CV VC is reinforcing its commitment to Africa’s tech landscape with a new push into blockchain-enabled growth on the continent. The Swiss-headquartered venture capital firm, which also operates from Cape Town, now backs 13 African startups across five countries. Recent investments in OkHi and Turnstay underscore its belief that blockchain infrastructure will anchor the next phase of Africa’s digital economy.
CV VC’s Global Footprint and Model
The African portfolio forms part of a global platform of 77 investments focused on frontier technologies built on blockchain rails. CV VC combines direct equity investments with a proprietary accelerator that supports B2B and B2C companies driving financial inclusion, data transparency, decentralized infrastructure, and sustainable services. Hubs in Crypto Valley in Switzerland, Dubai, London, Berlin, Lisbon, and Cape Town connect African founders to international capital, expertise, and partnerships.
Africa as a Long-Term Growth Frontier
Co-founder and Chief Investment Officer Olaf Hannemann describes Africa as one of the most attractive long-term technology growth stories of the coming decades. Structural issues such as fragmented value exchange, unreliable data, and persistent infrastructure gaps create clear problem sets that blockchain can help solve. In financial services, big data and AI, and infrastructure coordination, CV VC views blockchain as a base layer for more efficient and trusted systems.
Demographics, Digital Adoption, and Inclusion
Africa is the world’s youngest and one of its fastest urbanizing regions, with a median age of 19 and a projected population of 2.5 billion by 2050. A recent Boston Consulting Group report suggests that within five years, half of all Africans will belong to Generation Alpha, making up a significant share of global youth. This mobile-first, digital-native population is fueling demand for new solutions in finance, AI, logistics, connectivity, agriculture, and energy.
Portfolio Companies Delivering Impact
Across Africa, CV VC-backed startups already serve about 2.5 million users, generate growing revenue, and employ more than 100 people. OkHi, based in Nigeria, uses artificial intelligence and smartphones to create and verify digital addresses, bringing more people and businesses into formal systems. South Africa’s Turnstay helps African travel companies accept global payments by using stablecoin-based cross-border settlement.
Use Cases Across Key Sectors
In Kenya, Shamba Records is building farm-to-table data traceability that digitizes supply chains and boosts smallholder farmer incomes. Nigerian startup House Africa applies blockchain-based property validation to reduce fraud in opaque real estate markets and collaborates with public authorities on secure land records. South African neobank Kasi targets gig workers with digital banking, credit, and blockchain-powered remittances designed for underserved customers.
Investment Strategy and Ecosystem Reach
CV VC’s African strategy, led by Jarryd Kennedy and Brenton Naicker, is grounded in impact-focused investing aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. The firm stresses patient, locally informed capital, arguing that success requires understanding 54 distinct markets with different cultures, regulations, and business environments. Through its CV Labs hubs and participation in events such as AfricaArena, CV VC connects startups, corporates, and governments to accelerate blockchain adoption.
About CV VC
CV VC runs an integrated model that combines venture capital portfolios, hedge fund strategies, accelerator programs, advisory services, and ecosystem development via CV Labs. With hubs in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, CV Labs offers co-working, industry events, and research that link founders with institutional investors and corporate partners. The leadership team includes Chairman Philipp Rickenbacher, Vice Chairman Alex Wassmer, former German Vice Chancellor Philipp Rösler, founder and Chief Executive Officer Mathias Ruch, and co-founder and Chief Investment Officer Olaf Hannemann.
By expanding its African blockchain portfolio, CV VC is betting that digital infrastructure will be central to the continent’s next phase of economic growth and its contribution to global sustainability. Its investments show how African founders are using decentralized technologies to tackle local pain points while building scalable platforms with regional and global relevance. As demographic momentum and digital adoption accelerate, the firm is positioning itself as a long-term partner in Africa’s blockchain-powered transformation.