Liquify, a Ghanaian female-led startup, raises $1.5 million seed to close Africa’s trade finance gap

Liquify, a trade finance platform founded by two women entrepreneurs, has announced the closure of a $1.5 million seed funding round led by Future Africa.

The round included participation from Launch Africa Ventures, 54 Collective, Digital Africa, and Equitable Ventures.

The funding will accelerate Liquify’s expansion across Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and Côte d’Ivoire, while scaling its Ghanaian operations team and enhancing its AI-driven platform capabilities.

“We built Liquify to unlock the $120 billion trade-finance gap holding back Africa’s most dynamic SMEs,” said Nadya Yaremenko, Co-founder & CEO. “This seed round, as well as the incredible people joining our team, validates our vision.”

Yaremenko and Alberta Asafo-Asamoah (COO), both Techstars 2023 graduates, founded Liquify. The CEO brings trade finance experience from managing Citi’s $3 billion structured trade finance portfolio across Asia, while Asafo-Asamoah contributed to deploying $30 million in SME-focused impact investments at TBN and GIZ.

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The investment came through Launch Africa Ventures’ portfolio network. “Liquify came to us through a recommendation from one of our portfolio companies,” said Lina Kacyem, Investment Manager at Launch Africa Ventures. “Once our conviction was solid, we connected them with other leading investors in our network. It was excellent to see 54 Collective, Digital Africa, and others join in, affirming our assessment.”

See also: Female-led Ghanaian startup raises undisclosed round from VISA et al.

How Liquify operates

Liquify operates an invoice finance marketplace that connects African SMEs with global capital markets. Its platform enables exporters to turn unpaid invoices into same-day cash, while global investors gain access to a new untapped asset class.

On the supply side, the platform specifically targets:

• Institutional investors seeking 7-12% annual returns on short-term, asset-backed investments
• Trade finance funds looking for African market entry with proven local partners
• Development finance institutions focused on SME growth and financial inclusion
• Corporate buyers wanting to strengthen their African supply chains through supplier financing

“The response from financiers has been exceptional,” noted Alberta Asafo-Asamoah, Co-founder & COO. “We already have commitments from Channel Capital and Emerald Finance, but our pipeline of $16 million in financeable contracts shows the massive appetite for this asset class.”

Since its beta launch in late 2024, Liquify claims to have facilitated over 150 transactions, totalling $4 million in trade financed, with zero defaults. The company states its AI-driven due diligence process reduces operational costs by up to nine times compared to traditional banks, while offering competitive rates to African SME exporters selling to investment-grade buyers like Nestlé and Mars.

Liquify’s platform combines AI-powered credit scoring with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) integration, allowing African exporters to access working capital while demonstrating their commitment to sustainable practices.

The company focuses on SMEs with established relationships with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) buyers, reducing risk while supporting businesses that create jobs and drive economic growth across the continent.

To partner with Liquify, do this

Financial institutions, trade finance funds, and institutional investors interested in partnering with Liquify should contact:

• Email: inquiries[at]liquify.digital