Episode 131 is with Onyeka Akumah who is a serial entrepreneur. He is the Founder and CEO of Treepz, Africa’s leading corporate mobility solutions startup, with more than 5 million customer journeys completed across Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Uganda.

As a seasoned executive with a background in agriculture, real estate, mobility, and e-commerce, Onyeka has founded four startups and exited two. His work includes founding Farmcrowdy - the largest agriculture crowdfunding platform that came from Nigeria; SmallSmall Technologies - Nigeria's number one proptech platform; and exited QwikGist - a social news aggregator that grew to 300,000 users in 2013 within 6 weeks after launch.

Beyond building Treepz, Onyeka currently mentors entrepreneurs through Techstars, teaches entrepreneurship at Rome Business School, and invests in early-stage startups with more than 15 portfolio companies under his belt. 

What We Discuss With Onyeka

• Onyeka's transition from a tech career to become Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Jumia Nigeria, Africa's first unicorn and largest e-commerce store.
• What are the key learnings from his experiences at Jumia and Konga that he has applied to the startups he's launched?
• What was the inspiration behind Farmcrowdy, and what were the challenges that he faced at Farmcrowdy?
• What lessons did he take away from his experience at Farmcrowdy that he has implemented in Treepz?
• Given his notable successes in Africa's tech space, what advice would he give to young entrepreneurs beginning their journey on the continent?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss How a Ghanaian Entrepreneur Is Thriving in a Male Dominated Shoemaking Industry? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Onyeka  on LinkedIn at Onyeka Akumah, and Twitter (X) @treepzglobal

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 130 with Edna Frimpong who is an award-winning entrepreneur who is making remarkable strides in the shoemaking business. Affectionately called the "shoemaker girl," Edna is breaking barriers and inspiring others to pursue their passions, regardless of societal norms.

Edna's journey as an entrepreneur began while she was a student at Adonten Senior High School. She had always been interested in fashion and started making slippers as a hobby. However, as she began to receive positive feedback from her peers and family, Edna realised that she could turn her passion into a viable business.

With this realisation, Edna co-founded Ahofade, a popular classic fashion brand in West Africa that specialises in creating unique and affordable made in Ghana designs from Ghanian fashion designers. What started as a small-scale operation has since grown into a successful enterprise, with Edna gaining global recognition as a talented and innovative shoemaker, fashion designer, and entrepreneur.
 
What We Discuss With Edna

• Edna's inspiration to pursue a career in the shoemaking industry, especially being a woman in a male-dominated field.
• How has Edna used her background in public relations and communications to craft her unique story and build her brand?
• What motivated Edna to write her recently released book, "The Shoemaker's Girl?"
• How does Ahofade support local entrepreneurs in the fashion industry and help them grow their businesses?
• What is the importance of mentorship and coaching in empowering the next generation of African entrepreneurs?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Trust, Metrics, and Impact: A Blueprint for Success in Africa’s 2024 Startup Economy? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Edna  on LinkedIn at Edna Frimpong, and Twitter (X) @EdnaFrimpong7

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 129 with Efayomi Carr, who is Principal at Flourish Ventures, leads Africa investments for Flourish Ventures, and has worked with founders in the startup ecosystem for the last five years.

As of November this year, fundraising declined to nearly pre-Covid levels, with startup founders raising only $3.2 billion in a difficult macroeconomic climate that negatively impacted many global companies and regional scaleups and startups. In this period, Flourish Ventures, a global venture capital firm, has continued to support startup companies across the world, especially fintech founders in emerging markets, with patient capital and expert advisory.

Flourish has also recently announced additional funding of $350 million to double down on their investments in fintech entrepreneurs, a good percentage of which is earmarked for African markets.
 
What We Discuss With Efayomi

• What role does mission-driven entrepreneurship have in determining the future of the financial system, especially in emerging areas such as Africa?
• How do you strike a balance between giving companies time to innovate without quick profit and ensuring they are on track for long-term success?
• Beyond providing capital, how does Flourish Ventures help entrepreneurs navigate regulatory frameworks and policy landscapes?
• Common pitfalls that startup founders encounter in their journey towards scaling their businesses for success, and how can they be avoided?
• What distinguishes successful founders from those that struggle to achieve long-term growth?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Building Borderless Banking: Transforming Global Financial Access for Individuals and Businesses? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Efayomi  on LinkedIn at Efayomi Carr, and Twitter (X) @EfayomiCarr

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 128 with Ibrahim Toyeeb Ibitade, co-founder and CEO of Leatherback, on his remarkable journey as a fintech founder and entrepreneur and the driving force behind his mission to transform global financial access for individuals and businesses.
 
