This week on Startup Researcher Africa: Cape Verde unveils a $51.5 million TechPark, Klivvr debuts FRA-approved BNPL in Egypt, and MNT-Halan issues Egypt’s largest corporate bond at $49 million. Hit play for the week’s essential rundown:
Top Headlines
- TechPark CV launches in Cape Verde to link West Africa with Europe and the Americas.
- Klivvr rolls out FRA-approved BNPL in Egypt for instant app-based payments.
- PalmPay maps pushes into South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Uganda, and Tanzania.
- Nigerian court denies bail to Afriq Arbitrage CEO over $854 k crypto-fraud charges.
- Treepz partners with Miva Open University to handle nationwide staff transport in Nigeria.
Funding News
- MNT-Halan completes a record $49 million bond issuance to power SME lending.
- Money Fellows raises $13 million to grow its digital ROSCA platform across Africa and MENA.
- iSUPPLY secures $3 million Sharia-compliant financing for ethical pharma distribution.
- Platos Health lands $1.4 million pre-seed for AI health monitoring in Nigeria.
- Career 180 gets six-figure backing to export its LMS into the Gulf and Europe.
Exit Watch
- Henk Pretorius acquires no-code agency Tinkso to scale AI-driven software solutions.
Investor & Ecosystem Moves
- AGF × OAPI unlock $70 million to fund patent-backed deep-tech SMEs in Francophone Africa.
- Swedfund injects $15 million into TLG Africa Fund II for SME resilience.
- Teranga Capital raises $3.4 million to expand into Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, and Cape Verde.
- Madinet Masr launches a VC arm for proptech innovation in Egypt.
Spotlight
- Startup of the Week: MNT-Halan – Egypt’s first fintech unicorn, now fueling growth via landmark bond.
- Investor of the Week: TLG Capital – private-credit specialist scaling impact with a $200 million fund.
Opportunity Radar
- Y Combinator Summer 2025 – apply by 13 May 2025 for $500 k funding and a global founder network.
Stream the episode for a crisp, data-rich tour of Africa’s startup and VC landscape.