DisrupTech Ventures, a leading early-stage fintech venture capital fund, has announced
its investment in Chari, a Y Combinator–backed Moroccan startup transforming neighborhood
shops into financial access points. This marks DisrupTech’s first investment in Morocco and its
second in Africa outside Egypt, highlighting the fund’s commitment to fostering fintech innovation
and financial inclusion across the continent
Chari: Turning Local Shops into Digital Financial Hubs
Founded in 2020 by Ismael Belkhayat and Sophia Alj, Chari has developed a licensed fintech
platform that enables thousands of informal retailers in Morocco to operate as financial hubs
for their communities. Leveraging a payment institution license from the Central Bank of Morocco
Chari provides digital payments, micro-insurance, and instant working capital, giving consumers
access to essential financial services previously unavailable at the local level
While its mobile app also allows retailers to order consumer goods from FMCG distributors with
rapid delivery, Chari’s mission extends beyond e-commerce The company is digitizing financial flows
in Morocco’s informal economy, reducing dependency on cash, and embedding financial solutions
into daily retail operations, effectively building the financial backbone of the informal retail sector
DisrupTech Ventures Supports Transformative Fintech Models
Mohamed Okasha, Managing Partner at DisrupTech Ventures, commented
Our investment in Chari is a key milestone for DisrupTech By enabling small shops to
serve as financial gateways, Chari is laying the foundation for an inclusive fintech infrastructure
in Morocco This is exactly the kind of transformative financial model we aim to support across Africa
With over 20,000 retailers already onboarded, Chari is rapidly scaling to become the leading platform for
commerce and financial services in Francophone Africa
Strategic Partnership to Accelerate Growth
Ismael Belkhayat, CEO and Co-Founder of Chari, stated
We are thrilled to welcome DisrupTech Ventures as a strategic partner Their support will
accelerate our mission to transform every corner shop into a financial access point, helping drive
financial inclusion and economic growth across Morocco and Africa
As part of the Series A extension round, DisrupTech Ventures will join Chari’s board of directors
working closely with the founding team to guide its regional expansion and fintech vision
About DisrupTech Ventures
DisrupTech Ventures is a Cairo-based early-stage venture capital fund dedicated to investing
in bold founders reshaping fintech and digital infrastructure in Egypt and beyond Since its founding
in 2021, the fund has built a portfolio of more than 25 startups in payments, embedded finance, lending
and insurtech, with backing from leading global LPs including IFC, Proparco, Avanz, MSMEDA, and Axian
About Chari
Chari is a Morocco-based, Y Combinator backed fintech and e-commerce platform
founded in 2020 by Ismael and Sophia Belkhayat Holding a payment institution license
from the Central Bank of Morocco, Chari enables retailers to access embedded financial services
including payments, micro-insurance, and working capital while offering a digital marketplace
for consumer goods Chari is committed to digitizing informal retail and promoting financial inclusion
across Francophone Africa
