About DNA

Empowering African Innovation Through Strategic Investments

Why do we exist ?

Africa’s tech opportunity is vast, with an expanding youth population, mobile connectivity, and growing markets across the continent. Angel investing is essential to unlock this potential, catalyzing growth, creating jobs, and driving sustainable impact.

In 2023, Francophone Africa constituted 15% of the continent’s total equity funding, a substantial increase from 5% in 2018. The Francophone African region covers 21 countries where French is widely spoken and is home to six of the ten fastest-growing economies in emerging markets. Over the last 10 years, the region has seen a continuous growth of its equity deal count in spite of harsh market conditions (COVID crisis, high inflation, etc.).

The Dakar Network Angels (DNA) was founded to bridge a critical funding gap for early-stage startups in Francophone Africa, where talented entrepreneurs often face limited access to capital and resources. Launched in 2020, DNA’s mission is to foster a thriving tech ecosystem by empowering visionary investors, mobilizing local wealth and expertise for African innovation. Today, DNA has expanded from a small group of committed investors into a worldwide network, fostering a community of support, insight, and strategic value.

Our History

Dakar Network Angels (DNA) was born out of a vision to transform the African startup ecosystem. Founded in [year], we recognized the critical funding gap facing early-stage startups in francophone Africa. Our founders, seasoned entrepreneurs and investors themselves, set out to create more than just an investment network – they aimed to build a community of support, expertise, and strategic resources for Africa’s most promising innovators.

Since our inception, we’ve grown from a small group of passionate investors to a continent-wide network of angels, entrepreneurs, and industry experts. We’ve invested in over 50 startups, catalyzed more than $100 million in total investments, and helped create over 1,000 jobs across 20+ African countries.

Our Philosophy

Innovation

We believe in the power of innovative ideas to solve Africa’s most pressing challenges. We seek out startups that aren’t just using technology, but are reimagining entire industries and creating new markets. Our support goes beyond funding – we foster a culture of continuous innovation, encouraging our portfolio companies to stay at the cutting edge of their fields.

Collaboration

We understand that no single entity can transform the African tech ecosystem alone. That’s why collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. We bring together entrepreneurs, investors, industry experts, and ecosystem players to create a powerful network of support and opportunity. Our events, like Big Angels Day Africa, are designed to facilitate meaningful connections and knowledge sharing across the continent.

Impact

Our ultimate goal is to drive meaningful, lasting impact across Africa. We measure our success not just in financial returns, but in jobs created, lives improved, and communities transformed. We prioritize investments in startups that address critical societal needs, from financial inclusion to healthcare access and quality education. By supporting these high-impact ventures, we’re contributing to sustainable development and economic growth across the continent.

Our Philosophy

We are a Catalyst for change-makers in Africa, committed to making your investment journey seamless and impactful. Africa’s digital revolution is advancing rapidly, and we see only two choices: embrace it or risk being left behind. We’re embracing it wholeheartedly, confident that Africa’s innovation journey has only just begun. Driven by modern digital infrastructure, widespread mobile connectivity, digital payments, and an ambitious, young population, this transformation is reshaping the economy. DNA’s founding members have been pivotal to Africa’s startup landscape over the past decade, and we’re committed to backing entrepreneurs who leverage technology to tackle real-world challenges with scalable impact.

Our Community

We are an inclusive, global community uniting diverse backgrounds — entrepreneurs, operators, executives, and professional investors — who actively support African innovators. With over 50% of our members based across seven African countries and the remainder split between the US and Europe, we’re a network dedicated to fostering African entrepreneurship :
  • 75% have invested at least once
  • 1 of 4 investments are female-led
  • 44% of our investees are led by entrepreneurs under 35
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