I’ve seen several like
@asemota
,
@NaijaFlyingDr
, and
@mayahorganfamod
, mention that FemTech is a huge opportunity.
But we wanted details: how big and where/how do VCs make money?
In our latest, Ona and I examined Venture Backable FemTech Models in Africa.
Our analysis…
I'm a mom to an 11 month old
And for several reasons, I don't have childcare
A few weeks ago I was invited to be on a panel at the EvrythingAfrica Summit
My husband was supposed to watch the baby, but he ended up having to work
I could have cancelled
But I took my daughter…
For most African founders, your likely exit is through acquisition
Therefore, from day one, create relationships with strategic buyers
Here are a few reasons why:
There are 3 standard ways to describe market size:
1. TAM = Total Addressable Market
2. SAM = Service Available Market
3. SOM = Service Obtainable Market or Share of Market
Let's break each one down
1. TAM
TAM is the total possible demand for your product without limitation to…
1/ If you pitch your company to
@RarebreedVC
, there's a chance I MIGHT end up being your first call before a second call with our GPs
@MacConwell
and
@krollja
.
If you've listened to or watched any of
@MacConwell
's interviews, you've probably heard him say the following:
🧵
The Silicon Valley approach to VC funding ("growth at all costs") isn't always feasible for Africa-based startups.
Prioritizing profitability/revenue to fund future growth is often required.
Let's briefly explore why:
Most calls with investors are 30 minutes
If I were pitching, here's how I'd use the time:
1. Explain my problem and solution in 3 sentences
- 1: What my solution is
- 2: Why people need it
- 3: Why its different from everything else already being done
2. How it creates value…
There are 4 types of market segmentation:
- Geographic - Where your customers live
- Demographic - Who they are
- Psychographic - Why they buy
- Behavioral - How they buy
Let's break each one down
Geographic Segmentation (Where your customers live)
Often the easiest to…
A CEO's role is to:
- Foresee opportunities
- Connect dots
- Boldly solve problems that others see as unimaginable
- Believe in greater possibilities for the company
- Surround themselves with amazing people
Every startup begins with founders...
A rare breed of individuals inspired enough to dedicate time, effort, and money towards bringing their idea to life
Founders tend to have certain personality traits for their startups to become successful
Some common traits include:
Your problem statement should include the size of the problem
Problem Size = Frequency x Intensity x Users
Let's break down how you'd go about calculating your problem size
Key definitions:
- Frequency: how often do users experience the problem? Daily, weekly, monthly,…
As a founder, creating a defensible product is priority
To create a defensible product, you must develop something that is difficult for competitors to replicate. This can be done in several ways:
Your revenue model consists of:
Who pays
What they pay for
How they pay
How much they pay
Your revenue model should be in sync with your overall business strategy and should evolve as your startup grows
As your company grows, your team may need to undergo significant changes
The team that successfully supported your small startup may not have the skills or capacity to handle the demands of a rapidly expanding organization
Be open to evolution
To progress your company
Around this time 3 years ago, I left a corporate job to pursue my dream:
To become an early stage investor in Africa-focused startups
I did several fellowships:
@genzvcs
@pariti_io
@HometeamVC
@BLCKVC
All amazing experiences
The one that stuck was with
@MacConwell
…
The future of Africa will be shaped at the intersection of technology and culture.
Bridging this gap requires not only innovation but a deep understanding of the cultural fabric that holds communities together.
Bootstrap for as long as you can
Instead of seeking external funding or taking on debt, try to self-fund your startup initially
Keep costs low by:
‣ Working from home
‣ Using open source software
‣ Leveraging affordable or free tools and services
Founders building digital products/services for Africa
💡When choosing markets to start in and expand to
Consider how mature that consumer market is in the use of technology to do everyday things like transact/communicate
This ensures that there is a market to meet you online
In a world obsessed with doing things faster, remember that growth and success take time.
Hard work, dedication, and consistency are the keys to long-term success.
Have you sat down and thought through the end to end founder journey?
From idea to exit?
