Cowrie invests at the seed level in enterprises addressing infrastructural gaps throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. With a patient capital approach, we prioritize founders who offer sustainable solutions to business, energy, and mobility challenges.

Our Foundation

Once traded as currency throughout Africa, Asia and Oceania, the cowrie shell is a symbol of power and possibility. Though little in size, it has moved world economies and become a visual mainstay in cultures around the world.

At Cowrie, we believe there are No Small Endeavors. A little capital can go a long way and have transformative returns. As seed investors, we put this belief into action by infusing capital at critical early stages of the venture journey, walking alongside our founders, and removing roadblocks as they grow their businesses, teams, and impact. Like our namesake, we take big swings with small steps, paving a sustainable path to unlock endless potential.

Our Opportunity

Sub-Saharan Africa has balanced a frustrating tension for too long: underperforming and often stalled economies, but a landscape of abundant raw materials with a young, eager, and enterprising population. Many of whom are increasingly connected globally and the most knowledgeable about how to face local challenges.

This presents an opportunity to find, equip, and fund the promising founders best positioned to tackle structural challenges with unique solutions, generate economic returns, and improve livelihoods along the way.

Our Values

  • Venture Capital’s quick-win culture requires cutting corners and inhibits sustainable, impactful growth. We’re in it for the long haul, to grow and go further together

  • We stand for transparency, accountability, authenticity, honesty and integrity. We do what we say, and trust that our partners and founders will do the same.

  • We come from rich cultural histories, from a continent brimming with natural and cultivated resources. The problems we solve and the founders who lead these solutions represent this vast, multi-faceted wealth.

  • Community is at our core, and so are the traits of empathy, communication, and collaboration that allow us to recognize, uplift, and support each other.

If these values align with you, we invite you to connect with us