Seedstars

What Seedstars does

Seedstars is a Swiss-headquartered alternative investment and entrepreneurship support platform focused exclusively on emerging and frontier markets. Founded in 2013 in Geneva, the company operates the Seedstars World Competition — described as the largest startup competition in emerging markets — running local competitions across more than 90 countries, regional finals, and a Grand Finale where winners receive up to $500,000 in equity investment. Seedstars also runs structured acceleration, growth, and investment-readiness programs, and operates Seedspace coworking hubs in cities including Geneva, Kuala Lumpur, Abidjan, Dar es Salaam, Lima, Yangon, and Mexico City, serving a community of approximately 250,000 members worldwide.

The underlying technology layer consists of two digital platforms: SIGMA, used within partnerships such as the UNDP timbuktoo Pan-African incubation network to coordinate startup tracking, mentorship, and program management, and SMART, a resource and learning platform for entrepreneurs. Seedstars manages a family of venture capital vehicles — Seedstars International Ventures, Seedstars Africa Ventures (which closed $42 million in first-round funding in December 2024), Redwood Ventures, Trust Tech Fund, iThink VC, and the SECO Startup Fund (co-managed with iGravity) — holding equity and debt positions across an 80-company portfolio spanning fintech, agritech, insurtech, and clean energy.

Revenue is generated through three mechanics: (1) venture capital fund management via management fees and carried interest from portfolio exits; (2) custom-made acceleration and ecosystem-development programs delivered as professional services to institutional buyers such as UNDP, IFC, USAID, GIZ, African Development Bank, Visa Foundation, SANAD, and CAF; and (3) corporate venture programs for partners including BBVA, Círculo de Crédito, and Lufthansa Technik Philippines. The company does not publicly disclose revenue. Leadership consists of co-founders Alisee de Tonnac and Pierre-Alain Masson as co-CEOs, Charlie Graham-Brown as CIO, and Horatiu Ticau as COO, with Michael Weber and Benjamin Benaim as additional co-founders and managing/founding partners.

Name

Seedstars

Legal name

Seedstars Group

Website

https://seedstars.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Seedstars is a Geneva-based alternative investment platform that runs the largest startup competition in 90+ emerging markets, manages multiple venture funds and acceleration programs, and serves a 250,000-member global entrepreneur community through digital platforms and physical hubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Emerging-Market Venture Capital & Entrepreneurship Development

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed) (FSANAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM), Emerging Managers / Seeding Platforms (FSAHAKAI)

Keywords

• Emerging market venture capital
• Startup acceleration programs
• Entrepreneurship ecosystem development
• Impact investment funds
• Incubation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Venture Capital Fund Management: Seedstars manages multiple venture capital funds including Seedstars International Ventures, Seedstars Africa Ventures, Redwood Ventures, Trust Tech Fund, iThink VC, and SECO Startup Fund. Revenue generated through management fees and carried interest from portfolio company exits.
2. Acceleration and Program Services: Custom-made acceleration and growth programs for development agencies, governments, and corporations seeking to support entrepreneurship ecosystems. Programs include investment readiness, growth acceleration, and incubation support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Seedstars operates a multi-faceted emerging-market platform that combines the Seedstars World Competition (largest startup competition across 90+ countries with up to $500,000 equity investment for winners), structured Acceleration, Growth, and Investment Readiness programs for founders, and multiple venture capital fund vehicles (Seedstars International Ventures, Seedstars Africa Ventures, Redwood Ventures, iThink VC, Trust Tech Fund, SECO Startup Fund) that deploy seed and early-stage capital into scalable tech startups. The platform is supported by proprietary digital tooling (SIGMA, SMART), physical Seedspace coworking hubs, and custom ecosystem-development programs delivered to development agencies, governments, and corporate partners.

Product overview

Seedstars is a Swiss-based venture capital and entrepreneurship support organization operating a multi-faceted platform in emerging markets. The core offering consists of the Seedstars World Competition (the largest startup competition in emerging markets offering up to $500K in investment), combined with Acceleration, Growth, and Investment Readiness Programs. The company manages multiple investment funds including Seedstars International Ventures, Seedstars Africa Ventures, Redwood Ventures, iThink VC, Trust Tech Fund, and SECO Startup Fund. Digital platforms include SIGMA (startup tracking and mentorship coordination) and SMART (educational resources). Physical presence is maintained through Seedspace co-working hubs across emerging markets. The ecosystem serves a community of 250,000+ members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Seedspace: Physical hubs and coworking spaces for entrepreneurs in emerging markets
• Seedstars World Competition
• Seedstars Summit
• SMART
• SIGMA
• SEED Inclusivity
• SANAD Elevate Her Programme