Its a several year process... so much happens along the way
Those that have done it understand the journey best
But here are a few things I've observed are involved in building a startup:…
African markets with large GDPs receive more investment
These markets (Nigeria, Kenya, Egpty, South Africa) also have flourishing tech ecosystems
A flourishing tech ecosystem is a complex interplay of components that work synergistically
Here's a list of these components:
Be passionate about the sector you wish to get into
Your passion will push you to educate yourself through reading and application
Then, make sure you offer top quality service and create an impact
So that you can be remembered
A startup team needs a leader, builder, and marketer
The leader: identifies opportunities, sets a plan, builds a team and executes
The builder: creates the solution
The marketer: brings and boosts sales
Some people wear more than one hat in the early days.
Your business model is how you create, deliver, and capture value.
There are only 9 business models:
‣ Enterprise
‣ SaaS
‣ Usage-based
‣ Subscription
‣ Transactional
‣ Market Place
‣ E-commerce
‣ Hardware
‣ Advertising
Let's dig into each one
h/t
@mat_moebius
Choosing a cofounder involves more than assessing one's skills and experiences
You and this person need to "click"
There needs to be a natural, plutonic connection from the start
Why?
This person is joining you on a long, life altering journey
They'll become family
You'll…
Don't underestimate the cost of funding your business until its profitable
Keep your business alive til revenues exceed expenses...
And aim for expanded profitability after breaking even
Raise capital if required
But operate as if injections of capital aren't guaranteed
As part of the African startup ecosystem, I see myself collaborating with:
- Founders
- Innovation hubs
- Angels
- VCs
- And other ecosystem players
To help ensure the commercial success of founders building innovative tech-enabled solutions that transform African economies
Your job as a founder is to convince consumers that they need your solution
Once you've landed a few customers, you need to make sure your product is accessible from both a price point and location of sale for a wider audience
This involves building awareness and brand presence
@sugabelly
Thanks for your input on this
My husband and I run a residential contracting business so we’re also entrepreneurs
He had to be in the field for a client call that required him to be on the roof for an emergency leak
Not a very safe place for a baby to be
When I'm talking to a founder, I pay close attention to their understanding of the regulatory and competitive environment
If they demonstrate a strong level of knowledge around this, it tells me they won't be wasting valuable time trying to compete
They know how they can win
Sometimes opportunities arise because someone sees a light in you before you do
These people are often catalyzers of your career and help you achieve more
@MacConwell
has been this person for me
As I've made my foray into VC
First to market is important but user acquisition is just as important.
You can have a great product, but if you haven't cracked user acquisition and distribution, you've got nothing.
Customer's need to be able to find your product and love your product.
In Africa, depending on the sector you're tackling, Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt are big enough markets to dominate and win. Several companies have successfully grown by taking this approach, hence a concentration of venture funding in these markets. This approach avoids the…
I've been spending A LOT of time learning about tech ecosystems in Africa. While far from an expert, I've started making awesome connections.
Signs of my progress?
