its business year over year. By leveraging technology to predict job demand and streamline training and placement processes, Virohan enhances operational efficiency and lowers costs, positioning itself as a key player in the estimated $7.5 billion healthcare training market in India.
Ignitia AB is a Swedish company that specializes in providing high-resolution weather forecasts and climate data specifically for tropical regions, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. Established in 2015, the company utilizes advanced technology to deliver hyper-local weather updates via SMS based on GPS location, significantly benefiting small-scale farmers. Ignitia offers a range of services, including daily, monthly, and seasonal rain forecasts, short-term forecasting, climate statistics, and early warnings for storms and extreme weather. Its forecasting capabilities are tailored to the unique weather patterns of the tropics, where convection plays a crucial role in precipitation. By enabling farmers to make informed decisions based on accurate weather predictions, Ignitia aims to improve agricultural productivity and resilience in low- and middle-income countries. The company is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden.
Virohan is an innovative EdTech platform established in 2018 that focuses on training for the healthcare industry. It aims to address the gap between traditional education and industry needs through a demand-led, omnichannel training approach. Virohan utilizes a technology-driven model to deliver standardized learning outcomes at scale, emphasizing the development of core technical skills, language abilities, and life skills through gamified blended learning. The platform offers courses that include long internships at hospitals, allowing students to apply their skills in real-world settings. Its fee-based model provides financial support through installment-based repayment options once students secure employment. Virohan has successfully trained over 3,000 individuals, with more than 94% achieving job placements. With operations in 20 cities across India and partnerships with over 750 employers, the company has experienced significant growth, doubling its business year over year. By leveraging technology to predict job demand and streamline training and placement processes, Virohan enhances operational efficiency and lowers costs, positioning itself as a key player in the estimated $7.5 billion healthcare training market in India.
East Africa Fruits
Series A in 2020
East Africa Fruits Co. is a prominent distributor of fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains, serving a diverse clientele that includes retailers, wholesalers, local vendors, cafes, hotels, and exporters. Founded in 2013 and based in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the company sources its produce from smallholder farmers, providing essential services such as cleaning, sorting, packing, and marketing. By facilitating connections between sellers and buyers, East Africa Fruits Co. supports smallholder farmers with crop planning tailored to market demands. The company is dedicated to increasing the availability of fresh produce to meet growing consumer demand both locally and internationally. In its pursuit of growth, East Africa Fruits Co. aims to become a leading producer and exporter of fruits and vegetables, with plans for significant expansion in the coming years.
Copia Global
Series B in 2019
Copia Global Inc. is an e-commerce company based in Nairobi, Kenya, founded in 2013. It provides an innovative application that allows users to browse and order products from local shopkeepers, facilitating access to a wide range of quality goods for consumers in the developing world. The platform is designed to empower middle to low-income Africans by enabling them to make purchases without needing direct internet access. Copia Global leverages mobile technologies and a network of local agents to serve as distribution points, ensuring efficient delivery of products at consumers' convenience. The application also incorporates a mobile payment system, allowing shopkeepers to fulfill customer orders seamlessly.
Essmart
Venture Round in 2018
Essmart is a technology distributor focused on enhancing the lives of customers in rural southern India through improved access to essential products. Established in 2011, the company aggregates and distributes a range of life-improving items, including solar lanterns, water filters, smokeless cook stoves, and various agricultural and clean technology products. By partnering with local retail shops, Essmart enables these businesses to offer socially impactful goods while also facilitating manufacturers’ warranties. This approach not only empowers local shop owners to become active sales points for innovative products but also fosters a network that enhances community well-being. Essmart operates as both a U.S. Corporation and an India Private Limited company.
Vega Coffee
Venture Round in 2018
The Vega Marketplace will eventually feature farmers representing a variety of regions and coffee varietals. Customers will be able to search for farmers and select coffee based on origin, tasting notes, and/or roasting profile.