pan-African startup
By lens · 2 takes across the edition
Launch Base Africa · Nigeria · African startups raised more than US$1.2bn in H1 2026, down 17% year on year, with one Chinese-backed deal skewing June
The H1 2026 tally: US$1.208bn raised, down 17% year on year, June US$415m with Spiro at 65%, and a shift toward debt and blended finance over equity.
“African startups surpass $1bn in first-half funding despite slower equity flows.”
Launch Base Africa · Nigeria · Africa's EV and battery-swap firm Spiro closes a US$270m round as China's NewTrails Capital adds US$55m
First to detail NewTrails' US$55m top-up and its Transsion backing, with the pan-African deployment figures across seven markets.
“NewTrails Capital, backed by Africa's leading smartphone manufacturer, invests $55M in EV startup Spiro.”