Digital Africa Makes First Ethiopia Investment, Backing Agritech Startup ChipChip

Digital Africa, a subsidiary of the French development finance institution Proparco, has made its first investment in Ethiopia by backing ChipChip, a local agritech company founded in 2023. Startup Researcher reported the deal. ChipChip connects Ethiopian farms with buyers through a platform that uses data and artificial intelligence to make food distribution more efficient.

ChipChip's Farm to Household Platform

Digital Africa identified a persistent gap between farm and household, where too much value is lost and food costs more than it should. Sokhna Mbaye, Investment Associate at Digital Africa, said the team has the right skills and ground knowledge to make this model work at scale. The investment follows the fund's view that better distribution technology can address these challenges and build stronger local food systems across Ethiopia.

On the app, a user creates a group for a product and invites friends, family, or other users by sharing the product link. Users can also join existing groups, and once a group reaches the required number of members, the order goes through at a discounted price with delivery to the buyer's door. The produce comes from local farmers and suppliers, while group leaders can collect orders and earn rewards, and the app is available on iOS and Android.

Bruk Getahun, co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of ChipChip, said the investment will allow the company to strengthen its platform, deepen its data layer, and expand its network of farmers and B2B buyers. The startup plans to use the new capital to improve its technology and broaden its reach among agricultural producers and commercial buyers across Ethiopia.

Digital Africa's DA Seed Fund

According to akta.pro company records, Digital Africa launched the DA Seed Fund in May 2026, a €30 million closed-end seed fund with a €50 million hard cap, a 10-year horizon, and an average first ticket of €300,000, targeting 30 African tech startups across 20 priority countries. The fund is backed by Proparco and AFD. Digital Africa was born out of French President Emmanuel Macron's desire to rethink the relationship between Africa and its international partners, and it was formed to push a co-development approach. In 2024, the organization pivoted to fully reposition itself as a dedicated Pre-Seed and Seed investment fund for African startups and entrepreneurs.

Earlier Digital Africa Fund Launches

Digital Africa launched a €30 million seed fund for early-growth startups across 20 African countries, with a €50 million cap and average checks of €300,000, TechMoran reported in June 2026. The fund targets companies beyond the idea stage, aiming to bridge the financing gap before Series A funding. The African Exponent reported in May 2026 that Digital Africa launched a €50 million seed fund to support early-stage startups across approximately 20 African markets, with an initial deployment size of €30 million and ticket sizes ranging from €300,000 to €2 million. Disruptafrica reported in May 2026 that Digital Africa launched a EUR50 million seed fund targeting 20 underserved African countries, with ticket sizes up to EUR2 million.