Afreximbank, a pan-African finance institution, has selected eight startups as finalists for the first cohort of its flagship Afreximbank Accelerator Program, set to begin in March 2026. The three-month accelerator is designed to support startups working on solutions that advance African trade across borders. The startups selected are Daba Finance, Timon, OnePort 365, Fluna, Capsa, Gebeya, Zowasel, and Fincart.io. Daba Finance is an Africa-focused investment platform that provides access to capital markets. Timon is a fintech startup founded by a Y Combinator alumnus and former CrowdForce founder, offering African travelers a globally usable travel card and app. OnePort 365 is a digital freight forwarding company providing end-to-end logistics management, led by former executives from Maersk and DHL. “They represent the future of African enterprise,” said Mr. Haytham Elmaayergi, Executive Vice President, Global Trade Bank at Afreximbank. “We are proud to invest in them from vision to scale to nurture solutions needed to unlock trade across Africa, the diaspora, and the Caribbean.” The accelerator follows Afreximbank’s recent trade financing activity. On January 9, 2026, the bank provided a $64 million acquisition finance facility to Levene Energy Development Limited to acquire a stake in Axxela Limited. Afreximbank’s first accelerator cohort attracted over 1,600 applications, with less than one percent selected. The startups operate across sectors including agriculture, e-commerce, market access, financial technology, supply chain services, and manufacturing. Selected companies are eligible to receive up to $250,000 in equity investment, with the program prioritising startups from Seed to Series A stage. The three-stage selection process involved business assessments, interviews, and pitch sessions led by Afreximbank trade specialists and external experts. The program aims to support Afreximbank’s broader goal of building a sustainable, trade-led development ecosystem across Africa.
