"Traveller, there is no path. The path is made by walking."
Our story
We love this quote from Spanish poet Antonio Machado. It captures the entrepreneurial spirit of the adventure.
The Novastar adventure started way back in 2009 when our co-founders began making seed investments in East African start-ups, at a time before the African VC asset class had a name.
They didn’t yet have a proof-of-concept. What they had was a belief that Africa’s consumers represented a neglected market opportunity. One that could be met by entrepreneurs with the character, capacity, and ambition to innovate business models and adapt technology to serve them.
That adventure became Novastar.
Nearly two decades later, and as one of the largest VCs investing in Africa, we remain guided by the same core motivation. That motivation is, and has always been, about creating enduring value in the broadest sense: financial, social and environmental. For the many, not just the few.
The Novastar journey
2009
First seed investments
First seed investments in East Africa.
2011
The fund concept takes shape
Andrew joins Steve; the VC fund concept takes shape.
2014
Novastar Fund I
One of Africa’s first institutional VC funds.
2018
Fund II
Expansion into West Africa.
2026
Fund III final close
US$350M+ AUM across the continent.
Generous in our relationships, generative in our actions
As a small band with a bold vision, our values mirror those of the entrepreneurial teams who we partner with. We expect and invite all our stakeholders to hold us to them. To help you do that, you can read more about them on the link below.
Global experience, local know-how
