🎙️ In this live podcast episode, recorded in front of an audience at the Founders Factory Africa offices in Johannesburg, an engaging panel discussion featuring our CEO, Bongani Sithole, alongside Meïssa Gueye, International Finance Corporation, Nicola Galombik, Executive Director, Yellowwoods Group, touch base on the African tech ecosystem, sharing practical and actionable insights, their personal anecdotes and perspectives on the current African VC landscape.

💡Key highlights from the panel discussion:

→ LP perspectives about Africa's venture landscape [11:46]

→ Support systems beyond funding [24:45]

→ Promoting the African ecosystem to crowd in local investors [29:38]

Listen to the full podcast episode here: ✅ ⬅️

Connect with Bongani Sithole on LinkedIn
Connect with Meïsa Gueye on LinkedIn
Connect with Nicola Galombik on LinkedIn
Connect with Founders Factory Africa on Linkedin:   / foundersfactoryafrica
Connect with Founders Factory Africa on Twitter:   / foundersffa

🎙️ CEO of Carbin Africa, Femi Oriowo, and Co-founder Fawaz Abdul go bar-for-bar with Andile Masuku (Head of Community, FFA) and Amara Muoneke (Venture Design Lead, FFA) in this podcast episode, uncovering how Carbin Africa is changing the game in the auto retail space throughout Africa and joining the Founders Factory Africa Gen F initiative working alongside Amara Muoneke to refine their concept. 

Carbin Africa is a leading B2B automobile platform that is revolutionizing the way cars are traded across Africa. Operating primarily in Nigeria, our platform connects car dealerships and auto merchants from across the continent, providing a seamless and efficient solution for their business needs.

What to look forward to in this episode:

• How it all began for Carbin Africa [03:03]
• Connecting car dealerships to auto merchants [12:16]
• Working with the FFA Gen F team [29:45]

Sign up for the Not So Secret Sauce Newsletter: ✅ http://eepurl.com/iwW_hw ⬅️ 

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with Femi Oriowo on LinkedIn
Connect with Fawaz Abdul on LinkedIn
Connect with Founders Factory Africa on Linkedin:   / foundersfactoryafrica
Connect with Founders Factory Africa on Twitter:   / foundersffa

Not So Secret Sauce S2 EP9: Coming home to roost with Pullus Africa

🎙️ In this episode, Opeoluwa Fayomi, co-founder and CEO of Pullus Africa, shares her founder origin story from making extra cash doing graphic design while studying Engineering Physics in the hope of working at the National Aeronautical Space Agency to building a tech solution for poultry farmers that led her to join the Founders Factory Africa Gen F initiative and working alongside Yunus Ibrahim (Venture Builder, Venture Studio) to refine and validate her concept.

Pullus uses data-driven technology to boost local poultry production and supply chain by facilitating access to quality Input, advisory and production critical services, finance, and a guaranteed market for poultry farmers in Africa.

In other news... Pullus has announced its collaboration with Heifer Nigeria to impact the livelihoods of 5,000 small-scale poultry farmers in Kaduna and Nasarawa States, Nigeria. This partnership amplifies Pullus Africa's mission to build the largest network of productive and profitable Poultry farmers in Nigeria and Africa. Read all about it: ✅ https://bit.ly/4ah0hpX ⬅️

What to look forward to in this episode:

• Ope's founder journey and Pullus origin story [01:24]
• Working with the FFA Gen F team [13:27]
• Building for poultry tech in Nigeria [40:08]

Sign up for the Not So Secret Sauce Newsletter: ✅ http://eepurl.com/iwW_hw ⬅️ 

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with Opeoluwa Fayomi on LinkedIn
Connect with Founders Factory Africa on Linkedin:   / foundersfactoryafrica
Connect with Founders Factory Africa on Twitter:   / foundersffa

Not So Secret Sauce S2 EP8: Exploring the Intersection of Events with Tech Ecosystem Momentum

In this episode, Kadi Diallo, Portfolio Manager for the Africa Tech Festival, talks to our Head of Community, Andile Masuku, about the importance of events as a driver of tech ecosystem momentum. Kadi unveils the secrets to organising communities through conferences and events that make a tangible difference to the ecosystem’s growth. 

