DisrupTech Ventures Backs Moroccan Fintech Chari in Pan-African Expansion Push

DisrupTech Ventures has just stepped into Morocco’s fintech scene with an investment in Chari, the Y Combinator–backed startup that’s been quietly redefining how small retailers handle both trade and finance. This move marks DisrupTech’s first venture into Morocco and only its second outside Egypt, showing the Cairo-based fund’s determination to widen its African footprint.

For anyone who’s followed North Africa’s entrepreneurial buzz, Chari’s story feels almost inevitable. Founded in 2020 by Ismael Belkhayat and Sophia Alj, the company started as a simple app helping shopkeepers order FMCG products more efficiently. Fast-forward a few years, and it’s become a fully licensed fintech platform under Morocco’s central bank, letting thousands of local grocers process digital payments, offer micro­-insurance, and even extend credit to customers on the spot.

What really caught my eye is how Chari is turning everyday convenience stores into mini financial hubs. It’s a bit of a masterstroke, especially in communities where cash is still king and banks can feel a world away. As Mohamed Okasha, Managing Partner at DisrupTech Ventures, put it, Chari is “redefining how financial services are delivered at the grassroots level.” I reckon he’s spot on—there’s something powerful about giving small merchants a seat at the fintech table.

On the flip side, scaling such a model won’t be a walk in the park. Payment habits and bank scepticism run deep in many local markets. But if anyone’s fit for the challenge, it’s likely a team blending tech savvy with a grounded approach. With over 20,000 retailers already using the platform, Chari feels poised to tighten its grip not only in Morocco but across Francophone Africa too.

For DisrupTech, this isn’t just about a portfolio boost. By joining Chari’s board as part of its Series A extension round, the fund will have a chance to help shape how grassroots fintech evolves across the region. That said, it’s not all rosy—investors will need patience before seeing large-scale returns in spaces this complex. Still, as someone who’s seen how fintech can unlock informal economies around the MENA, I’m chuffed to bits to see capital going where it can actually shift the needle.

DisrupTech, founded in 2021, has built quite a name at home by backing Egyptian fintech players in payments, lending, and insurtech. Its investors include IFC, Proparco and MSMEDA, among others—a solid roster that gives it both credibility and resources to move fast. The Chari bet, then, feels like a natural next step, and perhaps a signal of what’s to come: Egyptian VC money spreading its wings across Africa’s fragmented financial frontier.

There’s always risk in chasing innovation this early, of course. But as we often say at Arageek—where we’re all about energising and empowering startups—a bold move can be the spark that lights a whole market. And between Chari’s local grit and DisrupTech’s fintech know-how, this one looks, well… definately one to watch.

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