"Should I happen have a one-on-one business talk with President Donald Trump, definitely would tell him that, look, sir, you have the market, I have the the produce."

In this episode of Limitless Africa, we explore the transformative power of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Host Dimpho Lekgeu and Claude Grunitzky speak with alumni from across the continent who are taking their businesses global. From Simone Spencer in Cabo Verde, who transitioned from a San Francisco museum residency to building a pan-African creative network, to Gerald Katabazi in Uganda, who is now employing Americans to sell Ugandan coffee in Ohio and Atlanta. We also hear from Nigeria’s Temi Badru on how ethical leadership and the power of mentorship became the bedrock of her PR empire. This is a story of shared prosperity and a new generation of leaders who see the world as their market.

Plus: How "Ubuntu" mirrors Western organization

🌟 IN THIS EPISODE:

1:40 What is YALI?

3:33 The American mindset meets African sensibilities

6:27 Coffee in Kampala

9:31 President Trump, listen up!

13:30 Why mentoring matters

💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

"Community engagement is only possible with the help of many hands and will only succeed if those hands are organized."

"American young entrepreneurs are also so aggressive. They are very brilliant and they like hands-on activities."

"One of the beautiful things about Africans is that we believe in community."

🌍 ABOUT LIMITLESS AFRICA

The podcast that asks how Africans and Americans can work together for shared prosperity

Every Monday: 15-minute episodes that dive into an issue that matters to Africans

Every Thursday: extended interview with someone unlocking Africa's limitless potential

➕ WANT MORE?

World-renowned psychologist Adam Grant explains how to hone your entrepreneurial skills https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/adam-grant-how-to-rethink-africas-hidden-potential/

How to make money from your creativity https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/how-can-african-creatives-make-money-from-their-art/

💗 LOVE LIMITLESS AFRICA?

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts

Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps get the word out

Share with someone passionate about entrepreneurship in Africa

🚀 FOLLOW LIMITLESS AFRICA

Instagram: @_trueafrica

Website: https://trueafrica.co/

Substack: https://limitlessafrica.substack.com/

🤝 FRIENDS OF LIMITLESS AFRICA

We're delighted to feature Vanessa Delgado, an amazing musician from Cape Verde - follow her here https://www.instagram.com/vanessadelgadodaluz and here https://www.facebook.com/vanessa.delgado.3388630/

Simone Spencer runs Creative Base https://www.instagram.com/creativebase.cv/?hl=en

Gerald Katabazi runs Volcano Coffee https://www.instagram.com/volcanocoffee/

Temi Badru runs Voices and Faces Communications https://ng.linkedin.com/in/temi-badru

Limitless Africa is sponsored by the US Department of State and the Seenfire Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"We're going to hire tons of engineers in Rwanda who are Rwandan to build this technology shoulder to shoulder with our American engineers."

American foreign policy is experiencing a profound shift. It’s now about trade not aid. But we’ve been waiting to understand what that means in practice. That's why an announcement by the US Department of State last November was so significant. The U.S. committed up to $150 million dollars to a partnership with Zipline. Zipline is an American company that designs, manufactures, and operates delivery drones. Yes, drones. And it's one of the first real examples of the America First global health strategy in action. So that's why we're excited to speak with Caitlin Burton. Caitlin is the CEO of Zipline Africa.

Plus: What she really thinks about aid

🌟 IN THIS EPISODE:

00:53 Trade, not aid

01:33 How the drones work

03:56 Why Africa first

08:03 Caitlin's own journey

11:06 Winning Washington

13:47 Who pays for what

20:56 The Ghana problem

30:31 What's next

💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

"We make about one delivery every 60 seconds in Africa today, somewhere somewhere in Africa, someone's receiving a package."

"I think that was a really nice thing for Congress to hear."

"Africa's a place that wants jobs and technology and entrepreneurship."

"Zipline would rather lose the contract if it doesn't deliver on what it says it's going to deliver than hold Africa back from achieving its potential. "

🌍 ABOUT LIMITLESS AFRICA

The podcast that asks how Africans and Americans can work together for shared prosperity

Every Monday: 15-minute episodes that dive into an issue that matters to Africans

Every Thursday: extended interview with someone unlocking Africa's limitless potential

➕ WANT MORE?

“Foreign aid has fuelled corruption, dependence, weak governance” - Maya Horgan Famodu https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/foreign-aid-has-fuelled-corruption-dependence-weak-governance/

Is venture capital the right choice for African start-ups? https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/is-venture-capital-the-right-choice-for-african-start-ups/

💗 LOVE LIMITLESS AFRICA?

