Founders Factory Africa (FFA) has announced its rebrand and name change to 54 Collective, signaling an evolution in its business model to better support transformative technology ventures across the continent. The newly named 54 Collective aims to drive entrepreneurial growth across all 54 African countries by providing catalytic capital and comprehensive support through its Venture Success Platform. This rebranding reflects the firm’s ambitious pan-African vision and commitment to fostering innovation and economic growth.
Building on its exceptional track record of investing in and scaling early-stage ventures in Africa, 54 Collective offers equity and non-dilutive capital up to $500k, with an additional $150k for female founders. This funding model is designed to break down barriers to access and ensure a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. The firm’s Venture Success Platform, comprising a team of experienced venture specialists, provides tailored support in areas such as product development, growth strategies, commercial relationships, and investor readiness, empowering founders to succeed both locally and globally.
“Our catalytic capital and value-add support to founders, through our Venture Success Platform, signifies our evolution and ongoing mission to support entrepreneurs across Africa and enable them to build without boundaries to drive commercial and impact returns. Our name change to 54 Collective communicates our continued commitment to African founders. We are more supportive than ever of unlocking opportunities for entrepreneurs and ensuring a level playing field for youth and women founders.” said Bongani Sithole, CEO, 54 Collective
The rebrand also marks 54 Collective’s shift from focusing solely on Agtech, Fintech, and Healthtech to a sector-agnostic investment approach. This broader focus allows the firm to support a diverse range of founders and ventures, helping them navigate complex challenges to achieve commercial success and make a significant impact on the continent. With an active portfolio of over 50 ventures across 10 countries and nearly $140 million raised in follow-on capital, 54 Collective is positioned as a leading player in Africa’s rapidly expanding venture capital sector.
In 2023, Founders Factory Africa was recognized as one of the top venture capital investors in Africa. The firm’s investments have created substantial socioeconomic impacts, such as improved financial inclusion and increased incomes for over 11,000 bodaboda drivers through Asaak, a vehicle asset financing company. 54 Collective aims to continue this trajectory by enhancing financial inclusion, improving healthcare access, and creating dignified work opportunities, with a goal of having 50% or more of its portfolio startups founded by women.
“We are pursuing opportunistic investments in different sectors across the continent where there are uniquely large opportunities for startups to scale and create sustainable impact in these sectors. Our goal is to invest in 105 startups across Africa in the next five years, enabling entrepreneurs to provide solutions to the continent’s biggest challenges and transforming lives and industries.” said Bongani Sithole, CEO, 54 Collective
The rebrand to 54 Collective represents a new era for the venture capital ecosystem in Africa. With its focus on catalytic capital and the robust Venture Success Platform, the firm is redefining the investment landscape, enabling African entrepreneurs to build without boundaries and tackle some of the continent’s most pressing challenges. The firm’s vision is to drive generational progress and prosperity across Africa through innovative and impactful entrepreneurship.