Karin Cabili

Mbegu, is a Swahili word for a seed. We are building Mbegu with one mission driven by a strong belief in the trans formative power of African entrepreneurship. At Mbegu, we have made ourselves believe that startups are not just businesses, but engines of innovation, job creation, and economic progress of Africa. In Tanzania, and indeed across the continent, startups play a vital contribution role to job growth. Statistically speaking, in Tanzania alone, there was an impressive 14.65% increase in startup-generated jobs from 2021 to 2022, reaching 89,509. That is proof enough to showcase how entrepreneurs are playing a pivotal role in driving economic prosperity. Despite those promising achievement statistics above, still many startups in Tanzania and across Africa face significant hurdles, particularly in accessing much needed capital. In 2022 alone, only 38.75% of startups received funding, highlighting the challenges entrepreneurs encounter in securing financial support. This struggle is exacerbated by the reliance on the outside continent ventures for funding, which often leads to frustration and dashed hopes when funding attempts fail. We aim to address these challenges by providing a platform that connects Africans startups with investors who believe in their vision and potential. We recognize that Africa's future prosperity hangs on the success of these startups, we not only drive job creation and economic growth in Tanzania but also lay the groundwork for broader economic development across the continent. Starting in Tanzania is a strategic choice for Mbegu Africa. Tanzania boasts a burgeoning startup ecosystem and a growing number of entrepreneurs. with innovative ideas. By focusing our efforts here, we can make a tangible impact on the local economy while also establishing a strong foundation for expansion into other African markets. We envision Mbegu Africa as a pan-African platform, supporting startups and entrepreneurs across the continent. Yes, we understand that Africa's diverse cultural and economic landscape presents unique challenges and opportunities, and we are committed to leveraging our platform to empower entrepreneurs from all corners of the continent. Our commitment to "Every idea counts", inclusivity, extends to startups of all sizes and stages of development. We recognize that even small ideas have the potential to catalyze significant change, and we are dedicated to providing support and resources to help these ideas flourish. We also recognize that some Africans have developed highly technological products but have struggled to gain support or recognition, and so we become determined to amplify these voices of African entrepreneurs to showcase their talents and connect with investors who can help bring their ideas to fruition. In summary, we are not just a mere platform, we stand to become a catalyst for change ! Ally Ndimbo Rose Rwegasira George Prosper Statistics Reference: https://lnkd.in/dPbgbmjV

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Despite all of the challenges building a business on the continent, I am super passionate about investing and supporting investors investing in African and Africa-focused businesses. There is so much that needs to be done. Thank you to The Nation Newspaper, one of Nigeria’s foremost newspapers houses, for letting me share my thoughts and journey. We are just getting started. #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #businesses #startups #Africanstartups

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🌍 Africa’s Startup Scene in 2024 : It’s definitely been a mixed bag this year. While the total funding isn’t quite at last year’s levels, there’s a big shakeup in where the money’s going. Fintech, which usually leads the pack, has taken a back seat, grabbing only 22% of funds. Instead, Logistics & Transport is now in the lead, and Energy & Water isn’t far behind. 🌿 Spotlight on Climate Tech: This sector is the real winner, scooping up 45% of the investments—a record high! It’s clear that despite a tougher climate for funding, there’s strong momentum for ventures tackling environmental challenges. Source: Africa: The Big Deal Credit: Max Cuvellier Giacomelli Link to article: https://lnkd.in/dvKC2caH 💡 Founders, take note! - Diversify Your Approach: Explore new niches. Adaptability can open doors, especially in lesser-funded sectors. - Stay Impactful: Align your startup with solutions that offer clear environmental or societal benefits. - Adapt to Investor Sentiments: Use these insights to tweak your business strategies and pitches to meet investor interests. - Keep the Vision: Stay focused on your long-term goals, but be ready to pivot based on current market dynamics. - Network Strategically: Engage with stakeholders in rising sectors like Climate Tech. Learn from them, and explore potential collaborations. 📢 Get More Insights: Join my mailing list for more valuable tips and updates at https://Keshni.co. 👍 Engage & Share: If this post resonates with you, please like, comment, and share it with your network to spread the word. #StartupFunding #Africa #ClimateTech #ShiftingTrends #Innovation #StartupAdvice #Entrepreneurship

