The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has approved a €6.5 million investment in the Saviu II Venture Capital Fund, marking a new commitment to deepening technology entrepreneurship in French-speaking West and Central Africa. The financing package includes €4.5 million in equity from the bank and…
The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has approved a €6.5 million investment in the Saviu II Venture Capital Fund, marking a new commitment to deepening technology entrepreneurship in French-speaking West and Central Africa.
The financing package includes EUR 4.5 million in equity from the bank and an additional EUR 2 million as a first loss hedge tranche provided on behalf of the European Commission under the Boost Africa programme.
This structure is designed to de-risk early-stage investments and attract more capital for technology-driven businesses operating in underserved African markets.
Saviu II, the second fund managed by Saviu Partners, will invest between €500,000 and €3 million in around 20 start-ups at seed stage or raising their first institutional funding.
The fund will prioritize companies with strong technical or digital backbones, especially business-to-business (B2B) ventures that can scale across borders.
At least 60 percent of that commitment will go to the French-speaking countries of West and Central Africa, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Benin, Senegal, Togo, Burkina Faso and Mali, markets that are often overlooked by global venture capital flows.
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The fund can also co-invest in selected East African technology companies, provided they have strong management teams, scalable business models and clear expansion strategies targeting Francophone West Africa.
In addition to seed financing, Saviu II will also secure dedicated space for pre-seed investments, primarily focused on minority stakes. These early bets will be executed in collaboration with venture studios, incubators, and ecosystem partners and are expected to foster promising ideas from the outset.
AfDB’s participation is expected to strengthen the Fund’s ability to support innovation-driven enterprises and foster private sector growth in regions where access to risk financing remains limited.
Saviu II builds on the foundations laid by Saviu I, which was launched in 2018 with a capital of 10 million euros. The first fund invested in 12 start-ups, primarily across French-speaking West Africa, establishing the company’s strategy to combine capital with hands-on operational support.
Saviu Partners provides portfolio companies with guidance on business development, recruitment, international expansion, and financing. This is a model aimed at improving survival and accelerating growth.
With new funding supported by AfDB, Saviu II is positioned to expand its approach, providing early-stage innovators with not only capital but also systematic support to compete in regional and global markets.
