Hello guys,
Welcome to our weekly recap of the big news + funding in Ghana’s startup ecosystem. Here’s a look at the bold moves shaping the ecosystem this week.
- Liquify raises $1.5 million in an oversubscribed round to close Africa’s $120 billion trade finance gap.
- MEST Africa doubles down on AI with the launch of a new AI Startup program.
- Agro Innova selected for the Endeavor-FMO African Agritech Scaleup Program.
- Five Ghanaian ventures named semi-finalists in the $50,000 GoGettaz Agripreneur Competition.
- Miro raises new capital to scale sustainable wood manufacturing, backed by Lagata.
- Quick Angels founder Richard Nii Armah Quaye set up a GHS 300 million scale-up fund to back Ghanaian businesses.
Accelerator & Incubator
Five Ghanaian ventures named semi-finalists in the $50,000 GoGettaz Agripreneur Competition.
Five Ghana-focused startups have been named among the top 75 semi-finalists in the prestigious 2025 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition. These ventures are now in the running for the coveted $50,000 grand prize. The five Ghanaian semi-finalists include:
- PureLube – Converts cashew shell waste into industrial lubricants
- WaxFarm – Uses waxworms and biochar to create organic fertilizer
- AgriEase – Builds automation systems to improve cashew harvesting
- Rijona Biochemicals – Produces neem-based skincare products
- Cocoa Potash – Processes cocoa husks into eco-friendly potash fertilizer
Agro Innova selected for Endeavor-FMO African Agritech Scaleup Program.
Agro Innova has been selected for the Endeavor-FMO African Agritech Scaleup Program, a 12-month accelerator for high-impact African agtech startups. Backed by Dutch development bank FMO, the program helps ventures scale operations and raise capital.
Agro Innova operates tools such as AkokoMarket, which connects poultry farmers to inputs and buyers, and FBS Innova, a farm management platform. The program provides expert mentorship, market access support, and introductions to investors. A testament to the program’s impact, a previous cohort member, Farmerline, successfully raised $20 million in equity and debt funding following participation.
MEST Africa doubles down on AI with the launch of a new AI Startup program.
MEST Africa has officially launched a redesigned AI Startup Program, marking a strategic shift in its long-running Entrepreneurs-in-Training initiative. The new program will train and support early-stage AI founders across West Africa through a fully funded 11-month structure.
The first seven months will focus on hands-on technical and business training, followed by four months of incubation and development. Finalists will pitch for up to $100,000 in pre-seed funding and gain access to global capital networks.
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Funding
Liquify secures $1.5M to tackle Africa’s trade finance gap.
Ghanaian fintech startup Liquify has closed a $1.5 million seed round, with participation from Future Africa, Launch Africa, 54 Collective, Digital Africa, Equitable Ventures, and other angel investors. The round also includes debt financing from Emerald Africa.
Liquify’s platform enables exporters to receive upfront payments for invoices, thereby resolving working capital gaps resulting from lengthy payment cycles. Since its launch, Liquify has financed over $4 million in export transactions. With this new funding, the team will scale operations in Ghana and beyond, improve its AI credit engines, and cut invoice funding turnaround times to hours.
Miro raises new capital to scale sustainable wood manufacturing.
Miro, a forestry and plywood manufacturing company operating in Ghana and Sierra Leone, has raised new capital to support its growth. The round was led by Lagata, a forestry-focused investor with deep experience in sub-Saharan Africa, which now becomes Miro’s largest shareholder.
Other backers—including British International Investment, FMO, Finnfund, Mirova, and Aqua Ventures—also participated. The funds will be used to expand production, enter new markets, and strengthen Miro’s position in sustainable plywood manufacturing, where it currently employs over 4,000 people.
Quick Angels founder Richard Nii Armah Quaye set up a GHS 300 million scale-up fund to back Ghanaian businesses.
RNAQ Holdings, the private investment vehicle of Richard Nii Armah Quaye, has announced the launch of a ₵300 million Scale-Up Fund, in partnership with Quick Angels Limited. The fund is designed to back Ghanaian founders aged 20–45 who are already running early or growth-stage businesses and are ready to scale.
The Scale-Up Fund targets entrepreneurs with proven operational track records. Shortlisted founders will pitch directly to Richard Nii Armah Quaye in October, receiving not only capital but also mentorship and strategic guidance.
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📬 That’s all for this week. Want to feature your startup, funding round, or product launch? Subscribe and email us at info@theinnovationspark.com
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Curated by The Ghana Innovation Journal
Tracking Ghana’s startup momentum, every week.
