African Startups Raise Over $2 Billion in Funding in 2025

• African startups raised over $2 billion in funds in January to August 2025
• This amount of funding was more than the amount raised within the same period of 2024, which was less than $2 billion
• The report also indicates a pattern of larger investment sizes despite fewer total deals

African startups raised more than $2 billion in funding during January to August 2025, though deal volumes reduced, a recent report by Briter Bridges stated.

The Africa Venture Pulse: State of Investment 2025 report mentioned that the amount of funding received was more than that raised during the same period in 2024, which was less than $2 billion.

Briter Bridges noted that "while the number of deals has fallen from the peaks of earlier years, investors are writing larger cheques," with median deal size coming back to levels seen in 2022 at approximately $1 million.

The report counted more than 500 deals between January and August in 2024, with slightly fewer in 2025. Larger single investments, nevertheless, kept overall funding strong.

Fintech was the top-funded category, drawing more than $1 billion, then came cleantech, which clocked nearly $950 million, mostly in debt financing. Healthtech, mobility, and proptech saw relatively less funding.

Geographically, the lead was taken by East Africa with $865 million, and then came Southern Africa at $845 million, North Africa brought in $450 million, while West Africa's funding dropped to $420 million.

The report further recorded a gender gap, with some 90% of the financing going to male-founded businesses and just 10 percent to women founders.

Overall, Briter Bridges referred to 2025 as a return year for Africa's startup ecosystem, marking the turn of the corner after the two-year contraction experienced post-2022 funding peak.