In August 2024, African startups raised just $56 million, marking the second-slowest month in the past four years, according to a report by analytics firm Africa the Big Deal.
August 2024 Statistics
African startups raised $56 million in August 2024, significantly down from $443 million raised in July 2024. This represents an 87 percent decline compared to the previous month and a 76 percent drop compared to August 2023, when startups raised $234 million.
Key Deals in August
In August 2024, 27 startups announced funding rounds, well below the average of 40 per month over the past twelve months. The top three deals included Ghanaian fintech Fido, which raised $10 million, South African green energy startup Solarise Africa, which announced a $9 million raise, and YC-backed Nigerian fintech Waza, which raised $8 million, including $3 million in seed funding and $5 million in debt financing.
Overall Context of 2024
Despite the slowdown in August, the total funding raised in the third quarter of 2024 is already higher than the first and second quarters combined. Venture capital funding into African startups surpassed the $1 billion mark in early July, earlier than expected. This is encouraging and suggests that 2024 could eventually outperform 2019 and 2020 levels.
The observed slowdown in funding for African startups in August 2024 occurs against the backdrop of ongoing economic challenges and a continued decline in venture capital investments on the continent since late 2022.
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