Rise of Fearless raises $1 million to expand African battle royale mobile game

Rise of Fearless, an African-owned mobile battle royale game based on Ethiopia’s 1896 Battle of Adwa, has raised $1 million from Dubai-based investment firm Epic Edges Capital. The funding, structured as a SAFE, aims to help the studio reach 100,000 active players and strengthen its technical foundation within a year.

Tarun Mottlia

Editor, Lazyfounder

Published Nov 4, 20262 min read

Rise of Fearless raises $1 million to expand African battle royale mobile game — Image: Rise of Fearless via source

Funding and milestones

The $1 million investment from Epic Edges Capital will support game development, infrastructure, marketing, and community-building for Rise of Fearless. The studio has one year to meet performance targets, including growing its active player base to 100,000 and implementing critical technical improvements. The game currently relies on advertising for revenue but plans to expand its monetisation strategy as it scales.

The funding marks a shift from experimental development to building a competitive international gaming business. Kanessa Muluneh, founder of Rise of Fearless, previously secured $700,000 from an undisclosed investor, but the deal collapsed due to disagreements over terms. She has since financed the project independently, investing nearly $2.8 million in total.

Partnerships with global gaming firms

To accelerate growth, Rise of Fearless has brought in four international gaming firms as partners. Miniboss Solutions, a consultancy specialising in publishing and marketing, joins the team with Adam Krause and TJ Consunji—executives with experience at Ubisoft, 2K/Take-Two, Capcom, and PlayStation. Trick Question Studios, led by TQ Jefferson, a former executive at Marvel and Disney, will support entertainment IP development. Spectra Entertainment, which focuses on art and AAA-quality production, rounds out the partnership.

Muluneh emphasized the goal of transferring technical knowledge from these global partners to African developers, aiming to strengthen local talent while scaling the franchise.

Market context and challenges

Africa’s gaming market is projected to reach $1.98 billion in revenue by 2026, with mobile gaming accounting for 82% of the total. The continent is also expected to have 406 million gamers by then, according to a report by Carry1st and Newzoo. However, African game developers face hurdles such as limited financing, fragmented payment systems, and uneven infrastructure.

Rise of Fearless, with over 15,000 total downloads, has its largest player communities in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and South Africa. Its Ethiopia-inspired storyline and cultural focus set it apart in a crowded mobile gaming landscape.

What this means

Lazyfounder analysis — our interpretation, not reported fact.

Rise of Fearless’s funding is a signal for African gaming startups, demonstrating that investors are increasingly willing to back regionally rooted, culturally specific game franchises. The $1 million raise—while modest by global standards—is notable for its focus on Africa, where access to capital remains a persistent challenge for game developers. The partnership with experienced international firms could also serve as a template for other African studios looking to scale: blending local storytelling with global technical and commercial expertise.

Sources

TechCabal · 2026-11-03
African-owned game Rise of Fearless raises $1 million for expansion

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