Alexander J.

The majority of startups in Sub-Saharan Africa fail within their first five years. Why? This question keeps many entrepreneurs awake at night and makes investors wary. As someone deeply embedded in this space, I’ve observed some patterns that might surprise you: 𝟭. 𝗟𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻: Many startups are driven by passion but lack structured leadership and a clear long-term vision. Passion is essential, but it needs to be coupled with strategic planning. 𝟮. 𝗣𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: Policy—not just business strategy—plays a vital role in the success or failure of ventures. Inconsistent policies can create unstable environments for innovation. 𝟯. 𝗟𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴: Limited access to funds forces startups to either pivot too soon or scale prematurely. ___________________ So, how can we change this narrative? - Invest in leadership training programs. - Advocate for better policies that facilitate growth. - Create networks that connect local entrepreneurs with global investors. _____________________ What else do you think contributes to startup failures in this region?

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In January last year, German 🇩🇪 #biotech company BioNTech SE acquired Tunisian 🇹🇳 #AI startup InstaDeep for up to $680 million, the largest startup exit in Africa so far InstaDeep uses advanced machine learning techniques to bring AI into enterprise applications. Its products range from GPU-accelerated insights to self-learning decision-making systems. 🤖 Before last year’s acquisition, the Tunisia-born and Paris, London-headquartered enterprise AI startup raised over $108 million 💰 from several global investors, including Google, Deutsche Bahn, and BioNTech SE. These three strategics were also among the startup’s biggest partners and clients. 🔸 Less commonly known, InstaDeep has worked and delivered projects outside the biotech and pharma sectors, like: 🦟 Worked with Google DeepMind to create an early detection system for desert locust outbreaks in Africa. 🚉 It also collaborated on a moonshot project to automate railway scheduling for Deutsche Bahn, the largest rail operator in Europe. InstaDeep was founded by Karim Beguir & Zohra Slim almost a decade ago 👉 Get to know more about AI in Africa in this interview with Karim Beguir by TechCrunch's Africa-focused journalist Tage Kene-Okafor: https://lnkd.in/eFDXzk4r

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I remember Oyin Solebo introducing us to Ayodeji Alaran and PBR Life Sciences (Techstars '23) over a year ago. I immediately was impressed because of not only Deji's passion and knowledge but also how fast PBR had grown even with the little resources they had. I'm glad that we at Launch Africa Ventures are part of his journey. Here's why I'm excited we invested: - Data is the new oil - especially for AI: PBR's comprehensive healthcare data infrastructure across Africa positions them perfectly for the AI revolution in healthcare. Their real-world, multi-channel health data is invaluable for training AI models and improving healthcare outcomes. - Exceptional founding team: Ayodeji brings 17+ years of pharmaceutical industry experience across various key markets. The team combines deep domain expertise in pharmaceuticals, data analytics, and African healthcare systems. - Impressive traction: Over 300% revenue growth from 2022 to 2023. They've gathered data from 513 pharmacies and signed partnerships with major industry players. - Massive market opportunity: They're tackling a $2.92B addressable market in Africa, with the potential to unlock an additional $19.5B in value for the life sciences industry. The African pharmaceutical market is projected to reach $56-70B by 2030. PBR is building the critical data infrastructure needed to make this growth efficient and data-driven. Excited to support their mission to transform healthcare decision-making in Africa!

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Pan-African venture capital firm Janngo.africa has announced the final closing of its second fund at $78 million, 20% beyond its initial target. Janngo Capital Startup Fund’s anchor investors – such as the European Investment Bank (EIB) and African Development Bank Group – doubled down by reinvesting in this final closing. New investors include the Mastercard Foundation Africa Growth Fund; the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation; the IFC - International Finance Corporation; and ANAVA (Smart Capital), a Tunisian fund of funds. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/dHwPKsqK * Stay ahead in Africa's private equity and venture capital sector with Africa Private Equity News’ monthly Dealmaker’s Log – a database of reported investment deals, exits, and fundraising closes. Subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/duy5dWPs Emmanuel Chavane Fatoumata BA Antonia Gleizes-Lacombe Ayebobo NIANG Sébastien Nony, CAIA

