Rapelang Rabana

Great write-up by Kola A. from Ventures Platform Fund I couldn't agree more with Kola's points. My top 3 takeaways are: - Africa demands a patient investment approach, distinct from other continents, due to its underdeveloped infrastructure and opaque markets. - We must move away from a story of charity as the future of African venture capital hinges on demonstrating that it can generate substantial returns. -The journey requires patience and a long-term perspective, but the rewards are substantial for those who dare to invest in Africa’s future. Check out the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dn9wQFqj What's your biggest takeaway from the article? Let's discuss it! #Africa #Tech #Startup #Investment #Innovation #EmergingMarkets 

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South Africa is home to world-class entrepreneurs. Picture the possibilities with a South African Start-up Act aimed at modernizing policies to boost high-growth, high-impact entrepreneurship. Join the #SAStartUPAct movement led by SiMODiSA Association: [Link to Article] 🚀 #Entrepreneurship #Innovation

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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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Some Lessons from the Field: Project Nyumbani Afrika Hub There is nothing as empowering as working with communities, and seeing the realization of more empowered people. Many a time, technology merely acts as a tool for greater gains, and empowerment. For this reason, it is always my joy to work with communities around solutions that amplify their efforts. Three years ago, Claire Njeru and I started a e-commerce project, over the years, it's vision and scope has shifted from providing markets to African creatives to capturing stories of African community led enterprises especially of farmers, women and youth. How did we get here: We embraced feedback models, and undertook several iterations. Through this we realized the following: - that African enterprises are based in local networks; - that trust is based on stories rather than merely commodities, - that unlike big corporations such as Amazon operating in highly evolved markets, African markets are highly informal yet highly efficient. So, we noted that e-commerce that serves the people should focus on value-addition and storytelling. For this reason, our approach morphed to a hub which combines all these elements + e-commerce. From this we have a comprehensive vision which is: "At Nyumbani Afrika Hub we are working towards realization of AfCFTA, one community at a time".

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As we approach the close of the year, it's a reflective time to look back on the predictions made about the global economy, monetary policies, and, most crucially for HealthCap Africa, the landscape of venture capital in 2024. What Did I Get Right? And What Did I Miss? Let's discuss how these predictions align with reality and what they signify for our strategic roadmap moving forward. Full video in comments

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Seeing the digitalization of health technologies across Africa is truly inspiring. Across the continent, there is an exciting focus on integrating digital solutions into healthcare systems. This includes the growing use of telemedicine and telehealth services, which I personally championed as the governor of Abia State when I advocated for the implementation of telehealth solutions in the state. We are witnessing remarkable advancements in real-time, particularly with AI transforming the health space and mobile health apps making significant strides. These innovations are making healthcare more accessible to everyone, especially in underserved areas. Nigeria, for example, is experiencing a surge in mobile health platforms that are enhancing the reach of pharmaceutical services, particularly in rural communities. -Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu

