The Flip

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2025 is the year of stablecoins. 

Transaction volumes have grown to over $33 trillion in the past 12 months. The top Dollar-denominated stablecoins are the 17th largest holder of US treasuries globally. Tether, issuer the largest stablecoin by volume, USDT, announced $13 billion in net profit in 2024. Circle, the USDC issuer, is going public.

But what got the hype train going was Stripe’s acquisition of the startup Bridge for $1.1 billion.

And all of Bridge’s product market fit is coming from emerging markets and outside the US. 

But why? 

This is the first episode in The Flip’s new human-first series on stablecoin adoption from the rest of the world. Stablecoins are solving everyday problems for people in markets where there’s import deficits, currency devaluation, insufficient banking infrastructure, and more. 

This series will bring to life these conditions and humanize the onchain data. 

00:00 - Intro
01:15 - Zach Abrams - Bridge
02:35 - Stablecoin adoption
03:27 - All of Bridge’s product market fit comes from outside the US
05:19 - Why do people want stablecoins?
08:42 - Subscribe!

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There are 1,696 active players in the NFL. Just 138 are African. 

But if it were up to Osi Umenyiora, 11-year veteran and 2-time Super Bowl Champion, there would be many more. 

Osi is the Founder of The Uprise, the NFL's lead in Africa, and he's pioneering American football on the African continent. 

At the NFL's camp in Lagos, Nigeria, young athletes are vying for a shot to join the NFL Academy in London or to go straight to the League through the International Player Pathway Program. 

But many of them have never played American football before. 

So why is the NFL hosting camps in Africa? Is there really any shot of these players making it to the NFL?

00:00 - The NFL is in Lagos, Nigeria
00:30 - Osi Umenyiora is bringing football to Africa
02:05 - The NFL wants the best talent in the world
03:55 - Creating opportunities for African talent

Our Links -
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Farming is the number one source of employment in Africa, yet its agricultural productivity is the lowest of any region in the world. 

The opportunity is immense—60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land is on the continent—but rural communities are suffering from a lack of economic opportunity.

So young Africans are building innovative solutions to tackle the problems that are impacting their families and communities.

Wissal Ben Moussa is the Co-founder & R&D Officer of Sand To Green, a Moroccan startup pairing regenerative agroforestry techniques with data and technology to turn the desert green. 

Samuel Rigu is the Co-founder & CEO of Safi Organics, a Kenyan company employing a decentralized process to locally manufacture organic fertilizers. 

Francis Nderitu is the Founder of Keep IT Cool, a recent Earthshot Prize winner, building cold chain storage to reduce post-harvest losses in Kenya. 

00:00 - Africa has the lowest farming productivity in the world
01:08 - Sand to Green is reversing desertification in Morocco
04:30 - Safi Organics is manufacturing organic fertilizers in Kenya
07:23 - Keep IT Cool is reducing post-harvest loss in Kenya
10:15 - Solving problems for their local communities

Check out more episodes of The Greenprint here.

This episode was produced as part of our series on climate action in Africa, The Greenprint, in partnership with Catalyst Fund, Delta40, Africa Climate Ventures, and AgBase - an initiative powered by Briter and Mercy Corps AgriFin.

AgBase is a business intelligence platform offering real-time data, market insights, and a centralised hub for information on agtech and foodtech across emerging markets. This initiative, backed by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and hosted by Briter Bridges in partnership with MercyCorps AgriFin, is dedicated to bolstering the knowledge framework essential for catalysing investments in digital and technology-driven solutions, with an underlying mission is to transform the lives of smallholder farmers and boost socio-economic growth.

Delta40 is a venture studio and venture capital fund supporting diverse founders leading ventures in energy, agriculture, and fintech, with a special focus on supporting African and female entrepreneurs. Beyond capital, they provide hands-on support from experienced operators & investors to drive growth from idea to pan-African scale. 

Africa Climate Ventures is a pioneering venture builder working to build a portfolio of climate businesses on the continent. ACV invests to bring proven global climate technology to Africa, accelerate and de-risk the continental expansion of technologies and business models that have gained traction in one or a few African market(s), and add carbon revenue streams to existing African businesses with the potential to scale climate-positive solutions.

‍Catalyst Fund is a venture capital fund and venture builder, investing for a climate resilient future in Africa. They combine capital and a hands-on venture-building approach at the pre-seed stage, to partner with visionary founders who are developing climate adaptation solutions that enhance the resilience of communities and the planet.

