FAQ

Africa Rating Hub (ARH) is an independent, data-driven evaluation framework designed to assess startup performance, risk, and investment readiness across African private markets.

ARH is designed for early-stage to growth-stage african startups preparing to engage with investors, as well as for investors seeking structured and comparable insights. ARH focuses on Seed to Growth-stage startups with sufficient data and growth, excluding pre-seed startups due to limited data and SMEs due to lack of scalable growth.

• ARH Diagnostic Report: An internal assessment designed to help founders identify gaps and improve their investment readiness.

• ARH Official Rating Report: An independent, structured evaluation of a startup’s performance and risk profile, intended for external use in investor discussions.

The Data Trust Score (DTS) measures the reliability and verifiability of the data submitted by a startup, based on the quality and strength of supporting evidence.

The DTS helps distinguish between estimated and verifiable data, improving transparency and supporting more informed evaluation and decision-making.

Applicants must provide their legal registration, financial statements, and market traction data to demonstrate business viability. They are also required to submit ESG metrics and supporting documentation to verify all reported performance figures.

Yes. Supporting documents are essential to validate submitted data and directly impact the Data Trust Score (DTS).

All submitted data is treated as confidential, securely stored, and used solely for the ARH evaluation process. Data is not shared with third parties without explicit consent.

No. ARH does not guarantee funding or investment outcomes. It provides structured insights to support better preparation and decision-making.

The evaluation timeline may vary depending on data completeness and verification, but the process is designed to be efficient and structured. On average, the full assessment takes between 3 to 7 business days once all required documentation is submitted..

• Diagnostic Reports are intended for internal use by founders.

• Official Rating Reports may be shared with investors at the discretion of the startup.

Yes. The pilot phase is currently offered free of charge to a limited number of selected startups

Yes. The pilot phase is currently offered free of charge to a limited number of selected startups

Startups are selected based on relevance, completeness of application, and alignment with ARH evaluation criteria.

Yes, applicants can update their submission as long as the evaluation has not yet entered the final review stage. All updates must be submitted exclusively via email to ensure a formal record of changes, which may reset the 3 to 7-day evaluation timeline.

Your application will be reviewed, followed by data verification, scoring, and the preparation of your ARH report.