We partner with founders building a more resilient future

We back tech startups seeking to improve the resilience of underserved,
climate-vulnerable communities

Venture building in the trenches: the Catalyst Fund's innovative approach to accelerating success for startups in Africa

Our SUPPORTERS

A pre-seed fund and accelerator

We back tech startups seeking to improve the resilience of underserved, climate-vulnerable communities

Mission-driven founders

We partner with founders who share our vision of a world where every individual has the tools and opportunities to thrive

Hands-on venture building

Our active venture-building approach leverages our experience as founders and operators in emerging markets

Global community and insights

We convene a global network of founders, 140+ investors, and ecosystem partners

Our venture-building support

Our team of experts and operators work alongside founders to drive growth

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Design

Tech

Finance

Data

Talent

Strategy

Fundraising

Customer

Insights

Marketing

Growth

Recruiting

Our Impact

We operate under a proven model

Our portfolio companies have gone on to secure follow-on funding, amounting to over US$573 million in total, and currently serve more than 13.2 million individuals and MSMEs globally.

For each

$1

of investment
costs invested

$86

Was raised

$767m+

Total raised

78%

Local Founders or Co-Founders

71

Companies accelerated

86%

Startup Survival Rate or Acquired

14m+

Customers Reached

33%

Female Founders or Co-Founders

Our approach

We invest in solutions for a climate resilient future for all

These solutions manage risks, adapt livelihoods and build long-term resilience for communities, enabled by fintech

Climate-smart
FINANCIAL SERVICES

Insurance
Carbon finance
Emergency payments
Data for pricing risk

Climate-smart
LIVELIHOODS

Climate-smart agtech
Fishery management
Agro-forestry management
Land restoration

Climate-smart
‍ESSENTIAL SERVICES

Water management
Cooling/cold storage
Sustainable energy access
Waste management
‍

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Community

Circle of Investors

This Circle is made up of leading emerging markets and tech investors who are committed to shaping the future of inclusive tech and supporting tomorrow’s most promising innovators.

Instant access to exclusive data

Invite-only investor events

Receive our exclusive monthly deal tracking newsletter

Access to our global investment community

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What our founders are saying

"We're enormously privileged to have had the team at Catalyst Fund support us as we take our next steps. Kevin helped find a solution that has really worked for us, enabling growth and keeping Spoon lean."

Lorna McLaren

Co-founder, Spoon Money, South Africa

"I really feel that I'm a better leader and CEO because of the program."

Yusef Jacobs

CEO, Graviti, Mexico

"Through the program, we have been able to develop a great brand, consolidate our voice and put together a strong identity for our company. We have launched with a unique brand and voice compared to any other fintech in the market which has been extremely valuable in differentiating Koa."

Delila Kidanu

Co-Founder & COO, Koa

"The Catalyst Fund team has shown us what can be possible. Thank you for the support, the strong work ethics, the selflessness and the candid views you shared with us. The experience has been incredibly value-adding and defines an important phase for us as a company."

Razaq Ahmed

CEO, Cowrywise, Nigeria

"User research was deep and comprehensive; we would never have gotten these insights without Catalyst Fund. Catalyst Fund team expertise was extremely high quality and sprint structure pushes the team to go deep on specific topics."

Cynthia Wandia

CEO, Kwara, Kenya