TLcom Capital, the Africa-focused venture capital firm, has deployed half of its $5 m dedicated pre-seed fund, TIDE Africa Pre-Seed Investments, with its most recent investment in TurnStay, a South African travel payment platform that recently closed a $2 m seed round.
Launched in 2022, TAPSI aims to extend TLcom’s investment reach to pre-seed stage companies, providing up to $200,000 in funding alongside access to the firm’s global network and operational expertise. The fund also serves as a feeder vehicle for TLcom’s $154 m TIDE Africa Fund II, enabling early-stage companies with strong performance to progress to larger funding rounds.
In a statement made available to our correspondent on Thursday, TAPSI’s portfolio includes Talstack (Nigeria), Bright Financial (Sudan and Ethiopia), Tradehub (Egypt), Agrails (Kenya), and several female-led start-ups through TLcom’s partnership with First Check Africa. The firm plans to close up to ten additional pre-seed investments before the end of 2026.
According to the statement, Partner at TLcom Capital, Eloho Omame, said, “Pre-seed investments allow us to expand our portfolio and allocate capital across multiple stages of a company’s lifecycle. Our goal is to create massive value in underserved markets and collaborate with African founders to build from the start all the way to exit, be it an acquisition or in the form of an IPO. Building in Africa is not for the faint-hearted. However, the likelihood of success significantly increases if we support and work with founders earlier on in their journeys and we grow alongside them.”
With approximately $250 m under management, TLcom Capital continues to empower African entrepreneurs addressing critical challenges in underserved markets, positioning TAPSI as a key vehicle for early-stage funding across the continent.
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