Seedstars Capital, an alternative investment platform focused in emerging and frontier markets, announced the first closing of its second seed fund for emerging markets, Seedstars International Ventures II. Over the next three years, this vehicle intends to invest in a hundred companies in the pre-seed and seed stages across African, Asian, the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA), and Latin American startups. Investments will prioritise enterprises in the banking, trade, health, and education sectors.
“Our risk-mitigation strategy innovates on multiple levels, whether through geographic diversity, portfolio construction method, value generation platform, or blended finance structure. We have a unique recipe, an outstanding staff, and backers in place to help digital entrepreneurs all around the world,” says Charlie Graham-Brown (pictured), Partner at Seedstars, Seedstars Capital’s parent business.
Long before this new fund, Seedstars’ original vehicle for emerging markets invested in 81 startups in over 30 countries, with commitments in numerous locations throughout the world, including Nigeria.
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Venture capital flows into emerging nations account for only 4% of worldwide volumes, according to Seedstars Capital. They have, however, increased at a pace of 40% year on year. “That is six times faster than the global average.” The African tech ecosystem, according to the firm, is thriving. Since 2019, Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa have garnered 83 percent of all funding in the region and inked 78 percent of all $1 million-plus agreements in Africa.
Seedstars is gearing up to launch Seedstars Capital, a platform for a number of regional and thematic funds. Since its inception in 2013, the firm has assisted more than 90 venture capital ecosystems in emerging markets.
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Beyond financial funding, the platform gives the required tools and processes, access to a network of mentors, and fundraising assistance to help the companies in its portfolio develop.
Seedstars fund African startups Seedstars fund African startups
Charles Rapulu Udoh
Charles Rapulu Udoh is a Lagos-based lawyer, who has several years of experience working in Africa’s burgeoning tech startup industry. He has closed multi-million dollar deals bordering on venture capital, private equity, intellectual property (trademark, patent or design, etc.), mergers and acquisitions, in countries such as in the Delaware, New York, UK, Singapore, British Virgin Islands, South Africa, Nigeria etc. He’s also a corporate governance and cross-border data privacy and tax expert.
As an award-winning writer and researcher, he is passionate about telling the African startup story, and is one of the continent’s pioneers in this regard. You can book a session and speak with him using the link: https://insightsbyexperts.com/view_expert/charles-rapulu-udoh