The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group has approved a €6.5 million investment in the Saviu II fund to support technology start-ups during their seed phase and first institutional fundraising, with a focus on Francophone West and Central Africa.
The Bank Group will invest €4.5 million as equity and €2 million as a first-loss hedging tranche on behalf of the European Commission under the Boost Africa Programme. The participation is expected to enable Saviu II to prioritise companies with strong technological or digital components.
Saviu II, the second investment vehicle of Saviu Partners, plans to invest between €500,000 and €3 million in about 20 technology or technology-oriented B2B start-ups at seed stage or undergoing their first institutional capital raise.
At least 60 percent of the fund’s commitments will target French-speaking countries in West and Central Africa, including Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin, Senegal, Togo, Burkina Faso and Mali. The fund may also co-invest in promising East African technology companies with strong teams and scalable business models, particularly those with strategies to expand into Francophone West Africa.
In addition, Saviu II will allocate a dedicated envelope for pre-seed investments, focusing on minority equity stakes, typically in co-investment with venture studios, incubators and other ecosystem partners.
The investment aligns with the African Development Bank Group’s broader strategy to strengthen Africa’s digital ecosystem, deepen access to early-stage capital and accelerate innovation-driven growth across the continent.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
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