In this episode, we sit down with Florent Nduwayezu, investor at FP Capital, a $10 million venture capital firm to unpack the opportunities, challenges, and untold stories shaping the African tech ecosystem. From fintech to climate tech, Florent shares how he evaluates founders, what global investors often misunderstand about Africa, and why local context is everything when backing startups on the continent. We explore the evolution of venture capital in Africa, Florent’s investment philosophy, lessons learned from portfolio wins (and misses), and practical advice for founders navigating early-stage growth. We wrap it all up with a lightning round covering books, bold predictions, and a few laughs along the way. Whether you’re a founder, VC, aspiring entrepreneur, or curious observer of African innovation—this is a must-listen.
In today’s episodes we discuss:
(00:00) Intro
(00:32) Origin Story and upbringing
(3:11) Early Career & Background
(7:26) Current Startup Ecosystem in Africa
(16:23) What investors misunderstand about Africa
(22:45) FP Capital investment strategy
(24:34) What to look for in founders
(35:02) Advice for founders
(39:52) Advice for investors
(43:36) Quick fire questions
—-------------------------------------------------------
Guest
Florent Nduwayezu on linkedin:
Florent Nduwayezu on X:
Fund
Host
Timothy Maaba on linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-maaba-83a9a61ba
Timothy Maaba on X:
Fund
https://www.serereventures.com/
—--------------------------------------------------------
Recommended Links-
Podcast recommended- https://www.youtube.com/@DataDrivenNYC
Books recommended-https://www.amazon.com/Power-Law-Venture-Capital-Making/dp/052555999X, https://www.amazon.com/First-Venture-Capitalist-Leadership-Organization/dp/1896209939
https://www.amazon.com/Pattern-Breakers-Start-Ups-Change-Future/dp/1541704355
—------------------------------------------------------
#Builders&Backers #BuildersandBackers #VC #venturecapital #Africa #startups #funding #growth