AXIAN INVESTS IN PARTECH AFRICA, A FUND WITH PIONEER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES IN AFRICA

To strengthen its business support strategy, Axian has decided to invest in one of the rare Venture Capital funds that specialize in African start-ups. The fund will support outstanding entrepreneurs addressing large African opportunities, focusing on the continent’s promising sectors such as financial inclusion (Fintech, InsurTech), mobility, mobile and online services (commerce, leisure, education, health), supply chain and the digitalization of the informal economy.

Partech Africa is part of the global investment firm Partech, which has offices in Paris, San Francisco, Berlin and Dakar. The African entity therefore benefits from the unique experience of Partech’s teams in supporting and developing start-ups. This expertise is all the more valuable as Partech which was created in Silicon Valley in the early 1980’s has supported the emergence of many American and European tech champions across all industries.

By joining Partech Africa’s investors’ team, Axian confirms its commitment to support talented entrepreneurs and to give African start-ups, VSEs and SMEs the opportunity to develop successfully. Since its launch in early 2018, Partech Africa has already attracted many prestigious investors such as major financial institutions led by IFC, member of the World Bank Group, and including the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Averroès Finance III (fund of funds managed by Bpifrance and co-sponsored with Proparco) as well as major international corporate partners.

This partnership also aims to strengthen Axian’s knowledge of the African entrepreneurial ecosystem and «Tech» markets.

According to Hassanein Hiridjee, CEO of Axian ”By supporting and promoting the expression, creativity and dynamism of many African entrepreneurs, we allow the emergence of projects with an impact on the continent. These projects can be great development accelerators by improving the daily lives of thousands of people.”

STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS THAT WILL SUPPORT NEXTA’S ACTIONS : THE AXIAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM.

Axian’s equity investment in Partech Africa comes as an addition to the Group’s three recent investment operations in Africa. In 2017, Axian invested in the Adenia Capital IV and ECP IV funds. Recently, the Group has entered into the capital of MIARAKAP, the first malagasy impact fund entirely dedicated to supporting VSEs and SMEs. In the continuity of its investments, Axian contributes directly to strengthen the Malagasy economic structure through a dedicated platform named NextA, the newborn startup campus in Madagascar and the Indian Ocean Area. This platform will open in a few the coming months with a 1,250m² campus entirely dedicated to promote entrepreneurship. It aims at helping project leaders to achieve their goals and ambitions. A team of experts will advise, coach and train entrepreneurs throughout the realization of their project. This new platform is bound to be the game-changer of the face of the business & entrepreneurship ecosystem in Madagascar. It comprises spaces for incubation, co-working; amphitheatre and booths where users of the place can get advice.

Read the press release