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Since 2024, Sony Innovation Fund has backed 4 African startups across 4 disclosed funding rounds totaling $41M, most heavily in Nigeria and Crypto & Web3.
Sony Innovation Fund is the corporate venture capital platform of Sony Group, managed by Sony Ventures Corporation. It is wholly funded by Sony Group and invests in early stage and early growth stage companies that can help shape Sony’s future businesses. The fund operates globally and is part of a wider family of Sony Innovation Fund vehicles that focus on emerging technologies and impact driven opportunities. In Africa, Sony Innovation Fund: Africa has been established as a dedicated corporate venture capital fund to invest in seed to early stage startups in the entertainment industry. The fund focuses on areas such as gaming, music, movies and content distribution, initially prioritizing markets including Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa. Within this activity, Sony Innovation Fund has participated in strategic and venture rounds backing companies such as Yellow Card in stablecoin and fiat payment infrastructure, Filmmakers Mart in film production services marketplaces, Twiva in creator economy commerce, and Carry1st in game publishing and monetization. Sony Innovation Fund often invests alongside global institutional co investors and leverages Sony Group’s technology, partnerships with creators, intellectual property and content to support portfolio companies. Through these collaborations the fund aims to accelerate the growth of innovative startups and contribute to the expansion of Africa’s entertainment and digital industries while exploring new business opportunities for Sony Group.
Data updated · Aug 18, 2026
Sony Innovation Fund has backed 4 African startups across 4 disclosed funding rounds tracked on Liners, totaling $41M since 2024.
Mostly Venture (Round not Specified): 3 of its 4 tracked rounds are at that stage, followed by Strategic (1).
Sony Innovation Fund's tracked rounds are concentrated in Nigeria (2), Kenya (1), South Africa (1).
Its tracked rounds lean toward Crypto & Web3 (1), Services & Marketplaces (1), Creator Economy (1), and 1 more sector.
Sony Innovation Fund most often shares rounds with SC Ventures by Standard Chartered (1 shared deal), Polychain Capital (1 shared deal), Blockchain Capital (1 shared deal).
Sony Innovation Fund is the corporate venture capital arm of Sony Group, managed by Sony Ventures Corporation and wholly funded by Sony Group. It invests globally in early stage and early growth stage companies, including dedicated funds such as Sony Innovation Fund: Africa for the African entertainment and digital ecosystem.
In Africa, Sony Innovation Fund has backed Yellow Card in stablecoin and fiat payments infrastructure for emerging markets, Filmmakers Mart for film production services across Africa, Twiva for social commerce in the creator economy, and Carry1st for game publishing and monetization across the continent. These investments reflect a focus on entertainment, digital media and financial infrastructure supporting the wider ecosystem.
Sony Innovation Fund often co invests with reputable global investors. For example, in its African deals it has participated in rounds that also included investors such as SC Ventures by Standard Chartered, Polychain Capital, Blockchain Capital and International Finance Corporation, reflecting a collaborative approach to supporting portfolio companies.