The Lagos-based GetEquity has closed a six-figure pre-seed funding round led by GreenHouse Capital as it launches its first product, a venture-funding platform that connects entrepreneurs and investors.
Founded by Jude Dike and William Okafor, GetEquity is a fundraising and venture portfolio management company that aims to reduce friction between founders and the funding they need by giving them access to a wide range of funding options.
Startups can list themselves on the GetEquity platform and market to institutional investors and public users. GetEquity enables anyone to buy equity in a listed startup for as little as US$10.
The company launches with pre-seed funding from GreenHouse Capital, an African fintech investment fund and platform focused on supporting early-stage companies and world-class emerging market entrepreneurs.
“GetEquity is challenging the status quo of startup financing and venture capital. We are democratising access to startup funding and thereby expanding the pie for previously underfunded and underserved startups. This pre-seed round investment will enable us to kickstart our vision of building Africa’s biggest startup financing ecosystem,” said GetEquity co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Dike Jude.
Bunmi Akinyemiju, founding partner of GreenHouse Capital, said he was proud to see GetEquity’s platform launch after the firm played a key mentoring role.
“One of our missions at GreenHouse Capital is to bring African startups to the world. GetEquity’s platform advances this mission by democratising access to the continent’s fastest-growing startups. We also believe in “founders backing founders” and have been thrilled to directly work with GetEquity from an early stage,” he said.
“The increased visibility that the platform will give African startups will inevitably result in larger investment rounds, faster closes, and an overall raising of the international profile of the African startup space.”
GetEquity’s startup funding platform is now live and can be accessed on web, Android, and iOS. The startups listed at launch include Breeze, facilitating currency conversions and transfers for businesses; Onboardly, helping organisations automate their employee onboarding experience; Nguvu Health, providing affordable and on-demand teletherapy access to users; Fluidcoins, helping African users receive payments in cryptocurrencies; and WeMove Technologies, providing transport and logistics services to the supply chain sector.
