Kenyan Tourism-Focused Venture Studio Purple Elephant Ventures Raises Additional $500,000

New Investments

Kenyan Tourism-Focused Venture Studio Purple Elephant Ventures Raises Additional $500,000

April 13, 2025

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Nairobi-based Purple Elephant Ventures (PEV), a startup studio focused on tourism, has secured an extra $500,000 to boost its seed funding round to $5 million.

PEV was co-founded by Ben Peterson, formerly a senior partner at AHL Venture Partners; Jan Van der de Willebois, who previously worked in investment banking at Dyer & Blair; and Mikul Shah, known for launching EatOut Africa.

The company is committed to launching three to four new tourism-related startups annually.

The studio focuses on developing tech-driven solutions to help make Africa’s tourism industry more sustainable and better prepared for the challenges of climate change.

The idea is to create scalable businesses that contribute to a more resilient tourism sector on the continent.

After raising $1 million in pre-seed funding in October 2022, PEV followed it up with a $4.5 million seed round in January.

Key backers in the earlier rounds include Clear Creek Investment B.V, Klister Corp., Playfair Capital’s founder Fede Pirzo-Biroli, Anthony Rock, and Ian McCaig, the former CEO of Lastminute.com.

The latest funding came from Alphatron, a Dutch single-family office under the Alphatron Group. This new capital will help PEV continue building its reputation as a leading tourism-tech venture in Africa.

Ben Peterson, CEO of PEV, expressed appreciation for the investment, calling it a vote of confidence in the future of eco-friendly tourism across Africa.

He noted that Alphatron’s backing supports the studio’s goal of using technology to drive sustainable growth in the sector.

Floris de Kort, director at Alphatron Group, praised PEV’s mission, stating that the studio brings together innovation, market potential, and a strong commitment to environmental responsibility—qualities that align closely with Alphatron’s values.

“This partnership reflects our belief in supporting bold ideas that drive both climate action and economic progress in Africa,” de Kort said.

“We are delighted to partner with ISA to support the development of solar energy in Africa,” said Alain Ebobissé, CEO of Africa50. “This partnership will help to accelerate the deployment of solar energy in Africa and improve the lives of millions of Africans,” he added.

New Investments

Kenyan Tourism-Focused Venture Studio Purple Elephant Ventures Raises Additional $500,000

| Article

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