The opportunity to collaborate with
@calebmaru
&
@Jasielinvests
in hosting an AMA for founders building in Africa
Partnerships are a great way to acquire customers at low costs
Find platforms or businesses that have customers you need
The partnership will only work if you're able to increase value for your partner's customers
While you also achieve an expanded customer base
Raising equity is one way to access capital
But keep in mind that it requires giving up ownership
Your objective as a founder is to raise as little as possible to reach immense scale
So that when you exit, you reap the largest benefits possible for your years of effort
Hard work pays off
And hard work will get you noticed
But networking, collaboration, and gaining advocates / connections is what will take you over the edge
A minimum viable product doesn't always require as much as you think
It could be:
-A working prototype
-A basic ad or landing page
-A brochure
-A sample dataset
-A storyboard
-A video
All an MPV needs to do is show enough core features to attract the INTEREST of early adopters
To build and invest in groundbreaking tech in Africa
Requires collaboration
Founders need strong teams
Investors need strong networks to advocate for their founders
Transforming Africa's economy through technology can't be done in silos
We're all pursuing the same mission
💡 Africa-focused founders
As you consider your strategy to drive adoption
Think through how to merge your technology with the traditional way of doing business in Africa
If youre raising a seed round, youve achieved a few milestones
Articulate the following to catch an investors attention:
1. How well the company is doing
2. How big the market opportunity is
3. Why you have an unfair advantage over everyone else
Keep it concise and compelling
Building for Africa is hard
Founders are faced with several systematic challenges
The best founders automate, find efficiencies, and establish operational excellence
The best products are built to be resilient
Write the vision and make it plain
So that he who reads it, will run to it
And even though it tarry (meaning takes a long time)
Wait for it
For surely it will come at an appointed time
Habakkuk 2:2-3
To determine the size of an addressable market observe:
- The overall population size
- Urban density
- Income levels
- Smartphone penetration
- Internet access and affordability
- Cost and availability of substitutes
- The quality of the business environment
- ETC
To start and sustain a successful startup in Africa or anywhere else, the founder must have a compelling vision that'll drive the execution of all activities required to bring that vision to life
Building is hard.
Investors need to know that the founders they're betting on are deeply passionate about the problems they want to solve.
Often, these types of entrepreneurs give off an “energy” that signals their motivation and commitment to their mission.
Prolonged MVP development duration is one of the biggest risks you might face as a founder. Should you miss the window of opportunity, more agile competitors will take your market share.
Plan for your exit
A clear exit plan will help you:
1. Attract investors
2. Set goals and milestones
3. Maximize valuation
4. Set direction and vision
Let's delve into each of these benefits
On the Africa front, I'm speaking more from the perspective of disposable income.
According to the latest report from
@McKinsey
, the largest consumer segment (70%+) in Africa spends between $2-$11/day.
Note: this group accounted for 31% of consumption in 2019
60% of spending…
@margentambi
@DarrelFrater
I invested in and worked for both B2C and B2B startups in Africa. I am not settled on what is better yet so quite curious to hear your thoughts..
The story is perhaps clearer in the US / Western World context with a high density of billion dollar companies to sell to...
Not all advice is good advice
You know yourself, the work you're putting in, where its got you so far, and where it could take you
Some might not see the fruits of your labor yet
But you know the incremental progress you're making everyday
Don't stop the hustle
The most successful people in the world are those who can self soothe
They avoid being triggered
They can stay emotionally calm in the midst of a storm
When everyone is panicking, they look for solutions
They focus on what can work, not what doesn't
It's rare that a company ends with the solution they started with
It's why early stage investing is truly about predicting a founders ability to weather the process required to evolve their business
You don't need technical experience to be a great founder
Lean into your strengths by demonstrating:
1. Domain expertise
2. An ability to recruit and hire amazing talent
3. A keen sense of customer focus
4. An understanding of market dynamics and business model planning
Don't get distracted by trying to offer several features before understanding who your customer is and what they want
Start by simply serving the most profitable customers
Do that very well
Have a strong value proposition and customer strategy just for this segment
Fundamentally, startups need to raise capital to accelerate and grow.
But know that one day you'll need to stop relying on external capital.
The end goal is to build a product, a community, and a profitable business.
When you've found the perfect co-founder, you're never distracted by who did more or less at any given point in time
No matter how much time each person puts in, when both are playing at their strengths, and their hearts are committed to the product...
Magic happens
Cultivate a strong newtork
Build and nurture relationships with mentors, advisors, industry peers, and potential partners
These connections can provide valuable guidance, support, and opportunities
Don't get discouraged if you're new at something and want to acquire a skill
Teach yourself
Or learn from other people
Put in the time
Even if you don't end up using the skill today
It might come in handy later
By 2050, Africa will be home to the largest population of working-age adults.
A growing working-age population results in the birthing of more startups.
Africa currently has the highest rate of entrepreneurship in the world with 22% of working-age people starting businesses.
