About Celtel
Celtel is a Telecommunications company based in Amsterdam (Netherlands) founded in 1998, and was acquired by Zain Group in March 2005. Mobile telecommunications services are provided across regions. Celtel has raised $229.5 million across 6 funding rounds from investors including ING, Zain Group and Standard Bank. Its chief executive, as recorded, is Marten Pieters. Its focus areas include Telecom, Telecom Operators and Cellular.
Company details
Celtel was established in 1998 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, as a provider of mobile telecommunications services. Operations focus on telecom infrastructure and connectivity solutions within the telecommunications sector. Services include mobile network access and related support, primarily serving users in various international markets. The company is led by CEO Marten Pieters, with its online presence maintained through the domain celtel.com.
- Headquarters Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Stage Acquired
- SectorsTelecommunications
- Website celtel.com
- Social LinkedIn
- Acquired by Zain Group (Mar 2005)
- Total Equity Funding$229.5M (USD)
in 6 rounds
- Latest Funding Round$80M (USD), Debt – Conventional
Mar 2005
- InvestorsING
& 13 more
- Acquired byZain Group
(Mar 2005)
Funding Insights of Celtel
Celtel has successfully raised a total of $229.5M across 6 strategic funding rounds. The most recent funding activity was a Debt – Conventional round of $80 million completed in March 2005. This substantial capital infusion reflects strong investor confidence in the company's business model, growth potential, and market opportunities. The funding enables strategic expansion, product development, market penetration, and operational scaling to drive long-term value creation and competitive advantage.
- Total Funding $229.5M
- Total Rounds 6
- Last Round Debt – Conventional — $80M
- First Round $22.5M
(Jun 1998)
- Investors Count 13
All 6 funding rounds of Celtel with amounts and investors; the two latest post-money valuations are shown, the rest are part of the premium plan.
| Date | Amount | Transaction Name | Valuation | Lead Investors | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2005 | $80M | Debt – Conventional | – | – | |
| Jan 2004 | $62M | Series D | – | – | |
| Mar 2003 | $117M | Debt – Conventional | – | – | |
| Sep 2001 | $120M | Series C | – | CVC | |
| Jun 2000 | $25M | Series B | – | British International Investment | – |
| Jun 1998 | $22.5M | Series A | – | British International Investment | – |
14 investors in total: 14 institutional.
Investors in Celtel
Celtel has secured backing from 14 investors, including venture fund and institutional investors. Prominent investors backing the company include ING, Zain Group and Standard Bank.
| Investor | Description | Founded Year | Domain | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
IFC is focused on private sector development in emerging markets. | 1956 | ifc.org | ||
Investments in sustainable development projects in developing countries. | finnfund.fi | |||
Economic development investments are financed through specialized solutions by Proparco. | 1977 | proparco.fr | Paris, France | |
Early-stage SMEs are invested in by government-operated Swedfund. | 1979 | swedfund.se | Stockholm, Sweden | |
Development financing is provided for entrepreneurial ventures in emerging markets. | 1970 | fmo.nl | The Hague, Netherlands | |
Mezzanine financing and equity investments are provided by CVC. | 1981 | cvc.com | New York, United States | |
Government agency focused on small and medium-sized businesses | 1948 | bii.co.uk | London, United Kingdom | |
Infrastructure projects in Southern Africa are financed by the institution. | 1983 | dbsa.org | Midrand, South Africa | |
Invests in public and private African companies for prestigious institutional investors. | 1995 | blakeney.com | London, United Kingdom | |
Investment management services are provided for long-term investors. | capitalgroup.com | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
Investor details for Celtel
The complete investor list, round-by-round participation and investor portfolios require an active premium plan.
- Complete investor list
- Round participation
- Investor portfolios
- Co-investor network
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
People of Celtel
1 people are tracked at Celtel (1 in leadership).
| Name | Role | Group |
|---|---|---|
Marten Pieters | CEO | Leadership |
Complete people profiles for Celtel
Full employee and board profiles, team structure, tenure and professional contact details require an active premium plan.
- Full employee list
- Team structure
- Board tenure
- Professional contacts
Verified entity values are shown only after access is granted.
Timeline of Celtel
4 dated milestones of Celtel across 7 years, from founding to its latest funding, stage changes and deals.
- Founded Celtel is founded.
- Funding First funding round of $22.5M.
- Funding Latest funding round, Debt – Conventional, of $80.0M.
- Exit Acquired by Zain Group.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Celtel
Celtel was founded in 1998.
Celtel is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Marten Pieters is the CEO of Celtel, as recorded in our data.
Celtel is a funded company, having raised a total of $229.5M across 6 funding rounds to date. The company's 1st funding round was a Series A of $22.5M, raised on Jun 1998.
Celtel was established in 1998 in Amsterdam, Netherlands, as a provider of mobile telecommunications services. Operations focus on telecom infrastructure and connectivity solutions within the telecommunications sector. Services include mobile network access and related support, primarily serving users in various international markets. The company is led by CEO Marten Pieters, with its online presence maintained through the domain celtel.com.
Celtel has 14 investors. Key investors include ING, Zain Group, Standard Bank, International Finance Corporation, and CVC.
Yes. Celtel was acquired by Zain Group in March 2005.