Village Capital

Village Capital is a Washington, D.C.-based venture capital firm founded in 2009 that focuses on early-stage and seed investments in sectors such as agriculture, education, energy, financial services, and healthcare. The firm aims to empower entrepreneurs by employing a unique peer-support model, allowing entrepreneurs to select the ventures that receive pre-committed seed funding at the conclusion of its programs. Village Capital connects high-potential entrepreneurs with essential resources, fostering innovation and growth. It operates both a nonprofit that provides training for founders and a for-profit investment fund that invests in top program graduates, having supported over 1,000 entrepreneurs and more than 550 enterprises across various global regions. The firm has achieved notable success, with its alumni generating significant revenue and creating thousands of jobs, while maintaining a high recommendation rate among participants.

Adedana Ashebir

Regional Manager

Allie Burns

Chief Executive Officer

Allyson Burns

CEO

Daniel Cossío

Manager, Programs and Partnerships

Apoorv Karmakar

Senior Director

Rachel Schwartz

Senior Associate FP&A

Ben Wrobel

Director of Communications

Past deals in Africa

Chari

Seed Round in 2021
Chari.ma is the leading B2B e-commerce platform for FMCG products in Morocco

Tustawi

Non Equity Assistance in 2021
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

Non Equity Assistance in 2021
ICT for Development Kenya reaches out to undeserved communities in East Africa offering Technology literacy.

Fundi App

Non Equity Assistance in 2021
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.

Angaza Elimu

Non Equity Assistance in 2021
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

Non Equity Assistance in 2021
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

Non Equity Assistance in 2021
WorkNasi Plus is a platform empowering businesses in Africa by connecting them to the best-skilled freelancers and remote workers from across the continent.

DriversNg

Non Equity Assistance in 2021
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.

Gradely.ng

Non Equity Assistance in 2021
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.

Eneza Education

Non Equity Assistance in 2021
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.

Irawo

Non Equity Assistance in 2021
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.

Khazna

Seed Round in 2020
Khazna is an Egyptian company focused on enhancing financial services through its mobile application. The platform offers a range of services, including payments, savings, and insurance, while also allowing employers to provide cash advances to employees for unforeseen emergencies. Users can easily transfer and receive funds between each other and make cash withdrawals and deposits without incurring transaction fees. By leveraging smartphone technology, Khazna aims to deliver convenient, effective, and secure financial solutions to consumers in Egypt.

ReelFruit

Seed Round in 2020
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.

Piggybank

Seed Round in 2018
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

Seed Round in 2018
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

Seed Round in 2018
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.

Piggybank

Seed Round in 2017
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).

ARED Group

Pre Seed Round in 2016
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.

Lipisha

Grant in 2012
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

Seed Round in 2012
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.