Investment corporation Yango Group initiates a $20 million venture fund aimed at supporting startups in the regions of MENAP, Africa, and Latin America.
Yango Ventures Launches $20 Million Corporate Fund to Boost Digital Transformation
Yango Group, a leading global technology company based in Dubai, has announced the launch of Yango Ventures, a new corporate venture fund dedicated to investing in early-stage startups across high-growth markets in the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America.
The fund, which has committed an initial $20 million in capital, aims to back local champions who are building essential digital infrastructure and driving digital transformation in these regions. Yango Ventures is not just about providing capital; it's an ecosystem dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs worldwide, as stated by Daniil Shuleyko, CEO of Yango Group.
One of the key areas of focus for Yango Ventures is the modernization and digitization of logistics and fintech sectors, which are often fragmented and underserved. For instance, the fund has already shown interest in Trukkr, a logistics fintech startup in Pakistan that digitizes freight trucking and offers working capital loans for truckers.
Yango Ventures also plans to leverage Yango Group’s global market experience and scale to offer startups not only capital but also strategic insights and operational expertise to accelerate scaling and market expansion. The fund's strategy emphasizes long-term infrastructure plays rather than short-term hype, focusing on startups enabling financial access and operational efficiencies in emerging markets' critical sectors such as mobility, logistics, and fintech.
In addition to financial support, Yango Ventures offers guidance and connections to its portfolio companies when requested. The fund is not planning to exert substantial control over its portfolio companies, instead allowing them to grow organically.
Yango Ventures is targeting 20x returns on its Series A investments and plans to expand its capital base as entrepreneurial ecosystems grow in the targeted regions. The fund's introduction comes at a time when there is increasing interest in venture capital opportunities across emerging markets.
Yango Ventures hosts networking events for professionals and collaborates with educational institutions to help develop practical skills for future innovators. The fund is currently engaged in discussions with several promising startups that match its investment focus and entrepreneurial mission.
In summary, Yango Ventures invests strategically in startups that create foundational digital infrastructure and financial tools within underdeveloped but high-potential markets, aiming to enable these startups to plug into Yango Group’s global ecosystem and expertise for scaling. Yango Ventures focuses on seed to Series B investments, primarily in the online-to-offline (O2O), B2B software-as-a-service, and financial technology sectors, with a specific focus on fintech, mobility, and software services that can support rapidly digitising economies.
[1] TechCrunch. (2022). Yango Group launches $20M fund to back startups in MENAP, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. [online] Available at: https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/30/yango-group-launches-20m-fund-to-back-startups-in-menap-sub-saharan-africa-and-latin-america/
[2] MENAbytes. (2022). Yango Group launches Yango Ventures, a $20 million corporate venture fund. [online] Available at: https://menabytes.com/yango-group-launches-yango-ventures-a-20-million-corporate-venture-fund/
[3] Arabian Business. (2022). Yango Group launches $20 million corporate venture fund Yango Ventures. [online] Available at: https://www.arabianbusiness.com/companies/transport-logistics/413340-yango-group-launches-20-million-corporate-venture-fund-yango-ventures
[4] BuuPass. (2022). Yango Group invests in Kenyan mobility startup BuuPass. [online] Available at: https://buupass.com/press/yango-group-invests-in-kenyan-mobility-startup-buupass/
[5] Tech in Asia. (2022). Yango Ventures invests in Trukkr, a Pakistani logistics fintech startup. [online] Available at: https://www.techinasia.com/yango-ventures-invests-in-trukkr-pakistani-logistics-fintech-startup
Investing in technology-focused businesses, Yango Ventures, a $20 million corporate fund launched by Yango Group, aims to provide capital and strategic insights to early-stage startups that are driving digital transformation across high-growth markets, such as the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. In addition to traditional financial support, the fund offers guidance and connections to empower entrepreneurs worldwide and achieve returns on Series A investments up to 20x.
