Kenya’s Arc Journey secures $5mn IFC dedication forward of Collection A

Arc Journey, a Kenyan battery-as-a-service (Baas) startup, has secured a $5 million (KES 645 million) dedication from the Worldwide Finance Company (IFC), the World Financial institution’s personal funding arm, to assist regional growth as traders’ urge for food for e-mobility and local weather options rises within the East African market.

The corporate’s backing from the IFC comes forward of its deliberate Collection A spherical, which it plans to make use of for its regional growth. It may place Arc Journey to scale its battery-swapping infrastructure and partnerships with native electrical mobility operators within the East African market, seen as ripe for clear transport.

“IFC proposes an fairness funding of as much as $5 million to assist Arc Journey’s Collection A financing spherical, which goals to scale community density and repair capability in Kenya; assist growth into new markets throughout Africa, and strengthen expertise capabilities by means of Analysis and Improvement (R&D) and incremental upgrades to internationally compliant requirements,” stated IFC in its disclosures.

Based in 2019 by Joseph Hurst-Croft, Arc Journey is betting that its Baas mannequin is the quickest technique to push electrical bikes into the mainstream by eradicating the battery from the acquisition altogether. Riders purchase the bike with out its most costly element, then swap depleted batteries for totally charged ones at Arc Journey stations, which it claims is designed to show the excessive upfront value right into a manageable each day working expense.

To scale its mannequin, the corporate has launched battery-swapping cupboards in on a regular basis areas, corresponding to petrol stations, small retailers, and warehouses, so riders can recharge simply.  The method has drawn rising curiosity from world local weather financiers.

In early 2025, British Worldwide Funding (BII) dedicated $5 million in debt to the corporate. That was adopted in September 2025 by a $10 million, five-year debt financing from Mirova Worldwide to fund new swapping stations and the acquisition of batteries.

The IFC backing is anticipated to additional de-risk the enterprise for personal traders. IFC stated its long-term capital and board-level involvement would strengthen Arc Journey’s fundraising prospects, whereas serving to the corporate increase its environmental and social requirements, a rising requirement for many world climate-focused financiers.