Jon Lubwama
For every founder, a moment will come when they need to raise funds for their startup. Raising capital is truly a mark of a great CEO. Even though it doesn't guarantee startup success, it helps smoothen the journey.
Startups raise funding for different reasons. Some startups raise to expand into new markets, make key hires, build new services, continue research etc. Whatever the reason is, raising funding helps the startup to grow at the pace that it desires.
But funding is not a walk in the park. Less than 10% of startups raise funding despite the flashy announcements that happen regularly. With the current funding winter, funding is even harder to come by. So a startup needs to have a watertight fundraising plan. So how can a founder build one?
First, the founder has to take care of what he has control over. The founder needs to determine when to raise and how much to raise. The best time to raise funding is usually when you don't need it. A startup should raise funding with at least six months' runway. This is because the fundraising process is unpredictable and it can take longer than one expects. The less runway for a startup, the more desperate the founders will be and the less leverage while negotiating.
It is also important for a startup to raise funding when it is on a high that is, when the startup has hit some significant milestones. Investors love a rocket ship that is ready for takeoff.
The next step is to determine how much to raise. This is very crucial. Sometimes, founders tend to ask for too much money when they can't justify its use. To determine how much a company needs to raise, one will need to do some financial projections for operation expenses. Take your projected monthly expenses and multiply them by 18-24 months. This should be able to give a concrete figure to work with.
If you know how much to raise and when then the founder can begin looking at deciding which funding would work for them. There are various forms of financing, so it is important to get this right. A founder can look at equity financing (and decide on the round), or look at debt or convertible notes, SAFE etc.
With all of these in place, the founder can now move on to zeroing down on the investors. It is important to have a concrete list of investors who are most likely to invest so that you don't waste your time. Coming up with this list will include looking at some data.
You should look out for investors that have invested in similar startups. Similar can be in so many ways. Geography, sector, funding amounts, stage, funding rounds etc. If you have investors who have backed startups that are similar in any metric, it is a good starting point for you as a founder.
After that, pitch, pitch, and pitch.
_techcabalSource.webp%3Falt%3Dmedia%26token%3D4b6cd358-191f-4075-9582-ef73adbb93dd&w=96&q=75)
TechCabal
It is possible to overcome the energy crisis in South Africa and build a sustainable energy future. Solutions do exist and some are leading the way.
In this episode we first look at how Msunduzi Municipality is dealing with the energy crisis whereafter we take a broad look at the Transformation of the Electricity Supply Industry in South Africa.
* Presented by Enpower Trading
The South African landscape and Electricity Supply Industry is changing rapidly, and as the market evolves, the incentive for municipalities to procure their own power becomes more evident.
Decarbonisation owing to climate change, is a key motivation to transition to green energy but as electricity costs accelerate and loadshedding increases, municipalities are forced to ‘future-proof’ their strategies in order to provide access to affordable, sustainable energy for all.
Show guests:
- Cyncol Sibiya, Msunduzi Municipality
- James Beatty, Chief Executive Officer at Enpower Trading
Join the Future Cities Africa Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ikZ-Uz
Bird Story Agency - Promoted
Why have you not started that thing you say you want to do? Are you waiting for the right time? Do you want things to be perfect? Are you waiting for ALL the funds to be available before you can commit? Who says everything has to be perfect for you to start? Danielle explains that giving yourself grace to learn is where all the growth happens.
Let's talk about it
**************************************
Danielle is an entrepreneur, global movement founder, CEO and consultant. She creates extraordinary leaders and empowers women to say that which has never been said!
What connects her passions is a curiosity for creating conversations that make a difference. Around her people: enquire and see what’s never been seen, discover and express what’s never been expressed; and do what’s never been done. She's been interviewed on tv, radio, podcasts and for print. At 25 she cofounded a charity and raised $500k supporting seriously ill children and orphaned children in Botswana. At 26 she started a consulting company and has since transformed a number of organisations. She is engaging, articulate, and insightful and guarantees thought provoking conversation that leave audiences wanting for more!
Connect with Danielle at:
Instagram: @free.thev @kayoconsulting @raize_the_roof
AFRICANA WOMAN FESTIVAL
https://www.africanawoman.com/festival
Join the Africana Woman Visionaries:
https://africanawoman.gumroad.com/l/AWVNetwork
FROM STUCK TO UNSTOPPABLE FREE MASTERCLASS
Join the online Personal Brand Course:
https://forms.gle/zyQT8HasBcbaK6Fb9
Be the first to get the scoop on all things Africana Woman Festival including early bird tickets and giveaways. Join our mailing list:
https://forms.gle/fr5ibT6fSLTmoRs57
Join #LUNCHANDLEARN Series:
- We are bringing you in person Networking the Africana Woman way across Zambia.
- We are going to be in Ndola, Lusaka, Livingstone, Kitwe, Solwezi and Mongu.
- Tell your friends about it. Share it with your sisters
https://forms.gle/NGbFTivUhP7EtW3H9
The Africana Woman Network is the first African Female led podcast network. We tell stories that centre the African woman both on the continent and in the diaspora. Our List of shows are:
1. Africana Woman, our APVA award winning anchor show
2. No Breaks
3. The Educated Africana
4. LEMBA The Africana Authors Space
Stay tuned and Share the podcast with an African sis who needs her weekly dose of African spice.