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London Africa Network 🇬🇧🌍 is in Sifted! Last week our community featured in the publication's "best communities to join in European tech, according to women in tech" Article. A piece spotlighting 18 of Europe's best tech communities. Thank you for the spotlight Sophie Louise Rowe & Nikita Thakrar - a great honour for Dario Giuliani and I to be named alongside so many amazing ecosystem builders and network founders! You can check out all the great communities named in the article: https://lnkd.in/dCyY-DQX But beyond this list, couple communities and leaders I wanted to give a shoutout to that I've learnt from and admired over the years: 🏗️ Operations Nation - Charlene Chen 🌍 HoaQ - Joe K. 🌳 Foundervine - Izzy Obeng 🚀 Foundrs - Dan Murray-Serter 😇 Angel Investing School - Andy Ayim MBE 🧠 Wiser & Wiser Elite - Izzy Bishop 🧭 Tech Safari - Caleb Maru 🇿🇦 Startup Club ZA - Mathew Marsden 📚 YSYS - Deborah Okenla So ahead of London Africa Network's 2024 Membership launching this month! I'm keen to learn more on community building and on what it takes to build those that are great and enduring - a few questions for you all on LinkedIn: ❓ What do you think makes a valuable community? ❓ What are some of your biggest lessons learnt and top tips for building? ❓ Do you have a community to spotlight or got an idea for one - let us know? Love to hear your answers in the comments below. Hopefully valuable to those who give it a read! #Community #Networks #BestPractice #Learning

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OpenseedVC, an early-stage VC firm that was launched in 2024, has reached the first close of its $10 million fund for early-stage startups across Africa and Europe.  https://lnkd.in/durQ3KFi This is OpenseedVC’s first fund and will be used to back founders with domain expertise. OpenseedVC prioritises founders who demonstrate a clear understanding of the market they are entering and have the skills to navigate the challenges and opportunities it presents. The London-headquartered VC firm will invest up to $150,000 in startups across B2B software, artificial intelligence, fintech, digital health, and the future of work. The firm has already invested in two undisclosed artificial intelligence startups in Nigeria and the UK. Get more details 👇 https://lnkd.in/durQ3KFi

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This week our team have taken a deep dive into the complex trade structures underpinning Ghana's largest traditional trade market, Makola market. Located in central Accra, Makola market is a centre of wholesale and retail trade home to over 35,000 resellers across the consumer goods sector. Accra is a major commercial hub in West Africa. On a West-East axis, Accra sits in the middle of the Abidjan-Lagos trade corridor which connects the major cities of the Gulf of Guinea. On the South-East axis, Accra is well-connected by road to Burkina Faso and from there the rest of the Sahel. This makes Accra and therefore Makola Market a strategic entry point for goods in West Africa coming via the port at Temu and also in transit between Abidjan/Lagos. The market is organised into sections based on the type of products sold: food, personal care, clothes, fabric, shoes and electronics. Among the best-known areas are “Drug Lane” for pharmaceuticals and “Kantamanto” for second-hand clothes sellers. Every type of informal store can be found in this the market, from larger wholesalers, independent large semi wholesaler/retail stores to tabletops and street hawkers. Makola market sellers are overwhelmingly women. Whilst they are all independent sellers, they have developed a strong informal trade organisation. Each section is under the leadership of a product known as a “queen mother” or “chief” whose role is to manage the trade. Seller meetings are regularly organised to fix trade guidelines or elect union spokespeople. While there is no formal price agreement between traders selling the same products, there is an informal agreement that prices should not vary more than 10 to 15% within a section of the market. Payments are either done in cash or with mobile money, with the app MoMo. While mobile has often been advertised to simplify the life of small traders, cash is preferred in Makola Market as the mobile money app takes adds a 3% charge on transactions which can equate to a trading margin. Banks and traditional money lenders are also present in the market. Larger Makola Market traders either import directly or are serviced on a specific day by manufacturers or distributors / importers. There is an implicit agreement between sellers that when one of them is out of stock of a product in demand by a customer, the seller can obtain it from a neighbouring store and sell it with a small extra margin, normally around 1%-2%. Follow us for more Africa trade insight. #africa #traditionaltrade #fmcg #consumer #tradestructure #valuechains #rtm #tradeinsight

