Chanzo Capital, a venture and growth capital firm, has launched a program to help African entrepreneurs access finance and scale their businesses across the continent.
- •The initiative, launched at the Two Rivers International Finance & Innovation Centre (TRIFIC), is a collaboration between Chanzo Capital, Graca Machel Trust, AfriSHELA, and the UK Kenya Tech Hub (UKKTH).
“Startup investing is about helping founders to build sustainable businesses. When investors, founders, and ecosystems collaborate, we create long-term value that benefits not just individual companies, but entire industries,” said Eric Osiakwan, Managing Partner at Chanzo Capital. He reinforced this by referencing an African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
The Angel Investors Masterclass featured Abigail Komu of The Nairobi Business Angel Network (NaiBAN), who led a session on Angel Investing 101. She emphasized the critical role of mentorship in funding early-stage businesses.
She highlighted the success of NaiBAN, which was founded four years ago and has since grown to over 170 members, collectively deploying more than $1 million into Kenyan startups. Many members actively support startups by sitting on advisory boards, ensuring that investments go beyond capital to include strategic guidance.
In a fireside chat, Ian Kabiru, CEO of ONESPACE, spoke with Kanini Mutooni, Managing Director at DRK Foundation, about the challenges of securing sustainable funding in Africa.
The Female Investors Panel brought together Andia Chakava (GMT), Marie Nielsen (ANTLER), Lilian Mramba (Grassroots Business Fund), and Njeri Muhia (FrontEnd Ventures) to discuss the need for greater female participation in venture funding.
The Startup Pitch Session featured some of Africa’s most promising entrepreneurs from Ghana, South Africa, Uganda, and Kenya, who presented their innovations to potential investors and ecosystem partners.
The afternoon session shifted focus to Market Entry and Scale-Up Strategies, led by COSSA and UKKTH. They introduced an updated Market Entry Support Toolkit, now covering Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, and DR Congo—providing startups with the insights and resources needed to navigate expansion into new markets.
READ; Two Rivers SEZ, ONESPACE Launch Initiative to Upscale Tech Companies