This episode is made possible through a partnership with Prosper Africa’s Catalytic Investment Facility. Aimed at boosting investment and innovative climate adaptation and resilience ventures across Africa, The Catalyst Fund is one of the grantees under Prosper Africa's Catalytic Investment Facility. Prosper Africa is a Presidential-level national security initiative aimed at strengthening the strategic and economic partnership between the U.S. and Africa by catalyzing transformative two-way trade and investment flows.

Our Links -
🎥 YouTube - https://youtube.com/@TheFlipAfrica
💻 Website - https://theflip.africa
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/theflipafrica
👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theflipafrica/
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/theflipafrica

Reports suggest that climate change is set to cost the global economy $38 billion per year by 2049. Emerging markets need close to $2.4 trillion per year by 2030 to meet the climate goals. That's 4 times what is currently invested. 

But high capital costs are stalling clean energy investment across Africa. If you want to build a renewable energy project in Sub-Saharan Africa, the weighted average cost of capital would be up to 4x as much as the same project in Western Europe or the US, due to the real and perceived risks of investing on the continent.

If the world invests in renewables and green technology in Africa at Africa's cost of capital, it will underinvest in green energy assets. 

00:00 - The climate funding gap
01:01 - It's 4x more expensive to build an energy project in Africa
02:10 - The cheapest energy is where there is high energy density
03:26 - Startup financing needs
06:23 - Addressing funding challenges at the multinational level

Check out more episodes of The Greenprint here.

This episode of The Greenprint was produced in partnership with Catalyst Fund, Delta40, and Africa Climate Ventures.

Delta40 is a venture studio and venture capital fund supporting diverse founders leading ventures in energy, agriculture, and fintech, with a special focus on supporting African and female entrepreneurs. Beyond capital, they provide hands-on support from experienced operators & investors to drive growth from idea to pan-African scale. 

Africa Climate Ventures is a pioneering venture builder working to build a portfolio of climate businesses on the continent. ACV invests to bring proven global climate technology to Africa, accelerate and de-risk the continental expansion of technologies and business models that have gained traction in one or a few African market(s), and add carbon revenue streams to existing African businesses with the potential to scale climate-positive solutions.

‍Catalyst Fund is a venture capital fund and venture builder, investing for a climate resilient future in Africa. They combine capital and a hands-on venture-building approach at the pre-seed stage, to partner with visionary founders who are developing climate adaptation solutions that enhance the resilience of communities and the planet.

This episode is made possible through a partnership with Prosper Africa’s Catalytic Investment Facility. Aimed at boosting investment and innovative climate adaptation and resilience ventures across Africa, The Catalyst Fund is one of the grantees under Prosper Africa's Catalytic Investment Facility. Prosper Africa is a Presidential-level national security initiative aimed at strengthening the strategic and economic partnership between the U.S. and Africa by catalyzing transformative two-way trade and investment flows.

Our Links -
🎥 YouTube - https://youtube.com/@TheFlipAfrica
💻 Website - https://theflip.africa
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/theflipafrica
👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theflipafrica/
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/theflipafrica

Nigeria’s energy crisis has persisted for decades. Africa's largest country is largely powered by fuel generators. They're noisy, dirty, and bad for the environment. But they also provide power to millions of people in a country with an unreliable grid. 

The removal of Nigeria's long-standing fuel subsidy in 2023 caused the price of fuel to quadruple, leaving Nigerian consumers searching for options. And many are going solar. 

So while economic considerations have largely driven Nigeria's transition to solar power, it has positive climate implications too.

But why is the grid so broken? How can it be fixed? And is decentralized solar energy an adequate solution to solve Nigeria's energy crisis?

00:00 - To know Nigeria is to know blackouts
01:28 - How Nigeria is powered today
02:11 - Why the grid is broken and how to fix it
05:17 - Nigerians are making the switch to solar
09:12 - The need for climate resilience

Check out more episodes of The Greenprint: https://theflip.africa/the-greenprint

This episode of The Greenprint was produced in partnership with Catalyst Fund, Delta40, and Africa Climate Ventures.

Delta40 is a venture studio and venture capital fund supporting diverse founders leading ventures in energy, agriculture, and fintech, with a special focus on supporting African and female entrepreneurs. Beyond capital, they provide hands-on support from experienced operators & investors to drive growth from idea to pan-African scale. 

Africa Climate Ventures is a pioneering venture builder working to build a portfolio of climate businesses on the continent. ACV invests to bring proven global climate technology to Africa, accelerate and de-risk the continental expansion of technologies and business models that have gained traction in one or a few African market(s), and add carbon revenue streams to existing African businesses with the potential to scale climate-positive solutions.

‍Catalyst Fund is a venture capital fund and venture builder, investing for a climate resilient future in Africa. They combine capital and a hands-on venture-building approach at the pre-seed stage, to partner with visionary founders who are developing climate adaptation solutions that enhance the resilience of communities and the planet.

