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Since 2020, Celo has backed 3 African startups across 3 disclosed funding rounds totaling $1.6M, most heavily in Fintech.
Celo is a blockchain platform and ecosystem focused on enabling global financial inclusion through programmable rails for payments and decentralized finance. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in San Francisco, Celo operates as both a technology platform and an investment ecosystem, with the Celo Alliance for Prosperity bringing together over 100 organizations including major institutional partners. Celo's investment activity in Africa demonstrates a focused approach to fintech and crypto infrastructure in emerging markets. Between August 2020 and September 2022, Celo deployed $1.6 million across three funding rounds, primarily targeting seed and early-stage companies. The investor concentrated its capital in Nigeria and pan-African opportunities, backing companies including Cpayant and Chimoney, which provide cross-border payments and digital identity solutions, as well as Yellowcard, a stablecoin and fiat payments infrastructure provider serving emerging markets. This investment pattern reflects Celo's commitment to building financial infrastructure that serves underbanked populations across Africa.
Data updated · Mar 27, 2026
Celo has backed 3 African startups across 3 disclosed funding rounds tracked on Liners, totaling $1.6M since 2020.
Mostly Other: 2 of its 3 tracked rounds are at that stage, followed by Seed (1).
Companies Celo has backed operate in Ghana (3), Nigeria (3), South Africa (2), and 14 more markets. Each figure counts the rounds behind companies serving that market, so a company operating in several markets counts in each of them.
Its tracked rounds lean toward Fintech (2), Crypto & Web3 (1).
Celo most often shares rounds with Polychain Capital (1 shared deal), Andreessen Horowitz (1 shared deal).
Celo has backed three companies in Africa: Cpayant (Nigeria-based cross-border payments), Chimoney (Nigeria-based digital identity and multi-rail payments), and Yellowcard (pan-African stablecoin and fiat payments infrastructure). These investments totaled $1.6 million between August 2020 and September 2022.
Breet — Crypto & Stablecoins Payment API for African Businesses 
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