Many of us study Africa-focused startups
And know of the Big 4: Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa
However, the continent has 54 unique countries
To decipher why funding is prominent in some markets vs others requires a macroeconomic deep dive
Let's see what we uncover:
Without mentors, I didn’t have a roadmap when I started my VC journey in Dec’20. I thank
@wossen
for giving my first opportunity,
@thechangj
for giving me my second and
@MacConwell
for giving me my third. Thank you for letting me take part in your world and helping me progress.
Pricing matters
It determines how much revenue you'll acquire to cover costs and hopefully drive profits to reinvest for continued growth
Here's how you could approach building your pricing strategy:
If you approach an Angel or seed investor with just an idea/prototype and vision with no validation or customers, they will want to make sure your team is equipped with the necessary experience, expertise, and passion to successfully execute your plan into expected outcomes.
Entrepreneurship in Africa is not just about launching a startup. It's about redefining an entire ecosystem, turning challenges into opportunities, and daring to envision a future others haven't yet dreamt of.
We’re building for Africa what dLocal has done for LATAM and AirWallex/Nium for APAC.
This infrastructure, born not by choice, but rather out of necessity, is the backbone of our consumer fintech app and our B2B payments platform.
With Rafiki, we’re not just solving our own…
I don't talk about it much but I'm an entrepreneur of a traditional business I started in 2020
YoY growth for '21 was low: 5%
YoY growth for '22 was better: 84%
YoY growth for '23 has been the best to date: 105%
Some takeaways:
- Have patience
AND
- Nurture what works
Don't get distracted by the need for instant gratification
Be patient
Work hard, be consistent
The fruits of your labor present themselves in bite-sized pieces every day
And in time, things will take off
In Africa, when you've found product-market fit, you need to run and scale as quickly as possible
Most African markets need 2-3 players at scale before the market is locked up
Scale is an advantage due to cost economies and network effects where available
The most successful companies grow via word of mouth
Therefore, marketing and sales budgets are redirected towards product development with a focus on customer experience
vs
Just doing something better or cheaper without the customers wants and needs in mind
Make it easy for customers to connect with your product
Your messaging should be simple, direct, and relatable
Make your value clear in one to two sentences
Otherwise, you're at risk of customers trying alternatives that are easier to understand
As Africa-focused VCs, we look for signals to determine products and services that will deliver future outsized returns
One signal we can't ignore is Africa's rapidly urbanizing population and its impact on:
- Employment
- Consumption
- Digital adoption
*Progress in these…
💡 B2C business models represent massive opportunities in Africa under certain conditions
To win in markets with limited purchasing power, build a robust business based on:
-Demand
-Easy/scalable onboarding (volume)
-Proper price (adopt/retain)
-Convenience
-Lean operations
Africa remains a high-potential region, but growth is concentrated in a few markets and income segments. To win, companies need a tailored, data-driven approach.
What does it take to build a startup in Africa?
@saundersdj13
frm
@briterbridges
and I are on a mission to find out
On Aug 17 were talking to
@zanele_matome
the founder of Welo Health
Against all odds she raised & scaled
Lets learn from her experience
The idea that things should come easy and quick is prevalent.
But building requires effort, time, and deep thinking.
You can’t just hack it.
Be okay with the fact that what you're working on will take time. It'll require your patience.
Old News: for every 9 failed startups, there's 1 winner
Based on a survey by Fortune, 42% of failed startups indicated the lack of a market need for their product as the biggest reason for their collapse.
So what can you do to ensure product-market fit before going all in?
In the beginning, the biggest expense a startup has is app dev and design
With a technician cofounder, you might trade spending cash with time (human capital)
Therefore, if you have a good one, respect your CTO
The scalability and ease of use of your platform is in their hands
Faith:
The substance of things hoped for
The conviction of things not seen
Hebrews 11:1
Overtime, maintaining faith will manifest itself into something real, something you can see
So keep it, keep believing
What does it take to raise venture capital?
Keep in mind the 4 T's:
Team
Traction
TAM
Timing
As a founder, strongly exemplify all 4 T's as you pitch your company to display its capability to deliver outsized returns