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The success of any start-up depends on; The Market, The Business Model & The Team. These 3 ingredients ignite the bonfire. At Broad Capital Advisory, we strongly believe in passionate founders...folks doing impactful things across several sectors. We remain bullish on Africa. If you seek Alpha then Africa is the place to be. Congrats to Futa, Grace Jerolgan Nganakala, Daniel Dang, and the team for staying the course. #Girlpower #Womenintech Yemi Keri

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Twiva, Kenyan Growth Stage Startup - among the Top 20 chosen to pitch to a sea of Venture Capitalists, at Africa's coveted Angel Fair Africa 2024. This year's participants scale from the South to East and West of Africa. Twiva is Kenya's leading AI-driven #socialcommerce platform, powered by #influencers and #resellers to bring brands closer to consumers across the continent. Established to revolutionize retail, Twiva connects businesses to a vast network of over 13,500 influencers and 2,500 merchants, generating genuine engagement and driving sales through trusted recommendations. In just five years, Twiva has gained the trust of hundreds of thousands of unique monthly visitors, positioning itself as a fast-growing solution that enhances #marketaccess, #jobcreation, and #salesconversion for businesses in industries ranging from fashion and electronics to home and beauty. With a proven record of #awardwinningpartnerships and an expanding presence in the region, Twiva is not just driving #commercialgrowth but is building a more #inclusive, #digitalretailecosystem for Africa's future To greater scale, and indelible reach. #BuildingTheAfricaWeWant

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What's going on with healthcare ventures in Africa? For our 8th #newsletter, we bring you 8 new investments, 8 opportunities, and 8 upcoming events for #healthtech startups in Africa. One trend we're excited about is an increase in partnerships between healthtech and health financing providers. Some examples: 🤰YeneHealth partnered with VisionFund International (an affiliate of World Vision) to provide microloans to enable access to women's health in #Ethiopia. 🧑‍⚕️Health insurance startup Kaelo in #SouthAfrica partnered with RecoMed to simplify access to virtual healthcare services. Kaelo Health offers low-cost health insurance solutions to policyholders who use RecoMed's platform to connect with healthcare providers. 🚑The Bank of Kigali Plc partnered with VIEBEG to introduce a Medical Equipment Financing (MEF) product for health facilities in #Rwanda to access medical equipment. The bank offers up to 80% financing without collateral and a repayment period of over five years. We see these partnerships as a necessary strategy from healthcare actors to address the #healthfinancing gap / opportunity of African markets. Follow this link to read our full newsletter: https://lnkd.in/dPaSmGN3 Do YOU have healthtech news or opportunities to share? Let us know in the comments below. #socialenterprise #impactinvesting #digitalhealth

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African Startup Funding Declines Over 50% YoY to $780 Million in H1 2024. Startups across Africa raised $780 million between January and June 2024, a 31% decline compared to H2 2023 figures and an even starker 57% decline compared to H1 2023. This decline continues a downward trend that began in 2023 when Africa's technology startups raised $3.5 billion across 547 deals, a 46% decline compared to the previous year[2022]. Key takeaways: 💰Two-thirds of the funding was in the form of equity, while a third was debt. 🧳 4 out of 5 dollars went to startups in the "Big Four" markets: Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, and South Africa. Kenya alone secured a third of the total funding. 🚛 Transport & Logistics was the top-funded sector at 28%, driven by deals like Moove and SPIRO. #FintTech came in second but led in the number of startups raising $1M+ 👬🏾 Only a tiny fraction of funding went to female-founded startups, with 85% going to all-male founding teams and 92% to male CEOs. The decline in startup funding continues the downtrend witnessed in 2023. However, the resilience of African startups is evident. By supporting diversity and innovation, we can help the ecosystem weather the storm and emerge stronger. One way of doing that is to double down on building sustainable businesses. Peter Ndiang'ui, Harry Hare, Kamau Kunyiha, Moses Kemibaro, Fred Kithinzi, Serah Mwikali Katusya Read more: https://lnkd.in/dGptrGdu #AfricanStartups #VentureCapital #FundingTrends