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As NICE kicks off their Analyst Summit in Zambia (yes, Zambia), and in the wake of grumbling around Gartner’s recent UCaaS Magic Quadrant, it’s time we address the elephant in the room. For years, analysts have provided objective insights to both customers and vendors, but the tension between analyst relations and perceptions of pay-to-play practices is becoming harder to ignore. Vendors are increasingly sensitive to claims they’re “writing checks” for favorable coverage. Some argue it’s just the cost of doing business—that vendors must wine and dine analysts to stay competitive. But let’s be clear: if that’s the game, it’s not analyst relations—it’s selling out. My first analyst summit was in 2007, at Cisco’s Toronto office. Every other summit was hosted in Boxborough, MA, where we could demo all our technology live and provide direct access to the product team. Not in Peru, not in Zambia—but Boxborough. It wasn’t about putting on a show; it was about showing the product and team. Now, when vendors fly analysts across the globe for lavish summits, it raises questions: are they selling the product or selling the perks? And then there are the analysts. Some maintain objectivity and consistency, delivering value regardless of the event. Others simply regurgitate vendor press releases or let the red-carpet treatment sway their evaluations. Analysts like Gartner and Forrester offer value through paid services, but transparency is key. They should clearly outline their criteria and processes, ensuring reports are based on data, not deals. Startups bemoaning their exclusion from a Magic Quadrant or Wave are missing the bigger picture. By the time there’s an MQ for your market, the chance to be a disruptor has passed. These reports focus on broad, established categories like #CCaaS or #UCaaS. Gartner isn’t going to publish on something as niche as you because the market isn’t mature enough yet. Don’t waste time lamenting it—focus on execution. Early-stage companies should focus on specialized analysts. Those deep into CX or CCaaS are often the first to spot emerging trends. They might not have the visibility of the big research firms, but their influence is just as strong. Building relationships with these analysts puts you on the radar of someone constantly talking with decision-makers and investors in your space. The right analyst can also provide critical insights into market trends—or give you a well-deserved reality check when needed. You can tell a lot about what a vendor values by how they manage analyst relations. Some vendors, like NICE and Five9, fly analysts to exotic locations that have nothing to do with their business. Others, like Zoom and Cisco, take a more pragmatic approach. Vendors, if you don’t want the perception that you’re buying off analysts, then don’t fly them to Zambia. It’s that simple—and it’s not a hard problem to fix.

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How to empower South Africa’s Education through Digital Infrastructure. The importance of digital education infrastructure in South Africa cannot be overstated. With the vast majority of households lacking reliable internet access, the educational disparities between urban and rural areas are stark. This digital divide limits access to quality education and perpetuates socio-economic inequalities. However, innovative digital solutions offer a path to overcoming these challenges. One such solution is the deployment of offline-capable educational devices. These tools, equipped with pre-loaded content and interactive learning modules, ensure that students in remote areas can access high-quality educational resources without the need for internet connectivity. By bridging this gap, we can create a more equitable educational environment for every student. In a country where educational resources are often stretched thin, digital tools provide much-needed support to teachers, enabling them to deliver more effective instruction. Empowering South Africa’s education system through digital infrastructure is important for fostering a more inclusive society. By investing in technology that overcomes connectivity barriers, we can ensure that all students, regardless of their location, have access to the educational opportunities as deserved. Interested in more information on offline capable educational devices, contact thats_ours

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Great morning spent connecting with some of the Founders Factory Africa team members and fellow founders building in tech on the African continent. Building and scaling a venture is really not for the faint of heart, but doing it creating and plugging into a strong sense of community makes the journey that much more enjoyable. Add being a black woman in tech and the journey can be even more isolating but tapping into community is one of the most underrated aspects about the journey. Shout out to my girl Chido Dzinotyiwei one of the few I find myself in spaces like these too. Special shout out to Philani Mzila CDFA for inviting us and of course to every founder and team member I had the chance to connect with today. What stood out most for me though (and is mostly my favourite part) is connecting at a human level because founders (and investors of course) are human too. Something we tend to forget in this rat race of pursuing impact and growth through our ventures. Let’s learn, build and grow (side bar : “Entity” really changed the game with this one - if you know you know) team! Always more energized leaving these spaces after a long week of tough founder slog 🙌🏾 Bongani Sithole Chido Dzinotyiwei Thulani Masebenza Milan Beharie Jabulani Nyembe Shiven Moodley Njabulo Makhathini Andile Masuku #venturebuilding #scale #entrepreneurship #founder #Africa #startuplife #tech

