The UpStartVC Podcast

Hi everyone!

Welcome to the UpStartVC Podcast, a podcast where we talk to entrepreneurs about the things they’re building and investors about the entrepreneurs they’re backing.

It is hosted by Kamo Motaung an entrepreneur and BCom Honours Investment Management graduate; and, Daryn Munnik, currently pursuing a Masters in Development Finance, with research and support from Vuyo Mzini, Tshepo Mashele, Michael Ncube and Rishabh Krishna.

Our background research note is in the link at the end, please subscribe to have access to all of our future notes and episodes. You can also find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

This week we chat with Zanele Matome on her mission to deliver health to the doorstep of an overlooked segment of the market through her startup Welo.

The themes we discuss are:

* Zanele’s Entrepreneurship Journey.

* The power of referrals.

* Client acquisition during Covid.

* Welo’s growth hacking strategy, business model and pricing strategy.

* Building in public and Welo’s personal touch.

* Welo’s fundraising journey.

* What Zanele would put on a billboard.

We have also put together a background research note on Welo, it is available here:

Welo research note

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast or reading the note, we’d really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts or if you share your thoughts here.

Cheers

The UpStartVC Team

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theupstartvcpodcast.substack.com

Hi everyone!

Welcome to the UpStartVC Podcast, a podcast where we talk to entrepreneurs about the things they’re building and investors about the entrepreneurs they’re backing.

It is hosted by Kamo Motaung an entrepreneur and BCom Honours Investment Management graduate; and, Daryn Munnik, currently pursuing a Masters in Development Finance, with research and support from Vuyo Mzini.

Our background research note is in the link at the end, please subscribe to have access to all of our future notes and episodes. You can also find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

This week we chat with Jesse Randall of Sweater on his mission to change the US Venture Capital (VC) industry by providing retail investors the opportunity to invest in VC as an asset class.

The themes we discuss are:

* Why Sweater was created.

* How investors can use empathy as a tool for success.

* The role of intuition and bias in investment decisions.

* Risk misalignment between founders and investors.

* Navigating difficult conversations between co-founders.

We have also put together a background research note on Sweater, it is available here:

Sweater Ventures research note

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast or reading the note, we’d really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts or if you share your thoughts here.

Cheers

Kamo & Daryn & Vuyo

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theupstartvcpodcast.substack.com

Hi everyone!

Welcome to the UpStartVC Podcast, a podcast where we talk to entrepreneurs about the things they’re building and investors about the entrepreneurs they’re backing.

It is hosted by Kamo Motaung an entrepreneur and VC intern at Hlayisani Capital; and, Daryn Munnik, a CFA charterholder currently pursuing a Masters in Development Finance, with research and support from Vuyo Mzini.

Our background research note is in the link at the end. You can also find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

This week we chat with Khomotso Grace Legodi, the Director Country Manager for Plug and Play Tech Center (“PnP”) in South Africa. PnP is a Silicon Valley headquartered Venture Capital, Startup Business Development Accelerator, and Corporate Innovation platform with 35+ offices in 18 countries across 5 continents. She spent time working at its headquarters in Sunnyvale, California prior to returning to Johannesburg, and is responsible for leading PnP’s operations in South Africa.

Khomotso has diverse investment banking experience in Capital Markets, Sell-side Equity Research, Mergers & Acquisitions, Structured Equity Financing, and Gender-lens Impact investing!

She is from Lebowakgomo, Limpopo, South Africa and has 3 older brothers.

The themes we discuss are:

* Khomotso’s background

* How she was accepted at the University of Cape Town

* The value of mentorship

* Plug & Play and her role at the firm

* Diversity riders in term sheets

* Advice to young black females

* What Khomotso would do with $100k

We have also put together a background research note on Khomotso and gender diversity, it is available here:

Khomotso Grace Legodi & Diversity

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast or reading the note, we’d really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts or if you share your thoughts here.

Cheers

Kamo & Daryn & Vuyo

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theupstartvcpodcast.substack.com

Hi everyone!

Welcome to the UpStartVC Podcast, a podcast where we talk to entrepreneurs about the things they’re building and investors about the entrepreneurs they’re backing.

It is hosted by Kamo Motaung an entrepreneur and VC intern at Hlayisani Capital; and, Daryn Munnik, a CFA charterholder currently pursuing a Masters in Development Finance, with research and support from Vuyo Mzini.

Our background research note is in the link at the end. You can also find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

This week we chat with Simon Ellis of SmartWage on eradicating the poverty cycle through access to earned wages and financial education.

SmartWage is a platform that provides the opportunity for individuals to access a portion of their salary (based on days actually worked), in advance of their salary payment date. They do this through their proprietary wage access software.

The themes we discuss are:

* Simon’s Journey into Entrepreneurship.

* How to start a fintech as a non-technical founder.

* Tools to overcome Imposter Syndrome.

* How to build and maintain relationships with Investors.

* What he’d do differently if he had to start all over again.

* How he’d spend $100k.

We have also put together a background research note on SmartWage, it is available here:

SmartWage

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast or reading the note, we’d really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts or if you share your thoughts here.

Cheers

Kamo & Daryn & Vuyo

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theupstartvcpodcast.substack.com

Hi everyone!

Welcome to the UpStartVC Podcast, a podcast where we talk to entrepreneurs about the things they’re building and investors about the entrepreneurs they’re backing.

It is hosted by Kamo Motaung an entrepreneur and BCom Honours Investment Management graduate; and, Daryn Munnik, a CFA charterholder currently pursuing a Masters in Development Finance, with research and support from Vuyo Mzini.