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During eHealth Africa s breakout session at #GDHF2024, I was pleased to share insights on partnerships and investments in healthcare in Africa. I shared my thoughts on the energy, skills, and knowledge that Nigerian youth, an untapped force of over 150 million, can bring to the table as we transform healthcare in Nigeria and beyond. I also challenged our assumptions about technology and innovation to ensure our solutions address real needs, not imagined ones. In addition I asked investors to consider the macroeconomic  environment and devalued Naira currently (in Nigeria) and come up with innovative funding solutions that do not strain startups. I am looking forward to driving more impactful investments in healthcare in Africa with eha Impact Ventures. Already excited about a few of our investments eg Blueroomcare Business and EHA Clinics in #mentalhealth and #primaryhealthcare respectively. #eHealthAfrica #HealthForAll #investinnigeria #impactinvestment #youth #innovativefinance #globalhealth #healthtech #maternalhealth #adolescenthealth #primaryhealthcare #publichealth #digitalhealth

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Yesterday, I had the pleasure of speaking at and moderating a session at Moonshot by TechCabal. One of the standout moments was reconnecting with Malobi Ogbechie. Malobi shared an inspiring story about how a piece of advice I gave him two years ago during one of our Founders meetups reshaped his entrepreneurial journey. Back then, he was leveraging his extensive experience in freight forwarding and exploring ways to support micro-exporters. I encouraged him to validate his business offline before going digital. Today, Malobi’s venture, Kadankadan—a Port Harcourt-based logistics-tech company that’s driving export accessibility—is thriving, with a growing client base across Port Harcourt and Lagos. And the best part? They’re gearing up to launch version 1 of their tech solution! Huge congratulations to Malobi and the entire Kadankadan team—your success story truly brightened my day. I believe that Africa's Startup ecosystem will benefit from experienced professionals with extensive knowledge in different sectors getting involved. In other exciting news, I’m thrilled to announce that we have just 3 slots left for Cohort 2 of Scale with Uche Aniche (SwUA 2.0)! 🚀 SwUA is a dynamic 12-week program modelled after TD's Mentor Pitch starting in early November and running through January 2025. It’s designed to help seasoned professionals with deep domain expertise transform their ideas into high-growth ventures while connecting them with the right resources and investor networks. If you’re ready to take your vision to the next level, don’t miss this opportunity. Let’s build the next big thing—together! Please note that it's a paid program - suitable for working professionals who desire to learn how to build a Startup. Leave a comment below if interested and I will share next steps.

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Are you ready to make a decision that could change lives? Let's talk about investing in healthcare. So, the big question is: Where can your investment make the most impact—Africa or Europe? ______________________ Africa has some compelling reasons to grab your attention. First off, there's untapped potential. The need for healthcare infrastructure and services in Africa is vast. This offers a chance to make a real difference in an underserved market. Also, Africa is an innovation hub, and innovative healthcare solutions are being developed that use mobile technology and telemedicine to reach remote areas. Finally, let's not forget the social impact. Investing in healthcare in Africa transforms communities, improves living standards, and saves lives. _______________________ Of course, there are also challenges. Many regions still lack basic healthcare facilities, and navigating diverse regulatory environments can be complex. ________________________ On the other hand, Europe has its appeal. It has established healthcare infrastructure and robust regulatory frameworks. This offers reliability and a platform for technological advancements and innovation. ________________________ Yet, there are hurdles here as well. High competition and stringent regulations can pose challenges. ________________________ So, where should you invest? It all comes down to your goals. Do you want to be part of an innovative, socially impactful market? Or do you prefer the structured, reliable systems of Europe? As a healthcare leader, I've seen the incredible power of strategic investments. Your decision could be the catalyst for change. Remember, the impact goes beyond financial returns—about the lives touched. What's your take? Let's discuss this in the comments!

