Ghanaian startup Liquify, a digital invoice finance platform designed for African SME exporters, has successfully raised an oversubscribed $1.5 million seed round to address the critical challenge of delayed payments that plague African businesses.
The funding round comes as African exporters continue to face the persistent problem of waiting 30-90 days to receive payment for their goods and services, creating significant cash flow challenges that limit business growth and expansion opportunities.
Revolutionary Invoice Financing for African SMEs
The Problem: Cash Flow Crisis for Exporters
African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) involved in export activities face a significant challenge: lengthy payment cycles that can extend up to three months. This creates a substantial working capital gap that prevents businesses from scaling operations, fulfilling new orders, or investing in growth opportunities.
Liquify addresses this critical issue by providing a digital invoice finance platform specifically tailored for African SME exporters who struggle with cash flow while waiting for international payments.
The Solution: Instant Invoice Financing
Liquify operates as an invoice financing marketplace that connects African SMEs with global capital markets, effectively transforming export invoices into rapid, affordable working capital. The platform’s innovative approach enables exporters to access funds within hours rather than months.
The company’s end-to-end digital platform automates several critical processes:
- Onboarding procedures
- KYC/AML compliance checks
- Credit assessments
- Settlement processing
This comprehensive automation enables exporters to receive payments within hours while providing investors access to short-term, low-correlation assets.
Founders’ Vision and Platform Mechanics
Nadya Yaremenko, who founded Liquify alongside Alberta Asafo-Asamoah in 2023, explained the platform’s simple yet powerful process to TechMoonshot: “We unlock cash trapped in their unpaid invoices: exporters upload an invoice, our platform runs KYC/AML and credit checks, and the invoices get funded within hours, not weeks, at a fraction of the cost.”
This streamlined approach represents a significant improvement over traditional trade finance methods, which often involve complex paperwork, lengthy approval processes, and high fees.
Impressive Market Traction and Growth
Strong Performance Since Beta Launch
Since its beta launch in late 2024, Liquify has demonstrated remarkable market traction:
- 150+ transactions facilitated
- $4 million in total trade finance volume
- Rapid customer acquisition across multiple African markets
- Strong investor interest leading to oversubscribed funding round
This performance validates both the market demand for innovative trade finance solutions and Liquify’s ability to execute on its vision.
Strategic Funding Round Details
Lead Investors and Participants
The $1.5 million equity seed funding round was led by Future Africa, a prominent African venture capital firm known for backing innovative startups across the continent.
Participating investors included:
- Launch Africa – Supporting African entrepreneurship
- 54 Collective – Pan-African investment collective
- Digital Africa – Promoting digital transformation
- Equitable Ventures – Impact-focused investing
- Several strategic angel investors with industry expertise
Additional Debt Facility
In addition to the equity round, Emerald Africa extended its debt facility to Liquify, significantly bolstering the company’s liquidity and operational flexibility. This additional funding mechanism provides Liquify with enhanced capacity to support its expanding SME customer base.
Expansion Plans and Strategic Initiatives
Geographic Expansion Strategy
With the fresh capital injection, Liquify plans to execute an ambitious expansion strategy:
Immediate Focus Areas:
- Scale Ghanaian operations as the primary hub
- Expand into Anglophone markets across Sub-Saharan Africa
- Enter Francophone markets to capture broader regional opportunities
- Strengthen presence in existing markets through enhanced service delivery
Team Building and Talent Acquisition
The funding will enable Liquify to significantly expand its team across critical areas:
- Product development specialists
- Technology infrastructure experts
- Customer success professionals
- Regional market specialists
This strategic hiring approach ensures the company can maintain service quality while scaling operations across multiple markets.
Technology and Innovation Enhancement
Liquify plans to accelerate product innovation by enhancing its AI-driven capabilities across several key areas:
AI-Powered Features:
- Due diligence automation for faster processing
- Enhanced KYC/AML systems for improved compliance
- Advanced credit-scoring engines for better risk assessment
- Predictive analytics for market insights
Addressing Africa’s Massive Trade Finance Gap
The $120 Billion Challenge
Africa faces a staggering $120 billion trade finance gap, representing one of the most significant barriers to continental economic growth. This gap prevents countless businesses from accessing the working capital needed to fulfill orders, expand operations, and compete in global markets.
Yaremenko emphasized the company’s mission: “We built Liquify to unlock the $120 billion trade-finance gap holding back Africa’s most dynamic SMEs. This seed round – as well the incredible people joining our team – validates our vision.”
Creating New Asset Classes for Global Investors
Liquify’s platform creates a win-win scenario by:
- Providing African exporters with rapid access to working capital
- Offering global investors access to a new, untapped asset class
- Reducing correlation risks in investment portfolios
- Generating attractive returns through short-term trade finance
“With our fully digital, AI-powered platform, exporters can turn unpaid invoices into same-day cash, while global investors gain access to a new untapped class,” Yaremenko explained.
Market Impact and Future Outlook
Transforming African Trade Finance
Liquify’s success represents a broader trend toward digitalization of trade finance in Africa. By leveraging technology to solve traditional pain points, the company is helping to:
- Reduce dependency on traditional banking systems
- Increase transparency in trade finance transactions
- Lower costs for SME exporters
- Improve access to global capital markets
Supporting SME Growth and Economic Development
The platform’s impact extends beyond individual businesses to broader economic development:
- Job creation through SME growth
- Increased export capacity for African businesses
- Enhanced competitiveness in global markets
- Improved financial inclusion for underserved segments
Industry Recognition and Validation
The oversubscribed nature of Liquify’s funding round demonstrates strong investor confidence in both the team and the market opportunity. The participation of leading African venture capital firms and strategic investors validates the company’s approach to solving critical trade finance challenges.
The company’s rapid growth since its beta launch, combined with strong transaction volumes, positions Liquify as a significant player in Africa’s evolving fintech landscape.
Looking Ahead: Scaling Impact Across Africa
As Liquify executes its expansion plans, the company is well-positioned to become a leading trade finance platform across Sub-Saharan Africa. The combination of proven technology, strong market demand, and strategic funding provides a solid foundation for sustainable growth.
The success of Liquify’s seed round also signals growing investor interest in African fintech solutions that address real market needs with innovative technology approaches.
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