Madica, a structured investment programme for pre-seed African startups, has announced new investments in two AI-powered companies, Anavid and Hypeo AI, as artificial intelligence investments continue to pick up in Africa.
Anavid, a Tunisia-based AI startup for safety in retail shops and Hypeo AI, a Moroccan startup which automates every step of influencer marketing, from brand matching and content validation to payments, have each secured up to $200,000 in funding and will join Madica’s 18-month programme.
The programme offers a tailored curriculum, hands-on mentorship, executive coaching, and two fully-funded immersion trips to key technology ecosystems, both locally and internationally. Beyond funding, the startups will also be connected to Madica’s global investor network, positioning them for growth and long-term success.
Although the AI ecosystem in Africa remains small, investments have picked as venture funding on the continent recovers from a slowdown in recent years. Solutions that solve infrastructure and service gaps have been identified as the best that can scale because the needs are immediate and quantifiable. For Madica, this round of investments reinforces its commitment to supporting founders and startups often excluded from traditional venture funding.
The programme seeks to counter the concentration of Africa’s tech funding in a few markets, verticals, and well-networked entrepreneurs, and instead drive more equitable growth across the continent.
Launched in 2022 and affiliated with Flourish Ventures, early-stage fintech venture investor backing the architects of a better financial future, Madica is a sector-agnostic investment program designed to address structural gaps in Africa’s startup ecosystem. The program tackles key challenges startups face, such as limited access to capital, a scarcity of investors, and insufficient mentorship. It also provides the structured support necessary for startups to resolve critical issues and foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and wealth creation across the continent.
Commenting on the new portfolio companies, Mr Emmanuel Adegboye, Head of Madica, said, “At Madica, we believe and continue to prove that some of the world’s most transformative ideas come from places that are too often ignored. The founders we’ve just welcomed are visionaries, building solutions with the power to uplift communities and shape industries. We’re proud to stand with them as they take on the next stage of their journey.”
“Our region is rapidly growing with creative energy, but without the right digital backbone, it often goes untapped,” said Ms Meriam Bessa, co-founder and CEO of Hypeo AI.
“We’re changing that by using AI to reimagine how brands and creators find each other, collaborate, and thrive. Backing by Madica will help us strengthen our AI capabilities to achieve this goal,” she said.
Madica also announced a strategic partnership with the African Business Angel Network (ABAN) during the annual ABAN Congress in Lagos to expand investment flow and ecosystem networks for portfolio companies.
The collaboration enables ABAN-affiliated angels across the continent and Madica to share deal flow and explore co-investment opportunities and future fundraises by portfolio companies, broadening access to capital and support for African startups.
“The future of Africa’s innovation economy depends on how effectively we can mobilize local capital and empower local investors. Our collaboration with Madica helps bridge the gap between angel investors and institutional capital, ensuring that more funding comes from within the continent, and that startups everywhere in Africa can access the right type of support to scale,” said Ms Yemi Keri, President of ABAN.