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🚀 Trenderz has secured €100 000 on their pre-seed funding round 🚀 💥 I’m thrilled to announce that Trenderz, a groundbreaking Ivorian startup which redefine the world of micro-influence marketing, has successfully raised €100,000 from Digital Africa in their #preseed funding round. 🔥 As Hustle Ventures, we are proud to have supported Trenderz in structuring their funding round, and guiding them through the deal-making process. 📅 Founded in November 2023 by KIM TRAN, Trenderz is an end-to-end platform which allows African companies to easily create and monitor micro-influence marketing campaigns. Trenderz's mission is to help African companies to optimize their online presence, in order to capture more clients and secure new streams of revenues. 📊 In just 9 months of operation, Trenderz has built a community of over 800 active micro-influencers and executed more than 800 campaigns with major brands like Pizza Hut, Yves Rocher, and Cody's Original Roadhouse. 🤝 This €100 000 funding, which adds to the €50,000 secured from angel investors such as Alexis Valero, Lokakawu Hervé Mbongu, Edouard Clotilde and Faisal Al-Kurbi, will enable Trenderz to accelerate growth, particularly by investing in product development, online acquisition, and expanding their sales force. 📚 If you want to learn more about the details of this funding round, feel free to join our event this Thursday, September 26, where we will discuss the topic 👉🏾 https://lu.ma/imtu68ar Ali Mnif, Grégoire de Padirac, Ayoub N. Fathi, Yann Azandegbe, Clara Schricke, Stéphane Kablan Allou #Investissement #PreSeed #Entrepreneuriat #LevéeDeFonds #Webinaire #Finance #Angelinvesting #Africanentrepreneur #Businessangel #Africaninvestor #Afropreneur #Venturecapital #Seedfunding #Seed

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Intron Health, a pioneering Nigerian tech startup specializing in speech recognition for healthcare, has successfully raised $1.6 million in a pre-seed funding round. The round was led by Microtraction, with notable contributions from Plug and Play Tech Center, Jaza Rift Ventures, Octopus Ventures, Africa Health Ventures, Openseed VC, Pi Campus, Alumni & Angels, and Baker Bridge Capital, alongside angel investors from global organizations such as Google, CLEAR Global, New York University, and Optum. The funding will be directed towards enhancing research efforts, strengthening cloud-native and on-premises capabilities, and expanding distribution. Intron Health also plans to recruit additional tech talent to support its product development and market growth. This investment aims to drive continued progress in their innovative speech recognition technology, which already boasts a 92% accuracy rate on medical terminology with heavy accents. Founded in 2020 by Tobi Olatunji MD, Intron Health has developed Africa’s first clinical speech recognition platform, designed to digitize medical records by converting speech into text. Their platform is already accelerating the adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHR) across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda, enabling doctors to complete documentation seven times faster and significantly reducing administrative burdens. With a dataset of over 3.5 million audio clips covering 288 accents from 29 countries, Intron Health’s platform is bridging the gap in speech recognition for diverse African languages and accents. This advancement not only transforms healthcare documentation but also holds potential for broader applications of localized voice technology across various sectors in Africa and beyond. #IntronHealth #SpeechRecognition #HealthcareTech #AfricanInnovation #StartupFunding #TechForGood #DigitalHealth #AI #MedicalTechnology To read more: https://zurl.co/rrnZ

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At African Renaissance Ventures (ARV), we are committed to exploring transformative opportunities across the continent, and healthcare is one of the most pressing and promising areas for innovation. In this insightful piece, my colleague and ARV Venture Partner, Maya Zein, lays out the case for healthtech in #Africa. She explores how innovative solutions like mobile health platforms, AI-driven diagnostics, and accessible telemedicine can address critical gaps in healthcare access while creating immense opportunities for growth and impact. Maya’s argument is clear: healthtech is not just a frontier; it’s a necessity. Dive into her article here: https://lnkd.in/ecMBm3-X