What to look forward to in this episode:

• Defining community and fellowship [08:52]
• Addressing the critical needs of your community through gatherings [10:48]
• The big opportunity for community building in Africa [13:26]
• Tracking conversions and assessing key results from an event [14:21]
• Leveraging the power of collaborations and strategic partnerships [15:49]
• Transactional mutual benefit community building [18:17]
• Managing stakeholders in a complex web of interconnections [19:56]
• Curating Pan-Africa-relevant gatherings for diverse audiences [21:21]
• Most surprising observations about curating tech-focused events within Africa [23:39]
• Using AI technology to optimise event management and hack unique experiences [24:34]
• Community database creation and management [31:44]

Sign up for the Not So Secret Sauce Newsletter: ✅ http://eepurl.com/iwW_hw ⬅️ 

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with Founders Factory Africa on Linkedin:   / foundersfactoryafrica
Connect with Founders Factory Africa on Twitter:   / foundersffa
Connect with Kadi Diallo on LinkedIn

Not So Secret Sauce S2 EP7: Hacking Africa's Startup Ecosystem

Abderrahmane Chaoui, Chief Exploration Officer at Sendemo, lets us into his world of journalism, network building, and reporting on the African tech ecosystem. Sendemo is a research-based consultancy for African startup ecosystems, offering services like ecosystem assessment, market research, and industry forecasts. Chaoui talks through the behind-the-scenes and his approach to gaining a deeper understanding of the contexts shaping the future of innovation in Africa.

What to look forward to in this episode:

• When it all began [06:50]
• Forming relationships with ecosystem players remotely [12:55]
• Challenging startup ecosystem reporter perceptions [19:06]
• Important skills to leverage networking opportunities [23:29]
• Lessons learned while reporting on the African startup ecosystem [28:00]
• Writing to shape a reader's view [29:14]
• Forecasting the African startup tech ecosystem? [33:36]

Sign up for the Not So Secret Sauce Newsletter: ✅ http://eepurl.com/iwW_hw ⬅️ 

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with Founders Factory Africa on Linkedin:   / foundersfactoryafrica 
Connect with Founders Factory Africa on Twitter:   / foundersffa 
Connect with Abderrahmane Chaoui on LinkedIn:   / abderrahmane-chaoui  

Not So Secret Sauce S2 EP6: Navigating Technical Debt in Early Startups: Product Validation

In this final episode of a two-part series on the Not So Secret Sauce Podcast, Kevin Odongo, Senior Software Architect at Founders Factory Africa, and Fabian Elliot, Africa Startup and Venture Capital Business Development Manager at Google Cloud for Startups, get into the detail of product validation once a product is in market, and the tools available to founders once there.

What to look forward to in this episode:

• Defining product validation in the ecosystem context [04:39]
• Product validation tools [08:08]
• Design, develop, test, release, feedback, and plan [12:54]
• Details about the Google Cloud for Startups program [13:51]
• Leveraging Google Cloud support [18:52]
• Going back to the drawing board [20:33]
• Knowing when to iterate and when to stop [24:11]
• The role of the Product Manager [26:19]

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with Fabian Elliot on Linkedin.

Sign up for the Not So Secret Sauce Newsletter: ✅ http://eepurl.com/iwW_hw ⬅️ 

Not So Secret Sauce S2 EP5: Navigating Technical Debt in Early Startups: Speed vs. Quality

In this first episode of a two-part series on the Not So Secret Sauce Podcast, Kevin Odongo, Senior Software Architect at Founders Factory Africa, and Fabian Elliot, Africa Startup and Venture Capital Business Development Manager at Google Cloud for Startups, guide aspiring entrepreneurs through the critical journey of bringing their product to market.

What to look forward to in this episode:

• Core pieces of technical infrastructure founders should have in place [04:15]
• Evaluating market readiness [08:55]
• Leveraging Google Cloud tools [13:01]
• Red flags to look out for in preparation for market entry [17:10]
• Prototyping and getting direct market feedback [21:46]
• Going to market as an early-stage venture [26:07]
• When to consider technical debt for your startup [33:47]

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with Fabian Elliot on Linkedin.

Sign up for the Not So Secret Sauce Newsletter: ✅ http://eepurl.com/iwW_hw ⬅️ 

Not So Secret Sauce S2 EP4: Curating network effects to mobilise communities
 
This episode features Tayo Akinyemi, host and producer of The Trajectory Africa, a “pop-up” podcast that explores the pathways of venture capital and how startups form in Africa, and Ammin Youssouf, co-founder of The Colors and, critically, Afrobytes, a connection point between the African tech sector and other global tech ecosystems.

They discuss how communities can be better equipped to solve big problems than any one individual or organization and how collaboration is a consequence of community.

