Digital Africa, the investment arm of French development finance institution Proparco, has made its first investment in Ethiopia by taking a stake in ChipChip, an Addis Ababa-based agritech startup, according to company statements. Neither company disclosed the investment amount, ChipChip’s valuation. EBR called ChipChip for comment, but the calls went unanswered.

ChipChip, founded in 2023, runs a digital marketplace that connects Ethiopian farmers and suppliers with households and businesses through mobile technology, data analytics and artificial intelligence, Innovation Village reported. The platform uses a group-buying model in which customers combine orders for fresh produce and get discounted prices once purchases reach set volumes.

Users create buying groups through the mobile app and invite others to join. Individuals can also register as group leaders, coordinating purchases in their communities and earning rewards. The platform sources produce from local farmers and suppliers, aiming to reduce intermediaries and improve market access for producers.

Bruk Getahun, ChipChip's co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer, said the investment will let the company strengthen its platform, deepen its data layer and expand its network of farmers and business buyers.

Sokhna Mbaye, an investment associate at Digital Africa, said that between farm and household "too much value is lost" and food costs more than it should. She said the team has the skills and ground knowledge to make the model work at scale.

Digital Africa is a subsidiary of Proparco, the private-sector financing arm of France's Agence Française de Développement Group, and focuses on African technology startups, particularly those serving underserved markets.

According to Innovation Village, it repositioned in 2024 to concentrate on pre-seed and seed-stage investments, and launched its DA Seed Fund in May 2026, targeting between €30 million and €50 million, about $34 million to $57 million, for technology-enabled businesses across Africa.