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts

Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps get the word out

Share with someone passionate about development in Africa

🚀 FOLLOW LIMITLESS AFRICA

Instagram: @_trueafrica

Website: https://trueafrica.co/

Substack: https://limitlessafrica.substack.com/

Limitless Africa is sponsored by the US Department of State and the Seenfire Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"They were tired of losing women in childbirth."

Last year, one of the US’s top diplomats said that Africa is the world’s largest untapped market… and Africa should be among the US’s largest trading partners. This time, it’s not just about aid. It’s about business. And we were wondering what that might mean in practice. In November last year, the US Department of State made an important announcement: the U.S. committed up to $150 million dollars to a partnership with Zipline. Zipline designs, manufactures, and operates delivery drones. These currently fly in Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana. And they're saving lives. Listen to find out more.

Plus: How African governments are forward thinking.

🌟 IN THIS EPISODE:

1:32 Life and death

3:27 How the Rwandan government saved mothers

4:18 How the drones work

6:21 How to improve an entire health system

8:37 The US perspective

12:36 How AI is saving lives

💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

"We make about one delivery, every 60 seconds in Africa today. Somewhere in Africa, someone's receiving a package"

"It's bringing American innovation in AI robotics to the countries where Zipline operates, including Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana."

"We've seen a really good response to our overall shift from 'aid to trade' with partner governments in Africa."

🌍 ABOUT LIMITLESS AFRICA

The podcast that asks how Africans and Americans can work together for shared prosperity

Every Monday: 15-minute episodes that dive into an issue that matters to Africans

Every Thursday: extended interview with someone unlocking Africa's limitless potential

➕ WANT MORE?

“The VC model is the wrong fit for Africa. Do something different.” https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/the-vc-model-is-just-fundamentally-the-wrong-fit-for-africa-you-have-to-do-something-different/

“Foreign aid has fuelled corruption, dependence, weak governance” - Maya Horgan Famodu https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/foreign-aid-has-fuelled-corruption-dependence-weak-governance/

💗 LOVE LIMITLESS AFRICA?

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts

Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps get the word out

Share with someone passionate about development in Africa

🚀 FOLLOW LIMITLESS AFRICA

Instagram: @_trueafrica

Website: https://trueafrica.co/

Substack: https://limitlessafrica.substack.com/

🤝 FRIENDS OF LIMITLESS AFRICA

We're delighted to feature May Mbira, a musician from Mozambique. Follow him here https://www.instagram.com/may_mbira and here https://open.spotify.com/artist/6I05TlWZUMYbAjYcOwC9eG

Limitless Africa is sponsored by the US Department of State and the Seenfire Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"There is a specific type of risk-taking that is always rewarded"

Mikael Hajjar runs P1 Ventures. P1 Ventures has raised its first $50 million dollars fund at the beginning of 2025. But what’s particularly interesting is that half of the fund will be invested in Francophone Africa. He tells Claude why Francophone Africa is the next investment hotspot.

Plus: The biggest start-ups in Francophone Africa

🌟 IN THIS EPISODE:

1:56 From Mauritania to Silicon Valley

3:37 The success of the American mindset

7:19 The unfair advantage of Francophone Africa

10:17 The shift from expats to repats

13:57 The reality of trust in Africa

16:55 The start-up ecosystem in Mauritania

18:50 A new generation of founders

💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

"Most of the successful entrepreneurs in in Silicon Valley are transplants from all over the world."

"Silicon Valley has the most concentration of people that want to make a difference in the world"

"One of the biggest misconceptions about the Africa AI ecosystem is that it it lacks depth in the application layer"

🌍 ABOUT LIMITLESS AFRICA

The podcast that asks how Africans and Americans can work together for shared prosperity

Every Monday: 15-minute episodes that dive into an issue that matters to Africans

Every Thursday: extended interview with someone unlocking Africa's limitless potential

➕ WANT MORE?

Investor Lina Kacyem tells us why Francophone Africa is a hotspot for investors https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/why-francophone-markets-are-the-next-investment-hotspot/

“The VC model is the wrong fit for Africa. Do something different.” https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/the-vc-model-is-just-fundamentally-the-wrong-fit-for-africa-you-have-to-do-something-different/

Is venture capital the right choice for African start-ups? https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/is-venture-capital-the-right-choice-for-african-start-ups/

“Foreign aid has fuelled corruption, dependence, weak governance” - Maya Horgan Famodu https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/foreign-aid-has-fuelled-corruption-dependence-weak-governance/

💗 LOVE LIMITLESS AFRICA?

