Subscription video on demand (SVOD) startup specialising in African content, Afrostream, has raised a funding round led by Orange Digital Ventures, to enable the startup to grow its offering worldwide.
The amount of the funding raised has not been disclosed; although it has been revealed investment was secured from Orange Digital Ventures, TheFamily, Cross Culture Ventures, and ACE & Company.
Afrostream provides SVOD of African, African-American and African-Caribbean films and television series; and targets both African audiences, and those in the diaspora.
The service is already available in Senegal, Ivory Coast, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Luxembourg.
Orange said it was excited to support a startup active in a range of Orange’s focus regions.
“This investment is part of Orange Digital Ventures’ ambition to finance services that are able to address different geographical areas in which Orange is present. It will enable us to develop the video-on-demand market, particularly in Africa. It will also enable us to enrich the content we already offer to our customers in France, as Afrostream should be launched on Orange TV by next summer,” said Pierre Louette, deputy chief executive officer (CEO) of Orange, and president of Orange Digital Ventures.
The founder of Afrostream highlighted the value of partnering with a mobile provider in an ecosystem characterised by being increasingly mobile-first.
“The future of television is mobile. With this strategic investment by Orange, Afrostream now brings together the best of the mobile internet and the best of African content. This new alliance will enable us to revolutionize the entertainment industry and to reach all audiences,” said Tonjé Bakang, CEO of Afrostream.
Afrostream was previously incubated by Silicon Valley-based Y Combinator, and also took part in the Orange Fab France accelerator.
