Village Capital

BeSingularity is a platform helping businesses achieve their customer acquisition, retention, and business growth goals. The company is based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Tustawi is an e-learning specialist for professional development in Kenya, using technology to develop job-specific and market-relevant customized training.

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

Fundi App is an on demand mobile application that connects vetted handymen providing different types of installation, repair and maintenance services in the informal sector to customers in the wider market. Our software is designed to match demand with nearest skilled individuals available in real-time. Lack of access to decent work for the skilled youth in Africa is a big challenge. The African Development Bank(Afdb) estimates that 11 million youth enter the labour market every year but only 3 million new jobs are created. Over 70% of all labour market entrants end up either unemployed or underemployed in the highly fragmented informal sector. Most informal workers, both self-employed and wage earners, face issues such as low productivity, low wages and unsustainable livelihoods. As a result of these, there is a significant, but not complete, overlap between working informally and being poor. At the same time, customers experience hardship in locating service providers who prioritize quality, affordability and reliability. Existing solutions offer contacts scattered across the web that are often not vetted which makes the process risky, expensive and time consuming for the customer. Our mission is to use technology to provide access to decent work and stable economic opportunities for youth in sub-Saharan Africa. We believe this to be key to building thriving communities.

A technology platform that matches demand and supply for wellness services thereby maximising capacity and usage by minimising wasted space for professionals and speeding convenience for consumers.

Terawork operates a freelancers' marketplace designed to connect businesses with skilled professionals for various projects. Its platform facilitates the search and hiring of vetted freelancers, allowing clients to post job offers and receive proposals from qualified talents globally. The service is free for both freelancers and clients, promoting accessibility and ease of use. Terawork incorporates an escrow payment system, ensuring that funds are secured until the client approves the completed work, thereby fostering trust between parties. The platform also features a two-way review system, enabling clients and freelancers to rate each other, which helps set expectations for future collaborations. By eliminating traditional outsourcing barriers, Terawork not only enhances the client experience but also supports freelancers in showcasing their skills and building their professional profiles. Ultimately, Terawork aims to create economic opportunities by bridging the gap between businesses and independent professionals across various industries.

Urbansense is an on-demand service app that connects local vetted service providers with customers, regardless of the complexity of the job.

Afrilearn leverages genius tutors, animators, and developers to provide affordable, world-class education.

Utiva provides digital skill training for individuals and organizations. It combines classroom training with online learning experiences; and provides a platform that allows remote interaction with facilitators and AI support for knowledge and skills. The company offers training in the areas of data science, agile development, growth hacking, product innovation, machine learning and AI, and platform development. Utiva was founded in 2017 and is based in Washington, District of Columbia with additional offices in Edinburgh, United Kingdom and Lagos, Nigeria.

Angaza Elimu is primed to transform education across Kenya and the entire African continent by addressing the problem of inefficient classrooms and inadequate educational material. At Angaza Elimu, we enhance the classroom experience and strengthen the student-teacher bond. By combining a comprehensive e-Learning platform with a simple classroom setup, Angaza Elimu eases the administrative burden of teachers and frees them to spend more time teaching substantive material. Additionally, Angaza Elimu encourages children to further engage with technology with a Student Portal that challenges them to think critically. We also offer supplemental training on STEM to plant the seed of innovativeness in the young African learner.

Stars From All Nations (SFAN) is a high impact social venture established with precise vision to raise the next generation of African leaders through the accomplishment of the following goals: Help young people have a smooth transition from college to career through mentorship, capacity development and job/internship placement. Offer opportunities for youths to turn their passion into a business or career by creating platforms for networking, incubation and funding. Train young people to give back to their communities through positive social actions. Although there have been tremendous improvements in the business practices in Africa, the challenge lies in integrating youths into the workforce. Obviously there is a big disconnect because in as much as the economy is expanding and domestic demand is increasing, job creation is not, hence the growing youth unemployment rate in Africa.

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

CoffeeChat is a coaching-as-a-service platform that enables companies to offer one-on-one executive coaching for their managers.

DriversNG Recruitment Services Ltd. operates an online platform to recruit verified and trained professional drivers. The drivers can be recruited on full term, short term, on-demand, and ride-sharing basis. The company operates its services online and through mobile application. The company serves in Lagos, Abeokuta, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Benin, Ibadan, Benue, Kaduna, and Delta city. DriversNG Recruitment Services Ltd. Recruitment Services Ltd. was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria with additional office at Abuja, Nigeria.

Irawo is a community that helps young Africans make a living from their talents. It is a place where young Africans can be inspired by successful role models who are like them, learn how to make a living from their talents, and connect with each other. With its resources, events, and programs, Irawo is the largest platform in Africa that allows young people to keep doing what they love.

