Khula, a South African agri-tech startup, has secured $6.8 million in its ongoing Series A funding round, attracting investments from major players such as Absa Bank and PepsiCo. The funding will accelerate the expansion of its digital platform, which aims to transform the agricultural supply chain by connecting farmers and buyers through a seamless marketplace.
Founded in 2018, Khula has built an integrated ecosystem accessible via a user-friendly app, offering a fresh produce marketplace, an input marketplace, and a funder dashboard to facilitate financing. The platform streamlines transactions, making it easier for farmers to sell their produce, procure agricultural inputs, and access financial support.
Initially launched as a pilot with 400 farmers, Khula has grown to serve over 7,000 active users and now hosts more than 5,000 agricultural products. The startup has become an essential link between farmers, agribusinesses, and financial institutions.
With this investment, Khula plans to scale its operations, expand its user base, and further enhance its digital infrastructure. The startup also intends to extend the Series A funding round later this year to capitalize on increasing demand for its services.
Key investors include Absa Bank, PepsiCo’s Kgodiso Fund, AECI, and E Squared. Absa, a leading player in South African agricultural finance, emphasized that its investment aligns with its strategy to support digital solutions that improve efficiency and productivity in the sector.
As Khula continues to grow, the fresh injection of capital will enable it to integrate more farmers and agribusinesses into its ecosystem, fostering innovation and collaboration across the agricultural value chain.
