UK–Kenya partners launch Startup 360 Connect to boost early-stage startup investment

A consortium led by the UK–Kenya Tech Hub has launched Startup 360 Connect, a new initiative aimed at strengthening Kenya’s early-stage investment ecosystem by connecting startups with trained angel investors and market opportunities.

The programme brings together Viktoria Ventures, Anza Village, and POV under the UK–Kenya Strategic Partnership in Science, Technology and Innovation. Its core focus is to move Kenya’s startup ecosystem from investor awareness to active capital deployment, addressing persistent gaps in early-stage funding.

At the centre of the initiative is the Startup 360 Connect Angel Leads Program, delivered by Viktoria Ventures, which targets individual and group investors seeking to formalise angel investing.

Participants undergo structured training in deal evaluation and syndication before committing USD 1,000 each into a collective startup investment at the end of the programme.

Kenya is one of Africa’s most active startup hubs, but early-stage funding remains concentrated among a small group of investors. Ecosystem leaders say the challenge is no longer investor education, but translating knowledge into coordinated investment activity.

“We have spent years building the foundations of angel investing in Africa. This programme represents the next phase, moving from awareness into action,” said Stephen Gugu, CEO of Viktoria Ventures.

The initiative is structured around three pillars. The first focuses on angel investor training and capital activation, equipping participants with practical experience in forming and operating investment syndicates.

The second pillar, led by Anza Village, centres on founder readiness through Startup School Kenya. The programme supports entrepreneurs to develop investable ventures by strengthening business models, governance, financial literacy, and investor engagement. Startups graduating from Startup School progress directly into the Angel Leads Program, creating a single pipeline linking founders to investors.

“Our role is to help founders build strong, investment-ready businesses,” said Wangechi Wahome, CEO of Anza Village. “Aligning that work with trained angel investors makes the ecosystem more efficient.”

The third pillar, delivered by POV, provides exposure to UK market entry and scaling pathways. While it does not guarantee funding, it offers founders and investors insights into cross-border growth and international expansion.

According to Billy Msagha of the UK–Kenya Tech Hub, the initiative reflects a shift toward building sustainable local investment capacity while strengthening ties between Kenyan and UK innovation ecosystems.

The Angel Leads Program will run from February to June 2026 and is open to individual investors, investment groups, professionals, and impact-focused investors. Applications close on 30 January 2026.

Organisers say Startup 360 Connect is expected to contribute to the professionalisation of angel investing in Kenya and increase the volume of early-stage capital available to startups, while positioning the country more firmly within global innovation and investment networks.