Disrupt Podcast

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the African investment space. Produced in partnership with Novastar Ventures, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. The latest episode sees us speak to Aaron Fu from DCG about his career and his company's plans to scale crypto-focused investing in Africa, while we also dig into the findings of our recently-released funding report.

Produced in partnership with NVIDIA, this episode of Disrupt Podcast sees us get inspired by two incredible startups - Per Partners and OORB - that have participated in the NVIDIA Inception programme, and find out how that programme has fueled their growth.

Produced in partnership with Africhange, “The month in fintech” is Disrupt Africa's regular podcast on the African fintech space. This episode sees us speak to Brandon Roberts, CEO of South African fintech LittleFish, and talk to entrepreneurs and investors about how fintech funding is faring in the age of the reset.

To mark the 10th birthday of Novastar Ventures, one of the largest and most experienced VC firms in Africa, Disrupt Africa's Tom Jackson caught up with Novastar's Sapna Shah, plus founders Adetayo Bamiduro (MAX) and Jit Bhattacharya (BasiGo) to look back on 10 years of development, look forward to the future, and discuss how we can all work together to ensure the sector fulfills it potential.

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the African investment space. Produced in partnership with Atlantica Ventures, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. The latest episode sees us speak to Zachariah George from Launch Africa Ventures, and we'll also be discussing how we can go about getting more Africa-based investors - be they angels or institutions - backing African tech startups.

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Atlantica Ventures, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. The latest episode sees us speak to Mareme Dieng, Africa lead at 500 Global, and we'll also be looking at the positives - and indeed negatives - of Africa-focused investors having previously been entrepreneurs or operators themselves.

DP #70: The month in fintech - episode 1 - Produced in partnership with Africhange and Onafriq, “The month in fintech” is Disrupt Africa's new podcast on the African fintech space. This episode sees us speak to Rachel Balsham, managing director for Southern and East Africa at omni-channel digital payments platform Onafriq, and Tega Ogigirigi, head of growth at Africhange, for a discussion around cross-border payments and remittances on the continent.

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Atlantica Ventures, and Goodwell Investments, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. The latest episode sees us speak to Tosin Faniro-Dada, partner at Breega Capital, about her career and her firm's new Africa-focused fund, while we also dig into how a startup changes once it has secured venture capital with the help of Goodwell's Wim van der Beek.

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Atlantica Ventures, and Goodwell Investments, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. The latest episode sees us speak to Lexi Novitske of Norrsken22, and dig into the findings of Disrupt Africa's recent research publication "Diversity Dividend".

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Atlantica Ventures, and Goodwell Investments, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. The latest episode sees us speak to Lavenya Anand from pan-African PE and VC firm AfricInvest, and dig deep into the current "funding winter" and when we can finally expect it to end.

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Atlantica Ventures, and Goodwell Investments, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. The latest episode sees us speak to Justin Stanford from the Cape Town-based 4Di Capital about his career, company, and investment ethos, while we also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of specialisation within the African venture capital landscape.

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Atlantica Ventures, and Goodwell Investments, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. The latest episode sees us speak to Emmanuel Adegboye, head of Madica, a sector-agnostic investment programme that has just made its first investments, about his career, company, and investment ethos, while we also discuss the relevance of "impact" within the African venture capital landscape.

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Hlayisani Capital, Atlantica Ventures, and Goodwell Investments, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. The latest episode sees us speak to Wim van der Beek from Goodwell Investments about his career, company, and investment ethos, while we also discuss the importance of being "founder-friendly", or whether indeed that is just a marketing phrase.

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Katapult Africa, Hlayisani Capital, Atlantica Ventures, and Endeavor South Africa, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. The latest episode sees us speak to Antonia Bothner from Endeavor South Africa about her career and investment ethos, while we also discuss with importance of due diligence, and how different investors go about conducting it.

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Katapult Africa, Hlayisani Capital, Atlantica Ventures, and Endeavor South Africa, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. The latest episode sees us speak to Ameya Upadhyay from fintech-focused VC Flourish Ventures about his career and investment ethos, while we also discuss with investors the findings of Disrupt Africa's recent funding report, which tracked a difficult 2023 investment-wise as the global "funding winter" began to bite.

Disrupt Africa has teamed up with eLearn Africa to release a three-part deep-dive into the African ed-tech startup space. In episode three, we're analysing the funding and support ecosystem that is helping ed-tech startups scale, and whether more needs to be done to help the space fulfil its potential.

