Ventures Platform Fund

My guest today on Building the Future Podcast is Elo Umeh, founder and CEO of Terragon Group, a leading data and marketing cloud company in Africa. I've known Elo personally for some time; his leadership at Terragon has been transformative. Founded in 2009, Terragon initially focused on mobile websites and launched Twinpine, a mobile ad network, in 2012. Under Elo's guidance, Terragon now offers marketing automation, customer data platforms, and enterprise insights, impacting over 350 million profiles in Africa. They acquired Alcatel Lucent Mobile Advertising across 16 markets, integrating 60 million customer profiles, and also acquired their long term technical partner, BiZense (India). In this episode we discuss:  - The significance of achieving substantial enterprise value (EV) relative to the capital raised, aiming for a 10x return to ensure strong, scalable businesses and meaningful returns for investors. - The unique challenges and opportunities in the African market, emphasizing the need for patient capital, understanding local value chains, and building strong relationships to navigate infrastructure and liquidity issues. - The crucial role of leadership and investor responsibility in fostering sustainable businesses, advocating for realistic EV expectations and a focus on long-term value creation and responsible business practices. - The importance of staying passionate about your venture, maintaining humility, and focusing on customers to drive long-term success and adaptability in the business world. - The differences between creating a product and building a company, stressing the need for embedding the founder's vision, culture, and governance structures to ensure long-term growth and stakeholder engagement. You can listen to the episode here -https://lnkd.in/efwJsBbN Or - Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4bKNL2C - Audible: https://amzn.to/44Wz767 -  Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3ysrOan

Every month, we share insightful content and exciting updates with our "Series V" community, before anyone else. Here are a few of our favorite gems from past editions 👇 Don’t miss out on the next one, click the link in the comments to read previous editions and subscribe to Series V! Dolapo Morgan Akano Adebayo Matthew Dr. Dotun Olowoporoku Collins Gilbert Damilola Teidi #BackedByVP #VPFund #SeriesV

🚀 We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Ventures Platform Job Board and Talent Network! Explore over 120 exciting opportunities from our diverse portfolio, available in various locations worldwide (London, Dakar, San Francisco, Lagos, Cairo, and more). If you are an excellent professional seeking a role in a mission-driven tech startup, visit the VP Job Board to discover positions that match your expertise. If you don't find the right fit now, you can create a job alert to be notified as soon as a relevant opportunity becomes available. So, take the first step toward making meaningful impact through your work. Head over to the VP Job Board today! (Click the link in the comments) #VPFund #VPJobBoard #WorkOpportunities #RemoteWork #Hybrid #BackedByVP #GlobalOpportunities

🚀 We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Ventures Platform Job Board and Talent Network! Explore over 120 exciting opportunities from our diverse portfolio, available in various locations worldwide (London, Dakar, San Francisco, Lagos, Cairo, and more). If you are an excellent professional seeking a role in a mission-driven tech startup, visit the VP Job Board to discover positions that match your expertise. If you don't find the right fit now, you can create a job alert to be notified as soon as a relevant opportunity becomes available. So, take the first step toward making meaningful impact through your work. Head over to the VP Job Board today! (Click the link in the comments) #VPFund #VPJobBoard #WorkOpportunities #RemoteWork #Hybrid #BackedByVP #GlobalOpportunities

🌍 Ventures Platform in Japan!  🌍 Next week, Kola A., our Founding Partner, will be in Japan, participating in select events and conversations focused on the rapidly growing startup ecosystems in Africa. These conversations will explore regional dynamics, future growth expectations, and the unfolding opportunities in one of the world's fastest-growing economic landscapes. 🗓️ Event Highlights: July 4: Kola will speak at the IVS event, focusing on the "Rapid Growth of the Global South." July 9: Join him at the “Gate to India & Africa” event, organized by SGgrow where he will share insights on Nigeria—Africa's largest economy and home to the world's 6th largest Internet population. We welcome the opportunity to connect with thought leaders and innovators in the region who are as passionate about transformative growth as we are.  #Startups #MarketCreatingInnovation #Africa #Innovation #BackedbyVP

"The next African story will be written by Africans, and there are people crafting the narrative now." - Building The Future Podcast by Dr. Dotun Olowoporoku A few years ago, our Managing Partner, Dr. Dotun Olowoporoku, launched the BTF podcast to share deep insights from Africa's tech ecosystem. After a hiatus in 2020, the renowned #BTFPodcastByDotun is back, highlighting major advancements in  Africa's tech landscape through the perspectives of key players who have raised substantial capital, generated millions in revenue, or added significant value to their businesses. Here are the latest 5 episodes to catch up on this week: 🌟 Tosin Eniolorunda of Moniepoint Group - On scaling fintech products to the mass market. 🌟 Shola Akinlade of Paystack - On building for the long-term, managing talent and growing as a Leader. 🌟 Anu Adedoyin Adasolum of Sabi - On differentiation in B2B ecommerce and complexities of the offline market. 🌟 Mark Straub of Smile ID - On digital Identity as a fundamental driver of economic growth. 🌟 Bode Abifarin - On scaling Flutterwave, startup growth, and expansion. Subscribe here - https://lnkd.in/e-c8dacS to listen to all the episodes. A new episode drops every Wednesday morning! 

