Toyota Tsusho Corporation

About the fund

The Kepple-Verod Early-Stage Africa VC Fund is a $60 million venture capital vehicle jointly established by Kenya-based Kepple Africa Ventures and Nigeria-based Verod Capital Management. The fund focuses on providing seed and Series A capital to promising African startups across the continent, supporting technological innovation and entrepreneurial growth in emerging African markets. With significant backing from Japanese financial institutions and corporations including JICA, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, Toyota Tsusho Corporation, and SBI Holdings, the fund represents a notable Japan-Africa investment partnership. It primarily targets institutional investors, development finance institutions, and family offices seeking exposure to Africa's expanding early-stage venture ecosystem, having successfully reached its final close at its target amount.