Launch Africa Ventures

Launch Africa Ventures was founded by Zachariah George and Janade Du Plessis in 2020. Zach and Janade have been pioneers of early-stage venture capital in Africa since 2014, bridging the funding gap for Seed and pre-Series A startups across the African continent. Zach’s investment banking and Angel investing experience together with Janade's expertise in entrepreneurship, research and banking provided the early foundation from which the broader Launch Africa team have gone on to invest, grow and scale more than 150 startups across Africa solving critical challenges across multiple sectors.

Since 2020, Launch Africa has raised just over US$36 million in its first fund, investing US$31 million into 133 startups across 22 countries, with impressive returns. They aim to convert investments into distributions and launch new funds, nurturing top-performing portfolio companies. It is currently raising and deploying from its second fund (target: US$75 million), and has already invested in 25 startups.

Their success lies in fostering strong relationships, democratizing venture capital access, and learning from global ecosystems.

Closing the funding gap is vital for innovation and growth, making Launch Africa a pivotal force in Africa's startup landscape.