African tech startups funding rises by 17%

A 17% rise in number of African tech startups funded in 2016.A report released today by Disrupt Africa, Disrupt African Tech Start Up Funding Report, showed that 146 startups from across the African content raised $ 129,133,200 in funding over the course of 2016. This is coupled with a 16.8% rise from 2015 in the number of African tech startups who secured funding this was is spite of the overall amount of funding declining from 2015.'2016 was another great year for African tech startups and investors. Our ecosystem progressed in leaps and bounds over the course of the year, which is evidenced by strong growth in the number of startups raising funding, and an encouraging expansion of ecosystem activity across the continent. We're excited to present the Disrupt Africa Tech Startups Funding Report 2016, and hope it helps chart the rise of Africa's entrepreneurs,' said Gabriella Mulligan, co-founder of Disrupt Africa.The Numbers:The report analyzed nine sectors with the fintech sector receiving the most backing in 2016 with 24% of the total, raising a combined $31.4 million. This highlighted the massive emphasis placed on technological advancements in the finance sector in Africa.The three most popular investment destinations are South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, between the three nations they account for 80.3% of funds secured. The fourth most popular country is Egypt who saw their growth raise an impressive 100%.What to expect for 2017:Tom Jackson , co-founder of Disrupt Africa said that 'The general theme of 2016 has been more rounds, but with fewer standout tickets than in 2015. The African tech space has not been immune to the economic pressures faced by other sectors, but it is proving extremely resilient. The fact more startups raised funding in 2016 than ever before demonstrates the vitality of this sector, and we expect investor interest to grow and grow over the course of 2017,'With such impressive numbers showing a increase from 2015 it is expected that this year tech startups will receive even more backing as the industry continues to grow exponentially with no sign of slowing down.Dean Workman
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