Carbon, one of Africa’s leading fintech firms, has launched the Disrupt Fund with a $100,000 grant pool aimed at supporting young technology entrepreneurs across the continent. The initiative is designed to help early-stage startups accelerate their innovations without long funding delays.
Under the programme, Carbon will invest $10,000 in each selected startup in exchange for five percent equity. Beyond financial support, investees will gain access to Carbon’s Application Programming Interface (API), enabling them to leverage the company’s technology for faster market entry and growth.
The company explained that the fund reflects its belief that its success is tied to the overall strength of Africa’s technology ecosystem. By sparking collaboration and drawing in further investment, Carbon hopes to contribute to a stronger, more connected startup environment.
Applications are currently open to startups operating in Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Egypt. Eligible companies must already have a functional product, be generating revenue, and demonstrate readiness to scale into multiple countries. While the fund has a wide investment mandate, it places special focus on underfunded sectors such as health, education, and insurance.
Carbon’s co-founder and chief executive officer, Chijioke Dozie, highlighted the importance of collaboration over isolation. He noted that while conventional wisdom encourages startups to dominate their local markets, stronger partnerships can lead to faster expansion and more sustainable platforms across Africa.
Dozie added that one of the biggest hurdles for startups is the high cost of customer acquisition, often driven by expensive marketing campaigns on social media. He said Carbon’s fund aims to reduce this burden by promoting shared access to customers between companies.
He emphasized that building a stronger African tech ecosystem will require startups and established firms alike to support one another in breaking down barriers to growth. “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together,” he said.
