Sehreen Noor Ali

7 Lessons I Learned Building Sama Health as a Non-Technical Founder (And How You Can Build Without a Tech Background Too) When I started Sama Health, a culturally relevant therapy platform, I didn’t know how to code or where to begin. It felt overwhelming at first, but being a non-technical founder isn’t a limitation—it’s an opportunity to lead with vision and purpose. Here’s what I’ve learned: 1️⃣ Start With the Problem, Not the Product ➔ Understand your audience and their challenges deeply. ➔ For Sama Health, it was addressing mental health stigma in South Asian communities. ➔ Takeaway: Focus on solving a real problem before building anything. 2️⃣ Leverage No-Code Tools Early ➔ Tools like Webflow and Zapier helped me test ideas quickly without waiting for developers. ➔ Takeaway: Start simple, iterate, and refine as you go. 3️⃣ Find the Right Technical Partners ➔ You don’t need to know everything—collaborate with experts who believe in your mission. ➔ Takeaway: A fractional CTO or freelance developer can bring the technical expertise you need. 4️⃣ Fall in Love With Feedback ➔ Launch early, learn fast, and adapt based on what users need. ➔ Takeaway: Feedback isn’t criticism; it’s a guide to building better. 5️⃣ Build a Mission, Not Just a Product ➔ People connect with purpose, not just features. ➔ Sama Health’s mission brought in clients, therapists, and supporters who believe in culturally relevant care. ➔ Takeaway: Keep your why at the heart of everything. 6️⃣ Master the Art of Prioritization ➔ You can’t do it all at once—focus on what brings value now and adapt as you grow. ➔ Takeaway: Simplicity and focus create clarity. 7️⃣ Embrace Storytelling ➔ Sharing the why behind Sama Health helped us connect with clients, therapists, and advocates. ➔ Takeaway: Your story is your strength—use it to build trust. Building Sama Health has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. If you’re a non-technical founder, know this: you don’t need all the answers to get started. ✨ Start small. Stay curious. Lead with purpose. If you’d like to hear more about my journey or share your own, let’s connect! ♻️ Share this to inspire a founder who’s ready to take the leap. 📥 Save this for when you need a reminder to keep going.

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 MENA startup funding overview: April's major deals amid a decline Turkey and Kenya saw major funding rounds, and Saudi Arabia continued to be a frontrunner in the region thanks to its investment in large-scale funding. Key takeaways: — Funding in MENA declined by 60% year-over-year in Q1 2024. — Turkey and Kenya saw major funding rounds: $65 mln and $47.5 mln with fintech and agriculture projects. — Saudi Arabia remains a frontrunner in the region thanks to its investment in large-scale funding. — The Egyptian government has partnered with Italy to create an AI center in Cairo and launch a GovTech innovation lab to support startup development and digitalize government services. I believe that the decline in funding is a temporary setback and that the region is still poised for significant growth in the coming years. The strong fundamentals of the region, including its young and growing population, increasing internet penetration, and government support for innovation, will continue to attract investors and drive the growth of the startup ecosystem.

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This was such a great conversation! To the founders in my network “VC marketing is made to make the founder feel less valuable. But the VC doesn’t care if you, or the portfolio company next to you succeeds… You need to focus on your survival at all costs. You need to change everything so that the odds are in your favour. Your VC needs to be working for you.” Hopefully you’ll find my insights useful! #AllTheWay #StartupLessons #FounderAdvice #HealthTech

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So great to speak to Mohammed Islam on The Mo Show podcast last week! Watch the full episode here!

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💫Exciting Launch Announcement💫 Only 5% of Africa's trained AI talent can afford to access GPUs, the essential instrument for building competitive AI solutions. So no matter how many people we train or how much data we gather, we continue to hit the compute roadblock for true innovation to take place. As Keyzom Ngodup Massally said, history was made in 1945 when the United Nations Charter was drafted in San Francisco to give birth to the United Nations. So it was pretty historic that yesterday, in San Francisco, the UNDP and the Italian G7 presidency launched its Africa AI Hub for Sustainable Development. Celina Lee and I worked with the UNDP team to publish this primer on Africa AI Compute, explaining the key investment that can rid Africa off its compute roadblock and push the continent to the next stage of its AI revolution. Africa is estimated to need $2.5B in investments by 2030 to plug its "compute gap". Together with our budding coalition, we proposed a $15m program to initiate this flywheel and bring Africa closer to becoming the "use case capital of AI for the world". 👉🏾 Read more https://lnkd.in/gvYssmiH Great working with you Tonee Ndungu, Robin A. Miller Omar Jagne, Sharon Machira, Houda Ghozzi, PhD Alliance4ai, Ahura AI and others contributing to this cause.

