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2024 African Startups Review: Unpacking Key Trends and Events – Part 4 (Edition 2) Africa’s Climate Tech Sector: The Breakout Star of 2024 This year, the climate tech sector stole the spotlight, raising USD 413.9M by September—double last year’s total. Claiming one-third of all investments on the continent, the sector was Africa’s fastest-growing startup space. From solar energy to electric mobility, African startups delivered bold solutions to climate challenges, driven by deals like D.Light’s USD 176M and Spiro’s USD 50M. #ClimateTech #Sustainability #Innovation To catch up on the recap, click the link: https://lnkd.in/gEZx6-C9

🌍 African Startups on the Global Impact/100 List (2024) Featured Startups & Their Impact 🚀 Roam (Kenya) 🌱🚗 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿: Electric Mobility 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀: Making electric vehicles affordable and accessible across Africa. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁: Driving sustainability and supporting UN SDGs. 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲: "We transform everyday journeys into a statement for sustainability." – Filip Lövström, CEO. Mikael Gånge Ida Angel Johanna Alander Romain Petiteau Johanna Hegenbart Olov Daniels Kane Connor Olivier Lobey Mario Obua Titus Lamaon Fadhil Khan Hans van Toor  

Launch Africa, Techstars, and 54 Collective Lead VC Activity in African Market for H1 2024 Amid the slowdown in investment across the African continent, certain investors and venture capitalists continue to display strong interest. Notably, Launch Africa, Techstars, and 54 Collective remain active players. This insight comes from a new report by Africa-focused tech startup analytics firm, Africa the Big Deal. The report highlights that 286 investors participated in at […] The post Launch Africa, Techstars, and 54 Collective Lead VC Activity in African Market for H1 2024 appeared first on Tech In Africa .

In 2023, global venture capital faced challenges, and Africa's tech sector wasn't spared. According to Disrupt Africa, funding for African Tech Startups plummeted by 48% compared to the previous year. Yet, amidst the turbulence, there's hope for a brighter tomorrow. For founders, navigating Series A and B rounds has become tougher. But it's not all doom and gloom. Now is the time to embrace resilience and innovation. Let's pivot our strategies, focus on sustainable growth, and optimize resources to weather the storm. Together, we can build a more robust ecosystem. Let's collaborate, innovate, and forge ahead towards a better future for African venture capital. #Resilience #Innovation #FutureForward

Transformative Dialogues for the EAVCA Tanzania Conference! Being part of the East Africa Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EAVCA) Tanzania Conference on October 24, 2024, at Coral Beach in Dar es Salaam was a remarkable experience that brought together industry leaders to envision and drive East Africa’s future in private equity and venture capital. One of the standout sessions was Ivan Tarimo’s panel on "Family Business: Building the Foundations for Growth." His insights into establishing sustainable investment frameworks and growth strategies resonated powerfully, spotlighting new paths for East Africa’s economic development. Equally inspiring was the Fireside Discussion: "Building a Thriving Startup Ecosystem in Tanzania." This session unpacked the key roles of investors, policymakers, mentors, and incubators in enabling a dynamic startup environment. The speakers highlighted how collaborative support and resource networks are vital for Tanzanian startups to scale, innovate, and compete on a global stage. Kudos to the organizers, speakers, and attendees for curating an environment rich in insights, networking, and inspiration. It’s exciting to witness such momentum toward building a resilient and innovative future for East Africa's startups!  #EAVCA2024 #TanzaniaConference #PrivateEquity #VentureCapital #EastAfrica #StartupEcosystem #SustainableGrowth

I am extremely proud to share that I was accepted into the Included VC Global Fellowship out of about 7000 applications!!! This is the most challenging thing I have done this year and here are some highlights so far. To get here, I had to go through a long and introspective application process and through the foundational "Peak 5" stage which consisted of: - 30+ hours of financial modeling courses and practice - Wrote a 4800 word Deep Dive into E-Mobility startups in Sub-Saharan Africa (can't wait to share this soon) - Practicing deal flow by sourcing 7 startups - Built a capstone project that lets LPs co-invest with VC funds (built this MVP in less than 2 weeks with great teammates #AcrossTheAtlanctic) - And so many Zoom calls that I have honestly lost track Now I am part of the Global Fellowship, along with 115 exceptional cohort members from 48 nationalities. Over the next 3 months, I will be sharing my journey of learning more about how to finance and invest in climate tech startups in Africa at scale and across multiple asset classes. I am also looking forward to meeting more players (startups/investors/ecosystem enablers) in the space through my podcast - The Energy Talk. So far, during the fellowship, we have had amazing sessions with alumni of Included and some of the venture partners. Imtiyaz, Suad, Swathi, Yasemin, and Laurent-Frederic have permanently changed my perception of what is possible in building an impactful career and removed many internal blockers I have long fallen into as excuses. (for that I say a big thank you!) This amazing network is built on kindness, community, paying it forward, and the drive to sparkle (literally) in whatever room we are in. Thank you Nikita for building this platform and living so strongly by the high standards and values that you've set. Finally, a big thank you to the Venture Partners that support Included VC to give us a fully funded experience: BITKRAFT Ventures, Creandum, daphni, European Investment Fund (EIF), HSBC Ventures, HV Capital, Mouro Capital, Espirit Foundation, Mangrove Capital Partners, Notion Capital, Seedcamp, and Wilson Sonsini. #BeIncluded #VentureCapital #AfricaVC #Climatetech

