Tanzania’s MazaoHub Raises $2m to Scale Climate-Smart Farming
TLDR
- Tanzanian agri-tech startup MazaoHub has raised $2 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed round to expand its AI-driven, climate-smart farming platform
- The round included $1.5 million in equity led by Catalyst Fund with Nordic Impact Fund, Mercy Corps Ventures, elea Foundation, Impacc, and DOB Equity participating
- The new funding will support production of low-cost soil kits and sensors, expand Farmer Excellence Centres, and accelerate rollout of CropSupply.com
Tanzanian agri-tech startup MazaoHub has raised $2 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed round to expand its AI-driven, climate-smart farming platform.
The round included $1.5 million in equity led by Catalyst Fund with Nordic Impact Fund, Mercy Corps Ventures, elea Foundation, Impacc, and DOB Equity participating. An additional $500,000 in non-dilutive funding came from the Livelihood Impact Fund.
MazaoHub combines AI-powered soil intelligence and farm management tools with on-the-ground agronomists. Its model helps smallholder farmers cut fertiliser use by up to 30%, adopt organic manure at five times higher rates, and optimise irrigation. The startup says this improves yields while lowering emissions, conserving water, and reducing energy costs.
The new funding will support production of low-cost soil kits and sensors, expand Farmer Excellence Centres, and accelerate rollout of CropSupply.com, its direct-to-market platform piloted earlier this year.
“Farmers become data-driven decision-makers, buyers gain trusted traceability, and agribusinesses operate as climate-smart franchises,” said CEO Geophrey Tenganamba.
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Key Takeaways
MazaoHub’s funding underscores how African agri-tech is moving beyond digital advisory into deeper integration of technology and field-level support. Agriculture employs about 65% of Tanzania’s workforce and contributes nearly 30% of GDP, yet smallholders face soil degradation, climate stress, and volatile markets. By blending AI insights with farmer centres, MazaoHub seeks to bridge the gap between high-tech tools and on-farm adoption. Investor interest highlights the rise of blended finance in climate adaptation. The mix of equity and catalytic capital lowers risk while allowing scale, a model development finance institutions increasingly favour for climate ventures. Catalyst Fund’s backing, alongside Mercy Corps Ventures and DOB Equity, signals that investors see both impact and commercial potential. If successful, MazaoHub could influence regional agri-tech models by proving that AI adoption is feasible for smallholders when paired with trusted agronomists and accessible distribution. The platform’s ability to deliver measurable input savings, traceability, and emissions reductions could also position it to tap into carbon finance and sustainable supply chain partnerships.
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