Seedspace
Seedstars SA is a Swiss emerging-markets entrepreneurship platform operating multiple VC funds, accelerator programs, the Seedstars World Competition, and Seedspace co-working hubs across 70+ countries, serving entrepreneurs, institutional investors, development agencies, and corporations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersCarouge, Switzerland
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Seedspace does
Seedstars SA is a Swiss-incorporated emerging-markets entrepreneurship platform that operates a multi-fund venture capital architecture alongside accelerator programs, a global startup competition, and a network of physical co-working hubs branded as Seedspace. The fund family includes Seedstars International Ventures (global emerging-markets seed), Seedstars Africa Ventures (Africa-focused early-stage, $42M first close Dec 2024), Redwood Ventures, iThink VC, Trust Tech Fund, and the jointly managed SECO Startup Fund, collectively holding a portfolio of 80+ companies. Programmatic offerings include the Acceleration Program, Growth Program, and Investment Readiness Program, delivered to entrepreneurs selected via the Seedstars World Competition, which runs local and regional competitions culminating in a global Summit.
Revenue mechanics are diversified across fund management fees and carried interest, program and advisory fees charged to development agencies (IFC, UNDP, USAID, GIZ, African Development Bank, EIB Global, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, UNICEF) and governments, corporate partnerships (BBVA, Facebook, Google, Círculo de Crédito), and event sponsorships. Distribution is anchored by Seedspace co-working and entrepreneurship hubs in Abidjan, Dar es Salaam, Lima, Yangon, Mexico City (Cibeles, Chapultepec, Colima), Kuala Lumpur, and the Geneva headquarters, supplemented by content channels (Seedstars Life, Seedstars Insights, Seedstars Index) and a 250,000+ member community spanning 70+ countries.
The company serves three primary customer segments — entrepreneurs seeking capital and capacity building, institutional investors and DFIs seeking emerging-market deal flow, and development agencies/governments seeking ecosystem-building execution. No proprietary AI/ML technology, patents, or app products are disclosed in the source material; the platform's defensibility rests on community network effects, physical distribution in frontier markets, and decade-spanning proprietary ecosystem data.
Seedspace firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Seedspace
- Legal name
- Seedstars SA
- Website
- https://seedspace.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Seedstars SA is a Swiss emerging-markets entrepreneurship platform operating multiple VC funds, accelerator programs, the Seedstars World Competition, and Seedspace co-working hubs across 70+ countries, serving entrepreneurs, institutional investors, development agencies, and corporations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Seedspace industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Acceleration and Venture Capital Services
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- 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), Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)
Keywords
Where Seedspace is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Carouge
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
Seedspace business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Fund Management: Seedstars manages multiple venture capital funds including Seedstars International Ventures, Seedstars Africa Ventures, Redwood Ventures, iThink VC, Trust Tech Fund, and SECO Startup Fund. Revenue is generated through management fees and carried interest from fund returns.
- Acceleration and Growth Programs: The company runs acceleration programs, growth programs, and investment readiness programs for entrepreneurs, generating revenue through program fees charged to development partners, governments, and corporate clients.
- Events and Competitions: Seedstars World Competition and regional/local events create revenue opportunities through sponsorships, partnerships, and ticket sales.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Seedspace product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Seedspace (operating under the Seedstars umbrella) runs a global network of co-working and entrepreneurship hubs in emerging market cities, while its broader ecosystem delivers seed-stage venture capital funds, accelerator and growth programs for startups, investment readiness training, and the Seedstars World Competition spanning more than 70 countries. The organization also supports entrepreneurship ecosystem development for development agencies, governments, and corporations through tailored programs and partnerships.
Product overview
Seedstars is a comprehensive entrepreneurship support ecosystem operating across emerging and frontier markets. The organization operates a multi-fund investment structure including Seedstars International Ventures (global emerging markets VC), Seedstars Africa Ventures (Africa-focused VC), Redwood Ventures, iThink VC, Trust Tech Fund, and SECO Startup Fund. Alongside the investment vehicles, Seedstars offers three accelerator programs: Acceleration Program, Growth Program, and Investment Readiness Program. The platform also organizes the Seedstars World Competition (the largest startup competition in emerging markets) and the annual Seedstars Summit. Content and insights are delivered through Seedstars Insights, Seedstars Life, SMART, and SIGMA resources. The ecosystem also includes the Seedstars ESO Alliance network for entrepreneurship support organizations. Together, these offerings provide a full spectrum from early-stage capacity building through investment to community and events execution across 85+ countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Seedspace: Co-working spaces and entrepreneurship hubs operated by Seedstars in cities including Abidjan, Dar es Salaam, Lima, Yangon, Mexico City, Geneva, and Kuala Lumpur.
- Seedstars World Competition
- Seedstars International Ventures
- Seedstars Africa Ventures
- Redwood Ventures
- iThink VC
- Trust Tech Fund
- SECO Startup Fund
- Seedstars ESO Alliance
- SMART
- SIGMA
- Seedstars Life
- Seedstars Insights
Products and services
- Seedstars International Ventures Venture capital fund making seed-stage investments in tech-enabled startups across emerging markets globally, with a portfolio of 80+ companies.
- Seedstars Africa Ventures Venture capital fund making early-stage investments in highly scalable startups in Africa; achieved a $42 million first close in December 2024 with participation from the African Development Bank and EIB Global.
- Seedstars Acceleration Program Hands-on, mentorship-driven acceleration program supporting emerging market entrepreneurs with capacity building and data-driven approaches.
- Seedstars Growth Program Program focused on helping startups scale and achieve sustainable growth through mentorship and strategic support.
