How to apply to Catalyst Fund as an African founder

TL;DR

Catalyst Fund invests in sector-agnostic companies at Pre-Seed and Seed, writes cheques of $200K (equity) + venture-building support; follow-on at Seed and Series A, and takes applications through direct outreach to the team.

Who Catalyst Fund is

Catalyst Fund is a Pan-African investor headquartered in San Francisco, USA (BFA Global also runs a Nairobi office). The fund describes its mandate as sector-agnostic. The thesis, in the fund's own words: Investing in climate adaptation and resilience solutions across Africa.

On the ground, Catalyst Fund operates as a Pre-Seed and Seed investor with an Africa focus described as "Pan-African (10+ markets, strongest in Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania)". The fund's founder & general partner is Maelis Carraro, alongside Maxime Bayen (General Partner).

What they invest in

Stages: Pre-Seed and Seed
Sectors: Sector-agnostic. The fund calls itself sector-agnostic, but its actual portfolio tells a more concentrated story: 50% of classified portfolio companies are in Agritech, and 25% are in Climate.
Cheque size: $200K (equity) + venture-building support; follow-on at Seed and Series A
Geography focus: Pan-African / Yes -- Pan-African (10+ markets, strongest in Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania)

How to apply

Catalyst Fund's application path is: "Via pitch submission on the website". This reads as direct outreach rather than a public form, which means the fund is more reachable through a warm introduction or a well-targeted cold message than through a portal. Maelis Carraro (Founder & General Partner) is the name most associated with the fund publicly, and a specific, well-prepared message referencing why you fit their stated thesis is a better opener than a generic pitch blast. Check https://www.thecatalystfund.com/ first in case a form or dedicated email address has since gone live.

Portfolio pattern

Catalyst Fund's portfolio, as listed in their Trampoline fund page, includes:

Bekia (Egypt): Waste management platform exchanging recyclables for digital payments
Octavia Carbon (Kenya): Direct air capture and low-cost carbon removal
Farm to Feed (Kenya): Food supply chain reducing waste by creating markets for imperfect produce
Keep It Cool (Kenya): Solar cold-chain infrastructure
MazaoHub (Tanzania): Agritech platform

That spread gives you a sense of what a real check from Catalyst Fund has funded, not just what the thesis claims it funds.

Before you apply

Have these ready before you reach out:

Deck: Check your readiness first so you know where the gaps are
Metrics dashboard: Set up your metrics dashboard so you can show real traction, not slides
Cap table
A one-line description of what your company does
A short, specific note explaining why you fit their stated thesis, ready to send cold or through a warm intro

FAQ

Does Catalyst Fund have a sector focus?

Catalyst Fund describes its mandate as sector-agnostic, meaning it does not restrict itself to a fixed list of sectors.

What stage does Catalyst Fund typically write cheques at?

Catalyst Fund invests at Pre-Seed and Seed, with cheque sizes of $200K (equity) + venture-building support; follow-on at Seed and Series A.

Do you need a warm intro to apply to Catalyst Fund?

Catalyst Fund's application path is direct outreach rather than a public form, so a warm introduction generally carries more weight than a cold message, though it is not stated as a hard requirement.

Does Catalyst Fund invest outside Pan-African?

Catalyst Fund's Africa focus is described as "Pan-African (10+ markets, strongest in Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania)". Check the full fund profile for the exact geographic boundaries before you apply.

Is Catalyst Fund a remote or in-person fund?

Catalyst Fund's format is listed as Hybrid.