Accion Venture Lab

We are pleased to welcome Urja Doshi, who has joined Accion Venture Lab as a Senior Operations Analyst in our Mumbai, India office! Urja will work closely with our investment team to assist with fund operations. With experience in fast-paced startups like Dunzo, Urja brings deep operational expertise. She also co-founded Doshi’s Kitchen, where she helped train and upskill women in Morbi to manufacture pickles during the pandemic. Welcome, Urja Doshi! We’re thrilled to have you here with us! ??

Growing up near Lake Victoria in Kenya, Clinton Obura, founder of Samaking, witnessed inefficiencies—high post-harvest losses, unpredictable pricing, and limited consumer access. Determined to find a solution, he adopted a technology-driven approach to streamline operations and connect suppliers with buyers. To scale effectively, he turned to SUKHIBA, an AI-powered conversational commerce platform built on WhatsApp.?SUKHIBA, our portfolio company, enables businesses like Samaking to manage sales, automate customer interactions, and improve efficiency. Since integrating the platform, Samaking has seen a 50% increase in topline revenue, demonstrating the power of AI-driven business solutions. Read more about Clinton’s journey and SUKHIBA’s impact: https://lnkd.in/g3s3VNwa

“I hope more women can see the power of building with purpose, and that their work can create a real impact,” says Luz Borchardt, co-founder of Henry. Luz co-founded Henry with the mission to help people in Latin America secure higher-paying jobs in the tech industry. Henry has empowered thousands of young women to seize new job opportunities. See more about how Henry is advancing opportunities for women in tech: https://lnkd.in/dcXNQJ-w #IWD #WomenEntrepreneurs #FemaleFounder #InternationalWomensDay

"Innovation has been the heart of our team and our DNA. Our product innovation allows us to reduce the cost of serving and accessing our customers,” says Markus Prommik, founder of Finfra, Indonesia’s lending infrastructure provider, that empowers businesses to seamlessly integrate white-labeled lending solutions. Read more about why we invested in Finfra in the recent blog by Paolo Limcaoco, Principal in Southeast Asia: https://lnkd.in/dX6yRYAG #Fintech #Infrastructure #Indonesia

Which trends will shape inclusive fintech in 2025? Here are six key trends our Managing Partner, Amee Parbhoo, is tracking this year! From AI-driven financial services to climate-resilient fintech, these insights reveal how the industry is evolving—and what it means for financial inclusion. ?? Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gTA7xC3a

We are pleased to welcome Akhil Gupta, who has joined Accion Venture Lab as an Investment Officer at the India office. In this role, Akhil will represent and manage our South Asia portfolio. With nearly two decades of experience as an engineer, entrepreneur, and impact investor, Akhil has built and scaled multiple tech ventures and led the jobs & livelihoods portfolio at the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. Welcome, Akhil! We’re thrilled to have you here with us!

Last week in Nairobi, we had an incredible breakfast event filled with meaningful conversations, fresh perspectives, and great company, hosted alongside Accion Venture Lab, 4DX Ventures, and FMO - Dutch entrepreneurial development bank Ventures. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and to our outstanding panel—Amee Parbhoo, Marieke Roestenberg, Lexi Novitske, CFA, and Peter Orth —for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of startups and investment in Africa. Our live survey on Africa’s investment trends was another highlight, sparking engaging conversations on what’s next for founders and investors in the region. We truly appreciate the energy and engagement that made this gathering so valuable. Looking forward to the next one!

Join us for 'Copas & Clima' - FLII 2025 side event in Merida! This intimate gathering brings together key stakeholders in #climate tech, startups, and venture capital to exchange ideas, explore challenges, and spark new opportunities. We're excited to host it together with our partners: Mercy Corps Ventures, Savia Ventures, Briter, CATAL1.5°T LATAM, Climate-KIC. Come ready to share, connect, and help shape the next generation of climate solutions. Don't forget to catch up with our Principal in Latam, Sebastian Molina Gasman, CFA, who will be there! ? RSVP here - https://lu.ma/f3xkrwtk

Khazna secured $16 million in pre-Series B funding! A large portion of Egypt’s population lacks access to traditional banking, forcing many to rely on cash transactions and informal lending. Khazna provides mobile financial services to millions of underbanked Egyptians who are active smartphone users but have little access to formal financial services. The new funding will support Khazna's expansion plans as it prepares to apply for a digital banking license in Egypt and expand into Saudi Arabia. We invested in Khazna back in 2020, marking our first investment in Egypt. Congratulations, Omar Saleh, Ahmed Wagueeh, and the whole Khazna team! Read more about the round: https://lnkd.in/gdNdfxdH

"We help first-time homebuyers plan, save, and transact for their first homes at a time when homeownership in the US is incredibly difficult," says Landy Liu, founder of Foyer, a digital platform offering financial tools and knowledge for homebuyers in the United States. ?? Read more about why we invested in Foyer in the recent blog by our Investment Associate, Semra Ezedin - https://lnkd.in/dHkdZNFU