Investor directory

Y Combinator

Y Combinator is a startup accelerator based in Mountain View, California, founded in 2005. It has pioneered a new funding model for early-stage startups by investing a modest amount of capital, typically around $150,000, in a large number of companies twice a year. Over a three-month program, Y Combinator collaborates closely with these startups to prepare them for investor pitches and enhance their business strategies. Each funding cycle concludes with Demo Day, where startups present to an exclusive audience of investors. Y Combinator focuses on various sectors, including business software, education, healthcare, and financial technology, among others. In addition to initial funding, it offers ongoing support through its extensive alumni network. Since its inception, Y Combinator has funded over 630 startups, contributing significantly to the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Silicon Valley and beyond.

Focus

Seed RoundPre Seed RoundSeries AEarly VentureScale StageShow more
http://ycombinator.com
https://angel.co/company/y-combinator
https://crunchbase.com/organization/y-combinator
https://facebook.com/ycombinator
https://linkedin.com/company/y-combinator
https://pitchbook.com/profiles/investor/40420-36
https://signal.nfx.com/firms/y-combinator
https://twitter.com/ycombinator
https://www.capitaliq.com/CIQDotNet/company.aspx?companyId=32514318
https://www.privateequityinternational.com/database/#/profile?id=14195

Gustaf Alstromer

Group Partner

Matt Bogrand

Associate, YC Continuity Fund

Timothy Brady

Partner

Craig R. Cannon

Director of Marketing

Adora Cheung

Partner

Nic Dardenne

Principal

Aaron Epstein

Group Partner

Brad Flora

Group Partner

Jared Friedman

Managing Director, Software and Group Partner

Aaron Harris

Partner

Carolynn Levy

Partner

Bradford (Brad) Lightcap

Associate, YC Continuity

Kat Manalac

Managing Partner

Eric Migicovsky

Partner

Kirsty Nathoo

Partner

Verena Prescher

Director of Finance

Geoff Ralston

president

Ali Rowghani

Managing Partner

Arnav Sahu

Principal

Michael Seibel

Managing Director

Harj Taggar

Partner

Past deals in West Africa

54gene

Series A in 2020
54gene develops a pan-African biobank to identify new drug targets, and develop diagnostics and treatments for diseases. The company targets multiple disease states, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neuro-degenerative disease. It also provides genetic testing and molecular diagnostics services. The company was founded in 2019 and is based in San Francisco, California with an additional offices in Lagos, Nigeria.

Bamboo

Seed Round in 2020
Bamboo is a digital investment platform based in Lagos, Nigeria, that allows users to buy, hold, or sell stocks listed on the United States and Nigerian stock markets. The platform offers real-time access to stock trading through a mobile application and web interface, making it convenient for users to manage their investments from various devices. By focusing on user-friendly technology, Bamboo aims to simplify the investment process for individuals looking to participate in global financial markets.

Wallets Africa

Seed Round in 2019
Wallets Africa helps Africans and African-owned businesses send money, receive money, make card payments, and access overdrafts.

54gene

Seed Round in 2019
54gene develops a pan-African biobank to identify new drug targets, and develop diagnostics and treatments for diseases. The company targets multiple disease states, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neuro-degenerative disease. It also provides genetic testing and molecular diagnostics services. The company was founded in 2019 and is based in San Francisco, California with an additional offices in Lagos, Nigeria.

Schoolable

Seed Round in 2019
Schoolable, a fintech company, focuses on providing access to affordable finance in the private school system in Africa. The company is based in Lagos, Nigeria.

54gene

Seed Round in 2019
54gene develops a pan-African biobank to identify new drug targets, and develop diagnostics and treatments for diseases. The company targets multiple disease states, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neuro-degenerative disease. It also provides genetic testing and molecular diagnostics services. The company was founded in 2019 and is based in San Francisco, California with an additional offices in Lagos, Nigeria.

Allpro Technologies

Pre Seed Round in 2019
Allpro Technologies Limited develops and operates an online platform for schools in Nigeria. The platform offers revenue collection, generates payslips, and allows schools to meet lenders. The company was incorporated in 2017 and is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.

Wallet.ng

Seed Round in 2019
Wallet.ng is a fintech startup that allows people and companies to send, receive, and make payments, using their phone numbers. The company's infrastructure also provides plugins and libraries for merchants to accept payments online with just a URL. Wallet.ng users can pay directly into bank accounts and Pay Utility Bills in Nigeria. Wallet.ng is a mobile payment solution, its core infrastructure is built using technologies which is adaptable for multiple countries across Africa. It was established in Lagos, Lagos by John Oluranti Oke and Joseph Benson-Aruna in 2018..

