Renew Capital has announced the launch of the Renew Venture Lab: The EmFi Series, a new program aimed at identifying and supporting African tech founders building the next generation of financial solutions across the continent.
The program was unveiled during GITEX Africa. Applications are now open, with founders able to apply through the Venture Lab portal. Early consideration is available for submissions made by April 30.
The EmFi Series has a strong focus on embedded finance.
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make up about 90% of all private sector businesses in Africa. Even with this said, most of them remain excluded from formal financial systems. In sub-Saharan Africa, fewer than one in five SMEs can access loans from traditional financial institutions.
Renew Capital estimates this gap represents a $330 billion untapped credit opportunity.
The firm argues that technology startups can close this gap by building tools that help businesses manage operations. By doing this, startups generate valuable data that can be leveraged to assess creditworthiness.
“Africa’s most important financial story is not being written by banks,” said Matthew Davis, co-CEO of Renew Capital. “It’s being written by tech founders who know their small business customers better than traditional lenders.”
The Renew Venture Lab: EmFi Series is a virtual, competitive program that combines self-paced learning with live sessions led by global experts in embedded finance, credit modeling, and lending.
Participants will gain practical insights into building scalable financial products. They will also develope the discipline and operational habits Renew Capital views as critical to startup success.
The program is supported by several international partners, including Global Affairs Canada and Norad, as well as Morocco’s Tamwilcom.
Applications Now Open
African founders building fintech or embedded finance solutions are encouraged to apply via the Venture Lab website.
The deadline for early consideration is April 30, 2026.
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