A Pivotal Milestone: Tata-iMali Secures $150K Angel Investment from Stefan Thomas

We’re thrilled to share a major milestone from one of our standout Batch 1 alumni: Gregory Andrews, founder of The Tata-iMali Group, has successfully raised $150,000 (R2.8 million) in angel investment from Stefan Thomas, former CTO at Ripple and a globally respected expert in digital payments.

This moment represents more than capital — it’s a testament to the power of vision, relentless execution, and the calibre of African founders emerging from our ecosystem.

“Closing this round really does mean the world to me. It came at a time when we had gone all in — time, energy, and money. For it to pay off when we needed it most… it just feels like it was meant to be.”

— Gregory Andrews, Founder, Tata-iMali Group

The Next Chapter for Tata-iMali

Tata-iMali isn’t just building a business — they’re redefining access to digital payments and financial tools for underserved communities. With a live product already in-market, 34+ daily active business users, over R84,000 processed in transactions, and R25,000 in early revenue, this funding propels them from early traction into growth mode.

The capital will be used to deepen market penetration and roll out a new proprietary rewards offering that aims to differentiate the company even further.

What Secured the Investment?

According to Gregory, three key factors helped close the deal:

1. Founder Credibility

   A track record of excellence — academic qualifications in FinTech, and participation in leading accelerators including the GenesisBloc pre-incubator (UCT), the Lisk Accelerator with CV Labs, and START Global (HSG, Switzerland).

2. Deep Research + Market Insight

   Months of structured market research and feedback loops sharpened the company’s understanding of the real-world opportunity and competitive landscape.

3. Real-World Traction

   Grant funding (R480K raised), product-market fit, revenue, and daily usage — clear evidence that Tata-iMali isn’t just a pitch deck, it’s a working solution.

Words of Wisdom for Other Founders

“First, upskill yourself as a founder. Then invest in identifying a real business opportunity and validating it — ideally through top accelerator programs. Next, show traction. That doesn’t mean revenue from day one. Start with waitlists. Then pre-orders. Build proof points step by step until the market — and your data — tell you it’s time.”

We’re incredibly proud of Gregory’s journey as a Batch 1 alumnus of our program, and the role our incubation platform played in shaping his story. His success is a powerful reminder that Africa doesn’t lack talent — only access, guidance, and the right launchpad.

Stay tuned for more founder stories as we continue backing Africa’s boldest Web3 innovators.