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Janade Du Plessis of Launch Africa Ventures and Polo Mohau Leteka of IDF Capital recently shared some valuable insights into the fintech landscape in Africa, stressing on exits in Africa. In their discussion with CNBC Africa, they highlighted some key takeaways that are worth noting. 👉 Firstly, investors are looking for exits, which is why they invest in the first place. 👉 Secondly, big banks and other corporates are struggling to crack the financial inclusion dilemma faced by the continent, which could lead to the acquisition of smaller players. 👉 Thirdly, fintech is a broad space with 9 verticals, so understanding where you play is important. Being agile and able to integrate into other solutions is becoming increasingly important, with embedded solutions on the rise. 👉 Fourthly, fintech is increasingly becoming the basis for access in related sectors like health and education. Improving financial inclusion is seen as the golden thread to improving the lives of African people. 👉 Lastly, the pipeline of deals that are investable is crucial for the growth of fintech in Africa. The discussion also touched on the journeys of women in fintech, with Nicole Dunn of Revio emphasizing the importance of understanding the space, regulation, and adoption of your target market. Regulation is slowly improving, but transparency of processes and controls, stability in institutions and currency across the continent are still lacking, negatively impacting the ability to raise funds. Mélanie Keïta of Melanin Kapital highlighted that the product market is key to getting the right funders on board. Raising funding without this is a challenge, so physically getting into the market you are serving to understand the problem is crucial. Innovative solutions that are fit for the problem can leapfrog startups in solving for financial inclusion. Overall, the fintech landscape in Africa is complex and requires a deep understanding of the market, regulation, and adoption to succeed. Share your thoughts below in the comments 👇 Share the insights by sharing this post with your network ♻ Shout out to Zachariah George for sharing this with us! #fintech #founders #vc #africa #financialinclusion

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TEASER | One of the key events on the African business calendar is approaching - stay tuned to discover our dates! 🔥 #TropicsBusinessSummit #Tropics2024 #TropicsInvestDealroom #StartupsPitch #VisitAfrica #CreativeBrands #GalaDinner #BusinessNetworking #InnovationHub #Entrepreneurship #InvestmentOpportunities #AfricanBusiness #GlobalNetworking #SustainableDevelopment #EmergingMarkets #TradeExpo #DigitalInnovation

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Numbers & insights from a deep tech venture studio that launched 11 companies (all are active) in the last 7 years, reaching £85M valuation across the portfolio: 1. Post Urban, initially bootstrapped by Luke Robinson, an academic with a PhD in physics from Cambridge, now operates with external funding from a UK-based fund. 2. Launched 5 companies during the first 5 years and 6 companies during the last 2 years. 3. All 11 completed pre-seed rounds; 1 of them got Series A, 2 of them are approaching their Series A. 4. The startups have collectively raised ~£25M in venture capital, in addition to receiving grants. The total valuation of the 11 companies is ~£85M, half of which have not yet undergone subsequent funding rounds. 5. Initial equity splits: the venture builder 20%, CEOs of startups 35% (vests over 4 years), CTOs – 20-25%, employees 10-15%. 6. The initial valuation of startups was £2 million, with £300K invested by the venture builder. The last 2 startups were at £3.5-4M initial valuation. 7. Building deep tech ventures requires significantly higher initial funding because these projects need more time to develop demonstrable products. Two portfolio companies hit £1M in ARR. 8. The venture builder has increased the capital for the last 2 startups to ensure they reach meaningful milestones. The CEOs of the startups were able to secure additional funding through their networks, £350K and £450K, respectively. 9. The deep tech investor pool is smaller than that for sectors like SaaS, which requires a stronger proof of concept and market readiness to attract funding. 10. 3-4 times, potential customers became investors in Post Urban Ventures. This is a great approach because it secures investment and validates the concept by gauging whether these potential customers truly believe in the solution and its market necessity. 11. They don't start with a technology or an idea; instead, they integrate insights about global problems and, by actively engaging with advisory boards, founders, and industry experts, identify pain points and align them with technological solutions. 12. They do not bring universities in as co-founders but source scientists or professors to contribute to research and development. This involves leveraging academic expertise to support the technical aspects of startup projects until a prototype is developed. 13. The studio maintains strong connections with major academic institutions, including Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial College, and UCL, supporting its deep tech focus and facilitating access to new technologies and potential founders. 14. Areas of focus in deep tech: AI (Knowledge Graphs, NLP, DNNs, Computer Vision, Edge AI, Active Learning), Quantum Technologies, Biotech, AgTech, Enterprise SaaS. Watch the full interview to gain insights into the portfolio companies, handling IP collaborations with universities, key challenges, and team construction: https://lnkd.in/dCi7fZ7G

