Africa’s agriculture sector has become a growing playground for startups trying to solve some of the continent’s most stubborn food and farming challenges. Over the past decade, entrepreneurs have launched companies that connect farmers directly to markets, digitise supply chains, provide financing to smallholders, and introduce climate-smart technologies to improve yields.
- Business Insider Africa presents the 12 African Agtech startups that have raised over $50 million in funding (2016-2025)
- The list is courtesy of Briter and AgBase.
- Top-funded startups include Twiga Foods, Wasoko, and MaxAB, which focus on improving supply chains, providing digital market access, and offering credit to retailers and smallholders.
Still, the pace of investment into the sector has begun to slow. Investment into African agtech fell sharply in 2025, with total funding dropping nearly 20% to under $170 million and the number of deals declining by around 10%, according to the State of Agtech Investment in Africa 2025, Briter and AgBase’s flagship report.
DON’T MISS THIS: African agtech funding drops nearly 20% in 2025 to under $170 million
Despite the dip, several companies across the continent have already attracted substantial capital in recent years, reflecting strong investor interest in solutions that strengthen food security, improve farmer incomes, and modernise agricultural supply chains.
Here are some of the most well-funded agtech and foodtech startups in Africa, companies that have raised tens of millions of dollars while working to reshape how food is produced, distributed, and financed across the continent.
1. Twiga Foods — $147M+
Grant Brooke and Peter Njonjo founded Twiga Foods to modernise Kenya’s fresh produce supply chain. It connects smallholder farmers directly with retailers using a digital marketplace and efficient logistics, bypassing traditional middlemen and reducing costs. Retailers use Twiga’s mobile platform to place orders and receive next‑day delivery of fruits and vegetables, improving reliability and consistency.
2. Wasoko — $143M+
Wasoko (formerly Sokowatch) was co‑founded by Daniel Yu and Nikhil Goel as a B2B commerce platform for informal retailers across Africa. It lets shop owners order consumer goods via mobile, which are delivered from local warehouses, and provides access to working capital and credit. Wasoko’s technology streamlines restocking, improves delivery efficiency, and eliminates inefficiencies in fragmented supply chains. The company merged with MaxAB to create a larger pan‑African distribution network, expanding its reach across multiple countries and serving hundreds of thousands of merchants.
3. MaxAB — $100M
MaxAB was founded by Belal El Megharbel and Mohamed Benhalim as an Egyptian B2B supply‑chain platform that connects food and grocery manufacturers directly with small retail shops. Through its digital platform, shop owners place orders, get fast delivery, and access credit. By reducing intermediaries, MaxAB lowers costs, increases product availability, and makes distribution more efficient. Its data analytics capabilities help suppliers forecast demand and optimize inventory.
4. Gro Intelligence — $85M
Gro Intelligence was founded by Sara Menker, an Ethiopian commodities trader who envisioned using data to transform insights into global agriculture. The company used AI and machine learning to aggregate massive datasets on crops, climate, soil, and market trends to help businesses, governments, and investors forecast food production, pricing, and risk. Gro aimed to improve transparency and decision‑making across food and climate systems.
5. Apollo Agriculture — $78M+
Apollo Agriculture was co‑founded by Eli Pollak, Benjamin Njenga, and Earl St Sauver to provide farm financing, inputs, and advisory services to smallholder farmers via a digital platform. Leveraging machine learning and satellite data, the company evaluates creditworthiness and offers financing for seeds, fertilisers, insurance, and other inputs. Personalised agronomic guidance helps farmers increase yields and profitability.
6. SunCulture — $76M
SunCulture was founded by Samir Ibrahim to develop solar‑powered irrigation systems that help smallholder farmers access water without costly fuel or electricity. The company couples technology with pay‑as‑you‑grow financing, allowing farmers to pay gradually via mobile money. Solar pumps improve crop yields, reduce dependency on rainfall, and boost resilience to drought.
7. ThriveAgric — $68M+
ThriveAgric was founded by Uka Eje and Ayodeji Arikawe to uplift smallholder farmers by connecting them with financing, training, and markets. Using a digital platform, it provides access to improved seeds, fertilisers, and advisory services, while enabling investors to fund farming projects.
8. Victory Farms — $62M+
Victory Farms, founded by Joseph Rehmann and Steve Moran, focuses on sustainable aquaculture, particularly tilapia production. The company operates large‑scale fish farms and uses technology for feeding, breeding, and harvesting. It also manages distribution networks to deliver fresh fish to markets and retailers, improving access to affordable protein.
9. One Acre Fund — $57M+
One Acre Fund was founded by Andrew Youn, John Gachunga, and Eric Pohlman as a social enterprise supporting smallholder farmers with financing and training. It supplies seeds, fertiliser, and agricultural training on credit, repaid after harvest. This model helps farmers adopt modern techniques without upfront costs, increasing productivity and income.
10. Systema.bio — $56M+
Sistema.bio’s founding team includes entrepreneurs focused on providing affordable biodigester technology that turns organic waste into clean cooking gas and organic fertiliser. Biodigesters reduce reliance on firewood and chemical fertilisers, promoting sustainability and improving farm efficiency. Farmers can manage waste effectively while generating renewable energy and enhancing soil health, supporting rural economic development and climate‑smart agriculture.
11. Komaza — $55M+
Komaza was founded by Tevis Howard with the mission of enabling smallholder farmers to grow trees commercially. Using a distributed forestry model, the company provides seedlings, training, and technical support, and purchases harvested timber from farmers. Satellite technology and data help track growth and optimise productivity. Komaza’s approach creates income opportunities, encourages sustainable land use, and contributes to reforestation across Kenya and other regions.
12. Breadfast — $50M
Breadfast was co‑founded by Mostafa Amin, Muhammad Habib, and Abdallah Nofal as an online grocery delivery service in Egypt. It operates its own supply chain and bakeries to deliver bread, dairy, produce, and household essentials via a mobile platform. Breadfast emphasises efficiency, freshness, and convenience, expanding beyond bread to a broad range of groceries.