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Can capitalism save the world? [Warning: this is private message with passion 💚 ] The AMES Foundation, that I have been committed to as a Guardian since 2 years, thinks YES! 🦏 ❤️   AMES (“Africa’s Most Endangered Species”) was founded in 2020 by a handful of entrepreneurs. By now, more than 200 entrepreneurs are involved with AMES – both financially and through their active support. We are all united in one goal: to make conservation and animal welfare scalable and thereby make a valuable contribution to the preservation (and recovery) of wildlife.   Since 1970, we have lost more than 2/3 of all species worldwide. The greatest enemy of biodiversity is the loss of natural habitat. By 2030, 30% of the global habitat shall be protected – to this end, we will need more than $700bn per year. Donations and states alone won’t be able to achieve this. We need to leverage the power of markets, of capitalism, to attract financing. Nature conservation must financially pay dividends.   The renowned agency HeimatTBWA\ now supports AMES as part of a pro bono project and has developed the “Capitalism for biodiversity” campaign, which will be on display all across Germany from 22 June.   This is how you can support AMES:  💸 Learn more about the Campaign „Capitalism for Biodiversity“: https://lnkd.in/e8UVUvsR 🚀 Become an AMES Guardian: Be part of a strong community entrepreneurs: [email protected] 💰 Get informed about investment opportunities that protect natural habitat: https://lnkd.in/es26WYii 🛜 Support AMES on Social Media: LinkedIn https://lnkd.in/ejmXACuM  or Instagram https://lnkd.in/edCPc63M Dr. Marlon Braumann Lea C. Henzgen Gioia M. Thomas Hanke Christoph Rösler Marios Michaelides Jan Hildebrand Simon Brunke

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Thank you, Efosa Ojomo for reminding us of the misjudgment that tends to be cyclical about Africa. The allure of a large, youthful & growing population does not readily translate to ready consumers for your goods and services, it does not substitute for the deep work needed for market development, and yes-there is no ready enabling environment yet. No surprises! The real opportunity here is to fund & support to scale market-creating innovations that are, in fact, complex innovation ecosystems that deliver desperately needed pain-killers and that convert non-consumers to consumers even amidst environments that may not be as enabling as the mature markets with ready consumers at the tail end of the developmental horizon. This is naturally hard to do and requires a long-term view. Any other thesis about Africa is prone to fail, is exploitative, and, in fact, a race to the cyclical bottom. This is why Ventures Platform Fund is committed to proving out the prosperity paradox theory through our investment thesis as we remain focused on finding and supporting market-creating innovations, which is no easy task. #WeMove

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** NEW REPORT INCOMING ** https://bit.ly/4bzaSgS Come to our launch event tomorrow (Thursday 20th June) to talk about #ELECTRONICS. A slightly different report this time, we've done a deep dive into a specific business model in a bid to understand if it helps or hinders the journey to #circularity... There is a constant battle between the PURISTS and the PRAGMATISTS. > The Purists want perfect circularity. > The Pragmatists want action now. Who is right? Is there a middle ground? Will they ever see eye-to-eye? We will explore the real life example of E-Waste Compensation tomorrow. The experts will shine a light on what really happens at the end of life of your electronics. We'll hear stories of amazing innovators across Africa and the opportunities and horrors that e-waste presents. What does circularity in electronics actually look like and how do we get there? Find out tomorrow!

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A few weeks ago, GSMA launched its report "AI for Africa: Use Cases Delivering Impact," which echoes our report from a year ago, "AI Technology & Its Applications in Africa" (available here: https://lnkd.in/diX-dMKf). Key Highlights: 1️⃣ #AI could boost Africa’s economy by $2.9 trillion by 2030. 2️⃣ 90+ AI applications in sectors like agriculture, finance, health, and energy. 3️⃣ AI could increase #Africa's GDP by 3% annually. 4️⃣ In #Kenya, 27% of the population reportedly uses AI tools like ChatGPT daily. The report also explores the emerging technology of #AIontheedge, crucial for regions with limited data/cloud infrastructure. This tech processes data locally, reducing latency and enhancing security. The global market for edge computing is projected to grow to $124.7 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 21.9% from $46.3 billion in 2022. As AI models become more efficient, edge AI will revolutionize industries across Africa. Read more about the transformative potential of AI in Africa in the full report: https://lnkd.in/dJ4icJwY.

