The country attracted Sh16.3bn in venture capital funding in the first half of 2026. East Africa Venture Capital Association chief operating officer Patrick Ndambuki and CEO Christine Maina with Invest Kenya CEO John Mwendwa and chairperson Sally Mahihu during a meeting in Nairobi /HANDOUT KENYA is stepping up efforts to attract more private capital by deepening its partnership with the East Africa Venture Capital Association (EAVCA), the region’s membership organisation for private equity and venture capital investors.
This, as the country seeks to strengthen its position as a regional investment hub and unlock funding for high-growth businesses. Invest Kenya and EAVCA have renewed their partnership to mobilise and accelerate private capital investment into the country, with a focus on connecting investors with high-potential businesses, strengthening investment intelligence and developing a stronger pipeline of investable deals.
The partnership comes at a time when investors are becoming more selective, shifting away from speculative high-growth ventures towards companies with proven revenues, stronger fundamentals and clearer paths to profitability. “Beyond capital mobilisation, the partnership will advance investor readiness, market intelligence, capacity building, and policy engagement, creating a stronger ecosystem for businesses to scale and investors to deploy capital with confidence,” Invest Kenya CEO John Mwendwa said.
Kenya attracted Sh16.3 billion ($126 million) in venture capital funding in the first half of 2026, ranking third in Africa behind Egypt and Nigeria. The latest investment trend points to fewer but larger transactions, with investors increasingly favouring mature businesses capable of demonstrating sustainable growth and disciplined capital deployment.
Climate technology, renewable energy, electric mobility and digital financial infrastructure have emerged among the key beneficiaries of the changing investment strategy. Across Africa, fintech remained the largest recipient of startup funding, accounting for about 41 per cent of capital raised, while climate-focused ventures attracted about 39 per cent, highlighting growing investor appetite for businesses linked to sustainability and the energy transition.
For Kenya, the renewed EAVCA partnership is therefore expected to play a role in turning the country's pool of promising enterprises into investment-ready opportunities while helping investors identify viable projects.