Rise of Fearless raises $1m to take African gaming global

An African-owned gaming startup, Rise of Fearless, has raised $1 million from Mauritius-based investment firm Epic Edges Capital as it seeks to expand its mobile gaming business and compete in the international video game market.

Founded by Kanessa Muluneh and launched in 2025, Rise of Fearless is developing a free-to-play mobile battle royale game inspired by African history and culture.

The investment, structured as a Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE), will support technology development, infrastructure, marketing, recruitment and community building. It will also help the company bring experienced professionals from international gaming and entertainment companies into its team.

Its storyline draws inspiration from Ethiopia’s historic victory over Italian forces at the Battle of Adwa in 1896. Characters, clothing, hairstyles and game environments reflect African identities, offering players an alternative to the Western-inspired settings that dominate many popular video games.

The game is available on Apple's App Store and Google Play, recording more than 15,000 downloads, with its largest player communities in Nigeria, Ethiopia and South Africa.

Muluneh said the funding would help transform the independently built product into a globally distributed gaming franchise while keeping its intellectual property in African hands.

The investment comes as Africa's gaming industry attracts growing interest from investors and developers. The continent has more than 400 million gamers, while gaming revenue is projected to reach $1.98 billion in 2026, according to figures cited by the company.

Much of this growth is driven by mobile gaming, making smartphones an important gateway for millions of Africans who may not own expensive gaming consoles or computers.

For startups, the opportunity goes beyond creating entertainment. Successful games can generate revenue through advertising, in-game purchases, subscriptions and licensing, while creating jobs for programmers, designers, animators and storytellers.

it has challenges, including limited access to funding, reliable technology infrastructure, publishing networks and convenient digital payment systems.

Rise of Fearless is betting that African stories can attract audiences beyond the continent while building local creative talent and retaining ownership of the content.

Its latest funding will test whether African developers can turn the continent's growing appetite for gaming into globally competitive businesses.