In this episode of the Full Scale Podcast, Adrian and Tim sit down with Ivy Macharia, Head of Portfolio at Gather Ventures, board director, angel investor, and a driving force in Africa’s startup ecosystem.From her journey into venture capital through actuarial science, to her reflections on the maturity of the African startup landscape, Ivy shares a wealth of insights on:🌍 The evolution of Africa’s startup ecosystem—from its early days to today’s cycles of highs and downturns.👩🏽‍💼 The role of resilience, grit, and execution in successful founders.💸 Balancing commercial viability with impact investing in Africa’s unique markets.🚫 Myths about investing in Africa (and why Silicon Valley’s playbook doesn’t fully apply here).👩‍👩‍👧 Gender dynamics in VC and why amplifying women’s voices matters.🔮 Her one piece of advice for the next generation of African founders. Along the way, we also get personal—chatting about golf, roosters keeping neighbors awake at 2 a.m., and even how a tendon injury taught Ivy something new about anatomy.🔊 Ivy Says: "You can’t have a down cycle unless you’ve had an up cycle—that’s maturity. “Don’t ignore women as a market. They control most household spend and drive consumer decisions.”“Execution in Africa takes grit. It’s harder, but the ones who push through build lasting businesses.”🌍 About Ivy Macharia:💼 Head of Portfolio – Gather Ventures (backing catalytic climate & gender-focused businesses)💡 Angel Investor – Member of Nairobi Business Angel Network & Grounded Investor📊 Board Director – Drop Access Limited🌱 Advocate for capital in local hands—championing African-led venture building👩‍👧 Wife, mother, firstborn daughter, and smallholder farmer on weekends📌 Connect with Ivy:🔗 LinkedIn: Ivy Macharia🎙️ New Full Scale Podcast episodes every two weeks!🎧 Listen on Spotify | Watch on YouTube | Subscribe on Apple Podcasts💬 Like, Comment, Share & Subscribe!#FullScalePodcast #IvyMacharia #GatherVentures #AfricanStartups #AngelInvesting #ImpactInvesting #VentureCapital #WomenInVC #ResilientFounders #ProductMarketFit #AfricaRising👉 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe—and let us know in the comments what stood out to you most from Ivy’s story.

(00:00) behind the scenes.

(03:41) Intro.

(04:40) Who is Ivy Macharia.

(08:51) Journey of start- up in Africa.

(13:02) Key traits and red flags that shapes investment decision.

(17:32) Kenya's start up criticism.

(22:34) Balance between commercial viability and impact.

(29:38) Regional differences on how to approach difficulties.

(33:25) Myths about investing in Africa

(36:15) Do silicon valley playbook work for Africa.

(39:37) Is the industry empowering women voices.

(44:08) Founders time capsule.

(46:55) Surprise question.

(50:16) Interesting thing of the week.

(52:27) Outro and conclusion.