Venture capital firm
First Circle Capital
First Circle Capital is a Kampala-based, women-led venture capital firm focused on transforming the financial services landscape across Sub-Saharan and Northern Africa. Co-founded by experienced operators Agnes Aistleitner Kisuule and Selma Ribica, the firm manages a dedicated alternative fund pool that implements a high-conviction, early-stage investment strategy. It targets pre-seed and seed-stage financial technology (fintech) startups, positioning itself as a strategic first-check institutional investor. The firm integrates capital injections with structural operator support, offering founders deep technical workshops, advisory office hours, and extensive cross-border corporate networking. Its broader fund strategy prioritises core categories such as financial data infrastructure, alternative lending channels, insurtech architectures, regtech applications, interoperability rails, and climate fintech to foster digital economic inclusion and small-business growth across the African continent.
Investment focus
- Sectors
- Financial services
- Stages and strategies
- Pre-seedSeed
- Instruments
- Equity
- Regions
- Pan-African
- African markets named in public materials
- Uganda
Funds managed
Selected portfolio and direct investments
- WafR
Recent investments and transactions
| Date | Transaction | Type | Value | Market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Feb 2026 | LoftyInc Capital, Attijariwafa Ventures, Al mada Ventures, and Partners' Investment in WafR's Operations in Morocco for USD 4 million | Venture Capital | $4m | Morocco |
Sources
- Partner Researchers, accessed 14 November 2026