Africa focused HR start-up Propel scoops €2.5m funding

Propel team.

Berlin-based HR-tech startup Propel, which has offices in Portugal and Nigeria, this week secured a €2.5 million funding round, led by Amsterdam-based No Such Ventures.

The funding rounded included the participation of APX (Axel Springer & Porsche), Golden Egg Check, and Future of Learning Fund.

Founded in 2020, Propel builds tools that tech talent communities (developer groups, talent incubators, training schools) use to connect their members to jobs, financial services (loans, asset financing), and other perks and benefits.

Propel – founded by Sunkanmi Ola, Seun Owolabi, and Abel Agoi – offers its services as an all-in-one platform that communities use to serve their members effectively.

Propel works with more than 100 tech communities across 15 countries that serve approximately 400,000 members.

According to Ola, co-founder and CEO of Propel, communities are the building blocks of any ecosystem, and tech communities, especially across high-growth markets like Africa, have emerged in their thousands to cover the massive gaps in education, capacity building, and inclusion.

To date, the company has raised over €3 million and was one of the European winners of the Google Black Founders Fund last summer.

Speaking about the raise, Sophie Heijenberg, investor at No Such Ventures, said: “Propel’s unique, community-focused approach to driving the open talent economy sets them apart and is a solid addition to the Future of Work category. We’re bullish about their roadmap and super-excited to partner with them on this growth journey.”

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