A growing wave of female-founded and women-led African startups have secured funding above US$1 million in 2025, signaling cautious but meaningful progress in an ecosystem still marked by a wide gender funding gap.
Among the standout deals, insurtech Naked raised US$38 million in a Series B extension the continent’s largest women-co-founded raise this year. Agriculture-insurtech Pula followed with a €10 million grant to expand climate-resilience solutions for smallholder farmers.
Other notable rounds include:
FARO – US$6 million seed round
Rivy – US$4 million pre-Series A
Jem HR – ~US$3.3 million pre-Series A
Flend – US$3 million seed
The Awareness Company – US$1.6 million seed
Altera Biosciences – US$1.6 million pre-seed
Liquify – US$1.5 million seed (fully female founding team)
The deals span fintech, ag-tech, biotech, climate, HR, and enterprise SaaS illustrating broadening investor interest in women-led innovation.
Yet, the broader picture remains uneven. Startups with at least one female founder captured only about 10% of total capital raised across the continent this year, with all-female founding teams receiving less than 5%. The numbers show progress, but also highlight persistent structural barriers limiting women’s access to venture funding. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.
