Paris- and Nairobi-based investor Saviu Ventures has invested in Senegalese industrial company SORAM Afrique as part of a $1.36 million funding round. The investment will support the company’s growth while expanding its approach to reconditioning and redeploying professional printing equipment across West Africa.
The deal, made through Saviu’s second-generation fund, Saviu II, also includes SORAM Afrique’s management team. It marks Saviu Ventures’ first investment in Climate Tech.
The investment will help strengthen a business model focused on extending the useful life of industrial equipment. SORAM Afrique reconditions professional printing machines and puts them back into use instead of relying mainly on the sale of new equipment. The approach reduces equipment waste and limits unnecessary consumption of new machines and related resources.
Saviu said, “We are proud to announce our first investment in Climate Tech, SORAM Afrique, alongside the management team, as part of a $1.36 million funding round supporting the company’s next phase of growth.”
Building a circular industrial model
Founded in Dakar and led by founder Florian Baudoin, SORAM Afrique has operated for more than 10 years. The company supports small and medium-sized enterprises, large companies, government agencies and educational institutions across Senegal and West Africa.
Its business is built around giving professional printing equipment a second life. Rather than simply reselling new machines, SORAM Afrique assesses, reconditions and redeploys equipment based on the needs of its customers.
The company works across several major equipment brands, including Konica Minolta, Kyocera and Canon. Its model combines technical expertise with a circular economy approach.
SORAM Afrique uses a five-step process when working with clients. This covers audit, recommendation, installation, training and optimisation.
The company has served more than 1,000 customers and deployed about 4,000 pieces of equipment across three countries. Its experience has allowed it to build technical knowledge around the needs and operating conditions of businesses in the region.
The investment also comes as SORAM Afrique continues to operate within OLU 360, a broader group that brings together three businesses under one holding company. These are SORAM Afrique, IRIS Afrique and SIS.
Expanding OLU 360’s next phase
OLU 360 currently has 60 employees and generates FCFA 1.3 billion in revenue. The group also manages more than 2,000 machines across its activities.
The new capital gives SORAM Afrique and its management team additional backing as the group develops its industrial operations. It also highlights a growing focus on business models that combine commercial activity with more efficient use of existing resources.
For Saviu Ventures, the transaction also reflects a broader investment view that opportunities in Africa extend beyond software and technology companies.
Saviu said, “For Saviu, this investment reflects our conviction that Africa’s next generation of category leaders will not only be built in software.”
The investor added that strong local businesses, operational expertise and scalable industrial models can create significant value across the continent.
“We are excited to partner with the team as OLU 360 enters its next chapter,” Saviu said.
The investment therefore gives SORAM Afrique additional financial support while bringing greater attention to an industrial model built around reusing existing equipment.