Products and services

• Seedstars World Competition Annual startup competition scouting early-stage tech startups across 90+ emerging-market countries via local competitions, regional summits, and a Grand Finale; winners receive up to $500,000 in equity investment and access to the Seedstars network.
• Acceleration Program Structured acceleration support for early-stage startups providing mentorship, training, and access to investor networks to help founders scale their businesses.
• Growth Program Advanced program for growth-stage startups to accelerate scaling, focusing on go-to-market strategies, fundraising, and operational excellence.
• Investment Readiness Program Program designed to prepare startups for investment by refining business models, pitch materials, and investor readiness.
• Seedstars ESO Alliance Alliance focused on ecosystem development and capacity-building support for entrepreneurship support organizations (ESOs).
• Seedstars International Ventures Venture capital fund making early-stage investments in highly scalable startups across emerging markets globally; 80+ company portfolio.
• Seedstars Africa Ventures VC fund focused on early-stage investments in highly scalable startups in Africa; first close of $42 million.
• Redwood Ventures Venture fund under the Seedstars ecosystem targeting early-stage technology investments.
• iThink VC Venture capital partner providing early-stage tech startups access to Seedstars' global network.
• Trust Tech Fund Technology-focused investment fund within the Seedstars ecosystem.
• SECO Startup Fund Swiss development cooperation fund managed by iGravity and Seedstars, providing debt and equity financing for early-stage companies in emerging markets.
• SIGMA Platform Digital incubation platform used within the UNDP timbuktoo Pan-African Incubation Network to provide startup tracking, mentorship coordination, and program management.
• SMART Platform Resource and learning platform providing educational content and tools for entrepreneurs in emerging markets.
• Seedspace Network of physical coworking hubs in Geneva, Kuala Lumpur, Abidjan, Dar es Salaam, Lima, Yangon, and Mexico City providing workspace, community, and networking for entrepreneurs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 250,000+ community members globally
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2026UNDP launched an AgriTech incubation call under its timbuktoo platform, supported by the Government of Japan, with Seedstars providing the SIGMA digital platform for incubation support. The program aims to transform agriculture across Africa through technology-driven startups, with the first cohort starting May 2026.
• SANAD Technical Assistance Facility (TAF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 November 2025Seedstars and SANAD TAF launched the SANAD Elevate Her Programme to support female-led startups across Africa and the Middle East. The program addresses a $42 billion funding gap faced by women entrepreneurs, providing training, mentorship, and investment to 40 startups in sustainability, agrifinance, and fintech sectors.
• CAF (Development Bank of Latin America)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2025CAF organized the Financial Inclusion Lab 2024 supporting technology ventures using AI to improve financial inclusion in Latin America. Seedstars provides acceleration programs as part of the technology benefits package for winning ventures.
• Círculo de CréditocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 March 2025Círculo de Crédito, a leading credit information company in Mexico, partnered with Seedstars to strengthen its Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) arm to promote innovation and technological development in the Mexican financial ecosystem.
• Lufthansa Technik PhilippinesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 September 2024Lufthansa Technik Philippines and Seedstars launched the LTP Startup Challenge 2024, a virtual program inviting global startups to develop AI and innovative solutions for aviation Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul operations.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Antler: Global early-stage VC and accelerator operating across 30+ markets including emerging markets. Directly comparable to Seedstars as a cohort-based accelerator that invests pre-seed/seed and provides founder support infrastructure.
• Techstars: Global accelerator operator with multiple themed and sector-specific programs, including emerging-market programs. Comparable accelerator model and LP-backed fund structures with strong mentor-driven approach.
• Endeavor: Global high-impact entrepreneurship support organization operating in 40+ emerging and growth markets. Comparable mission-driven model selecting, supporting, and scaling entrepreneurs across emerging markets, with mentorship and network assets.
• Partech: Global venture firm with a dedicated Africa and emerging-markets fund (Partech Africa). Comparable multi-vehicle strategy, sector breadth across fintech, agritech, and mobility, and DFI-backed fund structures.
• Novastar Ventures: Africa-focused early-stage VC operating multiple funds across East and West Africa. Directly comparable as a specialist emerging-market VC using fund vehicles to support early-stage founders, with strong DFI LP relationships.
• Impact Hub: Global network of entrepreneurship hubs and innovation spaces operating across 100+ locations. Comparable physical-hub (Seedspace) model providing workspace and community infrastructure for early-stage founders.
• Village Capital: Impact-focused early-stage investor and accelerator with strong emerging-markets footprint and peer-selected cohort model. Comparable thematic programs (financial inclusion, sustainability) and DFI-style LP base.
• 500 Global (500 Startups): Global venture firm and accelerator with significant emerging-market presence and growth-stage programs. Closely comparable business model combining accelerator cohorts, seed funds, and global founder networks.

Broad incumbents

• Y Combinator: Largest global accelerator with cohort-based seed investment model and a community network spanning thousands of founders. Comparable competition-driven GTM (similar to Seedstars World) but with developed-market focus and substantially larger scale.
• Acumen: Global impact investor with long-established emerging-markets focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. Comparable development-finance-backed model investing in early-stage social enterprises across Africa and Asia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/seedstars
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/seedstars

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments175 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Seedstars