Launch Africa Backs 15 Startups in 2026 as Early-Stage Cheques Slow
The pan-African VC firm completed 15 new investments in 2026, targeting early-stage deals many investors have pulled back from.
AfroEuropa Newsroom
AfroEuropa desk
Launch Africa Ventures has invested in 15 startups so far in 2026, concentrating on early-stage companies at a time when many other investors have eased back on such deals, according to TechCabal.
The wider funding environment showed mixed signals at the start of the year. African startups raised $711 million in the first quarter, a rise of about 27% compared with the same period in 2025, indicating that the recovery underway since 2025 was continuing. However, the number of deals valued between $100,000 and $500,000 dropped from 140 to 92, a fall of roughly 30%. The smallest early-stage cheques declined more steeply, from 73 to 32. TechCabal also reported that debt financing surpassed equity funding for the first time in recent quarters.
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