The AVCA Podcast

How does storytelling shape the future of African privatecapital?

In this episode, Bidemi Zakariyau Akande, Founder of LSF PR,and Yolande Tabo, Investor Relations Principal at Convergence Partners, break down the power of storytelling in investment and business. From building brand trust to attracting capital, they reveal how the right narrative can be a game-changer—and how the wrong one can be costly.

With real-world case studies and deep industry insights,Bidemi and Yolande explore the intersection of storytelling, data, and strategy in shaping Africa’s investment landscape.

Discover how compelling narratives drive success in privatecapital.

Find out more: LSF PR:⁠https://www.lsfpr.com⁠Convergence Partners:⁠https://www.convergencepartners.com⁠

How does storytelling shape the future of African private capital?

In this episode, Bidemi Zakariyau Akande, Founder of LSF PR, and Yolande Tabo, Investor Relations Principal at Convergence Partners, break down the power of storytelling in investment and business. From building brand trust to attracting capital, they reveal how the right narrative can be a game-changer—and how the wrong one can be costly.

With real-world case studies and deep industry insights, Bidemi and Yolande explore the intersection of storytelling, data, and strategy in shaping Africa’s investment landscape.

Discover how compelling narratives drive success in private capital.

Find out more:
LSF PR: https://www.lsfpr.com
Convergence Partners: https://www.convergencepartners.com

AVCA: https://www.avca.africa

What does it take to build global tech companies from Africa?

In this episode, Mikael (Mika) Hajjar, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at P1 Ventures, shares how his firm identifies exceptional founders in unexpected places. With US$50 million deployed across 34 companies, including Yassir, Raenest, and Nuitée, P1 Ventures combines data-driven insights with a boots-on-ground presence across Cairo, Lagos, Nairobi, and Dakar.

Mika demonstrates how category-defining companies can emerge from any corner of the continent through a unique combination of data science, global expertise and deep local knowledge.

Discover how P1 Ventures is supporting the next generation of African tech leaders building world-class companies from Africa.

Find out more:

In this episode of The AVCA Podcast, we are joined by Brian Waswani Odhiambo, Partner at Novastar Ventures, and Ross Strike, Head of M&A and Investor Relations at Nigeria-based fintech Moniepoint, for a conversation about building category-defining companies in Africa.

The discussion explores what it takes to create lasting value for everyday consumers and examines what lies ahead for both organisations over the next decade. Brian reflects on Novastar's impact as the venture capital firm marks 10 years of backing bold entrepreneurs in Africa, while Ross brings a unique perspective from his journey transitioning from institutional investor to operator.

Brian and Ross unpack the realities of scaling innovative businesses in African markets, the evolution of the venture capital landscape, and the opportunities that lie ahead for visionary founders solving the continent's biggest challenges.

The Role of Private Capital in Unlocking Africa’s Agricultural Potential

In this episode, we talk to Jerry Parkes, Chief Executive Officer at Injaro Investments, about investing in agriculture and supporting smallholder farmers in Africa. Jerry also emphasises the importance of cross-sectoral collaboration to develop long-term solutions for Africa's sustainable growth.

Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠AVCA Corner on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠ for more insights.

Driving SME Success in Africa: Tech-Forward Portfolio and Gender 3.0 with Alitheia Capital

In this episode, we talk to ‘Tokunboh Ishmael, Managing Director and Co-Founder at Alitheia Capital, about gender smart strategies driving alpha and her forthcoming Gender 3.0 fund. ‘Tokunboh also reflects on how gender lens investing has become more mainstream in the private capital landscape over the past decade.

Subscribe to ⁠⁠AVCA Corner on LinkedIn⁠⁠ for more.

The role of DFIs in mobilising private capital in Africa

During AVCA Week in Johannesburg, we sat down with Chris Chijiutomi, Managing Director and Head of Africa at British International Investment (BII), to discuss BII’s longstanding partnership with South Africa as a provider of patient, long-term capital, and the DFI’s role in mobilising capital to solve development challenges in Africa.

Subscribe to ⁠AVCA Corner on LinkedIn⁠ for more.

Driving sustainable and impactful growth in Africa's private capital landscape

This conversation was recorded at the 20th Annual AVCA Conference in Johannesburg, in April 2024.

We sat down with Philipp Hein, CFA, Head of Private Equity Africa and Global Climate Investments at DEG, to discuss the merits of the private capital landscape in Africa; DEG winning the ‘Enabler’ award in the LP category at AVCA’s Anniversary Awards, and his outlook for the sector over the next 12 months.

Subscribe to AVCA Corner on LinkedIn for more.

In this interview AVCA and ⁠Edmund Higenbottam⁠, Managing Director, ⁠Verdant Capital⁠ explore the critical role of mezzanine and private credit as an emerging asset class, their strategic function in bridging funding gaps, and the ongoing discussion surrounding the uptake of their adoption.