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Welcome to another edition of 🔍 Startup Researcher - Asia, your essential digest delivering the latest news and premium insights on startups and venture capital across the region 🌏️
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📰 Important News
- MNT-Halan is targeting a $4.5 to 5 billion lending portfolio by 2026, a 40% growth from 2025, focusing on consumer financing and technology.
- Ghana legalized virtual asset trading under a new framework, clarifying crypto rules while enforcing strict oversight and risk controls.
- Clea launched a blockchain USD payment platform for Nigerian importers, after processing $4 million in pilot.
- Paymob partnered with SIDEUP to enhance e-commerce payments for 3,000+ online stores in Egypt and MENA.
- OneDosh launched a stablecoin cross-border payments platform, opening a US-Nigeria corridor with plans to expand further.
💸 Top Funding Rounds
- KaliSpot raised $4 million to expand its 1Net financial ATM network across African markets, enhancing cash-in/cash-out services and financial inclusion.
- Woliz landed $2.2 million from Sanlam Maroc to digitize neighborhood retail, using AI and data to unify merchants and suppliers.
- Egypt-based agritech Croptimus secured an undisclosed investment from Venture X to scale its technology and expand regionally and internationally.
🏦 About Investors
- Fondation BantuHub and L’Archer Group announced a $1.1 million equity fund launching in 2026, to support Congolese startups through a 24-month incubation program aiming to boost fintech, AI and B2B innovation in CEMAC.
🚀Startup of the Week
Introducing our Startup of the Week 🏆
KaliSpot
KaliSpot, founded by Mika Diol and backed by 500 Global, is emerging as a key fintech infrastructure player in Africa through its 1Net network of agnostic financial ATMs that integrate banks, mobile money operators, and fintechs for seamless cash services. The startup recently raised $4 million in equity and debt, welcoming Sékou Drame (ex-CEO of Sonatel) as a new investor alongside existing angels and a sub-regional institution. Already active across West and Central Africa, KaliSpot plans expansion into Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, and Guinea in 2026, reinforcing its mission to extend financial access and bridge cash with digital services for underserved communities.
💼 Investor of the Week
Introducing our Investor of the Week 🏆
Slow-Build VC Fund
The newly launched $1.1 million “Slow-Build” VC fund from Fondation BantuHub and L’Archer Group represents a fresh investment vehicle designed to nurture early-stage startups and SMEs in the Republic of Congo and the wider CEMAC region. Positioned as a venture capital fund with a long-horizon incubation approach, it will run a 24-month acceleration model rather than pursuing rapid, high-volume deal cycles. The initiative is led by Vérone Mankou of BantuHub and Gilles Tchamba of L’Archer Group, blending ecosystem knowledge with institutional financial strength. With a focus on Fintech, AI, and B2B services, the fund aims to formalize venture financing in Central Africa and build a scalable pathway for regional innovation and growth.
🤑 Opportunity Radar
Call for Applications: Hub71+ Life Sciences Health Innovation Program
Hub71+ Life Sciences in Abu Dhabi is now accepting applications for Cohort 19 with a deadline of February 1, 2026. Startups receive $70,000 cash via SAFE plus $70,000 in in-kind support, alongside mentorship, capital access, and corporate partnerships. Targeted at biotech, MedTech, and digital health founders, onboarding begins June 2026 with the program kicking off in September 2026. Apply now to scale with a global health innovation ecosystem behind you.
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