Platform Capital invests in Merge Tech
Platform Capital, a Nigeria-based growth markets investor, has invested in Merge Tech, a South African digital meeting place for entrepreneurs and investors, through its technology vehicle Unicorn Group. Merge is a transactional marketplace platform that allows start-ups and investors to connect, communicate and collaborate seamlessly. It matches entrepreneurs and startups with a network of investors that are best suited to their funding needs; and provides high quality deal flow to investors through an app and web-based platform.
Merge creates greater efficiency and access for both entrepreneurs and investors through its innovative technology and design first thinking to enable more meaningful connections and fast decision making on the go. The platform creates more opportunity for both the investor and the entrepreneur to interact and engage on a deeper level that results in a higher conversion rate from connection to deal closure based on its mutual interest system to create a match or “merge”. This is changing the current entrepreneur-investor landscape by creating equal opportunity for all parties to access the market and funding.
The company currently operates in South Africa and has 1,000+ entrepreneurs, 200+ investors and 300+ ventures funded since its app launch in September 2019. Merge’s goal is to be the leading investment marketplace bringing together a curated selection of the continent’s most promising firms directly into contact with a global investor ecosystem, matching pre-qualified, high-growth companies to international corporate and individual investors.
Merge is currently backed by other investors such as Jason Levin, early-stage angel investor and the author of Unicorns, Leapfrogs and Gazelles: Fast-tracking the South African Ecosystem as well as Chris Peters, founder of Fibre Compare, South Africa’s first fibre internet comparison site. As part of Platform’s investment, Dr. Akintoye Akindele, chairman of Platform Capital will join the board as chairman; and Steve Hanney, founder and CEO of Aspenify will join the advisory board as a technical advisor.
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