Anfa

Anfa Research Investment Thesis Anfa is a global investment firm making concentrated, long-term investments in exceptional entrepreneurs across geographies and sectors. Founded in 2020 by Idris Sami, Anfa operates with a "fund we wish had backed us" philosophy, bringing founder-friendly terms and operational expertise to its portfolio companies. The firm's core value proposition is "Extreme Conviction" - they make fewer than 10 partnerships per fund with checks up to $30M per founder, demonstrating deep commitment to their portfolio companies. This concentration model allows them to be highly engaged without spreading resources thin across dozens of companies. Global Mandate & Geographic Focus Anfa has a truly global investment mandate, investing across the world from San Francisco to Bangalore. The firm specifically emphasizes bridging developed and emerging markets, with notable investments spanning: North America : United States investments Europe : UK, Turkey (Sipay) India : Multiple portfolio companies (Khatabook, Jupiter, Slice) Global : Borderless investment philosophy The firm maintains offices in New York and London, positioning itself to effectively serve both Western and emerging market founders. Stage Focus & Check Size Anfa invests across early and growth stages: Early Stage : Pre-seed, Seed, Series A Growth Stage : Series B and beyond Check Size : Up to $30M per founder Ownership : No ownership targets - flexible approach The firm's $150M fund size allows for meaningful ownership positions while maintaining portfolio concentration. Their willingness to invest up to $30M in a single founder demonstrates their conviction-driven approach. Lead Tendency Anfa prefers to lead rounds but maintains flexibility: Lead Preference : Prefers to lead investments Follow Capability : Happy to follow in compelling opportunities Capital Flexibility : Capital available for growth rounds or founder liquidity Sector Focus Anfa is sector-agnostic but shows particular strength in: Fintech & Payments : Sipay (Turkey), Jupiter, OneCard, Revolut (personal investment by Idris) Consumer : Slice, Curology, Guayaki Healthcare : Pristyn Care Gaming/Metaverse : VRChat, Consensys (Web3) EdTech : Khatabook (merchant tech) The firm's portfolio demonstrates comfort with both B2B and B2C models across technology and traditional sectors. Recent Activity Anfa is actively deploying from its $150M fund: Recent Investments: June 2024 : Sipay - Led $15M Series A (Turkish fintech, payment services) April 2025 : Sipay successfully raised $78M Series B at $875M valuation, validating Anfa's early investment thesis The firm maintains a steady investment pace, focusing on quality over quantity with fewer than 10 core portfolio company partnerships per fund. Decision Process Anfa emphasizes "Startup Speed" in its decision-making: No Committees : Streamlined decision structure Fast Turnaround : Yes/no decisions in as fast as one week Founder-Centric : Built by founders, for founders This rapid decision capability positions Anfa favorably against firms with lengthy investment committee processes. Team Background Idris Sami, Partner & Founder : Founded Anfa in 2020 at age 27 Founded first company at age 10 (free text messaging platform, 2M users) Second startup acquired at age 14 Former growth investor at Anthos Capital (Los Angeles) Former investor at Hummingbird Ventures (London) Personal investments include unicorns: Revolut, Slice, Pristyn Care Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe 2021 (Finance) Investment Team : Partners located in New York, London, and San Francisco Bay Area Team members with backgrounds at UC Berkeley and other top institutions 12+ hours per day in-office culture demonstrating commitment intensity Portfolio Highlights Anfa's portfolio (both firm investments and team member personal investments) includes: Notable Companies: Revolut : Global fintech unicorn Sipay : Turkish payments platform ($875M valuation post-Series B, 2025) Khatabook : Indian merchant tech platform Jupiter : Indian fintech Slice : Indian BNPL/fintech Pristyn Care : Indian healthcare VRChat : Metaverse/gaming platform Consensys : Web3/blockchain infrastructure Curology : Consumer healthcare Guayaki : Consumer beverages OneCard : Indian fintech Discord : Social platform (team investment) Founder Preferences Anfa seeks founders who embody: Exceptional Track Record : Proven ability to execute Global Ambition : Companies that can scale across borders Long-Term Thinking : Entrepreneurs building durable businesses Founder-Friendly Alignment : Values alignment on flexible capital Competitive Positioning Anfa differentiates itself through: Founder Understanding : Built by founders who understand the journey Speed : Week-long decision processes vs. industry standard months Conviction : $30M check capacity to existing portfolio Global Perspective : Unique bridge between developed and emerging markets Flexibility : No ownership targets, capital for growth or liquidity Fund Status Fund Size : $150M (Anfa I) Status : Actively deploying Deployment Stage : Early-mid deployment period based on recent 2024 investments Investment Pace : Concentrated approach with <10 core companies per fund