How to apply to Ventures Platform as an African founder

TL;DR

Ventures Platform invests in sector-agnostic companies at Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A, writes cheques of $100K -- $1M, and takes applications through a direct online application.

Who Ventures Platform is

Ventures Platform is a Pan-African investor headquartered in Lagos and Abuja, expanding to Francophone West Africa and North Africa. The fund describes its mandate as sector-agnostic. The thesis, in the fund's own words: We invest in companies that solve for non-consumption, plug infrastructural gaps, and democratise prosperity in Africa, by eliminating the barriers to access and reducing the costs of delivering goods and services.

On the ground, Ventures Platform operates as a Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A investor with an Africa focus described as "Pan-African (strongest in Nigeria, expanding Francophone and North Africa)". The fund's founding partner is Kola Aina, alongside Dr. Dotun Olowoporoku (General Partner) and Desigan Chinniah (Venture Partner).

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: 41% of classified portfolio companies are in Fintech, and 18% are in E-commerce.
Cheque size: $100K -- $1M
Geography focus: Pan-African / Yes -- Pan-African (strongest in Nigeria, expanding Francophone and North Africa)

How to apply

Apply directly at https://www.venturesplatform.com/apply. 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

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

Paystack (Nigeria): Online payment processing, Seed (angel syndicate)
Moniepoint (Nigeria): All-in-one business banking and payments, Early stage
LemFi (Nigeria/UK): Diaspora remittances and digital banking, Seed
SeamlessHR (Nigeria): HR, payroll, and recruitment platform, Seed
OmniRetail (Nigeria): B2B e-commerce for FMCG distribution, Seed + Series A follow-on

That spread gives you a sense of what a real check from Ventures Platform 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 Ventures Platform have a sector focus?

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

What stage does Ventures Platform typically write cheques at?

Ventures Platform invests at Pre-Seed, Seed, and Series A, with cheque sizes of $100K -- $1M.

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

No. Ventures Platform 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 Ventures Platform invest outside Pan-African?

Ventures Platform's Africa focus is described as "Pan-African (strongest in Nigeria, expanding Francophone and North Africa)". Check the full fund profile for the exact geographic boundaries before you apply.

Is Ventures Platform a remote or in-person fund?

Ventures Platform's format is listed as Hybrid.