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Africa has received over $1 trillion in development assistance since 1990—but some of the world's poorest countries are still on the continent. It is clear that aid alone cannot bring new opportunities to these communities. How do we expand our methods and leverage the digital economy to supercharge our efforts? I explored some possibilities in my latest op-ed for DiversityComm Media: https://lnkd.in/dTQgwE3w #socialenterprise #future #socialentrepreneurship

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With Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) accounting for approximately 71% of all deaths worldwide, it's clear that urgent action is needed [source: World Health Organization]. As a member of the eHealth Africa Board of Directors, I am immensely proud of our ongoing FREE medical outreach initiative, in collaboration with EHA Clinics, which aims to combat NCDs in underserved communities in Nigeria. Since kick-off, we have witnessed firsthand the impact of our efforts, with over 400 patients screened and close to 300 enrolled for treatment and management of Hypertension and Diabetes. The results of this initiative bring joy to my heart, knowing that we are making a tangible difference in the lives of individuals affected by NCDs. However, there is still much work to be done. We must continue to expand our reach and scale up our interventions to reach even more communities in need. read more about the outreach here :https://lnkd.in/gH9kFvfF #MedicalOutreach #healthcare #WeAreEHA #NCD #qualityhealthcare eHealth Africa

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I have just read the most insightful article by Efosa Ojomo from the Clayton Christensen Institute on how multi-nationals looking to thrive in Africa need to create enabling environments to achieve this. While Africa IS the next growth frontier, progress is coming from a very low base and many structural and social challenges need to be addressed before the continent's full potential can be realised. Efosa notes "This means Africa is full of non-consumers – hundreds of millions of people who would benefit from consuming a product or service but can’t due to several barriers. The implication is that if a company is not focused on market creation – that is, transforming non-consumption to consumption – it need not be in Africa. There is no African middle class to exploit. It must first be created." I completely agree that multi-nationals need to move away from 'taking' mindset when they enter the continent and commit to the continent by coming in with a 'market creating' mindset in order for both Africa and the company to thrive. What are your thoughts about successfully doing business in Africa? https://lnkd.in/dqtaDCsy #africa #economy #business #multinational #success

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🌟 Empowering Youth, Transforming Communities! 🌟 At The Entrust Foundation, we're not just changing lives - we're revolutionizing futures. Our unique approach to community empowerment focuses on nurturing talent, fostering entrepreneurship, and creating sustainable change in underprivileged areas across South Africa. 🌍 In-Community Scaling: Through our innovative scaling model, we're reaching more people and children in disadvantaged communities than ever before. By harnessing the power of local youth as implementation partners, we ensure cultural relevance and break down language barriers to make a meaningful, lasting impact. 💼 Micro-Franchising: We believe in the potential of every individual. That's why we scout for in-community talent and provide comprehensive training to help them establish their own micro-franchise businesses. These entrepreneurs are not just serving their communities; they're owning their futures. 📚 3-Year Intern Plan: Our interns are more than just employees - they're future leaders. Over a 3-year period, they undergo intensive training, mentorship, and support to run quality programs and build sustainable businesses of their own, with 100% ownership. 💰 Sustainable Income: From day one, our interns earn a monthly remuneration, scalable based on the number of learners and schools serviced. This isn't just about providing jobs; it's about creating pathways to prosperity. 🤝 Support & Mentorship: Every step of the way, our in-community partners receive ongoing support and training for personal and professional development. We're invested in their success because their success is our success. 🚀 Business Start-Up: After completing the internship, successful candidates receive a full office start-up package, including essentials like a desk, laptop, and printer. We're not just launching businesses; we're launching legacies. 🔗 Multiplier Effect: Our impact extends far beyond individual communities. By empowering local entrepreneurs and educators, we're creating a ripple effect of positive change that reaches every corner of the country. 💡 Paid Forward Impact: It's not just about the present - it's about the future. Our programs improve academic performance, enhance STEM skills, and pave the way for future employability, ensuring a brighter tomorrow for generations to come. 🤝 Corporate Responsibility: The success of our model depends on collaboration. We urge corporates to join us in our mission, recognizing their social responsibility and the profound impact they can have on the lives of others. Ready to make a difference? Contact [email protected] or call 012 881 8857 to learn how you can be a part of our transformative journey. Together, we can build a brighter, more equitable future for all. #EntrustFoundation #Empowerment #CommunityTransformation 🌟

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