Catalyst Fund backs OKOA to scale interoperable battery-swapping across Africa
What's the deal? Catalyst FundDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has led a seed round in OKOA EnergyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, an African electric-mobility startup building an interoperable battery-swapping network for electric motorcycles. Catalyst Fund did not disclose the size of the investment in its July 2026 announcement.
What's the endgame? OKOADealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s model lets batteries move across electric motorcycles from different manufacturers. Riders swap depleted batteries for charged units in about one minute, instead of waiting for conventional charging.
How it works: The company runs an asset-light franchise model, letting fuel stations, shops, and car washes host swapping points. OKOA says the approach cuts riders' energy costs by 40% to 60% compared with petrol.
Why now? The funding will support OKOA's move toward commercial deployment. It plans to first expand in Tanzania and Cameroon, with a pipeline of about 30 cities across six African countries, and expects to demonstrate its first interoperable swaps in 2026.
Who's behind it? OKOA was formed in 2024 through the combination of electric-mobility company OKOA and Kenyan battery-management firm StimaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. It is led by Alexandre Coster, who previously founded energy-access company Baobab+Dealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, alongside Stima co-founders Jason Gras, Emile Fulcheri, and Ahmed Ali.
The signal: Catalyst Fund said the investment reflects its focus on startups addressing climate resilience and economic inclusion in emerging markets. Interoperability — batteries that work across brands — is OKOA's bet on standardising a fragmented electric-motorcycle market.
Read more: techmoran.com