Disrupt Africa has teamed up with eLearn Africa to release a three-part deep-dive into the African ed-tech startup space. In episode two, we're digging into the potential of ed-tech, and discovering how COVID-19 was not such a bad thing for online learning on the continent.

Disrupt Africa has teamed up with eLearn Africa to release a three-part deep-dive into the African ed-tech startup space. In episode one, we're digging into the scope of Africa's educational challenges, and how ed-tech startups are working to address them.

Disrupt Africa has teamed up with AZA Finance, Revio, EMURGO Middle East & Africa, and MoneyHash to release a two-part deep-dive into to African fintech startup space. In episode two, we delve into the support available for fintechs on the continent - from investors, from incumbents, from governments - and look at the future potential of fintech in Africa.

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Katapult Africa, Hlayisani Capital, and Atlantica Ventures, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. The latest episode sees us speak to Erick Yong from GreenTec Capital Partners about his career and passion for African tech entrepreneurship. We'll also talk with investors about how they go about sourcing their portfolio companies.

Disrupt Africa has teamed up with AZA Finance, Revio, EMURGO Middle East & Africa, and MoneyHash to release a two-part deep-dive into to African fintech startup space. In episode one, we look at the challenges around financial inclusion in Africa, the origins of the fintech revolution on the continent, and how startups are innovating in various areas within the sector.

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Katapult Africa, Hlayisani Capital, ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, and Atlantica Ventures, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. The latest episode sees us speak to Aniko Szigetvari of Atlantica Ventures about her career and passion for African tech entrepreneurship. We'll also discuss with various investors the importance of overcoming preconceptions startups have about VCs, and vice versa.

Women have always been underrepresented in the venture capital space worldwide. Some of the earliest research from the US (2018) found that only nine per cent of VC decision makers were women. In Africa, new data by Disrupt Africa shows some more promising trends - 39.6 per cent of VCs actively investing on the continent in 2022 had a female partner or founder - yet less than 10 per cent of angels are women. With data demonstrating a direct link between gender diversity in teams, and increased profitability, the "Diversity dividend: Female fund managers in Africa" series looks at firms that recognise this truth, and put diversity front and centre. In episode five, Gabriella talks to Eloho Omame, of FirstCheck Africa and TLcom Capital. This podcast is commissioned by Boost Africa Technical Assistance Facility and financed by the European Union under EDF Thematic Blending and Cotonou Investment Facility.

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Katapult Africa, Hlayisani Capital, and ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. Episode eight sees us speak to Maya Horgan Famodu from Ingressive Capital about her career and plans for the future, and dig deep into venture capital business models.

Disrupt Africa has teamed up with Africa-focused public relations company Talking Drum Communications to discuss the value of PR to African tech startups, in good times and bad. In the second installment of this two-part series, Bemi Idowu of Talking Drum Communications takes us through how PR can help African tech ventures cope in times of crisis.

Disrupt Africa has teamed up with Africa-focused public relations company Talking Drum Communications to discuss the value of PR to African tech startups, in good times and bad. In the first installment of this two-part series, Bemi Idowu of Talking Drum Communications takes us through how PR can help African tech ventures as they grow, and how an effective PR function is best developed.

“The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Katapult Africa, Kalon Venture Partners, Hlayisani Capital, and ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. Episode seven sees us speak to Sapna Shah from Novastar Ventures, and discuss the importance of local capital with Hlayisani Capital's Mathew Palin.

Disrupt Africa has partnered Salient Advisory, Curacel and RxAll to put together a three-part podcast series on the African e-health space - the issues it is addressing, how it is innovating to improve healthcare outcomes, and what support startups are receiving from governments, donors and investors. In episode three, we're looking to the future, at what a tech-enabled African healthcare landscape looks like, and what best practices we can employ to make sure we get there.

Disrupt Africa has partnered Salient Advisory, Curacel and RxAll to put together a three-part podcast series on the African e-health space - the issues it is addressing, how it is innovating to improve healthcare outcomes, and what support startups are receiving from governments, donors and investors. In episode two, we discuss how various stakeholders can best support e-health companies, and what is needed from governments, investors and donors to ensure they can scale their impact.

