CV VC Africa

CV VC is a Swiss blockchain venture capital firm that provides seed funding and an acceleration program to transformative technology teams globally, with a significant and dedicated focus on the African continent through its African Blockchain Fund. The firm primarily invests in pre-seed and seed-stage blockchain startups, both directly and through its CV Labs Accelerator. Their investment thesis centers on identifying companies that leverage blockchain technology as a catalyst to revolutionize various industries, solve pressing problems, and create new markets. In Africa, CV VC emphasizes blockchain's potential to drive financial inclusion, enhance data transparency, build decentralized infrastructure, and promote sustainability.

Established in 2016, CV VC emerged as a pioneer in Switzerland's Crypto Valley. The firm's expansion into Africa began around 2020, supported by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) with the aim of replicating the successful Crypto Valley model on the continent. This initiative led to the launch of a Pan-African focus in mid-2021, establishing a thriving Web3 ecosystem with a primary hub in Cape Town, South Africa. This strategic move underscores CV VC's commitment to fostering innovation in emerging markets.

CV VC has made notable investments in a diverse portfolio of African startups across various countries and industries. Key portfolio companies include Orca Fraud, a recent seed-round investment, and HouseAfrica, a Nigerian startup focused on property transactions. Other significant investments include OkHi (Nigeria), which provides AI-powered digital address verification; Turnstay (South Africa), specializing in stablecoin-powered cross-border payments; Kasi (South Africa), a neobank for gig workers; Ivorypay (Nigeria), facilitating crypto payments for small businesses; Altify (South Africa), an alternative investment platform; and Shamba Records (Kenya), a regenerative agritech startup. The firm has also backed Mazzuma, CARMACHAIN, Pravica, Fastagger, and SodaWorld through its accelerator programs.

The CV VC team is composed of experienced professionals in the fintech, blockchain, venture capital, and entrepreneurship sectors. Key leadership includes Mathias Ruch (Founder and CEO) and Olaf Hannemann (Co-founder). The African operations are spearheaded by Brenton Naicker (Director of Fundraising & Growth Africa), who previously held a leadership role at Binance Africa, and Jarryd Kennedy (Head of Investments Africa). Gideon Greaves served as the first Managing Director of CV VC Africa. Other integral team members include Lukas Etter, Patrik Bruderer, Francesca Conti, Janis Aguilar, and Benedek Orban, all contributing to the firm's global and regional strategies with deep industry knowledge and a hands-on approach to nurturing purpose-driven ventures.