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Deeptech in Africa - is there any? Take a look: 8 ways successful Deeptech startups are reshaping Africa: 1. 54gene: 54gene is revolutionizing African genomics. By harnessing genetic data, it’s advancing medical research and personalized healthcare. This helps address health disparities and fosters global medical advancements. 2. mPharma: mPharma is transforming pharmaceutical supply chains. It ensures reliable access to essential medicines across Africa. This transparency reduces costs and improves patient outcomes. 3. Aerobotics: Aerobotics leverages AI and drones for precision agriculture. It provides farmers with actionable insights to optimize yields. This tech boosts agricultural productivity and sustainability. 4. Max.ng: Max.ng is pioneering electric mobility solutions. It integrates data-driven fleet management and custom-built electric vehicles to enhance urban transport. This reduces emissions and improves urban mobility. 5. Twiga Foods: Twiga Foods optimizes food supply chains. It connects farmers to markets using AI and IoT-enabled platforms. This improves food distribution and reduces post-harvest losses. 6. Koniku: Koniku is innovating at the intersection of biotechnology and neurotechnology. Its neurocomputation-based systems enhance security and health diagnostics. This breakthrough deeptech addresses complex problems across industries. 7. SunCulture: SunCulture is transforming agriculture with IoT-enabled solar solutions. It integrates AI to optimize water usage and improve crop yields. This supports sustainable farming and renewable energy adoption. 8. MaxAB: MaxAB is revolutionizing logistics with AI-driven food distribution. It uses advanced algorithms to streamline supply chains. This increases efficiency and enhances food security across Africa. The question isn’t whether Deeptech is in Africa – it’s how it’s shaping the future of the continent.

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🇳🇬 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗠𝗼𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗰𝗼, 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁 One month after Uber-backed Moove launched in the US, the Nigerian startup that finances #vehicles for #ride-hailing has expanded to #Mexico. The company projects it will become profitable in 2025. The expansion to Mexico marks an important milestone for an #African #startup ecosystem that has, in recent years, faced a tough macroeconomic environment and fundraising challenges that have slowed growth. As focus moves to building for a global audience, Moove’s focus on high-growth markets, its replicable model and partnerships with major ride-hailing platforms like #Uber has positioned it for growth and made it attractive to investors. Its drive towards #sustainability with #EVs also aligns with investors’ continued interest in socially responsible startups. Read more on TechCabal: https://lnkd.in/gq749fGV

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💰 Let's have a look at Top 20 Investors (in number of deals) in African Startups in 2024! 👀 🤑 We're talking about $1.79B raised in 9 months! 🗓️ From January to September 2024 🔢 410unique deals 🔢 432 unique investors 💵 735 different tickets 🔢 1.7 deals per investor on average 💰 $1.79B raised in 9 months 🥇 DEG with 23 deals (24 deals in 2023) 🥈 Techstars with 18 deals (57 deals in 2023) 🥉 Digital Africa with 17 deals (only 3 in 2023!) 📉 Ventures Platform Fund from 15 deals in 2023 to only 2 in 2024, Google for Startups from 27 deals in 2023 to 0 in 2024, Wefunder from 9 deals in 2023 to 0 in 2024, LoftyInc Capital from 9 deals in 2023 to 0 in 2024 🚀 Top new entrants: Co-creation HUB (CcHUB) and iHUB Nairobi from 0 to 9 deals, Digital Africa from 3 to 17 deals, Efficiency for Access from 0 to 7 deals 🔥 New players (no deals before 2024): iHUB Nairobi, Efficiency for Access, Madica, Sanofi, Blizzard Fund, Hyperithm, Plus VC (+VC), RZM Investment and others... * All this data is based on publicly available data 🙏 Thanks Africa: The Big Deal for the data #Africa #Startups #VentureCapital #Investors #StartupInvestors #AfricanStartups Tech in Africa

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