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The Nairobi, Kenya-based marketplace company has raised . Along with the equity financing, Twiga raised $6.2 million in debt financing.

So here���s why we care: We rarely dig into the VC space in Africa, let alone Kenya. Secondly, , Twiga���s Series B is history making on a couple counts.

What It Does

Founded in 2014, Twiga helps distribute Kenyan produce���onions, mangoes, avocados, and tons of other produce���to retailers. The produce goes to a collection center, then goes to a packhouse for distribution to various vendor shops. The company partners with over 8,000 vendors and claims that farmers receive payment in 24 hours.

Before a vendor can sell, a Twiga sales representative visits the farm to check it out. About 400 people work for the company, .

Kenya���s VC Space

, Twiga���s Series B is the biggest financing round raised by a Nairobi-based company in 2019, and the third largest round of all time for the city.

Beyond Goldman Sachs and TLcom, investors in Twiga include , , , , and more. A non-investing partner includes (USAID).

From here, we see that there���s a healthy show of United States investors interested in Nairobi-based companies. For example, is a global micro-seed fund based in Washington D.C., and , a Redwood City-based startup that has invested in companies like Digg, Meetup, and Anchor.

There���s also some local love, like , which describes itself as an impact-focused firm in Africa. Beyond Twiga, AHL has invested , such as , a food manufacturer in South Africa, and , a startup tackling the sustainably honey market.

And that���s not all. There were also checks from Switzerland and London, showing somewhat of a global interest.

I���ll leave you with this. TLcom said that ���if Africa continues to generate companies of this caliber, more private capital will flow into the Continent and more entrepreneurs will be able to start and scale game-changing enterprises such as Twiga.���

So while Twiga���s round is big for the country and the continent, investor attitude tells me that Twiga���s record might soon be (happily) beat.

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