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Novastar Ventures

Impact investor

London · Pre-Seed–Late Stage · 20 people tracked

Find your way into Novastar Ventures

4,419 people in our graph share verified history with the Novastar Ventures team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

James Detweilerunlockedknows Riki Yamauchi · together at Morgan Stanley (overlapped)
×3knows the team · via Morgan Stanley
×2knows the team · via Ey
knows the team · via Stanford University
knows the team · via Harvard University
knows the team · via Lloyds Bank
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Investment thesis

Novastar Ventures invests in bold entrepreneurs driving an entrepreneurial revolution across Africa, aiming to transform markets and sectors for the benefit of people and the planet. The firm emphasizes environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles across its portfolio and manages funds dedicated to impact-oriented investing on the continent, such as its Africa People and Planet Fund III.

Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.

Stage
Pre-Seed–Late Stage
HQ
London, GB
Leads rounds
Follows
Instruments
Equity
Founded
2014
Last 12 months
3 investments
AUM
$147M
Tracked investments
37

Team · 20 people

from the firm's website & curated & public directories
Samuel Kanu· Associate

What they invest in

from 19 of 37 portfolio companies

Logistics & Supply Chain ×6Cleantech ×5Climate Tech ×5Impact & Social Good ×5Mobility & Transportation ×5Healthtech ×4AgTech ×3B2B Marketplaces ×3

HQs:Kenya×7United States×6Nigeria×5Egypt×1South Africa×1

Investments · 37 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path

By year:2026 · 32025 · 12022 · 12015 · 16 dated

Arcarcwastecompactors.cominSep 2026 · $33.3M

Arc Waste Compactors manufactures waste and recycling equipment including self-contained, stationary, apartment, and vertical compactors, as well as cardboard balers for commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities.

Advanced ManufacturingCircular EconomyHardware

Co-investorsH.I.G. CapitalNorrsken22Proparco

ARC Ridearcrideglobal.com

Novastar Fund III (NVIII) portfolio company.

Karl Boyce(Founder)in

Basi-Gobasi-go.comin𝕏

BasiGo provides electric buses designed for African public transport, along with a pay-as-you-drive leasing model that removes the high upfront cost of ownership and a charging and service network.

CleantechClimate TechMobility & TransportationClaymont, US

Jonathan Green(CFO & Co-Founder)inAbhijit Bhattacharya(Executive Officer, Director)Jit Bhattacharya(CEO & Co-Founder)inMoses Nderitu(Kenya Managing Director)inDoreen Orishaba(Chief Product Officer)in

BoardAkira Wada(Director)

Co-investorsKeiki CapitalMoxxie VenturesNimble PartnersTrucks VC

Breadfastbreadfast.comin𝕏Feb 2026 · $50M

Breadfast is a delivery app offering groceries, fresh bakery items, fruits and vegetables, ready-to-eat meals, beauty, pharmacy, and household products, along with financial features like cashback and rewards.

ConsumerE-commerceFoodTechLogistics & Supply ChainMobility & TransportationCairo, EG

Muhammad Habib(Founder)inAbdallah Nofal(Founder)inMostafa Aminin

Co-investors4DX Ventures500 GlobalOutliers VCShorooq PartnersVershina CapitalVNV Global+5 more

Chowdeckchowdeck.comin𝕏Jul 2025

Chowdeck is a food delivery platform in Africa that connects customers with restaurants and delivery riders.

B2B MarketplacesConsumerFoodTechLogistics & Supply ChainMarketplacesLA, NG

Femi Aluko(Founder)inOlumide Ojo(Founder)inLanre Yusuf(Founder)in

BoardBrian Waswani Odhiambo(Director)in

Co-investorsBrighter CapitalGFR FundHoaQPalm Drive CapitalRocketship.vcVelocity Digital+1 more

Elephantelephant.healthcarein

Elephant provides digital health infrastructure for public healthcare systems in low- and middle-income countries, offering an offline-capable EHR (ElephantOS), clinical guidance tools (Elephant Nudge), and an AI-driven platform to integrate third-party healthcare tools into clinical workflows.