Paystack

Series A in 2018
Paystack Payments Limited is a technology company that provides payment processing services to businesses across Africa. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, with an additional office in San Francisco, California, Paystack offers an online payment gateway that enables merchants to accept various forms of payment, including credit and debit cards, money transfers, and mobile money. The platform facilitates online transactions for a diverse range of clients, including entrepreneurs, corporates, fintech companies, schools, and betting businesses, allowing them to receive funds from customers worldwide. By streamlining payment acceptance, Paystack aims to enhance the financial ecosystem for businesses in the region.

Buycoins

Seed Round in 2018
BuyCoins is a cryptocurrency trading platform based in Lagos, Nigeria, that allows users to buy, sell, receive, send, and store various cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, and Litecoin. The platform operates through a mobile application, enabling instant trading without the need for users to find individual traders for transactions. This service aims to simplify the cryptocurrency trading experience by providing a seamless and efficient interface for both novice and experienced users.

Oolu

Series A in 2017
Oolu is the fastest growing off-grid solar company West Africa. Our Vision is to be the leading energy and financial service provider to millions of customers in the developing world. Our model, developed with local communities, allows us to reach off-grid households in rural villages offering them modern energy access. With a monthly payment model reducing barriers to access, as well as maintenance, parts and battery replacements included in our service, we save our clients money and assure them a continuous, dependable source of energy. In Wolof, a national language of Senegal, Oolu means ‘trust’. By building trust with the communities in which we work, we can grow together.

Trade Ghana

Seed Round in 2017
Trade is a platform that connects buyers, sellers, and transporters of commodities in Ghana. Trade allows buyers and sellers in Ghana to trade directly, cutting out the middlemen. You pick your quantity, grade, and price and they look for sellers to match you with. They weigh and grade every bag that they trade, deliver directly to you, and will take back any bag you reject, so you can buy without worrying.

Kangpe

Seed Round in 2017
Kangpe Nigeria Limited provides a platform that connects patients with doctors to get advice on their health issues. The company’s subscription-based services enable patients to ask health related questions doctors online; and doctors to give medical advice for symptoms, disease diagnosis, and treatment when patients describe their health condition in a detailed manner. Kangpe Nigeria Limited was founded in 2015 and is based in Lagos, Nigeria.

BuyPower

Seed Round in 2017
BuyPower is a utility payment platform based in Nigeria, focused on providing a convenient solution for electricity bill payments. The platform allows users to recharge their prepaid electricity meters online, offering services for customers in AEDC and JED PLC States. By enabling users to purchase electricity tokens through their phones or computers, BuyPower eliminates the need for physical queues and simplifies the payment process. This online service is designed to enhance the overall customer experience, making it easier for individuals to manage their electricity payments at any time and from any location.

RelianceHMO

Seed Round in 2017
RelianceHMO is a technology-driven health insurance company focused on providing affordable and reliable insurance solutions for the average African. The company aims to make health insurance more accessible by integrating telemedicine with data science, which helps streamline the process and reduce costs. Through its innovative approach, RelianceHMO addresses the challenges of the healthcare system in Africa, ensuring that more individuals can gain access to necessary medical services.

New Incentives

Venture Round in 2016
New Incentives implements cash transfer programs that save lives. We encourage Nigerian mothers to immunize their infants to protect them against deadly diseases.

Paystack

Pre Seed Round in 2016
Paystack Payments Limited is a technology company that provides payment processing services to businesses across Africa. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, with an additional office in San Francisco, California, Paystack offers an online payment gateway that enables merchants to accept various forms of payment, including credit and debit cards, money transfers, and mobile money. The platform facilitates online transactions for a diverse range of clients, including entrepreneurs, corporates, fintech companies, schools, and betting businesses, allowing them to receive funds from customers worldwide. By streamlining payment acceptance, Paystack aims to enhance the financial ecosystem for businesses in the region.

Oolu

Seed Round in 2015
Oolu is the fastest growing off-grid solar company West Africa. Our Vision is to be the leading energy and financial service provider to millions of customers in the developing world. Our model, developed with local communities, allows us to reach off-grid households in rural villages offering them modern energy access. With a monthly payment model reducing barriers to access, as well as maintenance, parts and battery replacements included in our service, we save our clients money and assure them a continuous, dependable source of energy. In Wolof, a national language of Senegal, Oolu means ‘trust’. By building trust with the communities in which we work, we can grow together.