OneBio Africa Biotech Expansion Accelerates With New $6M Fund
Quick Reads
- OneBio secures $6M first close of its second Africa biotech fund.
- The studio targets a total of $18 million by 2027 for the Africa biotech fund.
- New capital will support expansion into Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt.
- OneBio builds biotech startups from scratch rather than just investing in them.
- The studio previously backed life sciences companies including LifeQ and CapeBio.
OneBio Africa biotech expansion is gaining speed after the Cape Town-based venture studio secured ZAR 100 million, equivalent to $6 million, in the first close of its second biotech fund. The company aims to raise a total of ZAR 300 million, or $18 million, by 2027 to build and scale life sciences startups across Africa. The milestone highlights rising investor confidence in African biotech innovation and scientific commercialisation.
The fund is led by Michael Fichardt, Nick Walker, and Gian-Marco Melfi. Together, they operate a hybrid model that combines venture investing with company building. Rather than simply writing cheques, OneBio actively builds biotech startups from scratch. This sets the firm apart in a continent where life sciences funding remains thin.
Notably, OneBio had also received a $1.16 million grant just weeks before this close. The combined momentum suggests the studio is accelerating its growth strategy. Furthermore, the new capital will fund expansion into Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt.
OneBio’s model focuses on commercialising scientific research that might otherwise stall in academic settings. The Africa biotech fund will support ventures across multiple development stages. Despite the notoriously high failure rates in biotech, the studio has already backed notable companies. These include LifeQ, the South African e-health company, and CapeBio.
Meanwhile, the broader African biotech landscape remains largely underfunded relative to its potential. However, studios like OneBio are steadily changing that narrative. With its next close in sight, the firm is positioning itself as the defining builder of Africa’s life sciences future.
