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Germany’s development finance institution DEG has announced a US$25 million commitment to Helios Fund V, the fifth private-equity vehicle managed by London-based Helios Investment Partners.
The fund, designed to unlock growth capital for mid-sized enterprises across Africa, will cover a broad range of sectors including financial services and fintech, consumer goods, information and communications technology (ICT), healthcare, light industry and renewable energy.
Helios Investment Partners, which has been active on the African continent since 2004, has raised and deployed approximately US $2.5 billion across its first four funds.
The firm currently manages over US$3 billion in assets, including related co-investment pools. Moreover, as of December 2024, the firm had reported generating $4.3 billion in liquidity through exits.
The injection of capital by DEG underscores the rising attention development finance institutions are paying to Africa-focused private-equity vehicles that aim to support scaling businesses and to mobilise private capital in promising sectors.
With Helios Fund V now backed by this commitment, Helios Investment Partners is positioned to further strengthen its portfolio of growth-stage African companies and help them expand in markets where demographics, technology adoption and demand for innovation are converging.
AURA, a South African startup offering emergency response services, has raised €13.5 million (around $15.1 million) in its Series B funding round.
Six African tech startups have been chosen as finalists for the “Meet the Tôshikas” program, a joint initiative by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).
REasy, a trade finance startup based in Cameroon, has raised $1.8 million in pre-seed funding to make it easier for small and mid-sized businesses in Africa to pay international suppliers.