This episode is made possible through a partnership with Prosper Africa’s Catalytic Investment Facility. Aimed at boosting investment and innovative climate adaptation and resilience ventures across Africa, The Catalyst Fund is one of the grantees under Prosper Africa's Catalytic Investment Facility. Prosper Africa is a Presidential-level national security initiative aimed at strengthening the strategic and economic partnership between the U.S. and Africa by catalyzing transformative two-way trade and investment flows.

Our Links -
🎥 YouTube - https://youtube.com/@TheFlipAfrica
💻 Website - https://theflip.africa
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/theflipafrica
👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theflipafrica/
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/theflipafrica

Can Africa be a leader in the global fight against climate change? 

While the continent has contributed just 3 percent to global carbon emissions, it is the most impacted by climate change. But it also has a range of natural endowments that leave it well-positioned to build green industries that will have a positive economic impact locally and can play a significant global role in getting to net zero.

In this episode, we're joined by three Africa-focused climate founders solving local problems with global implications. 

00:00 - Africa is the most impacted by climate change
01:18 - The opportunity to build industries powered by renewable energy
01:51 - Great Carbon Valley's Bilha Ndirangu
05:00 - Octavia Carbon's Duncan Kariuki
07:51 - Talus Renewable's Hiro Iwanaga

Listen to more episodes of The Greenprint: https://theflip.africa/the-greenprint

This episode of The Greenprint was produced in partnership with Catalyst Fund, Delta40, and Africa Climate Ventures.

Delta40 is a venture studio and venture capital fund supporting diverse founders leading ventures in energy, agriculture, and fintech, with a special focus on supporting African and female entrepreneurs. Beyond capital, they provide hands-on support from experienced operators & investors to drive growth from idea to pan-African scale. 

Africa Climate Ventures is a pioneering venture builder working to build a portfolio of climate businesses on the continent. ACV invests to bring proven global climate technology to Africa, accelerate and de-risk the continental expansion of technologies and business models that have gained traction in one or a few African market(s), and add carbon revenue streams to existing African businesses with the potential to scale climate-positive solutions.

‍Catalyst Fund is a venture capital fund and venture builder, investing for a climate resilient future in Africa. They combine capital and a hands-on venture-building approach at the pre-seed stage, to partner with visionary founders who are developing climate adaptation solutions that enhance the resilience of communities and the planet.

This episode is made possible through a partnership with Prosper Africa’s Catalytic Investment Facility. Aimed at boosting investment and innovative climate adaptation and resilience ventures across Africa, The Catalyst Fund is one of the grantees under Prosper Africa's Catalytic Investment Facility. Prosper Africa is a Presidential-level national security initiative aimed at strengthening the strategic and economic partnership between the U.S. and Africa by catalyzing transformative two-way trade and investment flows.

Our Links -
🎥 YouTube - https://youtube.com/@TheFlipAfrica
💻 Website - https://theflip.africa
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/theflipafrica
👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theflipafrica/
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/theflipafrica

These climate investors are funding climate startups using a hands-on venture-building model to support founders across Africa. 

In this episode, we’re joined by James Mwangi from Africa Climate Ventures, Maxime Bayen from Catalyst Fund, and Lyndsay Holley Handler from Delta40.

We discuss why African ventures and climate startups, in particular, benefit from the venture building model; the limitations of the traditional two and twenty fund model in the African tech ecosystem; the types of founders and opportunities these investors are looking for; the pitch these investors are making to global investors for why they should back climate action across Africa; and, is Africa the most important region for global climate goals?

00:00 - Intro
01:20 - Why climate in Africa?
06:03 - The types of founders they're investing in
12:18 -  Why the venture building model?
19:39 - Fund structures & models
35:30- The types of businesses & opportunities they're seeking
41:30 - Pitching Africa's climate story to global investors

This roundtable conversation was recorded during the  2024 Climate Week in New York City.

This episode was produced as part of our series on climate action in Africa, in partnership with Catalyst Fund, Delta40, and Africa Climate Ventures.

Delta40 is a venture studio and venture capital fund supporting diverse founders leading ventures in energy, agriculture, and fintech, with a special focus on supporting African and female entrepreneurs. Beyond capital, they provide hands-on support from experienced operators & investors to drive growth from idea to pan-African scale. 

Africa Climate Ventures is a pioneering venture builder working to build a portfolio of climate businesses on the continent. ACV invests to bring proven global climate technology to Africa, accelerate and de-risk the continental expansion of technologies and business models that have gained traction in one or a few African market(s), and add carbon revenue streams to existing African businesses with the potential to scale climate-positive solutions.

