Visa convened founders, investors, corporate partners and industry stakeholders in Cape Town for the Demo Day of its fourth Africa Fintech Accelerator programme, showcasing 22 fintech startups from 12 African countries, organisers and industry reporting said.
The culmination of an intensive three-month cohort, the event marked the conclusion of a structured acceleration track designed to help early- and growth-stage fintech ventures refine products, strengthen business models and expand market reach across the continent.
The cohort’s companies operate across 31 markets and offer solutions spanning digital payments, financial inclusion, small and medium enterprise support, credit access and related digital commerce services. A notable feature of the group was the strong representation of women in leadership: eight companies were founded by female entrepreneurs, and 90 per cent of startups included women in leadership roles, Visa said.
Visa said the accelerator has now supported 86 African fintech startups, with the collective alumni group holding an estimated US $1.3 billion valuation, and many companies advancing into new markets, securing follow-on investment and deepening commercial engagement with Visa and other partners.
Visa’s Africa Fintech Accelerator provides tailored support, including mentorship, product development guidance, and marketing and go-to-market strategy assistance, backed by Visa’s global network of investors and industry partners. The programme also deepened collaboration this year with strategic partners such as Bank of Africa, Onafriq and First Bank of Nigeria Ltd, which contributed expertise and opened potential partnership pathways for cohort members.
Visa executives said the Demo Day underscored the growing dynamism and commercial potential of Africa’s fintech ecosystem as digital financial services expand their footprint across the continent.
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