The Boost Africa Technical Assistance Facility and AfricaGrow Technical Assistance Facility have scheduled next week, September 12-16, to host 40 leading fund managers from select African investment funds for an in-person programme held at the University of Oxford’s Sad Business School.
The Africa Venture Finance Programme is for VC fund managers who invest in early-stage and growing tech companies in Africa.
The program aims to discuss how to lead Africa’s exponential growth in the technology venture capital (VC) space and share knowledge.
The European Union and the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States pay for the Boost Africa Technical Assistance Facility, which helps partner fund managers and investees improve their core professional and operational skills. AfricaGrow is a fund of funds based in Germany that aims to help SMEs and startups on the African continent.
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The week-long course will focus on sharing best practices and peer-to-peer knowledge, as well as giving cutting-edge insights and learning opportunities in all relevant areas of fund management.
Fund managers from AfricInvest, Knife Capital, TLcom Capital, Ventures Platform Fund, Janngo Capital, Atlantica Ventures, and others will be there to represent a total of 15 funds. Reflecting the industry-wide need for improved women’s inclusion at senior levels, more than half (62 percent) of participant fund managers are women.
Fund managers will also have the chance to interact with business leaders, industry experts, and representatives from development finance institutions (DFIs) such as the European Investment Bank and DEG Invest.
Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, said, “The EIB is committed to supporting high-impact innovation investment around the world.” We are pleased to support the Boost Africa programme that is sharing investment best practices to strengthen the lasting impact of investment partners across Africa. ”
EIB Global is a new branch of the EIB Group that focuses on making international partnerships and development finance work better. EIB Global is designed to foster strong, focused partnerships within Team Europe, alongside fellow development finance institutions and civil society. Through our offices across the world, EIB Global brings the Group closer to local people, companies, and institutions through our offices across the world.
Both AfricaGrow and Boost Africa aim to catalyse the emerging African start-up ecosystem by investing in and supporting VC funds in Africa. This week at the Oxford Sad Business School is quite unique in bringing together 40 of Africa’s most relevant investors and will definitely help in furthering the conversation on how we can ensure the most promising founders on the continent have a fighting chance to start and grow their businesses, “said David van Dijk, team leader at the Boost Africa Technical Assistance Facility.”
The views expressed may or may not be the same as those of the European Union or the European Investment Bank.
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The African tech ecosystem has seen staggering growth in recent years, tripling in size from 2020 to USD 5.2 billion in 2021. But the number of African-led start-ups that get significant funding remains in the single digits, which is a shame. In addition to its intrinsic benefits, locally-led leadership is critical in channeling VC investment towards innovations that effectively address challenges faced within and outside Africa. African start-ups have shown that they can be competitive, profitable, and world-class when investors and fund managers who understand their value and growth potential give them help and advice.
This program seeks to bring together African fund managers at the forefront of the continent’s unique growth trajectory, leveraging their expertise and critical ecosystem stakeholders to usher in the African-led unicorns of tomorrow.
Aunnie Patton Power, Program Director, Oxford Sad Business School, said, “We are incredibly excited to be convening a group of the leading African Venture Capital funds for this course in Oxford. During the week, participants will engage with global VC experts, Oxford faculty, and most importantly, each other. We are hopeful that the course contributes to the strengthening and connecting of the African VC ecosystem. ”
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African start-ups have proven to be competitive and profitable. This program aims to bring together African fund managers at the forefront of the unique growth path of the continent. This program aims to bring together African fund managers at the forefront of the continent’s unique growth trajectory. They will use their own expertise and that of key ecosystem stakeholders to bring about the Africa-led unicorns of the morning.