The UK–Kenya Tech Hub has joined forces with Viktoria Ventures, Anza Village, and POV to launch Startup 360 Connect, a comprehensive initiative aimed at strengthening Kenya’s early-stage investment ecosystem. The program seeks to bridge critical gaps by connecting talent, capital, and market access, ultimately fostering sustainable growth for startups.
The UK–Kenya Tech Hub plays a pivotal role in driving digital innovation and creating investment linkages between Kenya and the United Kingdom through market access, ecosystem partnerships, and capacity-building programs. Viktoria Ventures, a pan-African early-stage investment and startup support platform, brings deep expertise in angel investing and founder development to the collaboration.
At the heart of this initiative is the Startup 360 Connect Angel Leads Programme, delivered by Viktoria Ventures. This program is designed to cultivate confident, well-trained angel investors and enable structured capital deployment into early-stage startups.
Stephen Gugu, CEO of Viktoria Ventures, commented:
We have spent years building the foundations of angel investing in Africa, and this programme represents the next phase of that journey. It is about moving beyond awareness into action—building confident investors, strong syndicates, and real capital deployment that founders can rely on.
Participants in the Angel Leads Programme will receive structured training in angel investing and syndication, hands-on deal evaluation, and practical experience in forming and operating investment syndicates. Each participant will commit US$1,000 into a syndicated deal at the end of the program, with investment decisions made collectively by syndicate members.
Fiona Kiruja, Programme Manager at Viktoria Ventures, commented:
This partnership is about more than training investors—it’s about building the infrastructure for sustainable early-stage capital in Kenya. We are creating real pathways for Kenyan investors to learn, lead, and co-invest in startups locally and across borders.
Founder readiness within Startup 360 Connect will be driven by Startup School Kenya, a national founder development pathway led by Anza Village in collaboration with the UK–Kenya Tech Hub, KENIA, and other industry partners. Startup School aims to produce a consistent pipeline of investment-ready founders, ensuring that early-stage investors engage with well-prepared, well-governed startups.
Startups graduating from Startup School will transition directly into the Angel Leads Programme for investment readiness and syndication exposure, creating a seamless pipeline from founder preparation to capital deployment.
Additionally, POV will deliver the GrowthPath Market and VC Linkage pillar, which provides insights into how African startups prepare for international expansion, particularly into the UK. While this component does not guarantee investment opportunities, it strengthens investor market understanding, networks, and knowledge of cross-border growth pathways.
Billy Msagha from the UK–Kenya Tech Hub, commented:
This partnership reflects a deliberate shift toward strengthening local investment capacity and creating stronger bridges between Kenyan and UK innovation ecosystems. By equipping investors with the skills and networks they need, we are helping unlock more sustainable pathways for early-stage capital to reach founders.
The Startup 360 Connect Angel Leads Programme will run from February to June 2026, with applications open until January 30.
