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Since 2020, Celo has backed 3 African startups across 3 disclosed funding rounds totaling $1.6M, most heavily in Nigeria and 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).
Celo's tracked rounds are concentrated in Nigeria (3).
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.