Grace Ashiru
Artha India Ventures is a well-known family office that has been making waves in the African startup ecosystem since its formation in 2012. The company handles over 800 crores ($100 million) in third-party capital. It has invested in over 80 successful startups in India, the United States, Israel, and Africa.
Some of the well-known names it owns are OYO, Purplle, and Tala, to name a few.
The most recent investment made by Artha India Ventures was in BuuPass, a B2B2C mobility marketplace based in Kenya that raised $1.3 million in a pre-seed round.
The company’s investments in Africa go beyond BuuPass, though. A rare investment opportunity for African companies, Artha India Ventures has placed an early wager to support potential category champions with enormous promise across sectors.
Artha India Ventures invests in many areas like green energy, leasing, and institutional funds. The company also runs a green energy portfolio with more than 10 MW and rents out more than 100 cars, which shows its commitment to long-term growth and business development.
BuuPass uses a B2B2C approach to give fleet owners a full-stack bus management system (BMS) to run their business, keep track of their goods, and make sales.
Through its marketplace, which includes websites, apps, and USSD codes, the company helps customers find, compare, and buy tickets. It has more than 1,200 vehicles from more than 25 bus companies listed on its platform. In CY 2022, its GMV was $30 million.
With the money from Artha India Ventures, BuuPass will be able to grow in East African countries, focusing on Kenya and Uganda. The company wants to get a more significant part of these markets and build a network of connected transportation across the whole continent, making travel easy for everyone.
Artha India Ventures has made an early bet to back possible category winners with much promise across sectors. The company’s dedication to long-term growth and business development makes it a unique place for African startups to invest.
