In this episode of Beta Mode, we speak with Jehiel Oliver, Founder and CEO of Hello Tractor, a groundbreaking agritech company transforming African agriculture. Jehiel shares his unconventional journey from investment banking and development finance to launching Hello Tractor—an Uber-like platform for tractors connecting smallholder farmers with equipment owners. We unpack the critical problems Hello Tractor addresses—low productivity due to late or inefficient planting and...

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In this episode, we chat with Olarinde Olukuntoye, COO of Reeple, a fintech startup helping African freelancers get paid globally. He shares his unique path from veterinary medicine to building impact-driven startups like Vinsight and Reeple. We dive into how Reeple allows users in Africa to open foreign currency accounts, receive payments, and convert funds locally and how the platform stands out from traditional services....

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In this episode, we talk with Oliver Windrum, co-founder and CTO of Koronga, an agri-tech startup focused on empowering small-scale African farmers. Oliver shares his journey from growing up on a farm in Zimbabwe to founding Koronga, which uses technology to reduce food waste and improve agricultural productivity. The episode explores the potential of tech to revolutionize African farming and the importance of combining practical...

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In this Beta Mode podcast episode, we explore the impact of employee welfare innovation in corporate Africa with Lekan Olude, the founder of Motherboard. Lekan shares his journey from a computer science student at Obafemi Awolowo University to co-founding Jobberman, a leading job acquisition platform in Nigeria, and eventually creating Motherboard. Driven by a passion for enhancing employee benefits across Africa, Lekan discusses his mission...

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In this Beta Mode podcast episode, we delve into the dynamic world of African venture capitalism with Lydia Idem, the Chief Operating Officer of LoftyInc Capital Management. Lydia narrates her extraordinary journey from a dot-com era developer to the African venture capital scene, driven by a vision to boost tech-enabled businesses across the continent. She elaborates on her role in identifying and investing in Afropreneurs,...

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In this Beta Mode podcast episode, we delve into the ethical transformation of African mining practices with Ayo Sopitan, founder and CEO of Metalex Commodities. Ayo narrates his transition from a data analyst in corporate America to leading a venture aimed at reforming the mining industry in Africa through ethical sourcing and data-driven methods. He emphasizes the importance of connecting small-scale miners to the global...

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In this Beta Mode podcast episode, we explore the transformative power of African literature with Simi Aluko, founder of Illino Media. Simi recounts her journey from a passionate storyteller to a champion of African fiction, emphasizing literature’s role in societal change. She discusses balancing creative writing with her technical role as a civil engineering PhD student, highlighting the importance of innovation resonating with its audience....

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In this episode of the Beta Mode podcast, Tomiwa Igun, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of SunFi, details his journey from confronting power issues in Nigeria as a teenager to co-founding a sustainable energy and fintech startup. He introduces SunFi, a fintech platform he co-founded, specifically designed to accelerate the adoption of solar energy solutions across Africa. SunFi’s mission is to offer techno-economic solutions, utilizing...

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In this episode, Cheukai Makari, CEO of Aminat Ventures, recounts her journey from Sierra Leone to UC Berkeley, and how it shaped her mission to empower African women entrepreneurs. Her experiences in Sierra Leone and academic pursuits in International Business and Global Development at Berkeley fueled her passion for sustainable development. Aminat Ventures, her brainchild, focuses on providing resources, mentorship, and tools to African women,...

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Interview with Nicole