East Africa Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EAVCA)

We are hiring for the role of Uganda Country Coordinator. Applications close on 26th July 2024. Email Subject: Uganda Country Cordinator Application.

📽Last month marked a significant milestone for AVPA in Uganda at the East Africa Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EAVCA) Annual Conference 2024, which brought together investors from across the globe. The conference, aptly themed "Adaptation and Advancement: Navigating the Next Wave of East Africa's Investment Landscape," focused on envisioning the next decade of private capital deployment in East Africa amidst shifting market dynamics. Our Regional Director for East Africa, Nasri Adam, highlighted the challenges and opportunities in integrating gender, refugee, and ESG considerations into investment strategies during a panel session titled "Responsible Investing: Adding Value to Investment Through Sustainability." In addition, AVPA and Norfund hosted an exclusive pre-conference networking event that served as a welcoming reception for the EAVCA 8th Annual Conference. This event provided a unique opportunity for professionals to network and forge valuable connections ahead of the main conference. We look forward to building on these discussions and advancing the investment landscape in East Africa. Frank Aswani Nasri Adam Matebe Chisiza Tochukwu Ezeukwu Aby Mokua Tafadzwa Goodman Nyagano , MBA (GIBS), ACCA MO. Zachary Sandra Achieng Inez Wakungwi #AVPA #Impact #ResponsibleInvesting #PrivateCapital #Partnerships #EAVCA2024

I had the opportunity to attend the East Africa Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EAVCA) conference in Kampala on the 13th June, 2024. This conference reinforced the immense potential of East Africa in the private capital landscape. The valuable connections and insights gained will undoubtedly drive our future endeavors The event was excellently organized, insightful, and provided exceptional networking opportunities. Looking forward to the next one! #Renesis #EAVCA #FinancialServices #AfricaRising

Our Business development team Yoshni Toolsee Lucknauth - Head of Business Development and Bhoomija Juwaheer - Regional Head East Africa attended the 8th Edition of the East Africa Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EAVCA)Annual private conference in Uganda on June 13. The platform proved to be an incredible medium to interact and network with other key players shaping the African private capital industry, which gave way to discussions on potential collaborations! #Renesis #EAVCA #FinancialServices #AfricaRising

When Michael Rothe told me that the Flow Board made a decision for me to take an active role in fundraising I thought I had no chance of surviving. He said most of it would be fun and I was like “ok” but I made no promises because I had no idea what I was supposed to do. They should know better, right? One year down the road and I have enjoyed every minute of the roller coaster journey of learning on the job dealing with Due Diligences, pitching, stakeholder management and attending to different engagements. In that regard, I have attended a couple of interesting events in the last couple of weeks and below were the highlights and key moments for me. 1. East Africa Venture Capital Association (EAVCA) Conference 2024 brought together key players in the East Africa private capital space, development partners, regulators and entrepreneurs. Each having a part to play in the ecosystem. One thing that entire room agreed on was that East Africa is ready for investment and there are success stories to prove it. Something to take note of was the launch of USAID Feed the Future Uganda Strategic Investments Activity (SIA)’s virtual deal room a game changer in the market. Access to capital made easier. 2. The Boardroom Master Class a brain child of Steadman Global Consulting JKC Consulting Ligomarc Advocates and COVAE sponsored by The Deal Flow Facility for the benefit of businesses that they support in the journey to raising capital under the theme “Mastering Corporate Governance for SME Success” was quite the interesting one. The panelists shared their stories about embracing CG and how it changed the course of their businesses demystifying some of the misconceptions about CG being among other things expensive, time wasting or simply not necessary for SMEs. Key takeaway from this Masterclass was that CG is an investment in the future of a company to create resilience (sustainability). 3. Africa Innovation for Resilience (AIR) Conference 2024 brought together participants from over 10 African countries some of whom were Innovators from the ongoing Bimalab Innovation Accelerator Cohort on Africa Insurtech. The statistics around uptake of instance in Africa are alarming and even worse when you delve deep into country specific data. 3% of Africa’s 1.49bn population are insured in one way or another, you can do the maths. The numbers greatly humbled me as I am among the privileged one digit percentage on the continent. Some of the key takeaways are as follows; •Innovative solutions supported by data tailored to meet segmented needs are needed now more than ever. •Strategic partnerships between innovators and existing industry players as well as support from the regulators to make insurance more affordable and accessible. East Africa is investable and so is Flow! We enable small businesses grow in the digital economy!

EVENT | The 8th East Africa Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EAVCA) Conference was held in Uganda on 13 June 2024. The conversations at #EAVCA2024 centred around the trends that are shaping and that will shape East Africa’s #PrivateCapital industry in the coming years. Our partners, Kendall Evans (panel moderator), Alex Mathini, Andrew Oduor and Wathingira Gituro, and senior associate, James Pius Rushomesa, were in attendance. The conference offered participants the opportunity to attend various informative session and networking.