AI & Machine LearningDigital HealthEnterprise SoftwareHealthtechUK, ZA

Michael D.(Founder)in

Co-investorsEntrée CapitalManta Ray VenturesPUSH Ventures

KOMAZAkomaza.comin𝕏

Komaza is a forestry company in Kenya that uses a smallholder microforestry model, partnering with thousands of small farmers to grow trees on distributed land pockets rather than large plantations.

AgTechClimate TechImpact & Social GoodNairobi, KE

Tevis Howard(Founder)inAyesha Wagle(Executive Officer)inJoris de Vries(Director)

BoardSteve Beck(Director)in

Co-investorsCeniarth

Maxmax.ngin𝕏

MAX is a mobility fintech platform that provides financial services, vehicle ownership solutions, and support services to informal transport operators across Africa.

B2B MarketplacesCleantechClimate TechFintechLogistics & Supply ChainMobility & TransportationLagos, NG

Co-investorsAlitheia CapitalBreakthrough Energy VenturesGoodwell InvestmentsOlive Tree CapitalShell FoundationWaarde Capital

Metro Africa Xpressmaxdrive.aiin𝕏Feb 2022

Logistics & Supply ChainMobility & TransportationLagos, NG

Chinedu Azodoh(Executive Officer, Director)inAdetayo Bamiduro(Executive Officer, Director)in

Co-investorsCapria VenturesTechstarsEndeavor CatalystGlobal VenturesProparcoTriple Jump

Moko.Comoko.co.kein

MoKo manufactures and sells furniture, including TV stands designed with modern storage and display features for residential living rooms.

Advanced ManufacturingConsumerDirect to ConsumerE-commerceRetail TechNairobi, KE

Moniepointmoniepoint.comin𝕏

Moniepoint provides banking, payments, credit, and cross-border payment services along with business management tools for African businesses and individuals, with a focus on MSMEs.

Enterprise SoftwareFintechSaaS

Co-investorsCapria VenturesDevelopment Partners InternationalNew VoicesOui CapitalQED InvestorsInternational Finance Corporation+4 more

Mpharmampharma.com

mPharma operates a network of pharmacies across Africa that uses technology to negotiate lower drug prices with manufacturers and manage prescription information and payments.

B2B MarketplacesDigital HealthHealthtechLogistics & Supply Chain

Co-investors4DX VenturesBreyer CapitalOTVPeregrine VenturesThe Raba PartnershipTimon Capital+2 more

Paygoenergypaygoenergy.coin

PayGo develops smart metering technology for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution, enabling pay-as-you-go billing for cookstove users in emerging markets.

CleantechEnergyHardwareIoTNairobi, KE

Fausto MarcigotMark O'KeefeNick Quintong

Penda Healthpendahealth.comin𝕏

Penda Health operates a network of medical centers in Nairobi providing outpatient, home-based, specialist, and diagnostic care, along with telemedicine, to patients and corporate partners.

Digital HealthHealthtechNairobi, KE

Co-investorsFINCA VenturesGlobal Partnerships

Regen Organicsregenorganics.coin𝕏

Regen Organics produces organic fertilizer products to address food insecurity and climate change in emerging economies.

AgTechCircular EconomyClimate TechImpact & Social GoodKilifi, KE

Ani Vallabhaneni(Co-founder and CEO)inDavid Auerbach(Co-founder and President)in

Rideride.lifeSep 2026 · $33.3M

Life Ride offers non-emergency medical transportation with door-to-door assistance for people with mobility challenges, including wheelchair users and those recovering from injury.

HealthtechLogistics & Supply ChainMobility & TransportationLivingston, US

Co-investorsKli CapitalBritish International InvestmentInternational Finance CorporationMirovaNorrsken22Proparco

Sanersaner.gyin𝕏

The Sanergy Collaborative is a network of partner organizations addressing the sanitation crisis in densely populated cities through a circular economy approach: building safe sanitation systems, collecting and treating waste, and upcycling it into products like organic fertilizer, ecofuels, and animal feed.

Circular EconomyCleantechImpact & Social GoodNairobi, KE

Shopsokoshopsoko.comin𝕏

SOKO designs and sells jewelry made by artisans in Kenya, combining product design with ethical, sustainable production.

