Ghanaian fintech startup Liquify has raised an oversubscribed $1.5 million seed round to scale its AI-driven invoice financing platform, aimed at easing trade finance bottlenecks for African SMEs.

Founded in 2023 by Nadya Yaremenko and Alberta Asafo-Asamoah, Liquify addresses a widespread challenge in African trade: payment delays of up to 90 days on export invoices. Its platform allows exporters to upload invoices, which are assessed in real time using AI-powered engines and funded within hours, significantly improving liquidity at a lower cost.

Yaremenko, explained, “We built Liquify to unlock the $120 billion trade-finance gap holding back Africa’s most dynamic SMEs. This seed round – as well the incredible people joining our team – validates our vision. With our fully digital, AI-powered platform, exporters can turn unpaid invoices into same-day cash, while global investors gain access to a new untapped class. Since its beta launch in late 2024, Liquify has facilitated over 150 transactions, totaling $4 million in trade financed. With funding secured, we embark on our next chapter: deepening our technology, growing our team in Ghana, and scaling across Sub-Saharan Africa.”

Liquify automates key processes such as KYC/AML checks, credit scoring, and settlements, enabling faster, secure access to global capital. Since launching in beta in late 2024, the platform has processed over 150 transactions worth $4 million in trade volume.

The seed round was led by Future Africa, with backing from Launch Africa, 54 Collective, Digital Africa, and Equitable Ventures. Several fintech-focused angel investors also participated. In parallel, Emerald Africa has provided a debt facility to boost Liquify’s lending capacity.

Proceeds from the round will support regional expansion across Sub-Saharan Africa, including both English and French-speaking markets, alongside hiring in engineering, product, and customer success. Investment will also go toward enhancing the company’s AI and automation capabilities.