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Marrakech – European fintech startup Zazu has secured $1 million in pre-seed funding to accelerate its expansion into Morocco and South Africa. The company plans to launch a broader Africa-wide rollout starting in 2026.
Founded in 2024 by former Solarisbank executives Rinse Jacobs and Germain Bahri, Zazu operates as a comprehensive banking platform designed specifically for small and medium-sized enterprises.
The startup offers integrated services, including business accounts, cards, transfers, invoicing tools, accounting solutions, and treasury management, all on a single platform.
More than 50 SMEs currently use Zazu’s beta version, while over 1,000 companies remain on the waiting list for full access. The company targets what it calls the “missing middle” – businesses that lack access to financial services adapted to their size and operational structure.
The funding round attracted notable investors, including Plug and Play Ventures, Launch Africa Ventures, AUTO24.africa, Paymentology, Chari, and Fiat Republic. Founding members of European unicorns Qonto and Solarisbank also participated in the investment round.
Zazu selected Morocco and South Africa as initial markets due to the significant presence of SMEs, growing entrepreneurial ecosystems, and established fintech infrastructure in both countries. South Africa provides direct access to Southern African markets, while Morocco opens pathways to North and West African regions.
Co-founder Germain Bahri expressed enthusiasm about the expansion on LinkedIn. “I remember arriving in South Africa with the ambition to compete with the big banks and the conviction that the banking sector had to be radically better,” he wrote.
The company aims to create optimal financial solutions for more than 50 million entrepreneurs, SMEs, and independent workers across the continent.
The startup plans to use the funding to enhance product development, increase local presence in target countries, expand its team, and prepare for additional African market entries in 2026. Zazu intends to launch a seed funding round in early 2026 to strengthen its footprint and introduce new financial products tailored to entrepreneurs.
The platform integrates directly with business tools, including accounting software, tax management systems, payroll solutions, and cap-table management. Future plans include incorporating e-commerce tools, HR software, and customer relationship management systems.
The move represents intensifying capital deployment and market penetration strategies within Morocco’s burgeoning financial technology vertical. It also signals accelerated institutional confidence in the kingdom’s regulatory environment and digital banking infrastructure maturation.
In October, cross-border payments startup Grey launched services in Morocco and Egypt, targeting the region’s $64 billion annual remittance market with instant local currency payouts.
Meanwhile, British neobank Revolut has advanced to late-stage discussions with Moroccan banking authorities. The company appointed Yacine Faqir as CEO for Morocco operations in November, following the earlier recruitment of Amine Berrada as Head of Operations.
Bank Al-Maghrib Governor Abdellatif Jouahri confirmed meetings with Revolut representatives regarding regulations and licensing requirements.
Zazu’s market entry underlines Morocco’s emergence as a strategic fintech hub, driven by progressive regulatory harmonization, robust digital payment infrastructure scaling, and systematic capital market liberalization initiatives.
Such measures position the North African country as a premier destination for financial technology investment and operational expansion across the MENA corridor.
