Nairobi — Kenyan startups secured 50 funding deals last year, the highest in Africa, according to the latest Germany-Africa Investment Report covering 2015-2025.
The report by the Africa Investment Bridge initiative shows Nigeria followed with 34 deals, Tanzania with 24, South Africa 19 and Ghana 17, reinforcing Nairobi’s position as East Africa’s leading innovation hub.
African founders in AgTech and Fintech accounted for 51 percent of German-backed deals, highlighting strong investor interest in mobile money innovation and agricultural technology.
Health and education also gained momentum between 2020 and 2025, reflecting Africa’s development priorities and growing population.
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“The data tells a clear story: African founders are building solutions that work in agriculture, financial services, health, and climate adaptation,” said Sebastian Gentry, Head of Programs at the Westerwelle Foundation.
“This report is designed to reduce the information asymmetry that keeps international capital on the sidelines. When investors engage through trusted local partners and proven structures, they access not just returns, but participation in one of the most significant economic transformations of our time,” he added.
The report shows German syndicate exposure peaked at $565.5 million in 2023 before declining, largely due to concentration in mega-deals rather than a slowdown in ecosystem growth.
African startup funding rebounded to $3.8 billion in 2025, with funding volumes rising 32 percent and deal counts increasing 8 percent, signalling a maturing and increasingly connected market.
The Africa Investment Bridge is implemented by the Westerwelle Foundation in partnership with GIZ SPARK, commissioned by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and co-financed by the European Union.
