Through equity crowdfunding, two African companies have raised more than R6 million (USD 345 K) in just six weeks, surpassing their minimal investment targets. GoGetta, a recently formed equity-based crowdfunding platform that is solely dedicated to African businesses, organised the event.
The two companies are Trailored, a maker of custom trailers headquartered in Gauteng, which raised R2.275 million, and Shuthuka Flagship Farm, a macadamia farming company based in KwaZulu-Natal, which raised R4 million (USD 231 K) in capital for expansion (131 K).
Read also South African Crypto Startup Centbee Raises $1M To Facilitate More Cross Border Remittances
GoGetta is an equity-based crowdfunding platform that provides investors with access to reputable venture capital possibilities and enables African business owners to raise money. Investors can put as little as R1000 into a variety of enterprises (about 60 USD). A significant amount of the money for Shuthuka came from the venture capital firm WDB Growth Fund, a division of WDB Investment Holdings, which also made an investment in Trailored. Individual investors or a group of investors provided the remaining funds.
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