Medica, an Africa-focused pre-seed investment program, has invested $600,000 in three early-stage startups, doubling the number of founders underserved by the lack of funding in the continent's tech ecosystem.
The San Francisco-based initiative said each startup, Kilimo Fresh in Tanzania, Hakimu in Kenya and Nigeria's Biovana, will receive up to $200,000 with structured support aimed at helping them move beyond the delicate pre-seed stage.
The move comes at a time when African startups are facing slow capital flows and increasing caution from investors, especially in early stages where founders often lack networks and institutional support. Medica is positioning itself to fill that gap by targeting companies typically excluded from mainstream venture capital pipelines.
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The selected companies reflect a variety of sectors attracting renewed interest despite the slowdown in funding. Kilimo Fresh is building a tech-enabled supply chain to connect farmers to urban markets, with the aim of reducing post-harvest losses. Hakimu is developing AI-powered legal infrastructure to increase access to justice, while Biovana focuses on structuring African health data for global pharmaceutical and research use.
Medica's model goes beyond capital. Startups will participate in an 18-month program that includes mentorship, executive coaching and immersion trips to global technology hubs, resources the firm says are vital for founders dealing with early growth challenges.
“Each new investment brings us closer to a portfolio that reflects the diversity of African entrepreneurship,” said Emmanuel Adegboye, head of Medica. He said the company aims to not only provide funding but also provide founders with “relationships and runway” to scale.
The expansion highlights broader changes in Africa's venture landscape, where investors are moving beyond core markets such as Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa and away from heavily funded sectors such as fintech. Medica's sector-agnostic approach signals growing interest in agriculture, health tech and legal infrastructure, sectors that are often overlooked despite their large markets.
In a parallel move, the firm released a 75-page fundraising guide aimed at first-time founders. The playbook, titled 'Zero to Funded', provides practical tools and insights into navigating pre-seed fundraising, including managing investor expectations and understanding the trade-offs of venture capital.
The guide highlights a key structural challenge in Africa's startup ecosystem: access to knowledge. Many founders struggle not only with capital, but also with the technical know-how needed to secure it.
Medica has also added Toric Brown, former CEO of Internet infrastructure firm TwomuchWiFi, as an advisor to support portfolio companies with execution and scaling strategies.
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The latest investments focus on a growing divide in African tech: while later-stage startups continue to attract larger, often debt-based deals, early-stage ventures are increasingly relying on niche programs and alternative funding platforms.
Launching in 2022 and backed by Flourish Ventures, Medica is betting that addressing this early-stage gap will drive broader innovation and more inclusive growth across the continent.
With its latest cohort, the company is expanding both geographically and regionally, an approach that could help reshape capital flows into Africa's next generation of startups.