- Seedstars Investment Readiness Program Program designed to prepare entrepreneurs for fundraising, providing training on fundraising strategy and investor readiness.
- Seedstars World Competition Global startup competition featuring local and regional competitions culminating in a global grand finale, covering 70+ countries across emerging and frontier markets.
- Seedstars Summit Annual flagship event bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, and ecosystem partners from emerging markets.
- Seedspace Co-working and Entrepreneurship Hubs Physical co-working spaces and entrepreneurship hubs operated in emerging market cities including Abidjan, Dar es Salaam, Lima, Yangon, Mexico City, Geneva, and Kuala Lumpur, providing local infrastructure and community access for entrepreneurs.
- Redwood Ventures Venture capital fund operated under the Seedstars umbrella.
- iThink VC Venture capital fund operated under the Seedstars umbrella.
- Trust Tech Fund Venture capital fund focused on trust and technology, operated under the Seedstars umbrella.
- SECO Startup Fund Startup fund managed jointly by iGravity and Seedstars, supporting entrepreneurship in emerging markets.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80+ portfolio companies
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Seedspace
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Seedspace technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Seedspace partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- iGravitycoreiGravity and Seedstars announced their engagement as managers of the SECO Startup Fund (SSF), marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the initiative. The partnership combines iGravity's expertise with Seedstars' emerging market network and program capabilities.
- Círculo de CréditocoreCírculo de Crédito, a leading credit information society in Mexico, announced a new alliance with Seedstars to strengthen its Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) arm. The partnership aims to promote innovation and technological development in Mexico's credit ecosystem through collaboration with Seedstars' global network and expertise in emerging market entrepreneurship.
- BBVAminorBBVA, a major multinational banking institution, partners with Seedstars on financial inclusion and entrepreneurship initiatives.
- FacebookminorFacebook partners with Seedstars on technology and entrepreneurship programs in emerging markets.
- GoogleminorGoogle partners with Seedstars on startup ecosystem development and entrepreneurship support programs.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Seedspace competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Partech: Global venture capital firm with dedicated Africa and emerging-markets vehicles, operating funds with similar geographic mandates and stage focus (seed/early-stage in African and EM tech) — directly comparable to Seedstars' International Ventures and Africa Ventures vehicles.
- Norrsken (Norrsken22 / Norrsken Impact Accelerator): Sweden-rooted impact ecosystem operator that runs Norrsken22 (East Africa venture fund) and entrepreneurship support programs — directly comparable to Seedstars as a hybrid fund manager + ecosystem-builder targeting African and emerging-market founders.
- TLcom Capital: Africa-focused venture capital firm operating seed and growth funds (TLcom Tide, TLcom Africa) targeting early-stage African tech startups — directly competes with Seedstars Africa Ventures for deal flow and limited partners.
- 500 Global (formerly 500 Startups): Global VC and accelerator operator with strong emerging-markets presence (especially Southeast Asia, Africa, MENA) and accelerator-driven model — closely comparable business model to Seedstars' combined fund + accelerator + competition approach.
- Acumen: Non-profit impact investor running patient-capital funds and entrepreneur support programs across East Africa, South Asia, and Latin America — comparable hybrid VC + ecosystem support model, anchored by similar DFI-style funding sources.
- Village Capital: Global impact-focused accelerator running programs in emerging and frontier markets (Africa, Asia, Latin America) with sponsor/DFI-supported cohorts and non-traditional fund structures — directly comparable to Seedstars' Acceleration and Growth programs.
Emerging players
- Catalyst Fund: DFI-backed inclusive fintech accelerator and investor focused exclusively on emerging markets — overlaps with Seedstars' Investment Readiness Program and Africa Ventures thesis, though narrower in vertical focus.
- Injaro: West Africa-focused impact venture capital firm investing in early-stage SMEs — comparable target geography and stage to Seedstars Africa Ventures, though narrower footprint.
Broad incumbents
- Techstars: Largest global accelerator operator with a portfolio of programs in multiple geographies — a broader incumbent to Seedstars' Acceleration/Growth programs operating at much larger scale and global reach.
- Y Combinator: Premier global startup accelerator — adjacent business model and program design (cohort-driven, mentorship-led), though operating in different markets and geography (US/global tech rather than EM-focus).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Seedspace social profiles
Digital presenceSeedspace financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Seedspace leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Seedspace subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
Seedspace funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Seedspace M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Seedspace
What does Seedspace do?
Seedspace (operating under the Seedstars umbrella) runs a global network of co-working and entrepreneurship hubs in emerging market cities, while its broader ecosystem delivers seed-stage venture capital funds, accelerator and growth programs for startups, investment readiness training, and the Seedstars World Competition spanning more than 70 countries. The organization also supports entrepreneurship ecosystem development for development agencies, governments, and corporations through tailored programs and partnerships.
Is Seedspace a public or private company?
Seedspace is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Seedspace founded?
Seedspace was founded in 2013. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Seedspace based?
Seedspace is headquartered in Carouge, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does Seedspace make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Fund Management is the primary driver. The others are acceleration and Growth Programs and events and Competitions.
Who are Seedspace's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Partech, Norrsken (Norrsken22 / Norrsken Impact Accelerator), TLcom Capital, 500 Global (formerly 500 Startups), Acumen and Village Capital. Emerging players are Catalyst Fund and Injaro. Broad incumbents are Techstars and Y Combinator.
Does Seedspace have an API?
No public API is recorded for Seedspace.
What industry is Seedspace in?
Seedspace's product category is Startup Acceleration and Venture Capital Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAA, Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed), with a secondary code of FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated). Its SIC code is 6282.