Nairobi-based venture studio Purple Elephant Ventures (PEV), which focuses on the tourism sector, has successfully topped up its seed funding round by an additional $500,000, bringing the total amount raised to an impressive $5 million. This strategic funding boost positions PEV as a significant player in the African tourism-tech landscape.
Founded by a trio of experienced entrepreneurs, PEV is led by CEO Ben Peterson, who previously served as a senior partner at AHL Venture Partners. He is joined by Jan Van der de Willebois, a former investment banker at Dyer & Blair, and Mikul Shah, a serial entrepreneur and the founder of EatOut Africa. Together, they aim to launch three to four innovative startups each year, all designed to revolutionize the tourism industry across the continent.
PEV’s mission is to guide Africa’s tourism sector towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future. The startups incubated by PEV are typically tech-driven and scalable solutions that address the urgent need for resilience and sustainability in the face of climate change challenges affecting the tourism industry.
The venture studio initially raised a $1 million pre-seed round in October 2022, followed by a substantial $4.5 million seed round in January 2023. This seed round included investments from notable firms such as Clear Creek Investment B.V, Klister Corp., Fede Pirzo-Biroli (founder of Playfair Capital), Anthony Rock, and Ian McCaig (former CEO of Lastminute.com).
With the recent $500,000 investment from Alphatron, a Dutch single-family office under the Alphatron Group, PEV has further solidified its financial foundation. This latest funding will enable PEV to enhance its position as one of Africa’s leading tourism-tech ventures, committed to fostering innovation in the sector.
Ben Peterson, co-founder and CEO of Purple Elephant Ventures, expressed his enthusiasm about the new investment, stating, “Alphatron’s investment is a testament to the transformative potential of regenerative tourism in Africa. Their support not only strengthens our financial position but also aligns with our vision of leveraging technology to build a more sustainable, inclusive, and thriving tourism industry.”
Floris de Kort, director of the Alphatron Group, echoed this sentiment, noting that his company found a perfect match in PEV’s approach to innovation, sustainability, and market potential. “Their vision for transforming Africa’s tourism sector through technology aligns perfectly with what we value at Alphatron. What resonated with us most was PEV’s understanding that technological advancement in tourism must prioritize environmental responsibility,” he remarked.
De Kort further emphasized that this investment represents a commitment to partnering with visionary leaders who are reshaping industries for a climate-conscious future while delivering meaningful economic impact across Africa.
In just a few short years, PEV has successfully launched five high-impact startups, each addressing critical gaps within the hospitality ecosystem. These startups include Nomad Africa, Kijani Supplies, Zafari, PowerTrip, and JOIN Africa. Unlike traditional venture studios, PEV retains control over and self-funds its startups, ensuring that their long-term mission to advance tourism innovation funding remains aligned with delivering transformative impacts across the continent.
