Africa Startup Festival

A huge congratulations to our partners at Norrsken22 as one of their portfolio startups, TymeBank becomes Africa’s ninth unicorn with a $250m Series D raise, and $1.5bn valuation. We are proud of this accomplishment! Lexi Novitske, CFA Bernard Ghartey Natalie Kolbe

Reflecting on the Africa Startup Festival 2024 feels like it happened just yesterday. It was an incredible experience, featuring some of the most accomplished professionals in the ecosystem as our speakers. #ASF2024 #ASFXLagos

Last month was eventful, filled with impactful conversations and connections! I was thrilled to reconnect with partners and friends at the AVCA - The African Private Capital Association Connect Network. From venture capital to private equity and infrastructure investors, the atmosphere in the room emphasized the vital role of collaboration in catalyzing domestic and foreign private capital to fuel Africa's growth story. The 100 Women In Finance peer engagement, themed "Achieving Success in Finance,” was another highlight. Moderated by Ifeoma Finnih and Timoni Akindolie, the session served as a powerful reminder of the intentionality women must embrace in shaping our careers and professional narratives. As early- to mid-career finance professionals, conducting a career audit is essential to bridging gaps, amplifying our voices, and driving the much-needed representation in our profession. Engaging with a gathering of female professionals committed to fostering diversity and empowerment was truly inspiring. At the Africa Startup Festival, it was insightful to hear Jordy K., Investment Principal at Octerra Capital share insights during the panel discussion on “Unlocking Opportunities for Economic and Startup Growth.” The discussions focused on the importance of holistic strategies and innovative approaches to unlock value in emerging markets and sectors across Africa. Finally, at the Africa Climate Finance Day hosted by Impact Hub Lagos, I was excited to see the focus not just on climate action and sustainability but also on balancing the dynamics of impact and economics. Engaging conversations between founders and impact investors across debt and equity markets underscored the need for innovative solutions that drive measurable change and sustainable growth. It has been a whirlwind of events, but each one offered valuable insights. As the year draws to a close, I look forward to continuing these meaningful discussions and partnerships in 2025. #Leadership #FemaleEmpowerment #StartupGrowth #Sustainability #PrivateCapital #ImpactInvesting #WomenInFinance

The Africa Startup Festival was a powerful platform for exploring opportunities within the African startup ecosystem🌍. Our members gained valuable insights from panels that delved into demystifying evolving market trends and positioning for funding as a startup in Africa, as well as how fostering collaboration between government and the private sector can bolster innovation and growth potential within the African startup ecosystem🚀. The panel on Increasing Investment Opportunities into African Startups: A Deep Dive into M&As, Joint Ventures, and Local Investments was moderated by our member Chidinma Okoli (Senior Associate at Moniepoint Group) and featured notable industry leaders Ike Eze (Managing Partner at Beta.Ventures), Dolapo Olayoriju (Investment Analyst at Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures), and Fola Olatunji-David (Accelerate Africa). Discussions centered on how startups can leverage joint ventures and strategic partnerships to drive expansion into new markets and products, the increasing need for investment from investors with local know-how of the African landscape to drive market innovation, and how startups can prepare themselves for alternative exit opportunities such as mergers and acquisitions. The event’s masterclasses offered refreshing perspectives 💡, and the networking opportunities 🤝 were exceptional, showcasing exciting innovations and solutions being built across Africa! It was an impactful event that reaffirmed the commitment of stakeholders to the ecosystem’s growth and highlighted the shared vision of building a brighter future for African startups🌟. A heartfelt thank you to all the speakers, participants, and organizers for their invaluable contributions to the success of the event🙌. Together, we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the African startup landscape. #AACollective #ASF2024 #ASFXLagos

It was great moderating this session on Mergers & Acquisitions and Joint Ventures at the Africa Startup Festival. Very insightful contributions from the panelists👏

Reflecting on our time at Africa Startup Festival We connected with amazing business owners, entrepreneurs and creatives Visit our website to get access to the best creatives in Africa https://youdesign.africa/ #youdesign

Revisiting some of the heartwarming highlights from last month’s Africa Startup Festival, where memorable moments unfolded. Gain insights from attendees as they shared valuable suggestions and ideas for shaping future editions of this dynamic event. #ASF2024 #ASFXLagos

🌍 French Tech Lagos at the Africa Startup Festival 2024! 🚀 On November 16th, 2024, Yann Gilbert, board director of French Tech Lagos, proudly represented our community during a keynote at the Africa Startup Festival. The keynote explored how French Tech Lagos is building a #bridge between French and Nigerian startups, fostering #collaboration, and creating mutual opportunities for #innovation. We are thrilled to continue driving #meaningful conversations and partnerships that amplify the potential of #tech ecosystems across continents.

Lagos and Energy,5&6! I was live at the Africa Startup Festival event in Lagos Nigeria, and it was an eye-opening experience, especially as a representative of the Francophone tech ecosystem, raising the flag of Future Studio Benin Republic. Here are my key takeaways: Here are my takeaways 1. The energy and motivation for growth and development in Lagos is unparalleled. Topics ranged from research to venture capitalism, creating an electrifying atmosphere. 2. Networking is fun! : If you snooze, you lose! The event provided a great opportunity to build connections and engage with like-minded individuals. I made new friends and collaborators. 3. The Francophone tech ecosystem is ripe for growth—it’s a field ready for harvest 4. Limited African Representation: For an African startup event, there was a surprising lack of representation from the wider African community. What's happening across borders? 5. Meeting mentors, potential leads, and partners at the same event was brilliant and strategic. In conclusion, Africa is the future, Let's build together! #InnovationinAfrica

I absolutely loved moderating this powerful discussion packed with actionable insights for aspiring and established entrepreneurs alike at Africa Startup Festival with the theme Building for Africa, from Africa. 💡 Gerald Black broke down strategies for scaling operations that every business owner can learn from. 💡 Jordy Kiange Beni gave us a masterclass on investing in Africa’s future and navigating country-specific opportunities. 💡 Victor Daniyan, shared his inspiring journey of building and scaling startups across West and East Africa. And me? As a media entrepreneur, I’ve had the privilege of interviewing hundreds of founders, and my goal was simple: connect the dots, uncover the gems, and ensure the audience left with practical strategies, while having some fun! 🚀 Scaling your business across the continent is not just a dream, it’s possible and realistic. And it’s time for more women to step up, start their own businesses, and lead these transformative conversations. Who’s ready to take the leap and build something extraordinary? Let me know your biggest challenge or question about starting or scaling your business below, I’d love to hear from you! Thank you to the organizers for having me. Eliezer A. #startups #africanstartups #moderator #events