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Kili Ventures, debuting the first Italian project whose mission is to invest in African start-ups, acting as a connecting element between Italy and Europe and the African ecosystem, which is in full growth phase by offering high quality projects managed with high skills, as we saw at the Startup Africa Roadshow.
“We see Africa not only as an emerging market, but as a global innovation laboratory. Solutions developed here to address local challenges often have the potential for global impact in other emerging contexts. Take for example M-Pesa in Kenya, which revolutionised mobile payments and financial inclusion, a model now replicated in many developing countries. Or Zipline in Rwanda, which uses drones to deliver medical supplies to remote areas, a technology applicable in many regions with limited infrastructure. Andela, which trains talented software developers in Africa and connects them with global companies, is also creating a technology outsourcing model that could be adopted in other emerging markets. These innovations born in Africa have shown potential for global impact, especially in contexts with similar challenges,’ Andrea Censoni, partner at Kili Ventures, tells Startupbusiness.
In an era of global innovation, Africa emerges as a hub of unique entrepreneurial opportunities. With a population of over 1.3 billion people, 60% of whom are under 25 years old (source: African Development Bank Group 2023 and African Economic Outlook 2023), the continent offers fertile ground for innovative technology solutions that address local challenges with potential for global impact.
Africa, with an average age of 19 compared to Europe’s 45 (United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division 2019), is increasingly attracting the attention of international investors. Thus was born Kili Ventures, a UK-based company founded by four Italian entrepreneurs with extensive experience in supporting start-ups globally.
The African startup ecosystem, led by South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Kenya, shows significant potential despite the challenges. In 2023, African startups raised, according to the Partech Africa report, about 3.5 billion, marking a decline of 46% compared to 2022. This decline, after years of steady growth (2 billion in 2020, 6 in 2021, almost 6.5 in 2022) highlights the volatility and fragility of the ecosystem.
Under-capitalisation remains a critical challenge: while start-ups in Europe raised EUR 47.3 billion in the first half of 2024 alone (Sifted Intelligence), the entire African continent attracted only a tiny fraction this amount. This disparity underlines the difficulty African start-ups have in accessing the capital they need to grow and scale. At the same time, it represents an extraordinary opportunity for European investors to enter a market with huge potential for growth and impact.
The Strategy
Kili Ventures aims to position itself as a strategic bridge between Italian expertise in the technology sector and emerging opportunities on the African continent. The company focuses on early-stage investments in African technology start-ups, with a particular focus on those operating in sectors with high growth potential and social impact.
Davide Rovera, managing director of Kili Ventures, explains in a note: “Our model involves thorough scouting and in-depth due diligence. We aim to invest up to $250,000 per syndicate, focusing our efforts on facilitating the scale-up of companies and access to subsequent funding rounds. We focus on start-ups tackling crucial challenges on the continent, from efficiency in agriculture to innovations in fintech and renewable energy, balancing socio-economic impact with return for investors’.
Kili Ventures explores the dynamics of the African market, characterised by high growth and innovation potential. The initiative aims to inform European investors, including Italian ones, about the emerging opportunities in this rapidly evolving context. Through in-depth analysis and knowledge sharing, Kili Ventures offers a unique perspective on an ecosystem that could represent an interesting area of opportunity. The company is committed to building a bridge between the European and African startup ecosystems, facilitating knowledge transfer and promoting collaboration opportunities between the two continents.
The team
The Kili Ventures team has experience in the African context, with more than eight years of fieldwork in key East and Sub-Saharan African countries. This direct presence has allowed them to develop an in-depth understanding of local dynamics, challenges and opportunities in the complex African entrepreneurial landscape. Through strategic collaborations with more than 10 venture scouts, local incubators and accelerator programmes, coupled with direct interactions with African entrepreneurs, the team has gained a practical understanding of the evolving startup ecosystem. Combining this local experience with a global perspective allows Kili Ventures to offer an informed approach in the process of selecting and supporting start-ups, acting as an effective bridge between the European and African entrepreneurial ecosystems.
The founders of Kili Ventures (pictured) are: Davide Rovera, managing partner who has 13 years of experience working with emerging businesses between Europe, Silicon Valley and Africa. He created and runs the eWorks business creation programme at the Esade Business School in Barcelona, Spain where he is a lecturer in Entrepreneurship. Andrea Censoni, partner with eight years of experience in acceleration and seed investment of early stage start-ups between Italy and Africa. With a background in economics and international management, he is currently portfolio manager at Cariplo Factory and supports acceleration programmes including SkyDeck Europe. Lorenzo D’Amelio, partner, has founded three companies and made one exit. A digital entrepreneur with over 12 years of experience in strategic consulting, he has supported over 300 national and international companies and worked as a mentor for over 30 incubators in Italy and Africa. Francesco Cracolici, partner at Kili Ventures and venture partner in three funds focused on early-stage start-ups. During his career he has invested in more than 30 start-ups, managed more than 30 accelerator cohorts and founded four angel clubs on different continents. (photo by James Wiseman on Unsplash)
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