South African Startup Isizwe Raises USD 460 K Funding

Isizwe, an internet service provider that offers online access to low-income communities in South Africa, has raised USD 460 K in funding from Global Innovation Fund (GIF) to de-risk its model and encourage further investment.

Isizwe offers unlimited Wi-Fi access in townships and informal settlements on a low-cost, pay-per-use basis. Users pay ZAR5 (USD 0.33) for 24 hours of internet access compared to the average cost in South Africa of ZAR100 (USD 6.63) per gigabyte. To deliver the service, Isizwe builds Wi-Fi Zones with Wi-Fi hardware that connects to internet service providers (ISPs). This enables the startup to provide internet access in low-income locations without having to invest in building expensive backhaul infrastructure.