Catalyst Fund is a venture capital fund and venture builder, investing for a climate resilient future in Africa. They combine capital and a hands-on venture-building approach at the pre-seed stage, to partner with visionary founders who are developing climate adaptation solutions that enhance the resilience of communities and the planet. 

This episode is made possible through a partnership with Prosper Africa’s Catalytic Investment Facility. Aimed at boosting investment and innovative climate adaptation and resilience ventures across Africa, The Catalyst Fund is one of the grantees under Prosper Africa's Catalytic Investment Facility. Prosper Africa is a Presidential-level national security initiative aimed at strengthening the strategic and economic partnership between the U.S. and Africa by catalyzing transformative two-way trade and investment flows.

Our Links -
🎥 YouTube - https://youtube.com/@TheFlipAfrica
💻 Website - https://theflip.africa
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/theflipafrica
👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theflipafrica/
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/theflipafrica

There are millions of Moniepoint point-of-sale terminals in use across Nigeria. These point-of-sale devices power Nigeria’s offline economy, and while there are many competitors in this space, Moniepoint appears to beating them all. 

How did they do it? How did Moniepoint grow so quickly? And why has it become the preferred choice for agents and merchants across Nigeria?

In this episode, we hit the streets of Lagos with Ezekiel Sanni, Moniepoint's Senior Vice President of Distribution Network Sales.

Moniepoint has been recognized as Africa's fastest-growing fintech by the Financial Times in 2023 and 2024. Last year, they processed over $182 billion in payments. 

Moniepoint (formerly TeamApt) was founded by Tosin Eniolorunda in 2015. 

00:00 - Moniepoint is winning Nigeria's fintech battle
01:28 - What do agents want?
02:19 - Nigeria's banking challenges
03:34 - Moniepoint's business banking strategy
04:49 - Moniepoint's distribution strategy

Check out our roundtable conversation with Monieponit's CEO, Tosin Eniolorunda, Kuda's Babs Ogundeyi, and FairMoney's Laurin Hainy - https://theflip.africa/podcast/nigerian-neobank-roundtable-moniepoint-kuda-fairmoney 

Our Links -🎥
 YouTube - https://youtube.com/@TheFlipAfrica
💻 Website - https://theflip.africa
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/theflipafrica
👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theflipafrica/
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/theflipafrica

Small retailers in Nigeria power the economy. But they’re going through some tough times. Devaluation, food inflation, and overall poor economic conditions have made it especially hard for these small businesses to operate.

To better understand how retail works, and how these small businesses can grow, we hit the streets of Lagos with Deepankar Rustagi, CEO of OmniRetail.

OmniRetail was ranked Africa's #1 Fastest Growing Company in 2024 by Financial Times.

In this episode, Deepankar explains small retailers' working capital challenges and how OmniRetail is helping them grow their business by turning over their inventory faster.

00:00 - Intro
01:00 - Working capital
02:08 - Faster inventory turnover
02:48 - Lack of credit
03:39 - Understanding consumer demand
04:57 - Building a Systematically Important Platform

Read more from Deepankar -  Rethinking Metrics in B2B Commerce: https://theflip.africa/newsletter/rethinking-metrics-in-b2b-ecommerce
Learn more about OmniRetail here: https://omniretail.africa

Our Links -
🔔 Youtube - https://youtube.com/@theflipafrica
💻 Website - https://theflip.africa
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/theflipafrica
👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theflipafrica/
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/theflipafrica

One of the African tech ecosystem's largest exits was the 2020 sale of Sendwave to WorldRemit for $500 million. 

Sid Sridhar was Sendwave's Head of Business at the time, and in this episode, Sid shares his M&A lessons for the African tech ecosystem.

Sid is now the Head of Business at Wave, the mobile money company spun out of Sendwave that's competing head-on with the telcos in Francophone West Africa. Wave raised a $200 million Series A in 2021, valuing the company at $1.7 billion. 

00:00 - Introduction
01:32 - Every deal is different
02:16 - Know the business model that you're building for
02:40 - Companies get bought not sold
03:41 - How to qualify a deal
04:53 - Be smart & strategic with information
05:31 - Be transparent
06:24 - Stay close to potential buyers
07:39 - Alignment with investors

Follow Sid on Twitter

Check out other episodes from the Fintech in Africa Summit:
Nigerian Neobank Roundtable: Moniepoint, Kuda, FairMoney
Why Are Cross-Border Payments So Hard?
Tackling Africa’s $330 Billion Credit Gap

Our Links -
🎥 YouTube - https://youtube.com/@theflipafrica
💻 Website - https://theflip.africa
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/theflipafrica
👥 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/theflipafrica/
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/theflipafrica