DisrupTech Ventures, a leading early-stage venture capital fund focused on financial technology, has announced a strategic investment in Chari, the Y Combinator–backed startup revolutionizing Morocco’s retail landscape through fintech innovation. This investment marks DisrupTech’s first venture in Morocco and its second investment outside Egypt in Africa, reflecting the fund’s growing ambition to foster fintech advancement across the continent.
Founded in 2020 by Ismael Belkhayat and Sophia Alj, Chari has developed a licensed fintech platform that transforms thousands of small neighborhood shops into digital financial access points. Utilizing its payment institution license from the Central Bank of Morocco, Chari enables merchants to provide essential digital payment and financial services to underserved communities — bridging the gap between traditional retail and modern fintech solutions.
Beyond facilitating fast FMCG orders through its app, Chari’s broader mission is to digitize financial flows in the informal economy, reducing reliance on cash and embedding financial products — such as microloans, insurance, and payment services — into daily retail operations. This transformation not only boosts financial inclusion but also strengthens the digital infrastructure supporting Morocco’s small business ecosystem.
“Our investment in Chari is a milestone for DisrupTech,” said Mohamed Okasha, Managing Partner at DisrupTech Ventures. “Chari is redefining how financial services reach the grassroots level. By empowering small shops to act as financial gateways, it is laying the groundwork for a new, inclusive fintech infrastructure in Morocco — exactly the kind of transformative innovation we champion across Africa.”
With over 20,000 retailers already onboarded, Chari is rapidly expanding to become a central platform for both commerce and financial services in Francophone Africa.
“We are delighted to welcome DisrupTech Ventures as a partner,” said Ismael Belkhayat, CEO and Co-Founder of Chari. “With DisrupTech’s support, we are accelerating our mission to turn every corner shop into a financial access point. Together, we aim to drive financial inclusion and sustainable economic growth across Africa.”
The investment is part of Chari’s Series A extension round, and as part of the deal, DisrupTech Ventures will join Chari’s Board of Directors, collaborating closely with the founding team to advance its regional growth and long-term fintech strategy.