Direct to ConsumerE-commerceImpact & Social Good

Gwendolyn Floyd(Founder)

Sistema Bsistema.bioin𝕏

Sistema.bio manufactures prefabricated, modular tubular biodigesters that convert animal dung into biogas for small and medium-sized farms.

AgTechCleantechClimate TechEnergyMexico City

Alexander Eaton(Executive Officer, Director, Promoter)inCamilo Pagés(Founder)in

BoardThibault Couturier(Director)Liesbet Mijlemans(Director)inMarcus Watson(Director)inJoyce Cacho(Director)

Co-investorsDila CapitalFactor[e] VenturesShell Foundation

Trade Depottradedepot.co

San Francisco, US

Michael Ukpong(Executive Officer, Director)inRuke Awaritefe(Executive Officer, Director)Chukwunenye Onyekachi Izukanne(Executive Officer, Director)Onyekachi Izukanne(Founder)in

BoardTidjane Deme(Director)inCyril Collon(Director)in

Co-investorsMSA NovoSahel CapitalPartech Ventures

Turacoturaco.insurein𝕏

Turaco provides embedded insurance products—including hospital cash, credit life, funeral, micro-property, and accident cover—that businesses can integrate to offer to their customers.

AI & Machine LearningFintechImpact & Social GoodInsurTechWilmington, US

Ted Pantone(Co-Founder & CEO)Charles Welden(Director)Rachel Levenson(Director)Peter Gross(Director)Brekly Pantone(Director)

Co-investorsAfricInvestAmbassadors Impact NetworkEnza CapitalGlobal PartnershipsMercy Corps VenturesMusha Ventures+2 more

Other

Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.

GreenPathGreenpathfoodGreenWheelsIgnitiaIprocuiProcureKOKO NetworksNewGlobePayGoPayGo EnergyPendapoa! InternetPoa.CoSOKOSolarNowSure Chill

Portfolio news

latest coverage across their companies

Frequently asked questions

How many investments has Novastar Ventures made?
Novastar Ventures has 37 tracked investments, including 4 dated in the last 24 months.
What stage does Novastar Ventures invest at?
Novastar Ventures invests at the Pre-Seed, Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth, Late Stage stages.
What sectors does Novastar Ventures focus on?
Novastar Ventures focuses on Climate Tech, Impact & Social Good, Sector Agnostic.
Where is Novastar Ventures located?
Novastar Ventures is headquartered in London, GB.
Does Novastar Ventures lead rounds?
Novastar Ventures typically participates in rounds rather than leading them.
Who does Novastar Ventures co-invest with?
Novastar Ventures most often shares deals with Ceniarth, Dila Capital, Factor[e] Ventures, among 11 tracked co-investors.

Images

Novastar Ventures photoNovastar Ventures photo

Co-investors · 7

International Finance Corporation

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is a global development institution that provides debt and equity financing to the private sector in emerging and developing markets to promote economic development and reduce poverty.

$20M – $500M
Partech Ventures

Partech is a global investment firm that backs founders across multiple continents and at every stage through dedicated teams and funds.

Both backed · 1
$200K – $50M
QED Investors

QED Investors is a venture capital firm focused on financial services, founded by former Capital One executives to back founders bringing transparency and fairness to fintech.

Both backed · 1
$30K – $25M
Trucks VC

Trucks is an early-stage venture capital firm focused on the future of transportation, backing ideas that make mobility decarbonized, safer, and more accessible.

Both backed · 1
SparkLabs Global Ventures

SparkLabs Global Ventures is an early-stage venture fund whose partners are described as experienced operators and entrepreneurs, providing capital along with hands-on guidance to founders on scaling and international expansion.

Aster Capital

Aster is a venture capital firm that positions itself as an ecosystem builder, supporting portfolio startups by connecting them with corporates and industry experts to accelerate industrialization and market adoption.

$540K – $16.2M
Helios Digital Ventures

Helios Investment Partners is an Africa-focused private investment firm operating since 2004, running three strategies including private equity, climate, and Helios Digital Ventures. Helios Digital Ventures invests in Africa's scalable digital champions.

Firms observed investing alongside Novastar Ventures, from public investor directories. Shared companies are the overlap with Novastar Ventures's recorded portfolio.

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