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, including online tutorials and video lessons, along with exam preparation resources. Gradely employs analytics to identify learning gaps, enabling real-time intervention for students through adaptive homework tests accessible via web and mobile devices. The platform assists teachers by offering pre-set questions, currently focused on mathematics, which align with WASCCE and Cambridge curriculum topics. Teachers can easily assign homework and deadlines, while progress reports are generated for teachers, parents, and schools. Gradely's system continuously adapts by integrating previously unmastered topics with new ones, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience.

Ecomake Innovation provides practical engineering skills training and hands-on STEM skills to students for employment.

Eneza Education Limited, founded in 2011 and based in Nairobi, Kenya, specializes in providing mobile technology-based education services. The company offers a virtual tutor and teacher's assistant, enabling students and teachers to access curriculum-aligned courses, assessments, and interactive support from live instructors via mobile devices. Its platform includes locally-adapted tutorials, tips, assessments, and features such as a leaderboard and live teacher chat, accessible through various formats including USSD/SMS, a web app, an offline desktop app, and an Android app. Eneza Education targets individual parents, students, and teachers with subscription-based access to its educational resources, ensuring that learners across Kenya, from urban centers to rural areas, can benefit from comprehensive, on-demand educational support.

Wootlab is a software development and talent management platform focused on creating employment opportunities for the unemployed and underemployed youth through technical upskilling.

Yu’sure connects established insurance providers with unemployed youth.

ReelFruit’s had its humble beginnings in a small apartment in Surulere, Lagos. In 2012, their founder birthed the idea of a new snack company; A first-of-its-kind that would offer dried fruit snacks, made in Nigeria but sold to the world. With this dream in mind, we launched their first range of dried mango and pineapple in March 2013, their first lucky break came from Prince Ebeano Supermarket, Lekki, who stocked their products – and the rest is history.

Complete Farmer Ltd. offers agricultural services by building and managing crop farms. Additionally, the company develops Internet of technology based software that uses machine learning algorithms to monitor the farms. The product can be used by owners to continuously monitor their farms and to keep an eye on the health of the crops. Complete Farmer Ltd. was founded in 2017 and is based in Accra, Ghana.

Jokkolabs is a unique environment where entrepreneurs, creatives and innovators can develop their business quickly. They maintain physical and virtual international network of entrepreneurs sharing of open and collaborative values. They offer a quality framework where they can work, meet, collaborate, network, learn and have fun. In a community innovation approach with peers and enriching diversity, they allow all of the opportunities available to them to release their talent and participate actively in community life.

Piggyvest enables Nigerian debit card holders save little amounts of money frequently with minimal effort. They automate the process of saving tiny amounts daily, weekly, or monthly; and then allowing you to withdraw for free on only set withdrawal dates thereby practically making saving more possible for you by eliminating the temptation to withdraw. Piggyvest is a platform that helps individuals and businesses manage their finances effectively - save and invest with ease. As Piggybank.ng, Piggyvest operated in partnership with 2 Microfinance banks and used their licenses. However, in early 2018, Piggyvest acquired Gold Microfinance bank and its license. Piggyvest is also a registered cooperative- Piggytech Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited (Registration number, 16555). All saved funds are now warehoused with and managed by AIICO Capital, the leading asset management company in Nigeria, registered and licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Riby, a finance technology company, provides a finance management platform for cooperatives, company groups, employees, individuals, associations, and financial development institutions. The company is based in Lagos, Nigeria.

Ensibuuko is a Ugandan startup that develops cloud-based micro-finance software tailored for community-level financial entities across Africa. Founded in 2014, the company focuses on providing banking solutions specifically designed for the unique financial landscape of Sub-Saharan Africa. Ensibuuko's platform enables users to access their accounts via mobile devices, allowing them to check balances, make deposits, and withdraw funds conveniently. This innovation aims to enhance financial inclusion and streamline banking services in underserved communities.

Tulaa combines mobile technology and last mile agent networks to connect agri-input suppliers, financial service providers and commodity buyers to smallholder farmers. The aim is to lower the cost and risk for the partners to do business with farmers.

Social Lender is a lending solution based on social reputation on mobile, online and social media platforms.

Patasente is a factoring platform aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), traders, and farmers. The platform facilitates access to credit, allowing users to purchase and pay for goods on favorable terms. Through its web and mobile applications, as well as a durable payment card, Patasente enables users to manage transactions effectively both in physical stores and online. By offering these services, the platform helps farmers, warehouses, and factories enhance their earnings, lower expenses, and improve cash flow.

Mazima Retirement Plan engages in helping those working in the formal sector save for retirement.

Annona is the select tool for creating a traceable global food ecosystem. Annona is a mobile and web-based platform that global suppliers use to manage their farmer supplies, payments and aggregate crop production.

