Startup Researcher - Africa: Week 20, 2025

May 19, 2025
Startup Researcher - Africa: Week 20, 2025

This week on Startup Researcher Africa: Stripe widens its tax-automation service to five more African markets, PalmPay tops FT’s growth list with 35 million users, and Nawy lands a $75 million war chest for AI-driven real estate. Press play for the essentials:

Top Headlines

  • Stripe expands tax-compliance automation to five additional African countries, easing cross-border scaling for startups.
  • PalmPay, crowned Africa’s fastest-growing fintech by the Financial Times, plots entry into four new markets.
  • Cross Switch acquires Pesawise to launch Kenyan payments infrastructure.
  • Nigeria’s Central Bank unveils a digital BVN for the diaspora, targeting $1 billion in monthly remittances.
  • Chowdeck debuts in Ghana with 30-minute delivery and rider-rewards.

Funding News

  • Nawy raises $75 million (equity + debt) and acquires ROA to boost AI-powered proptech across MENA.
  • AURA closes $15.1 million to globalize its smart emergency-response API.
  • BURN secures $5 million to deploy 100 000 electric stoves in Kenya.
  • Sycamore nets $935 k to scale SME lending tools.
  • THE WHITEGUARD scores a six-figure pre-seed to advance AI cybersecurity in MEA.

Investor & Ecosystem Moves

  • EIB Global and Family Bank launch a $111 million credit line for women- and youth-led SMEs in Kenya.

Spotlight

  • Startup of the Week: Nawy – end-to-end proptech with fractional ownership and BNPL options.
  • Investor of the Week: Family Bank – championing inclusion via a major SME financing package.

Opportunity Radar

  • Techstars NYC Accelerator – apply by 11 June 2025 for hands-on support and a 4 800-startup network.

Catch the full rundown to stay ahead of Africa’s fast-moving startup and VC scene.

Africa Startup News: Stripe, PalmPay, Nawy - Week 20