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts

Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps get the word out

Share with someone passionate about investing in Africa

🚀 FOLLOW LIMITLESS AFRICA

Instagram: @_trueafrica

Website: https://trueafrica.co/

Substack: https://limitlessafrica.substack.com/

Limitless Africa is sponsored by the US Department of State and the Seenfire Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"What is this country with good roads and electricity and water?"

Francophone Africa is home to some of the continent’s fastest-growing economies, yet it continues to receive a disproportionately small share of global venture capital and startup investment.

In this episode of Limitless Africa, hosts Dimpho Lekgeu and Claude Grunitzky speak with Lina Kacyem, Investment Manager at Launch Africa Ventures, about why Francophone African markets remain overlooked by American investors and what is being missed as a result.

Drawing on her experience spending nearly two decades in the United States before relocating to Abidjan, Casim explains how historical legacies of colonization, legal systems, language, and business culture continue to shape investor behaviour. She contrasts Anglophone and Francophone market dynamics, from regulatory frameworks and communication styles to diaspora networks and trust-building practices.

The conversation also explores infrastructure development in countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, the role of face-to-face relationships in Francophone business environments, and why the CFA franc’s peg to the euro offers a degree of currency stability often misunderstood by foreign investors. As global funds search for new growth opportunities, this episode argues that Francophone Africa represents one of the most compelling and underexplored frontiers on the continent.

Plus: The appeal of the American mindset

🌟 IN THIS EPISODE:

3:00 Differences between the Francophones and Anglophones

6:09 The times they are a-changin?

8:42 Fat B - SI JE TE DIS que je t'aime

9:46 Why should Americans invest in Africa?

💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

"If you align with the right people, there are a lot of opportunities for gains. "

"Numbers don't lie. Look at growth."

"Americans are used to social mobility."

🌍 ABOUT LIMITLESS AFRICA

The podcast that asks how Africans and Americans can work together for shared prosperity

Every Monday: 15-minute episodes that dive into an issue that matters to Africans

Every Thursday: extended interview with someone unlocking Africa's limitless potential

➕ WANT MORE?

“We don’t have huge numbers, but we have huge profits” - Olivier Madiba on building Cameroon's most successful gaming studio https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/olivier-madiba-video-gaming-africa/

How crypto is making sending money cheaper in Africa https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/how-crypto-is-making-sending-money-cheaper-in-africa/

How Africa is basketball’s next big business move https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/why-nba-africa-means-business/

💗 LOVE LIMITLESS AFRICA?

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts

Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps get the word out

Share with someone passionate about investing in Africa

🚀 FOLLOW LIMITLESS AFRICA

Instagram: @_trueafrica

Website: https://trueafrica.co/

Substack: https://limitlessafrica.substack.com/

🤝 FRIENDS OF LIMITLESS AFRICA

We're delighted to feature Fat B, an amazing rapper from Benin - follow her here www.instagram.com/fatb_98 and here https://www.facebook.com/Fatbinois

Lina Kacyem writes a newsletter for TechCabal about Francophone markets https://techcabal.com/category/newsletters/francophone-weekly-by-techcabal/

Limitless Africa is sponsored by the US Department of State and the Seenfire Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"That's where I think we've missed a trick. And that's really where I have focused my entrepreneurship and energy and time and talent"

Bame Pule is the chief executive of private equity firm Africa Lighthouse Capital, based in Botswana. He is a graduate of Pomona College in California and received his MBA degree from Harvard Business School. He worked at Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse, Citigroup, some of the biggest names in finance. But we wanted to find out why he decided to move back to the African continent, even though he was on a fast track in the United States. (Interview from 2025)

Plus: Why risk premium is often mispriced

🌟 IN THIS EPISODE:

2:49 Why return to Africa?

5:52 Why local investors matter more than foreign

8:58 Family offices investing in Africa

11:50 Why America matters

16:12 American investors looking to Africa

💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

"We need foreign investment and we want foreign investment. "

"People see an opportunity for strong financial returns and good businesses."

"As Africans, we don't just want investment, but we recognize that we are dealing with investors."

"There is untapped market and untapped talent."

🌍 ABOUT LIMITLESS AFRICA

The podcast that asks how Africans and Americans can work together for shared prosperity

Every Monday: 15-minute episodes that dive into an issue that matters to Africans

Every Thursday: extended interview with someone unlocking Africa's limitless potential

➕ WANT MORE?

