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§ Private Profile · Lagos Island, Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
Stears is a technology company.
Stears develops and delivers data and market intelligence solutions focused on African economies. The company provides actionable insights to global businesses and professionals, enabling informed decision-making for investments and operations across the continent. Its platform synthesizes complex data, offering a nuanced understanding of economic, political, and social dynamics.
Founded in 2014 by Preston Timeyin Ideh and Foluso Olabode Ogunlana, Stears began its journey as a media publication. The founders identified a critical need for reliable, context-specific data and analysis on African markets, which was often fragmented or difficult to access. This initial venture into content creation evolved into building a robust intelligence platform to address this significant market gap.
Global businesses and professionals seeking to engage with African markets utilize Stears' intelligence. The company aims to become the leading provider of African data, empowering organizations with the clarity needed to navigate and succeed in complex economic environments. Its vision centers on unlocking the continent's potential through comprehensive, accessible insights.
Stears has raised $3.6M across 2 funding rounds.
Stears has raised $3.6M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Stears has raised $3.6M across 2 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $3.0M Seed in October 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2022 | $3M Seed | MAC Venture Capital | Coelius Capital, FirstMile Ventures, Homebrew, Hustle Fund, Leawood Venture Capital, Lerer Hippeau, Long Journey Ventures, Matchstick Ventures, Sand Hill Angels, Serena Ventures, Harry Hurst, Larry Braitman, Lawrence Braitman, Russell Fradin, Russ Fradin, Terry Dougas, Cascador, Melo7 Tech Partners, Omidyar Group | Announced |
| Apr 1, 2020 | $600K Seed | — | AAF Management Ltd., Album VC, DBL Partners, Founder Collective, Future Africa, Future Perfect Ventures, GSV Acceleration, Revolution, Rock Ventures, Serena Ventures, SoftBank Investment Advisers, Spark Capital, Susa Ventures, TLcom Capital, Chris Hughes, Wiley Cerilli, Luminate | Announced |
Stears is a Lagos‑headquartered financial data and market‑intelligence company that builds subscription data products and research to help global funds, corporates and development organisations invest in Africa’s private markets and economies.[2][5]
High-Level Overview
For a portfolio company (product snapshot)
Origin Story
Core Differentiators
Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
Quick Take & Future Outlook
Quick take: Stears has shifted from a regional business publication into a specialized data and intelligence provider at a moment when global capital needs better information on African private markets, positioning it to be a key infrastructure provider for investment and policy decisions across the continent.[2][5]
Stears has raised $3.6M in total across 2 funding rounds.
Stears's investors include MaC Venture Capital, Coelius Capital, FirstMile Ventures, Homebrew, Hustle Fund, Leawood Venture Capital, Lerer Hippeau, Long Journey Ventures, Matchstick Ventures, Sand Hill Angels, Serena Ventures, Harry Hurst.