"The next African story will be written by Africans, and there are people crafting the narrative now." - Building The Future Podcast by Dr. Dotun Olowoporoku A few years ago, our Managing Partner, Dr. Dotun Olowoporoku, launched the BTF podcast to share deep insights from Africa's tech ecosystem. After a hiatus in 2020, the renowned #BTFPodcastByDotun is back, highlighting major advancements in  Africa's tech landscape through the perspectives of key players who have raised substantial capital, generated millions in revenue, or added significant value to their businesses. Here are the latest 5 episodes to catch up on this week: 🌟 Tosin Eniolorunda of Moniepoint Group - On scaling fintech products to the mass market. 🌟 Shola Akinlade of Paystack - On building for the long-term, managing talent and growing as a Leader. 🌟 Anu Adedoyin Adasolum of Sabi - On differentiation in B2B ecommerce and complexities of the offline market. 🌟 Mark Straub of Smile ID - On digital Identity as a fundamental driver of economic growth. 🌟 Bode Abifarin - On scaling Flutterwave, startup growth, and expansion. Subscribe here - https://lnkd.in/e-c8dacS to listen to all the episodes. A new episode drops every Wednesday morning! 

As part of Mr. Makhtar Diop's - Managing Director of the IFC - International Finance Corporation - recent visit to Nigeria, our esteemed partners at IFC hosted a rich roundtable discussion centered on critical developments within Nigeria's Disruptive Technologies and the VC ecosystem. This event explored potential avenues for further collaboration and partnership with the IFC, especially given the opportunities and macroeconomic realities in Nigeria. The IFC, a valued partner of ours, has actively invested in various key sectors in Nigeria, including technology, fostering the creation and sustainability of innovative solutions that drive economic growth. Our founding partner, Kola A., had the distinct honor of moderating this important event. The session, hosted by the IFC, was graced by distinguished leaders of the IFC led by Mr. Makhtar Diop, and Mr. Farid Fezoua, with participation from key players from leading startups in Nigeria including Piggyvest, Reliance HMO, FairMoney, Sun King, Vendease Africa and Trade Depot. We extend special thanks to the entire IFC team for organizing this significant dialogue and for their ongoing commitment to empowering disruptive technology entrepreneurs who are shaping Africa’s future.

#BackedByVP When we invested in Brass 4 years ago, we believed that African businesses needed a financial partner who would build top-end financial tools and services for them. In that time, Sola Akindolu, Emmanuel Okeke and the entire Brass team have done an excellent job building these tools to support tens of thousands of businesses, starting in Nigeria. Earlier in the year, Brass went through a difficult time. As one of its earliest investors, we still believed in the value that Brass brought to SMBs and the broader ecosystem. This conviction led us to facilitate and participate in the acquisition of Brass by a consortium led by Paystack, with participation from Piggyvest, and P1 Ventures. Following the acquisition, Brass will welcome a new leadership team. As we embrace this transition, we thank Sola and Emmanuel for the visionary foresight to build Brass and the great work they have done thus far. We are enthusiastic about this new chapter for Brass. The company will not only enhance its existing offerings but also innovate further to meet the evolving needs of businesses on the continent. Learn more - https://lnkd.in/dJduRZat

#BackedByVP When we invested in Brass 4 years ago, we believed that African businesses needed a financial partner who would build top-end financial tools and services for them. In that time, Sola Akindolu, Emmanuel Okeke and the entire Brass team have done an excellent job building these tools to support tens of thousands of businesses, starting in Nigeria. Earlier in the year, Brass went through a difficult time. As one of its earliest investors, we still believed in the value that Brass brought to SMBs and the broader ecosystem. This conviction led us to facilitate and participate in the acquisition of Brass by a consortium led by Paystack, with participation from Piggyvest, and P1 Ventures. Following the acquisition, Brass will welcome a new leadership team. As we embrace this transition, we thank Sola and Emmanuel for the visionary foresight to build Brass and the great work they have done thus far. We are enthusiastic about this new chapter for Brass. The company will not only enhance its existing offerings but also innovate further to meet the evolving needs of businesses on the continent. Learn more - https://lnkd.in/dJduRZat