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Insights from Iyinoluwa Aboyeji highlight critical points about the startup ecosystem in Africa: *Pre-seed and seed investors such as Future Africa are uniquely positioned to capitalize on the funding boom at later stages (Series A-D). *The need for a world-class accelerator program in Africa, such as Accelerate Africa. *The importance of investors/founders who understand context, especially in times of crises, such as the recent funding contraction #FutureAfrica #AccelarateAfrica #VentureCapital

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🚀Africa should be taking more of the centre stage globally, but why isn’t it? We all know the stats. 📍By 2050, 1 in 4 people globally will be African. 📍Until 2029, 6 of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world are in Africa. 📍Tech adoption across the continent is accelerating the digital infrastructure required to provide access to financial services, improve healthcare, optimise food systems, adapt to climate-smart systems and more generally solve deep, interesting problems that have a commercial and impact upside. And the entrepreneurs are of a different rigour. Whether home-grown or internationally trained, they’re innovating against multiple constraints such as macro headwinds, currency devaluations, changing regulations, lower-than-average consumer purchasing power and yet are finding unique business models and distribution channels to scale. So much magic is happening and we need to keep sharing these stories in the global stage so everyone wakes up to the outsized opportunities that surpass market challenges. Thanks to Forbes for spotlighting the African entrepreneurship landscape, and for hosting Summit that provided space for 1000+ attendees to deepen their connections and understanding of this incredible continent.

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In June 2023, the company forecasted a revenue range of DKK 17 - 21 million ($2.42 - $2.99 million) for the financial year ending June 30, 2024. However, it has since revised its projections downward to DKK 12 - 14 million ($1.71 - $1.99 million), citing, a 38% decline in the value of the Nigerian Naira. For context, the Nigerian Naira has gone from trading at about [NGN] 760 Naira to $1 in June 2023 when Mdundo made its initial projection to about NGN 1,600 to the dollar in March 2024. Despite this, revenue in Nigeria keeps growing when measured in Naira and Mdundo sees long-term potential, as Management closely monitors the evolving situation in Nigeria. https://lnkd.in/d79SNBkX

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Yeah, this is happening. Biggest announcement ever… In celebration of my birthday last week... We're rolling out an exclusive offer tailored for those who not only aim to elevate their personal brand but also aspire to drive Africa's progress forward. This is a specialised opportunity for → 6 visionary leaders who are dedicated to: → Utilising LinkedIn to expand their influence and lead Africa's narrative on a global stage → Driving organic growth through a commanding online presence that aligns with their ambitious goals Act now and secure a 20% discount on my services until May 24th! By partnering with me, you'll receive: → A comprehensive audit and strategic revamp of your LinkedIn persona → Profile optimisation crafted to resonate deeply with your target audience and sector → A personalised content and lead generation strategy that reflects your commitment to African advancement. Investing isn’t just about personal growth... It’s about: → creating a ripple effect that extends your influence across Africa and beyond, → supporting our collective mission to showcase African leadership → and innovation on the global stage. If you’re ready to be a cornerstone in Africa's future and amplify your professional impact... This is your moment... Interested? DM me "Africa" for more details. -- You’re awesome, thanks for reading. If you found value, consider following me and I will keep delivering!

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