How to apply to Saviu Ventures as an African founder

TL;DR

Saviu Ventures invests in sector-agnostic companies at Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A, writes cheques of EUR 500K - EUR 3M (Fund II); $50K - $850K historical (Fund I), and takes applications through a direct online application.

Who Saviu Ventures is

Saviu Ventures is a Francophone West and Central Africa investor headquartered in Abidjan and Paris. The fund describes its mandate as sector-agnostic. The thesis, in the fund's own words: Backing early-stage tech and tech-enabled companies in Francophone Africa, prioritizing sustainable growth over unicorn-chasing.

On the ground, Saviu Ventures operates as a Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A investor with an Africa focus described as "Yes, 70-75% Francophone Africa (Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali, Gabon)". The fund's co-founder and managing partner is Benoit Delestre, alongside Samuel Touboul (Managing Partner) and Arthur Thuet (Co-Founder, Investment Committee).

What they invest in

Stages: Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A
Sectors: Sector-agnostic. The fund calls itself sector-agnostic, but its actual portfolio tells a more concentrated story: 32% of classified portfolio companies are in Fintech, and 16% are in SaaS.
Cheque size: EUR 500K - EUR 3M (Fund II); $50K - $850K historical (Fund I)
Geography focus: Francophone West and Central Africa / Yes, 70-75% Francophone Africa (Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali, Gabon)

How to apply

Apply directly at https://www.saviu.vc/contact. That link is the fund's own application channel, listed in their Trampoline entry as of 2026-07-27. Fill out whatever the form asks for completely: skipped fields read as a rushed application, and a rushed application is an easy first-pass reject at any fund fielding more submissions than it can meaningfully review.

Portfolio pattern

Saviu Ventures's portfolio, as listed in their Trampoline fund page, includes:

Julaya (Cote d'Ivoire): B2B neobank with virtual accounts, batch mobile money, and wire transfers, Pre-Series A ($2M + $5M extension)
Anka (fka Afrikrea) (Cote d'Ivoire): Shopify-style e-commerce SaaS for African sellers, Seed (exited; IFC invested $3.4M)
WorkPay (Kenya): HR, payroll, and benefits management SaaS (Y Combinator alumnus), Pre-Series A ($2.7M)
Paps (Senegal): End-to-end logistics platform for businesses, Series A ($4.5M)
Lapaire (Cote d'Ivoire): Affordable prescription eyewear across 90+ branches in 6 countries, Seed (exited to Creadev, multi-bagger return)

That spread gives you a sense of what a real check from Saviu Ventures 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

FAQ

Does Saviu Ventures have a sector focus?

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

What stage does Saviu Ventures typically write cheques at?

Saviu Ventures invests at Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A, with cheque sizes of EUR 500K - EUR 3M (Fund II); $50K - $850K historical (Fund I).

Do you need a warm intro to apply to Saviu Ventures?

No. Saviu Ventures takes applications through a form on their website, so a warm intro is not required to apply, though it can still help your submission stand out.

Does Saviu Ventures invest outside Francophone West and Central Africa?

Saviu Ventures's Africa focus is described as "Yes, 70-75% Francophone Africa (Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, Burkina Faso, Mali, Gabon)". Check the full fund profile for the exact geographic boundaries before you apply.

Is Saviu Ventures a remote or in-person fund?

Saviu Ventures's format is listed as Remote / Hybrid.