Costanoa Ventures

Costanoa Ventures is an early stage venture capital firm that focuses on seed and Series A investments in technology businesses. It was founded in 2012 and is based in Palo Alto, California, with its main office at 160 Forest Avenue. Costanoa Ventures invests in business to business startups across areas such as applied AI, data and developer infrastructure, cybersecurity, national security, and fintech, and positions itself as a hands on partner to technical and product founders. In Africa, Costanoa Ventures has been an active investor in early stage technology companies, particularly at the Seed, Series A, and Series B stages. Based on confirmed activity, the firm has participated in multiple rounds in Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt, with a focus on cybersecurity, fintech, and insurtech. Its African portfolio includes Cadana in Nigeria, which enables businesses to pay contractors in more than 100 countries through local rails, Smile ID in Nigeria, which provides digital identity verification and fraud prevention across African markets, Umba in Kenya, which offers digital banking for savings, credit, and business payments, and Amenli in Egypt, which allows consumers to buy and manage insurance online. Across these African investments, Costanoa Ventures has shown a particular interest in cybersecurity infrastructure and financial services, alongside insurance innovation. The firm often invests alongside other specialist and global venture firms, reflecting a collaborative approach to supporting founders building financial and security infrastructure for African markets.