Pioneering Access to Ethiopia's Thriving Market for African Startups
At Kazana Fund, we focus on identifying and supporting exceptional founders at the pre-seed and seed stages who are building innovative solutions across all sectors in East Africa's rapidly evolving markets. With a particular emphasis on facilitating expansion into Ethiopia's untapped market of 120+ million people, we're not just investing in companies – we're helping shape the future of East Africa's business landscape.
Our Regional Focus
East Africa As An Innovation Hub
We primarily invest in startups based in East Africa's key technology hubs, including Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Our strategic presence in these markets allows us to identify promising ventures early and provide them with the support they need to scale.
Ethiopia Gateway
As Ethiopia undergoes significant economic liberalization and digital transformation, we serve as a gateway for startups looking to enter this dynamic market. Our deep understanding of Ethiopia's business landscape, regulatory environment, and local partnerships positions us uniquely to help portfolio companies navigate and succeed in this high-potential market.
Cross-Border Opportunities
We actively seek startups with the potential to scale across multiple East African markets, leveraging our regional network and expertise to facilitate cross-border expansion and growth.
What We Look For
Strong Founding Teams
We back exceptional founders who demonstrate deep market understanding, strong execution capabilities, and the resilience to build lasting companies. We value teams that combine local market expertise with innovative approaches to solving problems.
Market Opportunity
We invest in companies addressing significant market opportunities in East Africa, with business models that have the potential to scale. We're particularly interested in solutions that could thrive in Ethiopia's large and growing market.
Innovation & Technology
We seek companies leveraging technology to solve real problems and create scalable solutions. Whether it's fintech, e-commerce, or enterprise software, we value innovative approaches that can transform industries.
Growth Potential
We look for businesses with clear paths to scalability and strong unit economics. Companies should demonstrate potential for regional expansion and the ability to capture significant market share.
Investment Approach
We are industry agnostic as we believe most early-stage companies have similar development areas
Our Five Pillars
- 1. We back mission driven companies: job creation and GDP transforming technologies (ie. Companies responsible for materially improving citizens life)
- 2. We invest in founders that are building climate conscious and scalable businesses
- 3. 2x aligned
- 4. We want to provide the most value-add per invested dollar by leveraging our background and network
- 5. We are on the mission not just to democratize access to capital but also to develop an ecosystem of investors, subject matter experts and strategic partners that support entrepreneurs
Building East Africa's Future
If you're a founder building innovative solutions in any sector for East Africa, with ambitions to expand into Ethiopia's dynamic market, we want to hear from you.