What to look forward to in this episode:

• The ice-breaker! [02:37]
• The role community has played in their journey [13:00]
• Collaboration as a consequence of community [17:50]
• Communities are better equipped to solve big problems [26:02]
• Curating network effects to  [30:54]
• Driving human connection in a digitized world [40:19]

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with Tayo Akinyemi
Connect with Ammin Youssouf

😉 #FFACommunity Perk: Africa Tech Festival Visitors passes in Cape Town, South Africa are on us: ✅  https://bit.ly/45K6I24 ⬅️

Not So Secret Sauce S2 EP3: Unlocking The Power of Community Building Practice

Andile Masuku, Head of Community at Founders Factory Africa hosts this episode of the community practice focused episode featuring Karl Nchite, Co-founder and CEO at CatalyzU, a fellowship created to ignite collaboration between Africa's next generation of venture capital leaders. Karl is also formerly ESG and Impact Manager at early-stage impact investor Goodwell Investments.

Nchite defines community as "a group of people who are connected by a shared purpose or interest, and who support and encourage each other to achieve their goals." He believes that community is essential for founders, as it provides them with a network of support, mentorship, and resources.

What to look forward to in this episode:

• Defining 'Community' [09:18]
• Packaging community practice at CatalyzU [10:13]
• CatalyzU's value add to the VC and startup community [17:33]
• The business case for leveraging community practice [19:16]
• The business model fundamentals of community practice [26:55]
• Growing a community vs. Competition for commercial success [29:35]
• Creating opportunities for mutual stakeholder benefits [36:46]
• Turning community practice into a profitable business [40:53]

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with Karl Nchite on Linkedin

Sign up for the Not So Secret Sauce Newsletter: ✅ http://eepurl.com/iwW_hw ⬅️ 

Not So Secret Sauce S2 EP2 - SAFEs Evolution in African Early-Stage Venture Funding
 
Adam Wakefield, Managing Editor at Founders Factory Africa hosts this SAFEs (Simple Agreement for Future equity) focused episode featuring Founders Factory Africa's Head of Legal, Lumi Mustapha and Deputy Head of Legal, Thando Sibanda. 

The African tech ecosystem is growing rapidly, and there is increasing demand for capital from startups. In recent years, SAFEs, or Simple Agreements for Future Equity, have become an increasingly popular way for African startups to raise capital.

SAFEs offer several advantages over traditional venture capital financing, making them an attractive option for startups and investors alike. Thando and Lumi discuss what SAFEs are, why they are becoming popular across the African ecosystem, and what the future holds for SAFEs in the continent.

What to look forward to in this episode:

• Equity in the conversation between an investor and startup [06:54]
• The basics of an agreement between the founder and investor [09:24]
• The relevance of SAFEs in the negotiations process [13:21]
• Evolution of SAFEs in the last 10 years [15:26]
• Factors driving the evolution of SAFEs [20:46]
• The balance of power between founders and investors [25:13]
• The validity of enforcement mechanisms within SAFEs [28:45]
• SAFEs in the context of Africa [31:01]
• What founders should look out for during the negotiation phase with investors [34:17]

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with Adam Wakefield on Linkedin
Connect with Lumi Mustapha on Linkedin
Connect with Thando Sibanda Linkedin

Sign up for the Not So Secret Sauce Newsletter: ✅ http://eepurl.com/iwW_hw ⬅️ 

Not So Secret Sauce S2 EP1 - Impact Investing: Driving Commercial Sustainability

Andile Masuku, Head of Community at Founders Factory Africa, hosts this commercial sustainability-focused episode featuring Founders Factory Africa's Chief Financial Officer, Thabiso Foto, Director of Impact at Upaya Social Ventures, Shruti Goel, and Impact Measurement Consultant, Emily Waters, currently consulting at Founders Factory Africa.

This podcast episode is based on the growing debate about whether impact investing can truly deliver on both impact and commercial outcomes. Some argue that the two goals are inherently at odds, and that it is impossible to achieve both simultaneously. Others argue that impact investing can be a win-win proposition, and that investors can make a positive impact on the world while also generating financial returns. There is growing momentum behind the idea that impact investing can be a powerful tool for social and environmental change.

As more and more investors become interested in impact investing, it is likely that the market will continue to grow and mature.

The guests discuss this and more.

