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In just six years, one venture capital firm has quietly become the most important first-check writer on the African continent. Launch Africa Ventures has backed more than 180 portfolio companies across 25 countries, screened over 8,000 startups, and in September 2026, partnered with the Africa Blockchain Festival (ABF) 2026.
The VC firm is a story born during one of our worst periods and evolved into the institutional backbone of early-stage investing across Africa.
Launch Africa Was Built When Venture Capital Pulled Back
Launch Africa Ventured began its story in July 2020 when Zachariah George and Janade Du Plessis decided to combine their experience in seed and pre-Series A startups across the continent since 2014.
During this period the entire world froze because of COVID-19, forcing most investors to pull back. However, George and Du Plessis did the opposite and spent 15 months raising $36.2 million entirely through Zoom conversations.
This grit and determination consolidated more than 250 partners from over 40 countries to commit to a Seed Fund I. Prior to its founding, the entire continent recorded just 164 and 250 VC tech deals, respectively, with equity funding totaling $1.2 billion and $2 billion.
By 2023, deals had grown to 473 (a 17% compound annual growth rate), while total equity investment reached $2.3 billion.
RELATED: The $731 Million Underdog: How Obiex Conquered African Crypto Without a Single VC Check
The firm’s track record is impressive:
Seed Fund I (2020–2023):
- 133 investments totaling $31 million deployed across 22 African countries
- First institutional investor in the DRC, Cameroon, Madagascar, Benin, Sudan, and several other frontier markets
- 11 successful exits generating a $2.5 million cash distribution to investors in June 2026 (approximately 7% of paid-in capital)
- Current internal rate of return (IRR) of 31%
- Failure rate of just 12%
- Fund lifespan of 5–7 years, significantly shorter than the traditional VC model of 10–12 years
Total Portfolio (2026):
- More than 180 portfolio companies across 25 countries
- 1,200+ startups reviewed annually before making investment decisions
- Over 8,000 startup opportunities screened since inception
- Access to a network of more than 400 limited partners across 45 countries
As Zachariah George stated back in 2022:
“I can’t think of a single fund that covers as many markets as we do. We’re doing deals in the DRC, Madagascar, Sudan, Botswana, Benin, and Togo. People use the word “pan-African” loosely, but when we say “pan-African,” we truly mean what we do.”
In 2026, the focus remains on Africa. As George noted:
“Venture capital is ultimately judged on realized returns, not paper gains. We are proud to show that African technology companies can generate liquidity and that our investors can receive cash while significant upside still remains in the portfolio.”
From Fintech to AI, Launch Africa Is Widening Its Bet
As per the firm, its Fund I initiative focused on payment gateways, payment rails, lending platforms, SME financing, and invoice discounting. It was pure logic since finance is the backbone of all economic activities. As a result, Fund I portfolio companies include Kuda (Nigeria), MarketForce (Kenya), GOMYCODE (Tunisia), Bloom (Sudan), and Releaf (Nigeria).
Fund II took a new tangent, closing 15 new investments spanning 2026 in AI, the future of work, B2B commerce, supply chain infrastructure, and embedded finance across Francophone, Northern, Western, and Southern African markets.
Recent portfolio additions include Agridex (agriculture), Udu Technologies, Fincart (logistics), Khaima (AI), Mainstack, and Legendary Foods.
RELATED: How Regulation Is Turning Kenya Into Africa’s Next Blockchain Leader.
Furthermore, Launch Africa Ventures was among the first African funds to use SAFE notes at scale rather than direct equity. This enabled faster capital deployment to founders who needed to move quickly.
Uwem Uwemakpan, Head of Investments at Launch Africa Ventures, stated:
“The most important number in African tech this year isn’t the total raised; it’s how few first checks are being written. When the market retreats from early-stage, the companies still being formed face less competition, raise at more rational prices, and are being built on infrastructure that simply didn’t exist in the last cycle. We invest where the rest of the market isn’t looking yet, not where it already is. If nobody underwrites company formation in 2026, there is no Series A class in 2029. We intend to back that pipeline.”
ABF 2026 Brings Launch Africa Face-to-Face With Its Next Investments
The Africa Blockchain Festival 2026, taking place October 15–17 at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, is expected to draw more than 3,000 technology players.
Among the numerous activities at the event, the ABF Fellowship Programme 2026 stands out as a core highlight. A new initiative connecting promising African blockchain and AI founders with investors, VC networks, and mentorship opportunities.
Launch Africa Ventures has partnered with the Africa Blockchain Festival alongside Antler, a global early-stage VC, and Hevy Hub.
Their specific roles include:
- Supporting startup vetting on the ground to identify high-potential founders
- Contributing to pitch competition judging with experienced investor perspectives
- Providing access to the ABF Deal Room, which is a dedicated environment for focused investment conversations and potential deal-making
- Offering post-event mentorship beyond the festival
As Olubunmi Fabanwo, co-founder and CEO of the Africa Blockchain Festival, explained:
“We don’t want Africa Blockchain Festival to simply be a place where people spend three days talking about the future of technology. We want founders to walk into the festival with an idea, or a growing company, and leave with new relationships, investor conversations, mentorship, and a clearer pathway towards scaling their business.”
Janade Du Plessis framed the firm’s long-term ambition:
“From day one, we set out to build a venture platform that pairs broad market access with disciplined portfolio management. This distribution is the product of years of work, backing founders, building strategic relationships, and actively engineering liquidity for our investors.”
So attending ABF 2026 is your chance to access a $300,000 investment and a network that already features several success stories.
In an ecosystem where first checks are becoming scarce, understanding who is still writing them is essential intelligence for any founder serious about building the next generation of African technology infrastructure.
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