Germany’s develoPPP Ventures Opens Applications for 10th Cohort, Offering €100K to Post-Revenue East African Startups

The entrepreneurial support program develoPPP Ventures, an initiative spearheaded by Germany’s Federal Development Ministry (BMZ), has officially opened the application window for its highly anticipated 10th cohort. This program offers promising post-revenue startups a chance to secure EUR 100,000 (approximately US$115,000) in catalytic funding and technical assistance designed specifically to help them achieve rapid scale. The initiative operates on a crucial matching-funds model in collaboration with DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH. This partnership is structured to provide grant financing to ventures that have clearly demonstrated proof of concept, achieved substantial market traction, and are genuinely ready to significantly expand their operations across developing regions. A primary requirement for acceptance into the program is that the businesses must deliver a measurable, positive social, economic, or environmental impact alongside building a financially sustainable business model. In Kenya, the develoPPP Ventures program is strategically led by DEG Impulse, benefiting from implementation support provided by key ecosystem builders VC4A and Viktoria Ventures. This local setup ensures tailored assistance for innovative startups driving development outcomes. Since its inception in 2019, develoPPP Ventures has already achieved remarkable success, having supported approximately 100 companies throughout East Africa and maintaining an active portfolio of 59 companies. A key performance metric highlighted by the organizers is that participating startups have, on average, managed to raise 4x the amount of additional investment after completing the program, underscoring its catalytic effect. Thomas van Halen, Programmes Director at VC4A, views this investment as strong validation for East Africa’s most promising founders, affirming the program’s focus on backing models poised to create massive economic, social, and ecological change within their communities.