“The VC model is the wrong fit for Africa. Do something different.” https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/the-vc-model-is-just-fundamentally-the-wrong-fit-for-africa-you-have-to-do-something-different/

Is venture capital the right choice for African start-ups? https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/is-venture-capital-the-right-choice-for-african-start-ups/

“Foreign aid has fuelled corruption, dependence, weak governance” - Maya Horgan Famodu https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/foreign-aid-has-fuelled-corruption-dependence-weak-governance/

💗 LOVE LIMITLESS AFRICA?

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts

Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps get the word out

Share with someone passionate about investing in Africa

🚀 FOLLOW LIMITLESS AFRICA

Instagram: @_trueafrica

Website: https://trueafrica.co/

Substack: https://limitlessafrica.substack.com/

Limitless Africa is sponsored by the US Department of State and the Seenfire Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Big companies are waking up to this opportunity and are moving in."

Today, we’re talking about something that shapes everything from jobs to education to healthcare… internet access.

And Africa, we have a problem! Only a fifth of our population have access to the internet... compare that to the global average of about 70%. Africa is lagging behind.

We wanted to find out why. And what can be done about it.

Plus: How laser beams are replacing satellites.

🌟 IN THIS EPISODE:

2:08 Why internet is still a problem

3:26 Leapfrogging fibre

5:48 How African start-ups are providing solutions

7:41 Laser beams bringing internet

10:37 Impact on poverty

💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

"Kenya has much better connectivity than the U.S. does."

"People on the street need to feel the impact of a cable that's lying on their shores."

🌍 ABOUT LIMITLESS AFRICA

The podcast that asks how Africans and Americans can work together for shared prosperity

Every Monday: 15-minute episodes that dive into an issue that matters to Africans

Every Thursday: extended interview with someone unlocking Africa's limitless potential

➕ WANT MORE?

The entrepreneur bringing refrigeration to Africa https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/how-i-made-it-the-entrepreneur-bringing-refrigeration-to-africa/

How crypto is making sending money cheaper in Africa https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/how-crypto-is-making-sending-money-cheaper-in-africa/

“African AI solutions are not being talked about” https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/african-homegrown-ai-solutions-are-not-being-talked-about/

💗 LOVE LIMITLESS AFRICA?

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts

Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps get the word out

Share with someone passionate about pop culture in Africa

🚀 FOLLOW LIMITLESS AFRICA

Instagram: @_trueafrica

Website: https://trueafrica.co/

Substack: https://limitlessafrica.substack.com/

🤝 FRIENDS OF LIMITLESS AFRICA

Kendall Ananyi https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendall-ananyi

Frank Eleanya https://ng.linkedin.com/in/frank-eleanya-0514b335

Jay Shapiro https://ke.linkedin.com/in/jayshapiro

Limitless Africa is sponsored by the US Department of State and the Seenfire Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"We haven't provided the market with a clear proposition from a confidence standpoint."

Welcome to our extended episode with Hugo Obi - the founder of Maliyo Games. It's a gaming studio based in Lagos, Nigeria. They design, develop, and distribute games to mobile audiences on the continent. And in 2024, they partnered with the US company Disney to launch a mobile game. Nigeria has the largest gaming population on the continent. That's around 46 million people. So, as the founder of one of the leading studios in Nigeria, what Hugo says matters.

🌟 IN THIS EPISODE:

1:00 About Maliyo Games

3:46 Working with Disney

6:45 Surprising findings in the gaming research

8:29 How to increase monetization

12:24 The value chain

16:53 How Nigeria can catch up with South Africa

19:32 Studio maturity

20:16 The confidence gap

21:33 What Africa can offer America

💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

"Just because they don't monetize as well as North Americans, doesn't mean that Africans don't deserve to play."

"We haven't provided the market with a clear proposition from a confidence standpoint."

"There's also that opportunity for taking the local content to a global market."

🌍 ABOUT LIMITLESS AFRICA

The podcast that asks how Africans and Americans can work together for shared prosperity

Every Monday: 15-minute episodes that dive into an issue that matters to Africans

Every Thursday: extended interview with someone unlocking Africa's limitless potential

➕ WANT MORE?

Why young Africans could be the champions in e-sports https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/why-young-africans-could-be-the-champions-in-e-sports/

"We don't have huge numbers, but we have huge profits" - interview with Cameroon's leading game developer https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/olivier-madiba-video-gaming-africa/

Peruse Maliyo Games' Africa Games Report https://africagamesreport.com/

💗 LOVE LIMITLESS AFRICA?