Meet Baobab OS - our proprietary operating system revolutionizing how we invest in Africa's brightest startups. 🌍✨ Inspired by innovative tools like Cerebro, powering Alexis Ohanian Sr.'s Seven Seven Six 7️⃣7️⃣6️⃣, we’ve built Baobab OS to propel our mission of investing in 1,000 startups over the next decade. Here’s how it’s transforming our process: ⏱️ Investment recommendations within 3 minutes of application. 📊 Instant access to market research, due diligence, and investment memos. 🤝 Tailored support for each founder, from investor matching to global introductions. These advancements allow us to focus on what matters most: creating value for our portfolio. At Baobab Network, we’ve evolved into a tech-driven VC - and this is just the beginning. If you’re building the next game-changing startup in Africa, apply now and join us in shaping the future of Africa through tech. https://lnkd.in/dhBG9Pgp

Exciting to see the growing landscape of early-stage climate tech investors supporting Dutch and European startups! Connect with these any many more investors (700+) for free on the Startup Fountain website. (Feel free to tag any climate startup that is raising in the comments) This investor map from Startup Fountain highlights over 60 firms and angels investing €50K-€5M in climate solutions. Key players include: • 4impact VC • ABN AMRO Sustainable Impact Fund  • ASIF Ventures • Cottonwood Technology Fund • Energy Transition Fund Rotterdam Many anonymous angels are also active in this space. The diversity of investors - from corporate VCs to university-linked funds - shows the momentum building in climate tech. Founders working on climate solutions in the Netherlands and across Europe, there's capital out there to support your vision! Let's connect if you're working in this space. #ClimateInvesting #StartupFunding #Sustainability #DutchStartups Jorn Eiting van Liempt Eline de Haan Sybo Zijlstra Elizabeth Kleinveld Dorus Olgers Victor Straatman Tommy Hurley Claire Tange Joyce Houterman Abdul Afridi Alex Menn Martin Schreurs Sem Foreman Stefan Bary Thorsten Wittmuetz Emily Kegels Therese Angel François-Xavier Fanard Bart van den Heuvel Filip Celen Rob Haenen Alain le Loux Andy Lurling Max Schalow 👨🚀 Chingiskhan Kazakhstan 🤠"

A key takeaway from Innovation Week 2024 was highlighted by Mr. Cedric Merel, EU Head of Cooperation, who underscored the necessity of precisely defining 'startup,' especially within the Tanzanian context. He emphasized that this clarity is crucial for determining the most effective support strategies for these businesses, including appropriate funding mechanisms and innovative tools. Additionally, he stressed the importance of attracting more early-stage investors, such as angel investors, impact funds, and venture capital funds, to Tanzanian startups. "This is the conversation we need to be having," he concluded, underscoring the critical nature of this dialogue for the growth and sustainability of the startup ecosystem in Tanzania. For full insights from Mr Cedric Merel, visit: https://lnkd.in/dWUDKVBa #IWTz2024 #Innovation #InnovationTanzania #InnovationForCompetititveEconomy #DigitalTransformation #GreenEconomy #HumanCapitalDevelopment #FinancialInclusion #BlueEconomy #Tourism UNDP Tanzania European Union

For Satgana, a climate-focused VC firm that has backed seven climate-tech startups across Africa, developing solutions to address the continent’s growing climate problems is existential. Founded in September 2020 by Romain Diaz, Satgana invests between €100k ($105,000) and €300k ($315,000) in early-stage, category-defining climate tech startups across sectors like agriculture, carbon removal, industry and building, and mobility in both Europe and Africa. The firm aims to accelerate climate goals on the continent while creating jobs. So far, Satgana has backed 17 companies, including Kubik, an Ethiopian cleantech startup, and Mazi Mobility, a Kenyan mobility startup. In this interview with TechCabal, Diaz discusses the untapped opportunities in Africa’s climate tech sector, what excites Satgana, and the qualities the firm looks for in founders and businesses it backs. Click the link to read 👉 https://lnkd.in/dFU9mxPn