Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in Africa’s startup ecosystem rose sharply in 2025, with 67 deals recorded—a 72% increase signalling growing maturity in the continent’s venture landscape. Because acquisitions are the dominant form of startup exit in Africa, the increase points to improving liquidity for founders and investors.

CardioPad is a groundbreaking medical technology developed by Cameroonian engineer Arthur Zang, designed to transform access to heart diagnostics across Africa. The portable tablet device enables healthcare workers to perform electrocardiograms (ECGs) in remote areas and transmit the results via mobile networks to cardiologists for rapid interpretation.

iRise Hub is a Somali innovation hub helping to build the country’s next generation of entrepreneurs and technology leaders. The organisation was co-founded by Abdihakim Ainte (CEO) and launched in 2016 in Mogadishu as one of the first community-driven innovation spaces in Somalia

Verbosec is a Botswana-based technology and cybersecurity firm delivering advanced digital solutions to businesses, governments, and institutions across Africa. Co-founded in 2019 by Randall Newman (CEO) and Henry Newman (CTO), the company has grown into a full-stack tech provider spanning cybersecurity, custom software development, cloud architecture, and AI innovation.

African economies are increasingly judged not only by growth rates, but by how easy it is to start, operate, and scale a business. The 2025 World Bank business environment rankings evaluate countries across 10 domains covering a firm’s life cycle—from entry to exit.

Telemedan is a Chadian health-tech startup founded by Abakar Mahamat (CEO), transforming access to medical care through digital and off-grid innovation. The company was built to address the severe shortage of healthcare access in rural and underserved parts of Chad.