← All fundsAfrica Jobs Fund
Public data, unclaimed profilePhilanthropic and commercial fund founded by Daniel Yu (founder of Wasoko), aiming to mobilise USD 100m. Thesis: raising worker incomes in targeted industries is the most effective path to poverty alleviation in Africa. Two tracks: export manufacturing (freeze-dried fruit, horticulture, seaweed) and international labour mobility (training and placing nurses, hospitality staff, baristas in Germany, Italy, the Gulf). Concessional start-up loans: first cheques of USD 10k–100k, scale-up capital of USD 100k–2m, repaid out of company revenue.
At a glance
Based on observed investment behaviour: 5 recorded deals
- Investor type
- Private equity or venture capital fund (inferred, not verified)
- Capital type
- Private credit (inferred from deals)
- Observed ticket
- Data unavailable
- Stated ticket : 10 k$ – 2 M$
- Countries
- Kenya (2), Madagascar (1), Somalia (1)
- Activities
- Vocational training (2), Digital lending and scoring (1), Food processing (1)
- Instruments
- Senior debt (5)
- Stages
- Data unavailable
- Recent activity
- 5 deals in 12 months, latest Sept 2026
Stated thesis versus observed behaviour
- Sectors: 80% of its deals within its stated thesis
- Countries: 100% of its deals within its stated thesis
Does this fund fit your project?
Describe your need: the target list shows, for each source of capital, why it fits and which deals prove it.
Find my matchesInvestment thesis
Criteria published by the fund, recorded and checked by Invest Matching.
- Investment ticket
- 10 k$ – 2 M$
- Instruments
- Senior debt
- Preferred sectors
- Business & personal services, Education, Manufacturing, Agribusiness, Media & entertainment*, Tourism & hospitality*, Fintech*
- Target geographies
- East Africa, Southern Africa
* added from its deals
- Stages (stated by the fund and from its deals)
- Pre-SeedDebt
Team and contacts
- Daniel Yu — Founding Partner
- Ben Hyman — Operating Partner
- Anteneh Tesfaye — Venture Builder — Export Manufacturing
- Natasha Corbin — Venture Builder — GCC Labour Mobility
- Iris Braun — Impact Lead
LinkedIn profiles, emails and phone numbers are reserved for signed-in members: create an account to access them.
Reference deals
Recent public deals: they say better than a thesis what the fund actually signs.
Luka
September 2026Undisclosed amountSenior debtFintechLead
Activity : Digital lending and scoring
Instrument : Concessional start-up loan
Finances labour migration for East African workers moving to high-income countries.
Why they invested
- Financing is often the binding constraint on corridor access
Source : africajobsfund.substack.com
Bridge2Work Africa
September 2026 · SomaliaUndisclosed amountSenior debtEducationLead
Activity : Vocational training
Instrument : Concessional start-up loan
Trains baristas in Somalia for jobs in Gulf states.
Why they invested
- Founder with prior barista-training and export experience
Source : africajobsfund.substack.com
Exporters Without Borders
September 2026 · MadagascarUndisclosed amountSenior debtAgribusinessLead
Activity : Food processing
Instrument : Concessional start-up loan
Building a freeze-dried fruit export business in Madagascar.
Why they invested
- Export diversification modelled on successful pioneers
- Value-added processing jobs instead of subsistence farming
Source : africajobsfund.substack.com
PeopleGateway
September 2026 · KenyaUndisclosed amountSenior debtBusiness & personal servicesLead
Activity : Recruitment and staffing
Instrument : Concessional start-up loan
Prepares and matches hospitality workers with Italian employers through regulated channels.
Why they invested
- Builds on Italy's train-to-hire immigration route
Source : africajobsfund.substack.com
Velocity
September 2026 · KenyaUndisclosed amountSenior debtEducationLead
Activity : Vocational training
Instrument : Concessional start-up loan, repaid from placement revenue
Trains African nurses to German B2 level and places them with German healthcare employers; expanding to Malawi and Zambia.
Why they invested
- Proven model: 300+ learners, 2,500+ on the waitlist
- 100% offer rate for interview-ready candidates
Source : africajobsfund.substack.com
In short
Africa Jobs Fund invests tickets ranging from 10 k$ to 2 M$, across the following sectors: Business & personal services, Education, Manufacturing, Agribusiness, Media & entertainment, Tourism & hospitality, and Fintech, in the following areas: East Africa and Southern Africa. Check in 30 seconds whether your company fits these criteria.