Visa Invests in African Fintech, Boosting Konnect and PayTic’s Growth

Editorial Team

Last updated 17-04-2025

3 min

Visa has invested in fintech startups Konnect and PayTic after their accelerator programme participation.

Konnect, from Tunisia, offers instant payment solutions with shareable links via popular apps.

PayTic, a Moroccan firm, enhances back-end payment operations and risk management.

Visa's accelerator scheme supports African fintech growth, including some female-led companies.

The company plans to invest $1 billion in Africa's digital future by 2027.

Visa has announced fresh strategic investment and partnerships with two promising fintech startups, Konnect and PayTic, following their participation in the 12-week Visa Africa Fintech Accelerator programme. The accelerator aims to help early-stage companies grow by providing guidance, mentorship, and opportunties for networking and funding.

First among these new ventures is Konnect, a Tunisian-based fintech firm specialising in instant payment solutions. Konnect simplifies digital payments through hassle-free shareable links sent via apps such as WhatsApp, emails, or standard text messages. Speaking on the new partnership, Konnect's CEO Amin Ben Abderrahmane expressed excitement about the investment, highlighting Visa's continued confidence in their vision to enhance easy and secure payment experiences across Africa.

The second investment went to the Moroccan company PayTic, which is dedicated to simplifying complex back-end operations and improving risk management in digital payment systems. PayTic CEO, Imad Boumahdi, commented that Visa's support places their firm uniquely to push innovation in fintech further, streamline compliance, and deliver smoother experiences for their clients.

Leila Serhan, Visa's Senior Vice President and Regional Director for North Africa, Levant, and Pakistan, praised both startups, labelling their teams as inspiring examples of innovation and dedication. Serhan affirmed Visa's ongoing commitment to helping ambitious African fintech companies flourish by providing essential resources, guidance, and connections required for scalable growth.

These two startups join a growing list of fintechs previously backed by Visa through its accelerator scheme. Past companies include Oze from Ghana, known for integrated financing solutions tailored for small businesses, Kenya-based Workpay, offering cloud-based payroll management, Nigerian smart addressing platform OkHi, and ORDA, an innovative software provider for over 1,500 restaurants spread across Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa.

Visa has also embarked on a significant partnership with Morocco-based Chari, a business-to-business platform designed especially for smaller grocery stores and shops. Their collaboration intends to bolster digital adoption among SMEs, particularly by improving acceptance of digital payments and issuance services. Ismael Belkhayat, CEO and co-founder of Chari, suggested the partnership would significantly elevate financial services for local merchants, driving widespread technological transformation in the region.

The announcement coincides neatly with Visa's role as a financial innovation partner at GITEX Africa 2025, taking place in Marrakech from April 14 to 16. During the event yesterday, Visa wrapped up its third accelerator cohort's Demo Day, hosted on the GITEX 10X platform, showcasing innovative solutions from 19 exceptional fintech startups to prospective investors, partners, and entrepreneurs.

The third accelerator class stands out for its diverse representation, drawing startups from 21 African nations. Impressively, women-led leadership accounted for 85% of participating companies—a notable rise from under 50% in the programme's initial round and 65% in its second, progress Visa hopes to keep growing.

Since its inception in 2023, the Visa Africa Fintech Accelerator has already helped support over 60 startups, reinforcing Visa's broader pledge to invest a substantial $1 billion in Africa by 2027. Looking ahead, the accelerator scheme plans to unveil details about its eagerly anticipated fourth cohort on June 2, 2025.

While Africa's rapidly evolving fintech landscape continues to captivate global players like Visa, it's encouraging to witness meaningful support shaping the continent's digital future—something I'm sure Arageek readers would keenly follow over a cuppa next time they're scrolling through the latest business buzz.

🚀 Got exciting news to share?

If you're a startup founder, VC, or PR agency with big updates—funding rounds, product launches 📢, or company milestones 🎉 — AraGeek English wants to hear from you!