By Antynet Ford
54 Collective has officially transitioned from an accelerator to a fully-fledged venture capital firm, ushering in a new era for African entrepreneurs.
The evolution solidifies the capital firms’ position as a leading force in the African venture capital landscape, leveraging their expertise, networks, and local presence to help early-stage African startups grow and thrive.
Since 2018, 54 Collective has deployed nearly $6 million to Kenyan entrepreneurs, highlighting the firm’s deep commitment to the country’s burgeoning startup scene.
Kenya stands out as a crucial player in Africa’s venture capital ecosystem due to its thriving tech environment, strong infrastructure, supportive government policies, and skilled talent pool. These factors collectively create a fertile ground for innovation and entrepreneurial success.
54 Collective’s impact is already evident in the successes of several Kenyan startups.
BuuPass, for example, has revolutionized the inter-city transport industry by digitizing ticketing systems, making travel more accessible and organized.
Since joining 54 Collective’s portfolio in 2022, BuuPass has served over 16 million passengers, covered more than 800 routes, and supported 1,250 buses in operation. The startup’s growth illustrates the power of 54 Collective’s combined financial and strategic support.
Powered by People (PBP), part of 54 Collective’s portfolio since June 2020, is a B2B platform that connects 1,800+ makers in 46 countries with buyers in North America and elsewhere.
Focused on ethical, sustainable, and social-impact-driven transactions, PBP helps expand customer bases and provides financial services to makers, including in Kenya and in the US, Canada, India, Mexico, Turkey and the UK. To date, PBP has facilitated over 100,000 orders, with 25% repeat orders from 15,000 buyers, exemplifying 54 Collective’s commitment to building African businesses for global markets.
To support aspiring and early-stage entrepreneurs and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), 54 Collective provides entrepreneurs in Kenya and newly in South Africa and Nigeria with the ability to engage with entrepreneurship as a career path, have access to needed knowledge and resources, and accelerate their entrepreneurship journey through the the Entrepreneur Academy by 54 Collective. Its mission is simple, to make entrepreneurship accessible to all.
It offers two distinct initiatives: Explore, a digital platform providing essential knowledge and tools to help entrepreneurs turn ideas into businesses, and the Business Support Accelerator, a 12-week program designed to accelerate SME growth and foster a community of like-minded entrepreneurs.
Through these initiatives, 54 Collective is dedicated to making entrepreneurship more accessible and creating jobs across Africa.
The new operating model is designed to meet the specific needs of African startups, particularly in Kenya. Entrepreneurs can access up to $250,000 in equity funding, supported by low-interest loans of up to $150,000 that are paid back at a price round.
Women founders can also receive an even lower interest rate loan, up to $150,000, to help break barriers to access.
54 Collective’s mission is to enhance financial inclusion throughout Kenya and Africa.
The firm is playing a pivotal role in fostering economic participation and development by investing in startups that expand access to essential services, particularly in underserved communities.
This approach not only empowers individual entrepreneurs but also contributes to broader societal progress.
“54 Collective is committed to building a thriving ecosystem that propels local startups to new heights while driving growth and innovation across all 54 African countries. We invite ambitious entrepreneurs and forward-thinking investors in Kenya and beyond to join 54 Collective in shaping the future of African entrepreneurship. With our new operating model, the opportunities to scale businesses and create lasting impact are unmatched—now is the time to be part of this transformative journey.” 54 Collective CEO Bongani Sithole made the call.