Disrupt Africa has partnered Salient Advisory, Curacel and RxAll to put together a three-part podcast series on the African e-health space - the issues it is addressing, how it is innovating to improve healthcare outcomes, and what support startups are receiving from governments, donors and investors. In episode one, we are looking at the challenges facing Africans when it comes to accessing quality, affordable healthcare, how startups are tackling those challenges.

Co-hosted by Gabriella Mulligan and Tom Jackson, “The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Katapult Africa, Kalon Venture Partners, Hlayisani Capital, and ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. Episode six sees Gabriella talk to Eloho Omame from TLcom Capital and FirstCheck Africa, and look at exit strategies in the investment space.

Disrupt Africa has partnered IQ Logistica to put together a three-part podcast series on the African agri-tech space - where it has come from, where it is now, and where it is going. In episode three, we're looking at the issues involved with scaling an agri venture, and how tech can speed that process,

Disrupt Africa has partnered IQ Logistica to put together a three-part podcast series on the African agri-tech space - where it has come from, where it is now, and where it is going. In episode two, we discuss the many areas in which agri-tech companies can innovate for impact, and what support is available to them.

Disrupt Africa has partnered IQ Logistica to put together a three-part podcast series on the African agri-tech space - where it has come from, where it is now, and where it is going. In episode one, we discuss the deep-seated challenges facing farming on the continent and how tech companies are starting to address them.

Co-hosted by Gabriella Mulligan and Tom Jackson, “The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Katapult Africa, Kalon Venture Partners, Hlayisani Capital, and ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. Episode five sees the Disrupt Africa team talk to Basil Moftah from financial inclusion focused fund Nclude, and look at gender diversity within the investment space.

Disrupt Africa has released the first ever publication focused on gender equality in the African tech startup landscape, in partnership with Africa-focused pre-seed investment programmes Madica, with the results demonstrating the lack of gender diversity both within startup teams and funding rounds on the continent. This podcast episode, with help from various partners, discusses the figures that emerged from the publication.

Women have always been underrepresented in the venture capital space worldwide. Some of the earliest research from the US (2018) found that only nine per cent of VC decision makers were women. In Africa, new data by Disrupt Africa shows some more promising trends - 39.6 per cent of VCs actively investing on the continent in 2022 had a female partner or founder - yet less than 10 per cent of angels are women. With data demonstrating a direct link between gender diversity in teams, and increased profitability, the "Diversity dividend: Female fund managers in Africa" series looks at firms that recognise this truth, and put diversity front and centre. In episode four, Gabriella talks to Patricia Rinke, Azza Khalfallah, and Hana Maalej from the Tunisia-based AfricInvest. This podcast is commissioned by Boost Africa Technical Assistance Facility and financed by the European Union under EDF Thematic Blending and Cotonou Investment Facility.

Co-hosted by Gabriella Mulligan and Tom Jackson, “The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Katapult Africa, Kalon Venture Partners, Hlayisani Capital, and ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profiles a leading investor, and digs into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. Episode four sees the Disrupt Africa team talk to ARM Labs Lagos Techstars Accelerator's Oyin Solebo, and looks at the process of portfolio building.

Co-hosted by Gabriella Mulligan and Tom Jackson, “The month in VC” is a regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Katapult Africa, Kalon Venture Partners, and Hlayisani Capital, each episode wraps up the latest news in African VC, profile a leading investor, and dig into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. Episode three sees the Disrupt Africa team talk to Hlayisani Capital's Brett Commaille, and look "under the hood" at the process of raising a VC fund.

Disrupt Africa has partnered the Jack Ma Foundation's Africa's Business Heroes Programme to release a special four-part podcast series discussing the benefits of the initiative with previous winning founders. In episode four, co-hosts Gabriella and Tom chat to the two founders about their experiences running social impact businesses on the continent.

Disrupt Africa has partnered the Jack Ma Foundation's Africa's Business Heroes Programme to release a special four-part podcast series discussing the benefits of the initiative with previous winning founders. In episode three, co-hosts Gabriella and Tom chat to the Tesh Mbaabu, co-founder and CEO of Kenyan retail-tech startup MarketForce, about his experiences expanding his business into new markets since taking part in ABH.

Co-hosted by Gabriella Mulligan and Tom Jackson, “The month in VC” is a new regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Katapult Africa, Kalon Venture Partners, and Hlayisani Capital, each episode of the series will wrap up the latest news in African VC, profile a leading investor, and dig into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. Episode two sees the Disrupt Africa team talk to Kalon's Clive Butkow, and look at ways venture capitalists can best help their portfolio companies navigate the difficult current economic climate.