🚀 Enabling Finance Limited at East Africa Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EAVCA) 8th Annual Private Capital Conference! 🌍 We are thrilled to announce our participation in the East Africa Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EAVCA) 8th Annual Private Capital Conference which was attended by our CEO Yyeyo Luke and Marketing and PR Director Mugisha Davis. As the home of Finablr, this event was a fantastic opportunity for Enabling Finance Limited to learn, network, and forge new paths in the venture capital landscape. Key takeaways from the event include: Favourable Conditions for Venture Capital: Insightful discussions on how East Africa is ripe for venture capital investments, with a focus on the region's growing economy, youthful demographic, and increasing digital adoption. Networking with Multiple VCs: Unmatched opportunities to connect with leading venture capitalists. We gained invaluable expertise and explored potential partnerships that can drive innovation and growth. In-depth Keynote Speeches: Keynote speeches offered a wealth of knowledge on the East African investment space, highlighting the emerging sectors and investment trends that are shaping the future of the region. Mind-Opening Experience: The conference was instrumental in broadening our understanding of the dynamic East African market, reinforcing our mission to enable financial growth and innovation across the continent. The experience has been incredibly enriching, providing us with the tools and insights needed to continue our mission with renewed vigor and vision. Thank you to the East Africa Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EAVCA) and all the speakers and participants who made this event a resounding success. We look forward to leveraging these insights to drive impactful change in the venture capital ecosystem. #EnablingFinance #Finablr #EAVCA2024 #VentureCapital #EastAfrica #PrivateCapital #Networking #InvestmentOpportunities #Innovation #FinancialGrowth

Lello G Halake and Joel Mugwisa Ssemukaaya from our East Africa Advisory team recently attended the 8th annual East Africa Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EAVCA) Conference in Kampala, Uganda, held under the theme “Adaptation & Advancement: Navigating the Next Era of East Africa's Investment Landscape.”   One of their key takeaways from the gathering was how venture capital and private equity players like Inua Capital, XSML Capital, and Pearl Capital Partners are investing in Uganda and the wider region, highlighting growing opportunities for smaller-sized tickets (US$5M and below). Whereas these deals can present a higher risk, investors have been creative in adapting to the landscape and navigating the bottlenecks to make investments and exits happen.   The USAID Feed the Future Uganda Strategic Investments Activity (SIA) also launched its Virtual Deal Room at the event.  The Deal Room will support private-led deals, reduce transactional risk, and improve deal-making processes in the country. CrossBoundary is a major transaction advisor on SIA, a five-year program running until 2026 and sponsored by USAID to mobilize US$140 million in private capital to Ugandan businesses in the agriculture, productive use of energy, and health sectors. The program also aims to improve the livelihoods of 100,000 marginalized and under-represented people.   Our team was delighted to network with delegates and showcase our transaction and strategy advisory services, tailored to investors, fund managers, companies, donors, and governments mobilizing capital into underserved markets. #EAVCA #EastAfrica #Investment #VentureCapital

Last week, we co-sponsored and attended the East Africa Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EAVCA) conference in Uganda. Some of our key takeaways from the enlightening event include:  1. Returns in East Africa 📈: On the main stage and in personal conversations, several investors shared their stories of exits. Some were highly lucrative, others less so, but all were crucial. Sharing stories about both positive and challenging exits in East Africa helps provide a balanced view of the venture capital landscape, highlighting its real potential for returns and, hopefully, attracting more private capital 🌟 2. Breaking New Ground 🇺🇬: For the first time in its 8-year history, the EAVCA conference was held outside Kenya, in Uganda. Hopefully, this shift underscores a pivotal realization: while Nairobi remains a key hub, significant opportunities beyond its borders must be explored more intentionally. Additionally, given the relatively small size of each of the economies, closer integration in East Africa is a critical component of attracting more capital. We were pleased to visit several promising businesses during this trip, including our portfolio companies, Hatch Africa and Watu Credit, who are leading the way in the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Uganda. 3. Impact vs. Commerciality 💡: A central theme was the balance between impact-first and commercial-first investment approaches. Discussions revealed a consensus from more traditional impact-first organizations such as DFIs, to more commercially-focused investors such as PE funds that the most effective investments strike a balance between the two. At AHL, we are strong believers that crowding in commercial capital to drive long-term positive social and economic outcomes, is the most impactful thing we can do and that can only be achieved with a focus on achieving commercial returns. 🔄 4. Rise of private credit: Private equity has had a significantly longer track record in East Africa; however, more and more investors are including private credit offerings. The rationale is straightforward – the returns for investors are more predictable in terms of timing and volume, while entrepreneurs and shareholders can escape dilution without sacrificing growth. Given the increased interest in private credit, it will be interesting to see how the market offerings evolve as more players try to distinguish themselves to make themselves more attractive to entrepreneurs and LPs. Looking forward to next year! Kerry Nasidai, Rosanne Whalley, Sebastian McKinlay, Eva Warigia, Johanna Raehalme, Audrey Obara, Jarl H. #EAVCA #VentureCapital #EastAfrica #Investment #ImpactInvesting

We were honoured to co-host an exclusive pre-conference side event with the Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries (Norfund) as the welcoming reception for the East Africa Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EAVCA) 2024 Conference in Kampala, Uganda on Wednesday 12 May 2024. This gathering provided a unique opportunity for industry leaders, investors, and stakeholders to network and establish valuable connections ahead of the main event, setting the stage for fruitful discussions and collaborations throughout the conference. Highlights from the event included: ◾ Investment Strategies: William Nyaoke of Norfund and Nasri Adam of AVPA led insightful conversations on investment strategies for sustainability, impact, and innovative MSME solutions in the region. ◾ The event was a testament to working with all actors along the continuum of capital and the critical role of ecosystem builders in the investment ecosystem to enhance collaboration and learning. ◾ Impact Trivia: Lilian Simiyu of Norfund facilitated an engaging impact trivia session that led to a lively exchange between diverse professionals dedicated to sustainable development in East Africa. A huge thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the success of this event. We look forward to more impactful discussions and collaborations from the EAVCA Conference and beyond! Special thanks to the EAVCA team for giving us the chance to host this event. Check out some snapshots from the event below! 📸 #AVPA #Norfund #EAVCA2024 #ImpactInvesting #SustainableDevelopment #EastAfrica