Popular Merger & Acquisition (M&A) platform, Maasai Technologies, has unveiled a new platform to help African startups properly plan and execute successful exits.
As startup founders across the continent continue to lack access to viable exit pathways when growth diminishes or funding disappears, Maasai Technologies is relentlessly trying to proffer a solution.
As per The African Tech Startups Funding Report, even if the overall number of M&A deals reduced by 20% last year, compared to 2023, strategic acquisitions increased significantly, representing 50% of all deals in 2024, compared to only 6.7% two years ago.
The trend shows how important strategic exits are amid the buying and selling of African startups across the continent, and it also proves how vital market consolidation is in an era when exit planning is treated as an afterthought.
According to the co-founder of Maasai Technologies, Segun Cole, it is time for the conversation within the African tech ecosystem to shift from fundraising and growth to important discussions regarding founders having a clear exit strategy, regardless of market conditions.
Segun said that his company is focused on addressing key challenges African founders face during acquisitions, including proper documentation, precise valuation, and locating the right buyers who have a full understanding of the special potential of their businesses.
“The conversation within the African tech ecosystem has focused almost exclusively on fundraising and growth, with exit planning treated as an afterthought.
A lot of founders don’t know when or how to exit their business. The mantra is ‘If it happens, it happens.’ But having a clear exit strategy is just good business practice, regardless of market conditions.
Maasai’s all-in-one platform offers tools for buyers, sellers, and portfolio managers including valuation assistance, due diligence support, and a verified marketplace to buy and sell startups,” he said.
The platform has been launched as Africa’s investment landscape experiences major shifts, with active investors reducing by 34.3% in 2024 to 346, down from 527 the previous year. Startup Graveyard even reported that among African startups that shut down in 2024, 45% ended operations due to a lack of funding.
“Exit planning shouldn’t start when you’re desperate to sell or in distress. You’ll be approaching your exit from a disadvantaged position. Our platform helps normalize exit planning as part of responsible business stewardship and makes the process accessible to founders across the continent,” he added.
