Visa has brought together founders, investors, and industry leaders in Cape Town for the Demo Day of the fourth cohort of its Africa Fintech Accelerator. The event marks the culmination of a three month program designed to help early and growth stage fintech startups refine their products, strengthen their business models, and expand into new markets. It also underlines Visa’s long term commitment to Africa’s rapidly evolving digital payments and fintech ecosystem.
Visa Showcases Cohort 4 in Cape Town
Cohort 4 features 22 high growth startups drawn from 12 African countries and operating across 31 markets. The companies presented their solutions in Cape Town after an intensive period of mentoring, product work, and go to market support focused on digital commerce and financial inclusion. Their innovations span a range of use cases that aim to simplify payments, broaden access to financial services, and support small and medium sized enterprises.
Women Led Innovation at the Core
A defining characteristic of this cohort is the prominence of women in leadership roles. Eight of the participating startups are led by female founders, and 90 percent of the companies include women in their leadership teams. This profile reflects a broader push to ensure that the next generation of African fintech champions is shaped by diverse perspectives and more inclusive decision making.
North Africa and Pan African Momentum
The program also spotlights a growing wave of innovation from North Africa. Visa executives highlighted four standout companies from the region, namely Flend and Mnzl from Egypt, as well as Hsabati and Woliz from Morocco, which are building solutions tailored to local needs with potential to scale across the continent. Their participation underscores how regional hubs are increasingly connected to pan African growth trajectories in fintech.
Accelerator Track Record and Alumni Impact
With the completion of Cohort 4, Visa has now accelerated 86 African fintech startups through the program. Collectively, these alumni hold a cumulative valuation of around 1.3 billion dollars, reflecting strong investor interest and market traction. Many have gone on to enter new countries, raise follow on funding, and deepen commercial collaborations with Visa and other ecosystem partners.
Pathways to Investment and Global Partnerships
The accelerator offers participating startups structured access to expertise and networks that are hard to build alone. Companies receive targeted support in product design, marketing, finance, and sales, alongside one to one mentorship from seasoned founders and industry specialists. Through Visa’s global network, they are also introduced to potential investors and commercial partners, creating a clearer route from pilot stage to scaled deployment.
Corporate Partners and Ecosystem Collaboration
This year’s edition expanded collaboration with three strategic corporate partners, namely Bank of Africa, Onafriq, and First Bank of Nigeria. These institutions contributed market insights, operational capabilities, and access to distribution channels that helped startups stress test and refine their models. Their involvement opened doors for proof of concept projects, commercial agreements, and future investment discussions that can accelerate adoption of new fintech solutions.
Africa’s Fintech Growth Outlook
The broader context for the program is a sector that continues to grow at speed. McKinsey estimates that fintech revenues in Africa could reach 47 billion dollars by 2028, up from about 10 billion dollars in 2023, highlighting the scale of the opportunity for innovators and investors. According to the European Investment Bank, the number of active fintech companies on the continent nearly tripled between 2020 and early 2024, reinforcing the case for platforms that can help these firms mature.
By convening its fourth cohort Demo Day in Cape Town, Visa is signaling that African fintech is entering a new phase of scale and sophistication. The strong representation of women in leadership, the geographic diversity of startups, and the growing web of corporate and investment partnerships all point to a more resilient and interconnected ecosystem. As alumni continue to expand across markets, the accelerator is set to remain a key platform for translating African fintech innovation into sustainable commercial impact.