African fashion e-commerce startup, Maka raises $2.65 million pre-seed round 

African social commerce project MAKA, has announced a pre-seed round of $2.65 million, per a release sent to Technext on Thursday. According to the statement, this round is predominantly led by 4DX Ventures and Janngo Capital while other investors include executives from Wolt and Twitch.

MAKA, which was founded in 2021, is a platform meeting the demand of the burgeoning African e-commerce industry. It does this by providing a unique social commerce model that connects influencers and consumers, bringing them together to share style advice, reviews, and live try-on videos of the products they are interested in.

The MAKA pre-seed raise and what it intends to achieve in Africa

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After struggling to find inclusive fashion inspiration during the pandemic, CEO, Owusu-Kyereko found herself being directed to mainstream websites and influencers by friends. Realising an unmet need and a lack of diversity in style recommendations, she founded MAKA, which has to date reportedly amassed over 554k downloads.

Founded by Diana Owusu-Kyereko in 2021, MAKA is an interactive social commerce platform which, through live try-on hauls, reviews, and user-generated content from both creators and customers, enables users to discover products tailored to their personal styles in a scalable way.

According to MAKA, which was founded on the principle of empowering users to discover their unique style and fostering representation, the company aims to reintroduce trust in the African fashion and beauty industry. 

MAKA’s social commerce model, centred on strategic collaboration between creators and consumers, taps into Africa’s e-commerce market and reflects the growing trend of influencer-inspired buying decisions.

MAKA combines cutting-edge technology with a dedication to community engagement. The platform provides creators with an opportunity to monetise their content and empowers users to make informed buying decisions. 

Comments from stakeholders 

Diana Owusu-Kyereko, co-founder and CEO of MAKA, says African e-commerce deserves better and her team is driven by the belief that everyone should be able to easily discover their style, feel represented and express their individuality.

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According to her, MAKA’s technology, coupled with a team of experts, not only empowers users but also liberates them to confidently explore and make purchases from verified and trusted brands.

“Young consumers today face a shared dilemma—they crave authenticity and the freedom to set their own trends, but they are influenced by real people, and they seek choice and individuality without being misled. Our focus remains clear, and we’re committed to providing our users with an authentic space to explore their unique style while empowering creators to showcase their content and connect with new audiences. We want to foster meaningful connections between creators and customers.”   – Diana Owusu-Kyereko.

The founder and executive chair of Janngo Capital which is one of the chief investors in the round, Fatoumata Bâ, Janngo Capital was drawn to MAKA’s vision because the company leverages technology to empower both consumers and creators, thus cementing their position at the forefront of the junction between e-commerce, creative and cultural industries across Africa. 

“These three sectors are jointly poised to grow by 4x by 2050 and generate up to $200 billion GDP while creating 184 million jobs. We are proud to lead this funding round to help unlock a potential of massive growth and impact on the continent.”