The Botswana Tech Fund( BTF) has officially launched as a £ 50 million multi-stage venture capital fund focused on supporting technology and tech-enabled businesses across Southern Africa. Backed by Pula Investments, the family office of Hargreaves Lansdown founder Stephen Lansdown CBE, and managed by Launch Africa Ventures, the fund completed its first close in the second quarter of 2026.
BTF follows a dual investment strategy aimed at supporting startups throughout their growth journey. Its accelerator programme will invest between £ 25,000 and £ 100,000 in pre-seed companies based in Southern Africa, providing funding alongside mentorship, operational support and market access. The fund’ s growth strategy will target revenue-generating businesses from Seed to Series C, investing between £ 500,000 and £ 2 million in both primary and secondary funding rounds. Portfolio companies will also benefit from Launch Africa’ s continental network and ecosystem.
Botswana will serve as the fund’ s operational and strategic hub, reflecting its strong digital infrastructure, stable governance and regional connectivity. Ranked among Africa’ s top five countries in the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, Botswana has internet penetration of around 80 % and hosts the SADC Secretariat, making it a natural gateway for regional expansion.
BOTSWANA
The Smart Africa Alliance has signed a Memorandum of Understanding( MoU) with Bayobab and Africa50 to support regulatory and policy engagement for Project East to West, an initiative designed to expand terrestrial fibre connectivity across Africa.
The project aims to connect landlocked countries to an extensive fibre optic network, strengthening regional digital infrastructure and improving access to affordable, high-speed connectivity. By extending networks from Bayobab’ s 16 subsea cable systems surrounding the continent, the initiative seeks to bridge the digital divide and create seamless crossborder connectivity.
Enhanced terrestrial fibre infrastructure is expected to support economic growth by enabling business expansion, accelerating e-commerce, improving access to digital services and education, and strengthening regional integration. The project also aligns with the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area( AfCFTA) by supporting greater digital connectivity between African markets.
Africa50 will contribute to the project’ s development and investment efforts, while the Smart Africa Alliance, which represents 39 African member states, will help advance regulatory collaboration and policy alignment. Together, the partners aim to accelerate digital transformation, promote innovation, create jobs and strengthen Africa’ s digital economy through improved connectivity.
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