What to look forward to in this episode: 

• The basics of impact investing [10:41]
• The role of commercial perspectives in impact investing [11:59]
• Differences between ESG versus impact investing [12:50]
• Driving legislation that advances ESG and impact investing [15:42]
• Managing stakeholder interests and relationships [19:06]
• Opportunities for how businesses can get involved in creating impact [21:02]
• The growth potential of impact investing within the global competitive economy [22:04]
• Whose impact is it anyway? [24:06]
• Frameworks for bringing different views and perspectives to alignment [25:50]
• Focus areas of impact investing [34:49]
• The role of tech in advancing impact outcomes [41:54]
• Driving commercial returns through impact [44:50]
• Metrics to measure commercial sustainability [49:23]
• Pushing the impact agenda across corporate companies [56:12]

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with Shruti Goel on Linkedin
Connect with Emily Waters on Linkedin
Connect with Thabiso Foto on Linkedin

Not So Secret Sauce S1 EP8 - Identifying and optimising talent in the African tech ecosystem

Sam Sturm, Chief Portfolio Officer and Co-founder at Founders Factory Africa, hosts this episode featuring Founders Factory Africa's Talent Acquisition Lead, Ololade Odunsi and Karen Adie, Founder and CEO of agritech company, Isidore.

They take a dive deep into the African tech ecosystem, exploring the current talent market, the opportunities available despite economic turbulence, and the crucial impact that talent has on ventures. Lean in as they unpack the challenges and potential within this dynamic facet of the African tech ecosystem.

What to look forward to in this episode: 

• Get to know Isidore [4:15]
• Balancing optimal team capacity with limited budget and resources [7:42]
• The role of talent acquisition support for startups [9:39]
• Finding the right people for your organisation [10:57]
• Building the right team for Isidore [13:41]
• The current talent landscape across the continent [16:36]
• Assessing candidate resilience [22:46]
• Hiring from a culture fit perspective [26:20]
• Overcoming complex team culture and challenges [33:35]
• Effective people management [36:58]

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with Karen Adie on Linkedin
Connect with Ololade Odunsi on Linkedin
Connect with Sam Sturm on Linkedin

Secret Sauce S1 EP7 - Success factors for commercial partnerships

The emergence of Fintech has disrupted legacy systems and is a key driver of digital transformation within the financial sector.

Over the past decade, Africa’s financial sector has witnessed rapid growth in the size and number of fintechs and payment service providers playing in the sector. In collaboration with Standard Bank, Paystack, and PAWA Africa, Founders Factory Africa (FFA) has developed the Corporate & Startup Partnerships Playbook.  

This podcast episode features our Partnerships Lead, Ayotunde Aladejana, Alesimo Mwanga, Executive Director of PAWA AFRICA, Sacheen Kala, head of Founders Factory Africa partnerships at Standard Bank, and Nubi Kay, Startup Program Lead at Paystack. 

They unpack the free practical guide on how early-stage founders and startups can identify, engage, and secure corporate partnerships. The Playbook provides essential insights into establishing fruitful commercial relationships, focusing on unlocking the potential of the African market, drawing on case studies from South Africa and Nigeria. 

• Why Founders Factory Africa and partnering corporates developed this resource for startup founders [2:21]
• Partnership models in Africa. Case studies of successful B2B and B2C partnerships [6:24]
• B2B or B2C? What's the best model for your startup? [11:31]
• Common misconceptions about partnerships. What founders and corporates need to know [14:21]
• Common mistakes to avoid and how to close more deals [23:24]
• How long does it take to close a deal [28:55]
• Bridging the gap between corporates and startups [34:40]
• Advice for founders on how to succeed in partnerships [36:00]

Useful Resources:
→ Download your free copy of the Corporate & Startup Partnerships Playbook: ✅ https://bit.ly/3J3Ipnm ⬅️

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Follow Alesimo Mwanga on Linkedin
Follow Ayotunde Aladejana on Linkedin
Follow Sacheen Kala on Linkedin
Follow Nubi Kay on Linkedin

Secret Sauce S1 EP6 - How to use organic growth channels to land your first 10-1000 customers

Founders Factory Africa's Growth Marketer, Kate Victory-Edema (née Ovwighose), has created an Organic Growth Playbook to help founders and startups land their first 10 to 1000 customers— in the Africa-relevant, entrepreneurial context of limited time, capital, and resources. The Organic Growth Playbook provides practical and highly-actionable springboard tactics that can help you attract and retain customers without breaking the bank.

She shares insights on what she has learned from helping startups to reach their customers through organic, non-paid channels.

What to look forward to in this episode: 

• Shortlisting the four growth channels highlighted in the growth playbook [03:50]
• Common mistakes founders make when thinking about startup growth and acquiring their first few users [04:46]
• Applying the 'Bulls Eye Traction Framework' by Gabriel Weinberg [05:51]
• The efficiency of specific growth channels for African startups [09:42]
• Which channels early stage startups should focus on [11:17]
• Hacking organic growth using the playbook [14:17]
• How to do a 'Minimum viable test' for the growth channel you've chosen [15:21]
• FFA Growth channel hall of fame [16:38]

Useful Resources:

• Download your free copy of the FFA Organic Growth Playbook here: ✅ https://lnkd.in/dsjqTQQ3 ⬅️

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Follow Kate Victory-Edema (née Ovwighose) on Linkedin and Twitter.