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"The future of global health lies in the hands of those who dare to dream and build for those who need it most." A few years ago, a small startup in Kenya launched with a simple but powerful idea: mobile health services for rural communities. They didn't have much—just $5 in SMS credits, a basic platform, and a burning desire to solve a massive problem: access to healthcare. Fast forward to today, they're saving lives across the continent. 🌱💡 This is the future of SDG3—"Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages." But let's be real for a second. Despite breakthroughs like this, global health is in trouble. The COVID-19 pandemic reversed decades of progress in maternal and child health, left millions without essential vaccines, and showed us just how fragile our systems are. 😔 What if I told you the solution lies in the hands of startups, founders, and venture builders? 🤔 The United Nations' SDG3 isn't just a lofty goal—it's a playground for healthcare innovation. And if you're a startup founder or investor, this is your moment. 🚀 Let me paint the picture: Maternal and Child Health: Imagine a wearable that detects early complications in pregnancy and automatically connects mothers to nearby clinics. A solution like this can reduce maternal deaths by 70% globally. And the market? Billions of lives changed. Digital Health for Communicable Diseases: AI-powered diagnostics are already being deployed to detect tuberculosis and malaria in remote areas, bringing care to places that once seemed unreachable. Mental Health in Your Pocket: As mental health challenges skyrocket, apps that integrate AI therapy and remote counseling are a goldmine. 🧠💬 Universal Health Coverage (UHC): What if affordable healthcare didn't mean cutting corners? Startups using blockchain, microinsurance, and direct-to-consumer health platforms are flipping the script on what's possible. The next unicorn might be the one that makes UHC a reality for millions. The future of healthcare isn't in big hospitals or top-down policies—it's in the bold, the risk-takers, and the visionaries willing to experiment, fail fast, and build solutions that will impact billions. So, here's my challenge: Are you ready to be part of the SDG3 story? The next excellent health innovation could be sitting in your head right now, waiting to be launched. Please don't wait for someone else to solve it. Start building. Start investing. Start changing the world. 🌍💡 Together, we can shape a world where health and well-being aren't just goals but realities. 🌟 #SDG3 #HealthcareInnovation #VentureBuilding #ImpactInvesting #HealthTech #GlobalHealth #Wellbeing #StartupLife #Entrepreneurship

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Resilience Amidst Conflict: Savannah Innovation Labs Rebuilds in #Sudan Despite the ongoing conflict in Sudan, Savannah Innovation Labs has resumed operations after a six-month hiatus, continuing its mission to fuel innovation in the country. Based in Egypt now, the incubator is empowering young Sudanese entrepreneurs to build and innovate during challenging times. Through the We-Rise bootcamp, supported by the EU and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, over 300 businesses have participated, with 100 finalists set to receive grant funding to help them launch their ventures. With a focus on bridging capital gaps in high-risk, untapped markets like Sudan and DRC, Savannah is playing a crucial role in shaping the future of these regions. The incubator is helping to build a talent pool and foster the startups that will drive Sudan’s tech ecosystem forward, even in the face of adversity. Good job Yousif Yahya and Savannah Labs team. #Sudan #Innovation #Startups #TechEcosystem #SavannahInnovationLabs #Entrepreneurship #Resilience #EmergingMarkets #VC

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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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Charles Onu answers some of the most frequent questions he gets from AI PhD students on becoming a founder in this week's #RadicalReads: Learn more from our founders with the Radical AI Founders Masterclass: https://lnkd.in/et4nxnjw

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For almost a decade, I have been deeply involved in the venture capital landscape, specifically focusing on pioneering startups across Africa. My role has not only been to identify and invest in high-potential companies but also to actively support these founders in scaling their operations, enhancing their impact, and achieving financial metrics that surpass industry benchmarks. The enduring appeal of venture capital to a diverse array of investors—from institutional giants and ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs) to family offices—often raises questions about its comparative advantages over traditional investment avenues like bonds, real estate, public equities, or private debt. In my latest video, "How to Invest in Startups," I delve into these aspects, providing an accessible and comprehensive overview of venture capital investment. This video is designed to demystify the process and outcomes of investing in startups, offering insights that are valuable whether you are a seasoned investor or new to the concept of venture capital. Interested in understanding more? Check out the video below to learn how venture capital could fit into your investment strategy. Link to full video in the comments #VentureCapital #StartupInvestment #AfricanInnovation #InvestSmart #FinancialStrategy