Baby Grubz is a social enterprise company that provides nutrition solution services for babies. The company produces and packages a wide range of affordable dried homemade cereals, grains, fruits, vegetables, and condiments that serve as a base to make a variety of yummy, nutritious, and fast meals. Baby Grubz was founded in 2013 and is based in Lagos, Nigeria.

Piggyvest enables Nigerian debit card holders save little amounts of money frequently with minimal effort. They automate the process of saving tiny amounts daily, weekly, or monthly; and then allowing you to withdraw for free on only set withdrawal dates thereby practically making saving more possible for you by eliminating the temptation to withdraw. Piggyvest is a platform that helps individuals and businesses manage their finances effectively - save and invest with ease. As Piggybank.ng, Piggyvest operated in partnership with 2 Microfinance banks and used their licenses. However, in early 2018, Piggyvest acquired Gold Microfinance bank and its license. Piggyvest is also a registered cooperative- Piggytech Cooperative Multipurpose Society Limited (Registration number, 16555). All saved funds are now warehoused with and managed by AIICO Capital, the leading asset management company in Nigeria, registered and licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

TalentBase is an affordable payroll solution enabling African SMEs to simplify and organize their HR processes.

Globally, three billion people cook with biomass. The use of open fires and inefficient cookstoves with fuels such as wood, charcoal, and kerosene causes serious environmental and health impacts that disproportionately affect underserved communities. PayGo Energy is a revolutionary cookstove solution and distribution system that enables consumers to access clean and efficient fuel at a price point that is within their daily energy budget.

LipaMobile’s Xuldime service is an integrated cashless platform for parents, school administrators, and school canteen vendors and suppliers to pay for school fees, supplies and services. The product is aimed at parents with no fixed earnings for whom lump sum payments of school fees can be difficult. It also offers a savings platform where parents can periodically load money and set payment dates for direct deposits into the school’s bank account.

ARED Group, founded in 2013 and based in Kigali, Rwanda, operates as a technology company focused on providing social benefits through its innovative solar kiosk, application, and software platform. This platform offers essential services such as Internet Wi-Fi, intranet solutions for offline users, phone charging services, airtime, mobile money, prepaid electricity, and tax payment options. ARED Group aims to enhance access to digital services for low-income individuals, particularly women and people with disabilities, by minimizing internet costs through a mini-server network that stores applications closer to users. The company has expanded its operations to Uganda, Burkina Faso, and Ivory Coast, with plans for growth into Senegal and Nigeria. With approximately 142 kiosks serving around 150,000 unique customers annually and processing over 500,000 digital transactions, ARED Group also provides smart data and content management solutions for business clients, helping them to optimize their networks and enhance customer engagement.

Globally, three billion people cook with biomass. The use of open fires and inefficient cookstoves with fuels such as wood, charcoal, and kerosene causes serious environmental and health impacts that disproportionately affect underserved communities. PayGo Energy is a revolutionary cookstove solution and distribution system that enables consumers to access clean and efficient fuel at a price point that is within their daily energy budget.

The Farmerline vision is to see an Africa where Agriculture NGO’s are not a functioning force in the market. Farmerline provides paid services that allow farmers to have the information and access they need to employ an entrepreneurial method of farming. Input dealers and traders pay for more efficient communication channels to farmers and farmers pay for information packages and services. In this vision, more food is produce, more food gets to market, and GDP from cash crop export soars.

Atikus Investments Incorporated offers credit insurance on loans for micro, small, and medium sized enterprises. Through its product J.E.M. Guard, the company focuses on increasing the proportion of loans granted to women and underserved demographics. Additionally, it provides LoanSkout, which is a mobile loan origination and administration application and FINCH, which is its SMS-enabled outreach tool. The company was incorporated in 2013 and is based in New York, New York with a location in Kigali, Rwanda.

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.

Lipisha is a Nairobi-based company that specializes in mobile payment solutions for businesses in Africa. It develops a platform that allows small business owners to automate the processing of non-cash payments, such as mobile money and card transactions, directly into their bank accounts. The platform supports various mobile money channels and incorporates advanced data encryption and anti-fraud measures to ensure secure transactions. Additionally, Lipisha provides users with robust reporting tools that enable them to analyze and manage their payment data effectively. By facilitating the integration and automation of mobile payments, Lipisha aims to enhance financial efficiency for its clients.

Access Afya is focused on enhancing healthcare accessibility for low-income populations in Kenya through its innovative mini-clinic model. By leveraging advanced health technologies, Access Afya provides a modern healthcare operating system designed specifically for emerging economies. The clinics offer a wide range of primary care services, including authentic medication, immunization, family planning, and care delivered by qualified clinicians. This approach enables residents of slum communities to receive timely and effective healthcare services, addressing critical health needs in underserved areas.