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts

Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps get the word out

Share with someone passionate about gaming in Africa

🚀 FOLLOW LIMITLESS AFRICA

Instagram: @_trueafrica

Website: https://trueafrica.co/

Substack: https://limitlessafrica.substack.com/

Limitless Africa is sponsored by the US Department of State and the Seenfire Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Gaming saved my life."

In this episode of Limitless Africa, Claude Grunitzky and Dimpho Lekgeu explore the rise of African e-sports with two of Kenya’s most compelling voices. Brian Diang’a, known as Brian The Beast, one of East Africa’s first professional e-sports athletes, and Shirley Adema, also known as Dark Willow, a competitive Dota player and co-founder of Tunza E-sports. Through their stories, this episode unpacks how gaming is becoming both a career and a lifeline. From escaping violence in Kibra to creating safe spaces for young women in gaming, the episode uncovers an unexpected source of talent, innovation, and youth empowerment.

Plus: The pitfalls of being a woman in gaming

🌟 IN THIS EPISODE:

1:21 Why are e-sports gamers athletes?

3:51 How gaming saves lives?

6:51 How American athletes inspire others

9:01 From virtual to IRL skills

12:08 Girls in gaming

💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

"Everything I do in gaming is inspired by the U.S."

"I want to leave a legacy."

"When you're a lady, there are more opportunities"

🌍 ABOUT LIMITLESS AFRICA

The podcast that asks how Africans and Americans can work together for shared prosperity

Every Monday: 15-minute episodes that dive into an issue that matters to Africans

Every Thursday: extended interview with someone unlocking Africa's limitless potential

➕ WANT MORE?

Can Africa and America win the AI race? https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/why-america-is-africas-best-partner-in-the-ai-race/

How Africa is transforming video gaming https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/how-is-africa-transforming-the-future-of-video-gaming/

“We don’t have huge numbers, but we have huge profits” https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/olivier-madiba-video-gaming-africa/

💗 LOVE LIMITLESS AFRICA?

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts

Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps get the word out

Share with someone passionate about pop culture in Africa

🚀 FOLLOW LIMITLESS AFRICA

Instagram: @_trueafrica

Website: https://trueafrica.co/

Substack: https://limitlessafrica.substack.com/

Limitless Africa is sponsored by the US Department of State and the Seenfire Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to our extended episode with G. N. L. Zamba, a Ugandan hip-hop artist who lives between Kampala and Los Angeles. He's the founder and CEO of the independent hip-hop record label Baboon Forest Entertainment. He's been credited with popularizing Lungaflow - a blend of Afrobeats and Luganda, the most widely spoken of Uganda's 40 languages. In this extended episode, he talks to Claude about why American rappers like Nas are such an inspiration.

🌟 IN THIS EPISODE:

3:47 How rapping in Luganda kickstarted it all

8:07 The musical wildebeests of Uganda

9:40 Coming to America

13:00 Nas the legend

20:53 Making money

29:11 Advice for entrepreneurs

💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

"If alignment is a thing, this must be it."

"Africa is entering a creative renaissance"

"Your ancestors have been waiting for someone with your strength to carry their name"

"I would compare it to a wildebeest migration."

"Sometimes to build Africa, you have to leave Africa."

" My career was run like it was a business from the very beginning."

"The Africans and the Americans have a chance right now"

🌍 ABOUT LIMITLESS AFRICA

The podcast that asks how Africans and Americans can work together for shared prosperity

Every Monday: 15-minute episodes that dive into an issue that matters to Africans

Every Thursday: extended interview with someone unlocking Africa's limitless potential

➕ WANT MORE?

“It’s all unseen and unknown as to how big this is” – Inside the business of podcasting https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/its-all-unseen-and-unknown-as-to-how-big-this-is-molly-jensen-ceo-of-africas-largest-podcasting-platform/

How to make money from your creativity https://trueafrica.co/article/podcast/how-can-african-creatives-make-money-from-their-art/

💗 LOVE LIMITLESS AFRICA?

Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcasts

Leave a 5⭐ review – it helps get the word out

Share with someone passionate about hip hop in Africa

🚀 FOLLOW LIMITLESS AFRICA

Instagram: @_trueafrica

Website: https://trueafrica.co/

Substack: https://limitlessafrica.substack.com/

Limitless Africa is sponsored by the US Department of State and the Seenfire Foundation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.