Driven by the need to enable global financial access, payments, commerce, and lifestyle opportunities through more equitable financial solutions, Ibrahim started Leatherback in 2019 with an ambition to democratise banking by providing a single access point that empowers individuals and businesses to think and act globally.

Leatherback is a global banking service provider for individuals and businesses, with innovative technology solutions that unlock equal opportunity for borderless global trade and commerce. Users can access more than 15 currencies from 21 countries, including NGN, GBP, INR, EUR, USD, and many other currencies.

What We Discuss With Ibrahim

• How does Leatherback's technology contribute to democratising banking for borderless global trade and commerce?
• What was the process of meeting the regulatory requirements so you could offer a multi-currency wallet in 13+ currencies without a local presence? 
• What are some of the unique opportunities you've encountered while expanding to new markets in and outside of Africa?
• What does Leatherback's recent expansion into India through a collaboration with YES BANK mean for users in the India-Africa corridor?
• Is the India-Africa or Asia-Africa corridor an opportunity that is often overlooked when looking at financial transactions to and from Africa?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Building a Long-Term Payment Infrastructure in Africa That Removes Currency Friction and Accelerates Economic Growth? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Ibrahim  on LinkedIn at Ibrahim Ibitade, and Twitter (X) @ToyeebIbrahim

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 127 with Elizabeth Rossiello, who is the CEO and founder of AZA Finance, an established provider of currency trading solutions that accelerate global access to frontier markets through innovative infrastructure. By leveraging cutting-edge technology in its flagship products, TransferZero and BFX, AZA is able to significantly lower the cost and increase the speed of business payments to and from frontier markets.

AZA is now a market maker in every major African currency and facilitates payments into G20 currencies directly. Elizabeth expanded the company from Nairobi, Kenya, to operations in 20 markets across Africa and Europe.

What We Discuss With Elizabeth

• How has the payment infrastructure in Africa evolved since AZA Finance's inception in 2013?
• What role has technology played in lowering costs and increasing the speed of your payments process?
• Could you elaborate on AZA Finance's role as a market maker in major African currencies and how it impacts the facilitation of business payments to and from these markets?
• How did you navigate the diverse regulatory landscapes across the African continent to establish AZA's presence in 20 markets?
• How important has it been to address talent challenges within the payments space, particularly in retaining top talent in order to grow and expand the company?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss How the Africa Oxford Initiative is Supporting African Research and Innovation Ecosystems? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Elizabeth  on LinkedIn at Elizabeth Rossiello, and Twitter (X) @e_rossiello 

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 126 with Dr. Anne Makena, who is Co-Director of the Africa Oxford Initiative (AfOx), a cross-university platform for academic and research collaborations between the University of Oxford and African researchers and institutions.

The Initiative aims to support the work of universities and research institutions across Africa and to facilitate the development of equitable and extensive collaborations between Oxford and African institutions.

What We Discuss With Anne

• What are the specific mechanisms AfOx utilises to facilitate collaborations between the University of Oxford and African researchers and institutions?
• What are the challenges faced by African researchers and institutions when cooperating with international initiatives? 
• How does AfOx ensure equitable participation and benefit-sharing in collaborative research projects?
• What role can private capital play in advancing research and development efforts in Africa?
• How important are research collaborations in driving economic development in Africa?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Using the Best of Tech and Human Touch to Solve Human Capital Challenges for Businesses in Africa? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Anne  on LinkedIn at Anne Makena, and Twitter (X) @Kesh_Anne

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 125 with Paul Breloff, Founder and CEO of Shortlist, which is building a better way to hire, combining the best of tech, data, and human touch to provide executive search and youth employment programming across Africa, India, and 20+ countries globally. Since its inception in 2016, Shortlist has collaborated with more than 900 companies and connected with over 1.5 million professionals.