Disrupt Africa has partnered the Jack Ma Foundation's Africa's Business Heroes Programme to release a special four-part podcast series discussing the benefits of the initiative with previous winning founders. In episode two, co-hosts Gabriella and Tom chat to the founders of Ivory Coast-based e-commerce startup ANKA and Nigerian agri-tech company ThriveAgric about their fundraising experiences.

Disrupt Africa has partnered the Jack Ma Foundation's Africa's Business Heroes Programme to release a special four-part podcast series discussing the benefits of the initiative with previous winning founders. In episode one, co-hosts Gabriella and Tom will chat to two founders running two very different startups in markets as contrasting as Egypt and Zimbabwe.

Co-hosted by Gabriella Mulligan and Tom Jackson, “The month in VC” is a new regular deep-dive into the Africa's investment space. Produced in partnership with Katapult Africa, Grindstone Ventures and Kalon Venture Partners, each episode of the series will wrap up the latest news in African VC, profile a leading investor, and dig into a key theme or trend in conversation with partner VCs. Episode one sees the Disrupt Africa team talk to Katapult Africa's Philip Gasaatura, and dig into the key findings from the recently-released African Tech Startups Funding Report 2022, which tracked a record year in which 633 ventures raised over US$3 billion in investment.

Female fund managers are very much in the minority worldwide. In the US, only nine per cent of decision makers in the VC space are women. In Africa, no definitive numbers are yet available, but female fund managers are hard to come by - a big mistake for the VC world, as data clearly demonstrates a direct link between gender diversity in teams, and increased profitability. The "Diversity dividend: Female fund managers in Africa" series looks at firms that recognise this truth, and put diversity front and centre. In episode three, Gabriella talks to Fatoumata Ba, managing partner of Janngo Capital. This podcast is commissioned by Boost Africa Technical Assistance Facility and financed by the European Union under EDF Thematic Blending and Cotonou Investment Facility.

Disrupt Africa has partnered Omnibiz and MarketForce to put together a four-part podcast series on the African e-commerce and retail-tech space - where it has come from, where it is now, and where it is going. In episode four, we discuss how the ecosystem is set to come under renewed interest as youth population and income growth, infrastructure improvements, and increasing uptake start combining to unlock the value of the e-commerce market on the continent over the coming years.

Disrupt Africa has partnered Omnibiz and MarketForce to put together a four-part podcast series on the African e-commerce and retail-tech space - where it has come from, where it is now, and where it is going. In episode three, we discuss the funding landscape for the space, and the different challenges involved with securing investment as an e-commerce startup.

Disrupt Africa has partnered Omnibiz and MarketForce to put together a four-part podcast series on the African e-commerce and retail-tech space - where it has come from, where it is now, and where it is going. In episode two, we're talking e-commerce 2.0. We discuss how there has been a move away from efforts to achieve a consumer-facing Amazon for Africa, with entrepreneurs instead favouring regional and niche e-commerce. Retail-tech, focusing on B2B solutions, has also emerged as a key model.

Disrupt Africa has partnered Omnibiz and MarketForce to put together a four-part podcast series on the African e-commerce and retail-tech space - where it has come from, where it is now, and where it is going. Episode one looks at the challenges and opportunities presented by the sector, with weekly episodes to follow. The three subsequent episodes, to be released each week, discuss how there has been a move away from efforts to achieve a consumer-facing Amazon for Africa, with entrepreneurs instead favouring B2B e-commerce; address the funding landscape; and look to the future, with partners sharing their predictions.

Female fund managers are very much in the minority worldwide. In the US, only nine per cent of decision makers in the VC space are women. In Africa, no definitive numbers are yet available, but female fund managers are hard to come by - a big mistake for the VC world, as data clearly demonstrates a direct link between gender diversity in teams, and increased profitability. The "Diversity dividend: Female fund managers in Africa" series looks at firms that recognise this truth, and put diversity front and centre. In episode two, Gabriella talks to Tokunboh Ishmael, co-founder and managing partner of female-focused Lagos-based VC firm Alitheia Capital. This podcast is commissioned by Boost Africa Technical Assistance Facility and financed by the European Union under EDF Thematic Blending and Cotonou Investment Facility.