Mobility startups recorded the highest startup funds in Francophone Africa in 2024, raising $20.50M with just two deals

Key takeaways:

  • Mobility led 2024’s startup funding in Francophone Africa with two deals at a value of $20.5M.
  • Fintech had the highest number of deals at 7, but with a lower total value than Mobility.
  • Cloud Services, Communications, and eCommerce each attracted over $3M from just one deal.
  • Agritech recorded the lowest funding at only $0.2M, despite being a vital sector.
  • Logistics, Healthtech, and HR/Payroll sectors saw two deals each, but with moderate funding.
  • Electric Motorcycle and Eyewear startups each secured $2M–$3M in one-off deals, showing niche interest.
  • Digital Health drew limited attention in both deal count and funding, signalling untapped or underdeveloped potential.

Francophone Africa’s startup ecosystem saw a bold shift in 2024, with Mobility startups taking a surprising lead in total deal value. A single deal in the Mobility sector (secured by Ampersand in Rwanda) accounted for $19.5 million — nearly double the total raised by Fintech (7 deals), which came in second at $10.51 million. The other deal in the mobility sector was at a value of $1M (secured by Solarbox in Senegal). This standout figure perhaps signals the mobility sector’s potential to reshape urban mobility across the region. While Fintech still drew the highest number of deals (7), Mobility claimed the crown for value with just two transactions.
What’s even more interesting is how this reveals the uneven landscape of startup funding in Francophone Africa. Sectors like Cloud Services, HR/Payroll, and Communications each recorded only a single or a couple of deals but raised millions, indicating that investors are willing to place big bets on what they consider high-impact solutions. On the flip side, essential sectors such as Agritech and Digital Health pulled in the lowest funding, highlighting potential blind spots or areas still waiting to catch investor attention.

Source:

Intelpoint

Period:

2024
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Equity dominated, as nearly three-quarters of Africa’s 2024 startup funding came through equity financing
  • Nearly three-quarters of all startup funding in Africa came from equity financing at 74.1%.
  • A significant 25.2% of funding was raised through debt, showing increasing reliance on loans and credit.
  • Only 0.7% of startup funding came from grants, reflecting limited non-dilutive capital support.
  • The high share of equity signals sustained investor belief in Africa’s startup ecosystem despite global headwinds.
African startups raised over $2B in 2024, led by financial services, with emerging sectors gaining traction
  • The financial services sector attracted the largest share of funding at $806.3m, accounting for more than 40% of total startup investment.
  • Renewable energy secured $377.1m, showing strong investor appetite for sustainable solutions in Africa.
  • Telecommunications raised $316.0m, while mobility & logistics brought in $222.8m, highlighting infrastructure-driven growth.
  • Electric vehicles ($87.9m), e-commerce ($50.3m), and crypto/blockchain ($35.3m) attracted meaningful investments, signalling diversification beyond traditional sectors.
In 2024, 87.2% of Francophone Africa startup deals were equity-based
  • 87.2% of startup deal value in Francophone Africa in 2024 came from equity funding.
  • Debt financing made up only 12.4% of the total startup capital raised, showing its limited role.
  • Grants accounted for just 0.4%, reflecting minimal non-dilutive support for startups.
  • Startups are more likely to trade ownership than take on debt or apply for grants.
  • The funding landscape remains investor-driven, with equity seen as the path to scale.
  • The near absence of grant funding may hinder innovation for startups that need early runway but aren't ready to give up equity.
61.76% of financial sector deal volume in Francophone Africa was recorded between 2020–2024 H1, up from 22.06% in 2012–2015
  • Between 2020–2024 H1, 40.58% and 50.91% of deal volume went to consumer staples and consumer discretionary respectively, showing that everyday goods and lifestyle products are fast becoming investment magnets.
  • The utilities sector deal volume exploded in recent years, jumping from 21.62% in 2016–2019 to 70.27% in 2020–2024 H1, an indication that basic infrastructure services like energy, water, and power are now central to investment strategies.
  • 78.57% of all deal volume in the information technology sector happened in the most recent period, suggesting that digital solutions and tech platforms are increasingly being backed by private capital.
  • The industrials sector also bounced back, with 46% of its deal volume coming in the 2020–2024 period.
  • Energy sector investment dropped from 66.67% to 33.33%, and real estate recorded no new deals after 2015.
  • Health care remained consistent across all three periods, securing exactly 33.33% of the deal volume each time, highlighting its stability, even if not standout growth.
Francophone African companies attracted $1.8 billion in private capital in 2021, the highest amount in the past 12 years
  • Francophone Africa attracted $1.8 billion in private capital in 2021, about 9x the previous year (2020).
  • That same year saw 34 deals, which is quite high when compared to some other years, indicating strong investor confidence.
  • In 2024, deal value amounted to just $0.1 billion, and deal volume to 19, pointing to a significant cooling in activity.
  • Between 2012 and 2015, the region saw low deal values, with both 2014 and 2015 recording just $0.01 billion in investments.
  • A notable spike occurred in 2017 with $0.7 billion invested across 17 deals, marking the first major surge before 2021's breakout.
  • Deal counts haven’t always aligned with capital volume. For instance, 2023 had 42 deals but only $0.4B, suggesting a trend of smaller-sized investments.
Tech-enabled firms drove 71% of deal volume in Francophone Africa in 2021, the highest contribution so far
  • The breakthrough year for tech in Francophone Africa was 2021, with 71% of deal volume going to tech-enabled firms, an all-time high.
  • The growth of tech began slowly, from 0% in 2015 to just 12% in 2017, showing how recent the tech surge is.
  • Between 2018 and 2020, tech’s share gradually rose from 15% to 27%, setting the stage for the explosive growth of 2021.
  • Post-2021, tech dominance slightly softened—holding 52% in 2022, 50% in 2023, and 63% in 2024 H1, suggesting a more balanced diversification.
  • The last year traditional sectors led in deal volume was 2020, accounting for 73%, right before tech flipped the narrative.
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