Sony Innovation Fund has secured a strategic investment in African creator monetization platform Twiva, based in Kenya. The investment aims to empower creators across the continent to monetize their influence while enabling brands to drive authentic commerce and engagement. 

Founded in 2020, Twiva operates across five high-growth verticals: influencer marketing, social commerce, skills development (Twiva Academy), embedded finance (Twiva Pay), and live streaming. The platform allows anyone to become a reseller or influencer, with users earning commissions between 5% and 10% per sale while helping businesses expand their reach.

Funding will enable Twiva to expand its footprint across key African markets, strengthen its technology infrastructure, including AI-powered creator tools, and accelerate financial innovations.

With Africa home to over 250 million youth actively engaged on digital platforms, the creator economy presents one of the continent’s fastest-growing job creation engines. Twiva envisions creating over one million dignified digital jobs in the next five years.

“With Sony’s expertise in entertainment and technology, we will scale our impact, expand into new markets, and unlock new income-generating opportunities for Africa’s youth,” Peter N. Kironji, co-founder and CEO of Twiva, said in a statement.

This investment follows Sony Innovation Fund’s recent co-investment with the International Finance Corporation in Filmmakers Mart, Africa’s first integrated digital production platform. In October 2023, Sony launched its $10 million Sony Innovation Fund: Africa, focused on entertainment businesses across the continent. The fund primarily invests in seed and early-stage startups in gaming, music, film, and content distribution.

“The entertainment field has been a key area of focus for Sony Innovation Fund since the beginning,” stated Gen Tsuchikawa, head of Sony Ventures. “Africa, in particular, has a vibrant community of creators and entrepreneurs looking to invent new ways to enhance entertainment experiences for audiences.”

Digital Payment Solutions for Creators

Sony’s investment in Twiva will accelerate the rollout of solutions like Twiva Pay, which streamlines creator payments and introduces LPO financing for influencer marketing campaigns. This follows a trend of financial institutions investing in Africa’s creator economy, including Mastercard’s June 2024 strategic partnership with Wowzi, another African influencer marketing platform.

“We see significant untapped potential in the continent’s digital creative industries, and Twiva’s dynamic platform provides the ideal foundation for sustainable growth,” said Antonio Avitabile, Managing Director of EMEA at Sony Ventures Corporation.