SA’s international calling app Talk360 raised $1.4 M Pre-series A funding

Pre-Series A funding of US $1.4 million has been raised by the South African international calling app Talk360 in order to advance its objective of connecting seven million people by 2025 and fortify its path towards long-term profitability.

The Dutch entrepreneurs Hans Osnabrugge and Jorne Schamp, along with South African venture capitalist Dean Hiine, co-founded Talk360 in 2016. Talk360 is a user-friendly calling app that enables users to make inexpensive international calls to any mobile or landline number.

With offices in South Africa, the Netherlands, India, and Nigeria, it is currently the most popular international calling app in Africa. As of 2023, it had connected over four million users. It has now raised US $1.4 million in pre-Series A funding to accelerate its growth, following a US$7 million seed round in 2022.

HAVAÍC, a seasoned Talk360 investor, led the round with a $1 million investment. The remaining US $400,000 was invested by other investors, valuing the startup at about US$30 million after the round.

“We’re incredibly proud of Talk360’s growth. Over the past two years, we’ve gone from connecting 2.3 million users to 4 million in 2023. This funding will help us continue our mission of connecting African migrant communities with their families back home,” said Osnabrugge, CEO of Talk360.

“The additional funding will enable us to deliver on our next phase of growth to reach seven million people and achieve profitability across our global operations.”

Talk360 intends to localize into more African languages and form more local and international alliances with brands, retailers, and remittance companies with the additional funding in place.

“Talk360’s ability to navigate and succeed in challenging economic conditions speaks to the strength of its business model and clear vision. We are confident this latest round of funding will empower them to deepen their impact, especially in underserved communities across Africa,” said Ian Lessem, managing partner at HAVAÍC.