Electric mobility startup Zeno has raised $25 million in a Series A funding round to expand its electric motorcycle production and battery‑charging infrastructure across East Africa, as demand for cleaner and cheaper transport alternatives grows in the region.
The funding round combines equity and debt financing and will support the scale‑up of the company’s Emara electric motorcycle alongside the rollout of battery‑swap stations and charging points across major urban centres.
The equity portion of the round was led by Congruent Ventures, with participation from investors including Active Impact Investments and Lowercarbon Capital, while debt financing was provided by Trifecta Capital and Camber Road.
Zeno said the new funding will help accelerate production of its electric motorcycles and expand its multi‑modal charging network, which includes battery‑swap stations, public charging hubs and home‑charging options for riders and fleet operators.
The company currently operates in several East African cities and has deployed more than 150 charging points serving close to 1,000 customers, including delivery fleets and motorcycle taxi riders.
Electric motorcycles are increasingly viewed as a key entry point for Africa’s energy transition because they offer significantly lower operating costs compared with petrol‑powered bikes. Zeno estimates riders can cut operating expenses by roughly half by switching to electric models.
The investment comes amid a rising wave of activity in Africa’s electric mobility sector. Established players such as Ampersand, which operates thousands of e‑motorcycles and an extensive battery‑swap network in Rwanda and Kenya, are scaling rapidly, while companies like Spiro are expanding across multiple countries with tens of thousands of bikes and hundreds of swap stations. Other startups, including Ghana‑based Kofa, are developing battery swapping systems and tailored e‑motorcycles, further intensifying competition and innovation in the region’s EV ecosystem.
Zeno said it plans to use the new capital to expand its presence across additional East African markets while strengthening its charging infrastructure and energy subscription services.