Madica has announced investments in two AI-powered African startups: Anavid and Hypeo AI, with each company receiving US$200,000 (approx. TND585,671, MAD1.8 million), and in addition, joining Madica’s 18-month program, which offers a tailored curriculum, hands-on mentorship, executive coaching, and two fully-funded immersion trips to key technology ecosystems, both locally and internationally. Beyond funding, the startups will also be connected to Madica’s global investor network, positioning them for growth and long-term success.
This round of investments reinforces Madica’s commitment to supporting founders and startups often excluded from traditional venture funding. By backing a mix of underrepresented founders, startups from underserved regions, and innovators in overlooked sectors, the program aims to counter the concentration of Africa’s tech funding in a few markets, verticals, and well-connected entrepreneurs, and instead drive more equitable growth across the continent.
The two selected startups are powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and chosen from applications across Africa, providing tech-driven solutions in some of Africa’s biggest industries.
Anavid is a Tunisian startup co-founded by Ahmed Chaari and David Nilsson that seamlessly integrates with existing retail cameras to reduce shoplifting losses and enhance the overall customer experience. On the other hand, Hypeo from Morocco, founded by Meriam Bessa and Salah Eddine Mimouni, automates every step of influencer marketing, from brand matching and content validation to payments.
“We’re changing that by using AI to reimagine how brands and creators find each other, collaborate, and thrive,” said Meriam Bessa, co-founder and CEO of Hypeo AI. “Backing by Madica will help us strengthen our AI capabilities to achieve this goal.”
In a press statement, Emmanuel Adegboye, Head of Madica, said the founders they’ve welcomed are visionaries, building solutions with the power to uplift communities and shape industries. “We’re proud to stand with them as they embark on the next stage of their journey,” he remarked. “At Madica, we remain committed to proving that some of the world’s most transformative ideas emerge from places too often overlooked.”
Launched in 2022 and affiliated with Flourish Ventures, Madica is a sector-agnostic investment program designed to address structural gaps in Africa’s startup ecosystem. The program addresses key challenges that startups face, including limited access to capital, a scarcity of investors, and inadequate mentorship. It also provides the structured support necessary for startups to resolve critical issues and foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and wealth creation across Africa.
To expand investment flow and ecosystem networks for portfolio companies, Madica announced a strategic partnership with the African Business Angel Network (ABAN) to enable ABAN-affiliated angels across Africa and Madica to share deal flow and explore co-investment opportunities and future fundraises by portfolio companies, broadening access to capital and support for African startups.
“The future of Africa’s innovation economy depends on how effectively we can mobilize local capital and empower local investors. Our collaboration with Madica helps bridge the gap between angel investors and institutional capital, ensuring that more funding comes from within the continent, and that startups everywhere in Africa can access the right type of support to scale,” said Yemi Keri, President of ABAN.
Madica began the year by investing in category-defining startups, including Medikea, Daleela, Pixii Motors, and ToumAI, while reinforcing its commitment to gender diversity in the African tech ecosystem. As part of its support, portfolio companies attend a one-week-long, fully-funded immersion trip where they gain access to expert training, investor connections, and workshops on key Madica pillars: growth, governance, founder well-being, and fundraising.
See also: Four African startups receive up to $200 each from Madica in a major pre-seed funding push
Madica is welcoming new investment opportunities across Africa to strengthen its pan-African reach. Startups can pitch via the Madica website, provided they have an MVP, ideally with paying customers, a full-time founder commitment, limited prior institutional funding, and are led by African Founders.
