Investment Focus Areas
Economic Inclusion
• Financial inclusion • Agtech Financial services as payments, savings, lending, and insurance with greater reach and lower cost to increase financial inclusion.
Climate
• Cleantech • Circular Economy Renewable products that reduce GHG emissions or other pollutants to increase energy efficiency and coverage.
Human Capital
• Healthtech • Edtech Digital platforms for diagnosis, treatment, and patient management to improve healthcare and education quality.
Portfolio Showcase
Infrastructure for banking and payments
• $100M processed by Dec 2024 • 300% growth in 6 months • Rails to 75+ banks and mobile money platforms
Africa's go-to healthcare data provider
• 50M+ data records • 14,000+ facilities served • Building continent's most trusted healthcare data
$240B agri-finance opportunity addressed with Al lending
• Al loans to underserved farmers • Regional expansion into Ethiopia & Tanzania • Serving 100M+ smallholder farmers
Al drone tech for construction and agriculture
• Drone + Al for infra, agriculture • Google BFF, $10B in projects managed • Climate use case: deforestation tracking
Turning Plastic Waste into Low-Carbon Buildings
Kubik is transforming the future of construction by converting plastic waste into low-carbon, affordable building materials. Based in Ethiopia, the company is addressing both the housing crisis and the climate crisis — and is gaining global recognition as one of Africa’s most innovative climate tech startups.
Market Opportunity
East Africa – particularly Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Ethiopia is emerging as Africa’s fastest-growing, digitally dynamic regions. With accelerating economic reforms, youthful demographics, increasing digital adoption, and expanding urban middle-class populations, these markets offer high-growth potential and substantial returns.
Demographic Dividend
Largest working-age population by 2050, more than North America and Europe combined
Rapid Digitization
$115 billion digital economy, more than $700 billion by 2050, massive effort
Urbanization
Fastest urbanization rate globally, 500 million new urban consumers next two decades
Investment Renaissance
At the beginning of a VC boom, 55% increase in 2022 with room to grow - just 1% of global VC
Diaspora
Large, well-educated diaspora bringing back talents, ideas, and capital.
Our Approach
Leveraging our unique combination of economic, investing, and technology expertises
Target Markets
Ethiopia
• 7.1% Projected GDP growth in 2026 • Rapid digitization: 40 million new digital wallets in 18 months • Digitized services, national ID • Financial sector opening • Median age 19
Rwanda
• 7.5% Projected GDP growth in 2026 • Rwanda Economy Digitization Program • Agriculture, tourism, trade, services • Median age 19
Tanzania
• 6.3% Projected GDP growth in 2026 • Rapid digitization and growing mobile penetration blooming • "Silicon Dar" • Economic reforms • Median age 18
Uganda
• 7.6% Projected GDP growth in 2026 • Digital Uganda Vision • Agriculture, extractives, manufacturing • Median age 16
Why ARV?
Deep local presence and policy insight
Deep regional relationships and on-the-ground presence mitigate risks and ensure early access to high-quality deals.
Track record of sourcing and scaling high-growth startups
Decades of combined leadership at IFC, Omidyar Network, and Google underscore our proven strategy.
100% board engagement with portfolio companies
Hands-on support in governance, technology scaling, regional expansion, and fundraising.
Leadership Team
Magdi Amin - Managing Partner
Former IFC, World Bank, Omidyar Network. 25+ years in emerging markets investing with deep expertise in financial inclusion and technology ventures across Africa.
Henok Assefa - General Partner
Founder and ecosystem builder with extensive experience in African markets. Founded Addis Angels and has been instrumental in developing the Ethiopian startup ecosystem.
Atul Mehta - Chair Of The Investment Committee
Ex-Head of IFC Venture Capital with 25+ years in global private equity and venture capital. Brings extensive experience in scaling technology companies across emerging markets.
Amanuel Alemu - Venture Partner
Venture Partner Fintech/cleantech investor, NY-based analyst with over a decade of startup investment experience in Africa
Nemo Semret - Venture Partner
Former Google engineer specializing in Al due diligence and technology evaluation
Maya Zein - Venture Partner
Healthtech investor with investment banking experience at Scotiabank
Lexi Lei - Analyst
Programme Management, United Nations Human Settlements Programme Project Manager, International Chamber of Commerce Account Executive, Ogilvy Experience in corporate finance, market research, and data analysis
Honey Sintayehu - Associate
With experience in corporate finance at Precise and Grant Thornton, Honey focus on portfolio monitoring, reporting, and due diligence out of our Addis Ababa office.
Strategic Advisors
Lofton Holder - Strategic Advisor
Pine Street Alternative Assets, JPMorgan, DEI advocate
Pierre Guislain - Strategic Advisor
Former VP at AfDB, digital infrastructure expert
Join us in backing the builders of Africa's future
- Washington DC
- Addis Ababa
- Dar es Salam