"Accelerating Green Mobility: Ampersand's $2 Million Boost to Electrify East Africa"

Ampersand, a Rwandan electric motorcycle startup, recently raised an additional $2 million in a Series A extension round, bringing its total capital raised to $21.5 million. The funding came from investors like AHL Venture Partners, Everstrong Capital, and Beyond Capital Ventures, with the aim of accelerating Ampersand’s expansion across East Africa.

Ampersand, founded in 2016 by Joshua Whale, focuses on providing electric motorcycles that are 45% cheaper to operate and produce 75% fewer emissions than traditional petrol-powered bikes. The company already operates in Rwanda and Kenya, managing a growing fleet of electric motorcycles and over 18 charging stations. With this new investment, Ampersand plans to scale its operations, with a long-term goal of deploying 5 million electric motorcycles across Africa by 2033​

The startup has positioned itself as a key player in Africa’s e-mobility space, particularly targeting the region's $4.87 billion motorcycle market. Ampersand’s bikes offer a sustainable solution to the transport needs of boda-boda riders, and the recent partnership with BYD, a Chinese EV giant, will see the production of 40,000 electric motorcycles in Kenya and Rwanda by 2026​

This funding will help Ampersand continue to disrupt the two-wheeler market and expand its green transport infrastructure in East Africa