Secret Sauce S1 EP5 - Evolution Diaries

Featured guests on this fifth episode of the Secret Sauce Podcast are Founders Factory Africa's (FFA) Senior Leadership Team (SLT). They are Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Alina Truhina, Chief Financial Officer, Thabiso Foto, Chief Portfolio Officer and Co-Founder, Sam Sturm, CEO, Bongani Sithole, and Co-Founder and Chairman, Roo Rogers.

Alina, Thabiso, Sam, Bongani, and Roo go bar-for-bar in this insightful discussion about the FFA journey thus far, they touch base about their experiences, lessons, greatest challenges, and FFA's plans for the future.

What to look forward to in this episode: 

• Three words that sum up the FFA SLT's experience over the last three years [03:24]
• Lessons learned from the SLT's previous experience before respectively joining FFA [05:08]
• The most surprised by how the SLT's careers are turning out respectively [15:39]
• The SLT's biggest challenges encountered to date [18:35]
• Their thoughts on creating a safe space for emotional support within FFA [21:14]
• The leadership skills needed to succeed as a member of the FFA SLT [26:26]
• The unique selling point of FFA's model [35:30]
• Changing the perspectives on what VC looks like in Africa [38:26]

Useful Resources:

• ARTICLE: Driven by trust and a shared vision by Founders Factory Africa.
• ARTICLE: Can Africa’s start-up sector keep up its record funding run? by Ventureburn.
• ARTICLE: How will economic downturn affect healthtech investment? by Ventureburn.
• PODCAST: Build to Thrive - The Alina Truhina Story by 702 Talk Radio.

FFA SLT's Playlist:

Thabiso Foto - Burna Boy on Spotify.
Alina Truhina - Zero Podcast. 
Bongani Sithole - Oceans by Hillsong UNITED on Youtube.

Sam Sturm - Otis Redding - Hard to Handle on Spotify.
Roo Rogers - 'Round about Midnight by Thelonius Monk on Youtube.

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Follow Thabiso Foto - Chief Financial Officer on Linkedin.
Follow Alina Truhina - Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Linkedin and Twitter.
Follow Bongani Sithole - Chief Executive Officer on Linkedin and Twitter.
Follow Sam Sturm - Co-Founder and Chief Portfolio Officer on Linkedin and Twitter.
Follow Roo Rogers - Co-Founder and Chairman on Linkedin.

Not So Secret Sauce S1 EP4 - Shifting narratives about doing business in Africa 

Featured guests on this episode are Adelaide Njoki, Venture Sourcing Lead at Founders Factory Africa, who identifies and vets deal pipeline opportunities and Product Lead at Founders Factory Africa, Andy Obuoforibo, who helps the early-stage startups we invest in build great products that their customers will love.

In this fourth episode of our flagship podcast, Founders Factory Africa's Venture Sourcing Lead, Adelaide Muthang'i, and Product Lead, Andy Obuoforibo, unpack the thinking that went into articles they published in late 2022 via our Medium channel: 

📌 In this article titled, 'Expats still have the funding edge. Where can African founders take control? Adelaide focused on the perceived schism between local and expat founders: ✅ 
https://bit.ly/3Ig2MfG ⬅️ 

📌 While Andy addressed the nuances of product management in an African context, touching on the hierarchical structures that have a practical impact on any product team or business, in this article titled, 'Is Africa doing product “wrong”?: ✅ 
https://bit.ly/3kcdETX ⬅️

What to look forward to in this episode: 

• The most surprising response Adelaide got to her article cautioning investors to be wary of their unconscious 
  bias [07:06]
• What going to market with the headline, 'Is Africa doing product wrong?' meant for Andy [09:28]
• Pushback from peers in investment circles around some of Adelaide's sentiments [12:23]
• Adelaide's thoughts on people who seem to be investing in the same kinds of deals or people in the same places [16:18]
• Adelaide's controversial opinion on expat founders [17:07]
• Andy's take on the unconscious bias that he believes exists in product management in Africa [20:20]
• The consequences of rubbing people the wrong way about their unconscious biases [26:01]
• The realities of building product in Africa [29:36]
• Tackling the 'right way' to lead product build or development in Africa [33:42]
• Acknowledging the nuances in different African markets [37:26] 
• Moving the narrative in a positive and practical direction from an investor's perspective [41:43]

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with Adelaide Njoki Muthang'i on LinkedIn.

Connect with Andy Obuoforibo on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Connect with Andile Masuku on LinkedIn and Twitter.