54 Collective, after its rebranding, is set to launch an Egyptian office before the end of this year 2024 to solidify its position as a top force in the African venture capital landscape, leveraging its expertise, networks, and local presence to help early-stage African startups grow and thrive.
54 Collective, with over 70 staff members in Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and the UK has evolved from investing only in the Agtech, Fintech, and Healthtech sectors to being sector-agnostic in its investments, to supporting more founders across many sectors on the continent.
54 Collective is not new in Egypt and North Africa, having invested in various startups from the region but the Egyptian office will help 54 Collective connect more with founders from the Maghreb region, and help them navigate complex challenges to achieve commercial success and make an impact in their markets.
The fund already has offices in Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and the UK and to date, has supported more than 70 ventures across Africa. It has also helped its portfolio startups to raise nearly $140 million in follow-on capital. The pan-African VC gives entrepreneurs up to $250,000 in equity funding, supported by low-interest loans of up to $150,000 that are paid back at a price round. Women founders can further receive an even lower interest rate loan up to $150,000 supporting to break barriers of access.
“54 Collective is committed to building a thriving ecosystem that propels local startups to new heights while driving growth and innovation across all 54 African countries,” said 54 Collective CEO Bongani Sithole. “We invite ambitious entrepreneurs and forward-thinking investors in Kenya and beyond to join 54 Collective in shaping the future of African entrepreneurship. With our new operating model, the opportunities to scale businesses and create lasting impact are unmatched—now is the time to be part of this transformative journey.
The firm is a commercial-first investor and embeds impact in everything it does. 54 Collective invests in ventures from idea to Pre-Series A stage by offering catalytic capital, and value-add support through its Venture Success Platform.
“Our catalytic capital and value-add support to founders, signifies our evolution and ongoing mission to support entrepreneurs across Africa and enable them to build without boundaries to drive commercial and impact returns. Our name change to 54 Collective communicates our continued commitment to African founders. We are more supportive than ever of unlocking opportunities for entrepreneurs and ensuring a level playing field for youth and women founders,” Sithole said during the rebrand.
With seven of the world’s fastest-growing economies in Africa, the continent’s venture capital sector is rapidly expanding, with $6 billion invested annually. However, this represents less than 1 percent of global venture funding, indicating a significant unmet need for smart capital.
54 Collective aims to invest in 105 startups across Africa in the next five years, enabling entrepreneurs to provide solutions to the continent’s biggest challenges and transforming lives and industries.
54 Collective provides entrepreneurs in Kenya and newly in South Africa and Nigeria with the ability to engage with entrepreneurship as a career path, have access to needed knowledge and resources, and accelerate their entrepreneurship journey through the the Entrepreneur Academy by 54 Collective. Its mission is simple, to make entrepreneurship accessible to all.
54 Collective also offers Explore, a digital platform providing essential knowledge and tools to help entrepreneurs turn ideas into businesses, and the Business Support Accelerator, a 12-week programme designed to accelerate SME growth and foster a community of like-minded entrepreneurs. These services will be offered in Egypt as well.