Tech veterans spearhead XA Africa’s entry into African tech ecosystem

Business a.m.

 XA Network, a leading investment network founded by tech alumni in Southeast Asia, has extended its reach into Africa, with the launch of XA Africa, reflecting the network’s vision and commitment to encouraging innovation and nurturing promising startups around the world.

XA Africa is founded by a trio of experienced tech professionals, including Nitin Gajria, former MD of Google Sub-Saharan Africa;  Jason Scott, venture capitalist and an architect of the Black Founders Fund at Google; and Marek Dawidowicz, current marketing director at YouTube and South African native.

With XA Africa, the objective is to forge powerful connections between Africa’s finest tech founders and a network of seasoned investors and industry experts, primarily hailing from global and regional technology companies. 

The unique and invaluable initiative aims to do more than just offer capital, but also strives to empower African startups with the guidance and support they need to overcome the challenges of scaling their ventures.

The newly established XA Africa has already made notable investments in promising African startups, including: Crop 2Cash (Nigeria),  BuuPass (Kenya), Kaya (South Africa), and  Talamus Health (Ghana).

Since its inception six years ago, XA Network has established itself as a significant player in the Southeast Asian startup ecosystem, making nearly 100 investments in the region, and consistent ranked as #1 investment network in the region. 

XA Network comprises senior leaders from prominent global and regional technology companies and notable company founders. This approach distinguishes XA Network, enabling it to offer portfolio companies unparalleled guidance and support from experienced industry operators.

Commenting on the development, Nitin Gajria, co-founder of XA Africa, stated: “Founders of technology startups in Africa are uniquely placed to solve some of Africa’s most profound challenges and unlock its greatest opportunities. We see the foray of XA Network into Africa as a natural progression, allowing us to connect amazing founders to experienced and expert operators from the tech industry.”

Gajria also noted the potential for fostering stronger ties between the African and Southeast Asian tech ecosystems. He emphasised that this investment thesis has already borne fruit, as evidenced by the remarkable progress made by the African founders currently under XA Africa’s support.

  Sonia Kabra & Wyclife Omondi , founders of Kenya’s BuuPass, remarked, “We are excited to have XA network on board because of their strong network of experts who are open to listening and helping. They’ve introduced us to advisors from Expedia and truly understand the dynamics of emerging markets, making them a valuable investor.” 

According to Michael Ogundare, CEO of Crop2Cash, “Partnering with XA Network has been a game-changer for our company. Their strategic guidance and network have opened doors to new opportunities, and we’re excited to see the impact of our collaboration continue to unfold. We’re grateful for their trust in our vision.” 

The XA Africa team will be hosting their first public Demo Day webinar on Thursday November 7, 1-2pm GMT+1, where Africa focused investors can meet and invest in four founding companies and learn more about XA Africa. Interested participants are to visit https://lu.ma/mvmvepfu

to register for the event.