Investor Profile: Saviu Ventures — Thesis, Cheque Size & How to Apply

Saviu Ventures funding is among the most important early-stage capital available to Francophone African startups, and understanding how to get funding from Saviu Ventures matters because so little venture money reaches French-speaking West and Central Africa. Founded in 2018 and based across Abidjan, Dakar and Paris, Saviu Ventures is one of the leading venture capital firms in Francophone Africa, backing technology entrepreneurs from seed to Series A with a deliberately hands-on approach.

Thesis and investment focus

Saviu Ventures describes itself as sector agnostic, but in practice it concentrates on tech and tech-enabled companies in fintech, healthtech, edtech, climate tech and e-commerce, with a strong preference for B2B platforms and tech enablers. Its second fund targets around 20 B2B startups, with at least 60% of commitments going to Francophone countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon and Senegal. The thesis is that these markets are structurally underfinanced relative to Anglophone hubs such as Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.

Sectors, stages and cheque size

Saviu Ventures invests from seed to Series A, writing tickets of €500,000 to €3 million as a lead or reference minority shareholder. It explicitly rejects a spray-and-pray model, concentrating on a limited number of startups that it supports day to day, from business development and recruitment to expansion and fundraising. Founders should expect an involved investor rather than a passive one.

Fund size and track record

Saviu Ventures raised its first fund, Saviu I, at €10 million in 2018 and fully invested it in 12 startups, mostly from Francophone Africa. Its second fund, Saviu II, reached a first close of €12 million in 2023, backed by private investors and family offices, and a second close of €25 million in early 2025, with participation from Proparco, the Dutch Good Growth Fund and AXIAN Investment. Saviu II targets a final close of €30 million to €50 million, and in February 2026 the African Development Bank approved a €6.5 million commitment to the fund.

Notable portfolio

Saviu I backed Anka (formerly Afrikrea), the SaaS and e-commerce platform for African vendors, in which Saviu Ventures remained a 20% shareholder after a $3.4 million investment from the IFC; Julaya, the B2B neobank in Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal and Benin; Zanifu, the Kenyan inventory-financing platform; Lapaire, the affordable eyewear retailer; and Paps, the Senegalese e-logistics startup. Saviu II has backed Waspito, Rubyx and Workpay.

Partners and programmes

Saviu Ventures is led by Benoit Delestre, Managing Partner, a former entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience who founded and sold two fintech companies; Samuel Touboul, Managing Partner, with more than 15 years of venture capital and private equity experience; and Cynthia Mandjek, Principal, formerly of Eurazeo and Orange Ventures. The firm holds a licence from the Mauritius Financial Services Commission, making it one of the few independent, fully regulated venture fund managers in Francophone West Africa.

How to apply for funding from Saviu Ventures

Founders can reach Saviu Ventures through its official website, saviu.vc. Pitch in French or English, but lead with your Francophone market: the problem, your distribution advantage there, and how a €500,000 to €3 million ticket would carry you to your next round.