African startup funding dipped by 6% year on year to $1.4 billion in the first six months of 2026, after the number of early-stage companies securing venture capital investment fell, data from Africa The Big Deal shows. The largest agreement for the year so far happened in June, when four-year-old electric motorcycle maker Spiro raised $270 million. That helped raise the total for the half year, but the number of startups raising $100,000 or more fell to its lowest level since 2021, the data showed. African tech fundraising remains way behind the peak days of 2022, as Silicon Valley investors continue a retreat from the continent that started with rising interest rates. But the $3.2 billion total recorded in 2025, the highest amount in three years, reflected increased activity by investors who are stepping in to fill the gap.