Shortlist is focused on two core offerings:

(1) Shortlist Search: This service focuses on executive search for leading startups and impact organisations in Africa.

(2) Shortlist Futures: This initiative is dedicated to developing and implementing youth employment and apprenticeship programmes across Africa in partnership with donors, governments, enterprises, and educational institutions.

What We Discuss With Paul

• There are several talent and employment platforms available these days. What is Shortlist's value proposition?
• While tech and data play an important role in how the platform operates, how would you describe the human touch in your work?
• How important is partnership with regards to the service that you offer?
• Can you give us examples of the solutions that you are providing to some of the employment challenges that are faced in Africa?
• Where do you see Africa's staffing and recruiting space in 5 years?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss How a Nigerian Entrepreneur Is Cracking the Multi-Billion-Dollar Coconut Industry? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Paul on LinkedIn at Paul Breloff, and Twitter (X) @paulbreloff

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 124 with Ebun Feludu, who is the Founder and CEO of Kokari Coconuts & Company, which is an integrated coconut processing company that serves the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical markets in Nigeria and across Africa.

Since they began operations in 2016, they have processed over one million coconuts into a range of premium coconut oils, coconut foods, and coconut beauty topicals.

What We Discuss With Ebun

• The journey from starting Kokari Coconuts in a kitchen to becoming a major player in the coconut processing industry in Nigeria and beyond.
• Challenges faced as a new entrant trying to break into the multi-billion dollar coconut industry.
• Being on the brink of bankruptcy due to non-payment by a major customer. 
• What efforts is Kokari Coconuts & Company making to promote local coconut cultivation and reduce the country's dependence on imports?
• The importance of sustainability in Kokari’s operations and how the company is working towards reducing its environmental footprint.

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Building and Investing in Africa’s Web3 Infrastructure to Tackle Real Life Problems? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Ebun on LinkedIn at Ebun Feludu 

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 123 with Vincent Li, who is a product manager, seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and mentor. He has more than 15 years’ experience in tech product management and VC investment in China, Africa, and the Middle East.

Vincent is also a founding partner of Adaverse, which is the Cardano Ecosystem Accelerator that aggregates entrepreneurs, strategists, and mentors to build its most robust foundation in Africa. Adaverse supports blockchain founders with funding, mentorship, and tech.

What We Discuss With Vincent

• What benefits can this ecosystem bring to the African economy in terms of addressing financial inclusion and payment infrastructure challenges?
• Compared to other regions you've worked in, how have you seen blockchain startups evolve in Africa?
• What unique challenges and opportunities have you encountered while building companies in Africa, particularly in the Web3 space?
• How do you assess the readiness of African markets to adopt web3 technologies?
• Does Adaverse's strategy for supporting entrepreneurs in Africa differ from its approaches in other regions?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Positioning Africa as a Key Player in the Global Semiconductor Supply Chain? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Vincent on LinkedIn at Vincent Li, and Twitter (X) @Adaverse_Acc

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]

Episode 122 with Ola Fadiran, who is Co-Founder and CEO at Chiplab, a company that emerged from a critical need—bridging the talent gap in the semiconductor industry and unlocking Africa’s youthful potential. Inspired by conversations with industry leaders seeking to diversify their workforce, including the inclusion of more women and diverse talent, Chiplab was born.

ChipLab's mission is to nurture talent across Africa to create state-of-the art intelligent systems. Chiplab has curated an environment that equips African nations to meet global technology needs. This allows its clients to offshore parts of their development and boost their ESG performance.

What We Discuss With Ola

• How do you plan to address the talent gap in the semiconductor industry, particularly in Africa?
• How does ChipLab plan to leverage African talent to meet global technology needs and reshape the semiconductor industry?
• Does Africa have the required talents to build a thriving microchip ecosystem? 
• What challenges have you faced so far in establishing a fully functioning microchip manufacturing facility in Africa? 
• How does ChipLab approach the critical issue of building trust in African-made microchips?

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Trade, Tech, and Transformation: Creating a Lean and Trusted Ecosystem for Trade in Africa? Make sure to check it out!

Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps!

Connect with Terser on LinkedIn at Terser Adamu, and Twitter (X) @TerserAdamu

Connect with Ola on LinkedIn at Ola Fadiran

Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:

www.etkgroup.co.uk
[email protected]