Forget the "Funding Winter." This is Africa's "Great Stabilization."
When I speak to founders across Africa, I hear a lot of concerns.
They read the headlines: "African VC funding dropped 7% in 2024". It sounds like a crisis.
I see something different.
This isn't a crisis. This is the Great Stabilization.
The "tourism" phase is over.
The massive 46% drop from 2022 to 2023 was a shock, yes. It washed away the hype-chasers and the "VC tourists."
The funds that remain? They are the long-term believers. The specialists. The investors who are looking for fundamentals, not just fast growth.
This is healthy. This is an ecosystem that is maturing. It's proving its resilience.
The "awakening" isn't about mega-deals. It's about building real, sustainable businesses that solve fundamental problems.
They read the headlines: "African VC funding dropped 7% in 2024". It sounds like a crisis.
I see something different.
This isn't a crisis. This is the Great Stabilization.
The "tourism" phase is over.
The massive 46% drop from 2022 to 2023 was a shock, yes. It washed away the hype-chasers and the "VC tourists."
The funds that remain? They are the long-term believers. The specialists. The investors who are looking for fundamentals, not just fast growth.
This is healthy. This is an ecosystem that is maturing. It's proving its resilience.
The "awakening" isn't about mega-deals. It's about building real, sustainable businesses that solve fundamental problems.
Want proof? Look where the money is still flowing.
Fintech captured over 60% of all VC funding in Africa last year.
Why? Because African founders aren't building "nice-to-have" apps. They are building the core infrastructure of a continent. They are solving payments, credit, and cross-border commerce where the need is greatest.
As I've seen with unicorns like Paystack, you're not just building a product; you're building the pipes, the roads, and the trust that an entire digital economy runs on.
This is what I'm seeing from my research in 2025:
1. B2B is King: Investors are doubling down on B2B payments and SaaS, which have clear paths to revenue.
2. Resilience > Hype: Companies with strong unit economics are winning, while "growth-at-all-costs" is dead.
3. New Hubs Rising: While Nigeria still leads in deal volume, we're seeing incredible innovation in Cleantech from Kenya and new B2B models emerging across the continent.
This is the real "Innovation Awakening." It's tougher, smarter, and more resilient.
It’s not just about surviving this new normal; it’s about thriving in it by building a global-ready company from Day 1.
By Peter Mebert, GITC Founder, CEO Mebert Group
Fintech captured over 60% of all VC funding in Africa last year.
Why? Because African founders aren't building "nice-to-have" apps. They are building the core infrastructure of a continent. They are solving payments, credit, and cross-border commerce where the need is greatest.
As I've seen with unicorns like Paystack, you're not just building a product; you're building the pipes, the roads, and the trust that an entire digital economy runs on.
This is what I'm seeing from my research in 2025:
1. B2B is King: Investors are doubling down on B2B payments and SaaS, which have clear paths to revenue.
2. Resilience > Hype: Companies with strong unit economics are winning, while "growth-at-all-costs" is dead.
3. New Hubs Rising: While Nigeria still leads in deal volume, we're seeing incredible innovation in Cleantech from Kenya and new B2B models emerging across the continent.
This is the real "Innovation Awakening." It's tougher, smarter, and more resilient.
It’s not just about surviving this new normal; it’s about thriving in it by building a global-ready company from Day 1.
By Peter Mebert, GITC Founder, CEO Mebert Group