The funding will go to Rivia Clinics, a healthtech startup focused on primary healthcare services, and VDL Fulfilment, an e-commerce logistics company.

Rivia Clinics secured $200,000, while VDL Fulfilment received $150,000 through a financing structure that combines convertible debt and performance-based funding.

The investments mark the first capital deployment from the AECF, a $4 million fund launched by Village Capital in partnership with the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO) and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO).

The initiative was created to support startups building solutions around economic mobility and climate resilience in Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania.

Village Capital’s latest deal signals continued investor interest in businesses solving practical problems in sectors such as healthcare, logistics, and financial inclusion.

“Rivia and VDL are strong examples of the businesses emerging across Ghana – founders building practical solutions to real, everyday challenges, from accessing quality healthcare to moving goods more efficiently,” said Heather Matranga, Managing Director of Venture and Investments at Village Capital.

Rivia Clinics plans to use the funding to expand its network of healthcare facilities, improve sales operations, and strengthen its virtual healthcare services.

VDL Fulfilment, meanwhile, will channel the capital into growing its delivery fleet and expanding warehouse infrastructure to improve fulfilment operations.

What distinguishes the AECF from many traditional investment vehicles is its reliance on local Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) to identify and evaluate startups.

These organizations typically work closely with founders by offering mentorship, business development support, and investor readiness training.

Village Capital says the locally driven model is designed to ensure investment decisions are informed by businesses and ecosystem players with a strong understanding of on-the-ground realities.

Earlier this year, Village Capital selected five ESOs across Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania to serve as venture partners under the facility.

They include Reach for Change in Ghana, Africa Fintech Foundry and Fate Foundation in Nigeria, and Anza Entrepreneurs and Ennovate Ventures in Tanzania.

For the Ghana investments, Reach for Change and Innovation Spark helped build the investment pipeline and supported the evaluation process for the selected startups.

Village Capital, founded in 2009, says it has helped mobilize more than $7 billion in investment capital for around 1,800 startups globally.

The organization has increasingly expanded its footprint across African startup ecosystems through investment programs focused on sectors including agriculture, climate technology, healthcare, and digital infrastructure.

The Ghana investments are expected to be followed by additional deployments in Nigeria and Tanzania as the facility continues rolling out capital to early-stage African startups.