GJO & Partners
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Africa Jobs Fund

Public data, unclaimed profile

Philanthropic 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

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Describe your need: the target list shows, for each source of capital, why it fits and which deals prove it.

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Investment 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

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 2026
Undisclosed 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 · Somalia
Undisclosed 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 · Madagascar
Undisclosed 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 · Kenya
Undisclosed 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 · Kenya
Undisclosed 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.