Enza Capital has launched a dedicated fund for artificial intelligence startups and AI-enabled companies in Africa. The firm has raised $58 million across its first two funds. It has made 75 investments in 47 companies across nine African countries.
Where it invests
Enza does not expect to fund companies building frontier models. It will back startups that adapt AI to African languages, data, and infrastructure. Its portfolio includes Hakimu AI, Lua, and Aethex AI.
Firm background
Enza was founded in 2019 by Mike Mompi, Sir John Lazar, and David Cohen. Sir John previously ran Metaswitch, which Microsoft acquired in 2020. The firm runs an office of the CTO and AI Tinkerers chapters in Nairobi, Lagos, Cairo, and Johannesburg.
What it looks for
Enza looks for AI-native and AI-enabled companies with deep market knowledge. It favors startups with proprietary data, distribution, or workflow integration. The firm also screens for strong margins because AI inference costs can squeeze profits.
Enza is currently working on its 12th AI investment. The firm is also building an ecosystem initiative with Cassava. It helped launch Clearflow Markets to make private company share sales easier.
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