The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group has approved a €6.5 million investment in the Saviu II venture capital fund, signalling a renewed push to deepen technology entrepreneurship in Francophone West and Central Africa.
The financing package includes €4.5 million in equity from the Bank and an additional €2 million as a first-loss hedging tranche provided on behalf of the European Commission under the Boost Africa Programme.
The structure is designed to de-risk early-stage investments and unlock more capital for technology-driven businesses operating in underserved African markets.
Saviu II, the second fund managed by Saviu Partners, plans to invest between €500,000 and €3 million in about 20 start-ups at seed stage or undertaking their first institutional fundraising.
The fund will prioritise companies with a strong technological or digital backbone, particularly business-to-business (B2B) ventures capable of scaling across borders.
At least 60 per cent of its commitments will be channelled into French-speaking countries in West and Central Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Benin, Senegal, Togo, Burkina Faso and Mali, markets often overlooked by global venture capital flows.
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The fund may also co-invest in selected East African technology firms, provided they have strong management teams, scalable business models and clear expansion strategies targeting Francophone West Africa.
Beyond seed financing, Saviu II will set aside a dedicated envelope for pre-seed investments, focusing largely on minority equity stakes. These early bets are expected to be executed alongside venture studios, incubators and ecosystem partners to nurture promising ideas from inception.
The AfDB’s participation is expected to strengthen the fund’s capacity to back innovation-led enterprises and catalyse private sector growth in regions where access to risk capital remains limited.
Saviu II builds on the foundation laid by Saviu I, launched in 2018 with €10 million in capital. The first fund invested in 12 start-ups, primarily across French-speaking West Africa, and established the firm’s strategy of combining capital with hands-on operational support.
Saviu Partners provides portfolio companies with guidance in business development, recruitment, international expansion and fundraising — a model aimed at improving survival rates and accelerating growth.
With the new AfDB-backed funding, Saviu II is positioned to scale that approach, offering early-stage innovators not only capital but structured support to compete in regional and global markets.