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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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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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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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So we started Cohort 3 of the Immerse Africa VC Fellowship by Immerse Africa VC Academy last weekend. It was a diverse class with people from different backgrounds. This cohort has a fine blend of startup CFOs who want to know how to navigate the VC landscape for the benefit of their company and VC Professionals who just want to get better at their job. As always, we started this cohort with the VC Business Model. Understanding how VCs think about deals and then we built our VC Fund Return Model and the Management Company Model. As always, we saw that VCs are looking for outsized returns. 3x returns are good, but what you're looking for is 30x or 50x. So the challenge for our VC professionals is that how do they identify the 30x return startups and more importantly founders or founding teams? The question for our startup CFOs - Is your startup the 30x return startup? On Sunday, we went in full time on the the language of finance - Accounting. This is as we prepare to start building our startup financial models from next weekend. Excited about this cohort... already. If you still want to join this cohort, this might be your time before the next class.

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🌟 Visionary ideas become powerful movements when backed by bold action.🌟 A transformative conversation with Pharm Israel J. Adebayo has blossomed into the Two to Tango initiative—an ambitious program revolutionizing healthcare partnerships. This initiative aims to foster lasting impact by bridging divides and igniting collaboration among healthcare professionals, showcasing the immense potential of innovation coupled with execution. #LeadershipInAction #InnovationInHealthcare #Collaboration #Transformation #VisionToReality #HealthcareInnovation #Leadership #ExchangeProgram #Teamwork #HealthcareTransformation

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So proud of the work that Emmanuel Adegboye is doing at Madica - this is so amazing. Africa needs more VC’s….Africa needs more Founders. I was just saying it last week at the US-Nigeria Council event in Washington DC, that Africa needs 100 VGG’s (entrepreneur ecosystems); we need 1,000 GHC’s (VC funds). We created Venture Garden Group as a Venture Studio / company builder, and in 12 years, we created about 15 companies because there is a need to groom an army of Entrepreneurs to solve Africa’s wicked problems……we didn’t stop there, we created Greenhouse Capital - so and we have backed over 50 companies (and the founders behind them) across Africa with capital. But way more than the impact of our work across those two platforms, the BIGGER untold mission that we have is what we are seeing manifesting through amazing people like Emmanuel, who was an incredible part of our journey of creating VGG while he worked here - and he has now gone on to launch their own VC firm! Now, that is what I call 3rd order impact! When I speak about the work that the alumni of VGG Spartans are doing out there, it is exponential. And looking forward to when we can catalog these stories and show the data, and celebrate these folks. So that more people can launch their own VGG and their own Greenhouse. Want to know what my personal ambition is? To Franchise my playbook and share my journey with others….

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Summary: TLcom Capital, an African VC firm, has closed its second fund at $154 million, making it the largest investor in early-stage African startups. Key takeaways: TLcom has closed their second fund at $154 million, attracting over 20 limited partners, including the European Investment Bank and Visa Foundation. The firm maintains a consistent strategy of investing in early-stage opportunities, but also considers opportunities at growth and later stages. TLcom has expanded its portfolio to include companies in Egypt and South Africa and has a focus on traditional sectors such as fintech, mobility, and healthcare. Counter arguments: The firm's emphasis on early-stage opportunities may result in lower returns as these companies carry more risk. As more VC firms focus on the African market, the competition for high-quality startups may increase, making it difficult for funds to generate significant returns. #venturecapital #vc #startups

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Excited to join the Advisory Board of the newly founded international think-tank AI for Africa🌍! Our aim is to help shape Africa's future through #AI #innovation and improve access to opportunity!🙂 AI is a powerful tool and a unique opportunity for anyone using it💪 But, when it comes to technology adoption, Africa lags in resources, infrastructure, funding, and technological literacy, and AI is no exception🤔 In our interconnected & globalized society, we all contribute to global development, and no one should be left behind🤝 This is why it is crucial to ensure that Africa has equal or enhanced access to opportunity and does not miss out on the AI revolution! Visit AI for Africa to learn more, or DM Obi Umegbolu, founder of the new think-tank, to join us!⬇️ #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Africa #TechForGood #Innovation #GlobalDevelopment #EqualOpportunity #AIforAfrica #FutureOfWork #TechInnovation #DigitalTransformation #Inclusion

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