Madica, a structured investment programme for pre-seed African startups, has expanded its portfolio by announcing new investments in three tech-enabled startups – Kilimo Fresh, Hakimu, and Biovana.
Launched in 2022, Madica is an Africa-focused pre-seed investment programme empowering underrepresented and underfunded mission-driven founders on the continent. The sector-agnostic platform, affiliated with Flourish Ventures, aims to empower entrepreneurs by providing funding and democratizing access to world-class company-building support.
Madica had previously backed 10 startups, including four in February of last year and another two in November, and it has now taken that to 13 with investments in Kilimo Fresh, Hakimu, and Biovana.
Tanzania’s Kilimo Fresh, co-founded by Baraka Chijenga and Justice Mangu, connects smallholder farmers to reliable urban markets by aggregating, processing, and distributing fresh produce through a technology-enabled supply chain, aiming to reduce food waste. Kenya’s Hakimu, co-founded by Rawan Dareer, Ahmed Ahmed and Ahmed Elbashir is building a pan-African legal infrastructure leveraging the power of AI, while Nigeria’s Biovana, co-founded by Estelle Dogbo and Dr. Jumi Popoola, is a data harmonisation and certification platform focused on unlocking African health datasets for global pharmaceutical, AI, and clinical research applications.
Each company has secured up to US$200,000 in funding and will take part in Madica’s 18-month programme, which includes a tailored curriculum, hands-on mentorship, executive coaching, and two fully-funded immersion trips to key technology ecosystems, both locally and internationally. The startups will also gain access to Madica’s global investor network, helping position them for growth and long-term success.
“Each new investment brings us closer to the portfolio we set out to build, one that reflects the full breadth and diversity of African entrepreneurship. These three startups join a growing community of founders we’re backing with the resources, relationships, and runway they need to succeed at this early stage. The opportunity across the continent is enormous, and we’re committed to being a crucial and consistent partner in realising it,” said Emmanuel Adegboye, head of Madica.