Transaction Summary
Oze,Inc. (Oze) has concluded a new funding round, attracting investments from global payment leader Visa Inc. (VISA), German development finance institution DEG, and returning investors Speedinvest GmbH, AfricInvest Group (AfricInvest), and Cathay Innovation. Founded in 2018, Oze is a prominent provider of AI-powered digital lending solutions for financial institutions and SMEs, bridging the gap between lenders and MSMEs through tailored digital lending tools and business management services. The latest capital injection will enable Oze to scale its Lending Management System (LMS), a platform powered by its proprietary machine-learning credit risk algorithm. The LMS allows banks, microfinance institutions, and fintechs to offer unsecured, no-collateral digital loans to merchants and small businesses, ensuring safer and more efficient lending decisions. This funding round includes follow-on investment from the Cathay AfricInvest Innovation Fund, a €110 million ($122 million) Pan-African venture fund focused on early- to growth-stage startups. Meanwhile, DEG’s investment is channelled through its
