Seven African start-ups receive $5M growth capital
Seven African start-ups have received $5million growth capital to scale their businesses. The founders of the start-up received their capital growth respectively after pitching their ideas and the solutions they proffer before business leaders and a distinguished panel of judges during a summit organised by Cascador, an Africa-focused platform for growth-stage founders building businesses with […]
Seven African start-ups have received $5million growth capital to scale their businesses.
The founders of the start-up received their capital growth respectively after pitching their ideas and the solutions they proffer before business leaders and a distinguished panel of judges during a summit organised by Cascador, an Africa-focused platform for growth-stage founders building businesses with social impact.
Dave DeLucia, Founder of Cascador, said the ScaleUp Program works with an elite cohort of entrepreneurs to strengthen leadership, sharpen strategy, and prepare founders to scale sustainably.
“Through this approach, Cascador is helping build the next generation of high-impact African businesses. Since 2019, it has supported 70 companies that have collectively raised more than $125 million,” he said.
According to him, Pitch Day has awarded more than $9M to growth-stage African founders in two years, helping to build a new generation of entrepreneurs equipped to scale transformative businesses.
“We’re now looking for the next cohort of exceptional founders to join our 2026 ScaleUp program and hope to see them on stage at the next Pitch Day,” he said.
One of the judges, Daniel Ayoede of Verod Capital Management, underscored the importance of the program in offering support to businesses.
“Two years judging Pitch Day, plus a season as faculty for the Cascador ScaleUp program, taught me something the term sheets never capture: capital readiness, not capital, is what turns funding into scale. The founders on stage today walk away with customer pipelines, team training, mentorship, and bespoke support, the connective tissue that lets them multiply what they raise. This is not an accelerator. It is ecosystem architecture, and these founders are its proof,” he said.
Deina Mayaki of Agriarche, the largest funding recipient from the 2026 Catalytic Fund, said the program has shaped her team’s ability. .
“Cascador’s ScaleUp program built upon my team’s ability to translate learning into action by helping us refine our message and market position, adjust our funding strategy, and adapt without defensiveness.
“The Catalytic Fund due diligence team assessed Agriarche’s financial strength, resourcefulness, and track record of success, and they rewarded our high-potential for scale and impact today by awarding a new N2.5B credit facility to power our growth,” she said.