Our background research note is in the link at the end. You can also find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.

This week we chat to Grégoire de Padirac of Orange Ventures on corporate VC fund structures, investing during COVID-19, and hear his thoughts on what founders should consider when raising financing in Africa.

Grégoire is a VC principal at Orange and is currently based in Senegal.

Orange Ventures is a venture fund of Orange group with €350m under management, investing in areas of Orange expertise and beyond, financing startups with the ambition to imagine, design, and develop innovative solutions, disruptive technologies, and business models of tomorrow

The themes we discuss are:

* Grégoire’s journey to breaking into VC.

* What a typical day looks like for a VC Principal.

* Orange Ventures fund structure.

* Investing, fundraising, and due diligence during COVID-19

* What Orange Ventures looks for in startups they back.

* Grégoire’s advice to entrepreneurs raising financing in Africa

We have also put together a background research note on Orange Ventures, it is available here:

Orange ventures research note

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast or reading the note, we’d really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts or if you share your thoughts here.

Cheers

Kamo & Daryn & Vuyo

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theupstartvcpodcast.substack.com

Hi everyone!

Welcome to the UpStartVC Podcast, a podcast where we talk to entrepreneurs about the things they’re building and investors about the entrepreneurs they’re backing.

It is hosted by Kamo Motaung an entrepreneur and BCom Honours Investment Management graduate; and, Daryn Munnik, a CFA charterholder currently pursuing a Masters in Development Finance, with research and support from Vuyo Mzini.

Our background research note is in the link at the end. You can also find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.

This week we try to tackle the theme of diversity in the startup ecosystem and chat to Vuyani Tati.

Vuyani is a young black man in South Africa and works in the startup ecosystem as the Financial Manager at Startupbootcamp AfriTech.

Startupbootcamp AfriTech is a Cape Town based accelerator focused on high-growth startups in the tech space which is anchored by multiple corporate sponsors.

The themes we discuss are:

* Vuyani’s background and struggles.

* Journey into venture capital and networking through the ecosystem.

* Startupbootcamp’s new fund.

* Representation in venture capital.

* Learnings from his career to-date.

* What Vuyani would do with $100k.

We have also put together a background research note on Vuyani and the level of diversity in the South African Private Equity industry, it is available here:

Vuyani research note

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast or reading the note, we’d really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts or if you share your thoughts here.

Cheers

Kamo & Daryn & Vuyo

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theupstartvcpodcast.substack.com

Hi everyone, happy 2021!

Welcome to the UpStartVC Podcast, a podcast where we talk to entrepreneurs about the things they’re building and investors about the entrepreneurs they’re backing.

It is hosted by Kamo Motaung an entrepreneur and BCom Honours Investment Management graduate; and, Daryn Munnik, a CFA charterholder currently pursuing a Masters in Development Finance, with research and support from Vuyo Mzini.

Starting with this episode we will also share our background research note in the link at the end.

This week we chat to Mvelo Hlophe one of the founders of a Cape Town based, ed-tech startup called Zaio.

Mvelo is a young and dynamic entrepreneur having started Zaio while still at the University of Cape Town in 2017. In 2019, Mvelo was named the overall winner of the 2019 Entrepreneurship Intervarsity competition and in 2020 Zaio was nominated as one of the top 50 innovative ed-tech startups in Sub-Saharan Africa.

You can find out more about Zaio on their website and on social media:

* Website

* Facebook

* LinkedIn

* Instagram:

In this episode we cover the following topics:

* Mvelo’s elevator pitch.

* Why they started Zaio.

* The Zaio business model.

* His fundraising experience.

* What Mvelo would do with a $100k investment.

We have also put together a background research note on Zaio, which is available here:

Zaio Research Note

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast or reading the note, we’d really appreciate a review on Apple Podcasts or if you share your thoughts here.

Cheers

Kamo & Daryn & Vuyo

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theupstartvcpodcast.substack.com

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the re-branded and invigorated podcast that was previously hosted by me, Daryn Munnik, on my newsletter page African VC/ Startup News.

The podcast is now called the UpStartVC Podcast. It is a podcast where we talk to entrepreneurs about the things they’re building and investors about the entrepreneurs they’re backing.

It will be hosted by Kamo Motaung an entrepreneur and BCom Honours Investment Management graduate; and me, Daryn Munnik, a CFA charterholder currently pursuing a Masters in Development Finance.

This week our episode focuses on an entrepreneur that has started her own wine label, Thando Winery.

Thando Winery was started by Noluthando Yeni with the goal of taking time out to celebrate moments with love, and with wine. Thando Winery offers red and white wine blends that can be purchased through Takealot.

According to them, “Every sip of fine wine is an expression of self-love. The Thando product range provides you with outstanding value for money and a pure understanding that when you enjoy this good wine you fall in love all over again.”

You can buy their products and check out their social media sites here:

* Takealot:

* Instagram:

* Facebook:

In this episode we cover the following topics:

* Noluthando’s elevator pitch.

* Why she started Thando Winery?

* The importance of taking the first step.

* Thando Winery’s marketing strategy and plan.

* The high and low points in the journey so far.

* What she would do with a $100k investment.

Leave us a review

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we’d really appreciate a review on iTunes / Apple Podcasts or here. Let us know if you’ve tried Thando red or white and how much you’ve enjoyed it!

Be safe out there and have a great December break!

Cheers

Kamo & Daryn

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theupstartvcpodcast.substack.com