KNOW your Roots, Grow your Purpose
LINKS:
Message Africana Woman on WhatsApp. https://wa.me/message/E3N7TH7RZSS4P1
+260978470395
Email: africanawoman@gmail.com
Website: https://www.africanawoman.com
Socials:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chulu_bydesign/
https://www.instagram.com/africanawoman/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfricanaWoman_
🎙 Meet the CEO: Kazeem Tewogbade and Olumide Soyombo founders of The Bluechip Technologies Limited
🎙The JSE All Share index remained stable near the 73,000 level on Thursday, hovering close to one-month lows, amid varied quarterly company reports worldwide.
🎙 The World Bank Group and the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group are partnering to provide at least 300-million people in Africa with electricity access by 2030.
Favour Uchenna
BITCOIN HALVING
Confused about Bitcoin halving? This quick guide explains it all.
Bitcoin halving, also known as "the halvening," is a significant event built into the Bitcoin network that occurs roughly every four years.
Here's a breakdown:
REDUCED REWARDS: During a halving, the reward for successfully mining a new block of bitcoins is cut in half.
Miners are the computers that verify transactions and add them to the permanent public record known as the blockchain.
Initially, miners received 50 bitcoins per block. After the first halving in 2012, it went down to 25 bitcoins.
The most recent halving, in May 2020, reduced the reward to 6.25 bitcoins per block.
SCARCITY BY DESIGN: This reduction in mining rewards is intentional.
Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin, designed it with a finite supply of 21 million bitcoins.
The halving mechanism gradually reduces the rate at which new bitcoins enter circulation.
This creates scarcity, a core principle in economics that often drives up value.
IMPACT ON MINERS: While the block reward decreases, miners still earn transaction fees associated with verifying transactions.
However, the halving can put pressure on mining profitability, especially for miners with less powerful equipment.
POTENTIAL MARKET RESPONSE: Historically, Bitcoin halving events have been followed by periods of price increase.
The theory is that as the supply of new bitcoins becomes tighter, existing bitcoins become more valuable due to increased demand.
However, it's important to remember that the cryptocurrency market is complex and influenced by various factors.
In essence, Bitcoin halving is a programmed event that reduces the rate at which new bitcoins are created, potentially impacting both miners and the overall value of Bitcoin.
Benjamindada - Promoted
For the past 17 years, Haji has embarked on a global journey, enriching souls with his profound and uplifting melodies across temples, spiritual hubs, and vibrant festivals. A virtuoso of over 12 instruments sourced from diverse cultures, his heart resonates most deeply with the ukulele, a conduit for his soulful compositions. Rooted in his transformative experiences within Ashrams and the practice of bhakti yoga, Haji cultivated his sacred musical craft. Beyond melodies, he orchestrates immersive retreats in exotic locales, guiding seekers towards spiritual awakening and creative rejuvenation. As a conscious creative coach, Haji specializes in empowering entrepreneurs to unleash their authentic voices and embrace abundance. Drawing from his extensive touring as a songwriter across 20 countries and the facilitation of life-altering retreats, he has invested over $50,000 in personal development to serve hundreds in their transformative journeys. With a fusion of creative expression and entrepreneurial insight, Haji catalyzes profound shifts, enabling individuals to harness their creative essence, transcend limitations, and craft purpose-driven lives steeped in prosperity and fulfillment.
Follow/Contact Haji
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000647757625 https://www.instagram.com/hajibasimmusic
Contact/Follow Concrete Pastures
https://concretepastures.com/
Concretepastures@gmail.com
APVA- Nominee
Support our Soccer
Kids- Donate https://www.luckysocceracademy.com/donate
Sponsored by Betterhelp-Go https://betterhelp.com/concretepastures for 10% off your first month of therapy with BetterHelp and get matched with a therapist who will listen and help in as little as 48 hours.
Integrating Services -https://linktr.ee/concretepastures
Thank you -
Download Concrete Pastures APP -
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hr.apps.n244800&pli=1
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/concrete_pastures/
Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/concretepastures
YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWre86K6EQVx0gycbauHHoQ
GUEST FORMS If you are interested in being a guest please fill out form below:
https://forms.gle/rmxy4MzziyVCW8nx5
Podbreak.org
https://www.instagram.com/theblackpodcast
#hajibasim#ukulele#upliftingsoulsthroumelodies#empowerenterpreneurs#globaljourney#artist#colombia#upliftingmelodies#Zambia#keynotespeaker#holisticmethods#internationalawardwinningsoundexpressioncoach#Africa#newyorkcity#newyork#immigrantstory#diaspora#concretepastures#podcast#thankyou#maryland#USA
Also we analyse the record revenues and viewership figures for the 2023 AFCON.
And we speak to Emmanuel Agbadou, an Ivorian defender who plays for Reims in France, on his football and his faith.
Plus of course, Stuart on the dramatic Uefa Champions League quarter-finals.
- Pula's $20m raise
- Starlink's troubles in Africa
- Lessons from building Konga by Sim Shagaya
- Kenya’s Pula gets $20 million Series B to offer insurance to 100 million farmers in Africa
- Telecom regulator orders Starlink to cut off subscribers in Zimbabwe
- Starlink to disconnect subscribers in Ghana, South Africa, Botswana
- Inside Sim Shagaya's mission to fund and support resilient African entrepreneurs
- Sim Shagaya on lessons learnt building Konga
Bird Story Agency - Promoted
_techcrunchSource.png%3Falt%3Dmedia%26token%3D9e692c29-55a7-4c2b-88fa-59679321178b&w=96&q=75)
TechCrunch
Bird Story Agency
Disrupt-Africa
Overview: Today, we’re going to talk about Wasoko (Sokowatch) We’ll explore the story across the following areas:
Africa’s and Kenya’s informal retail context
Wasoko's early history
Wasoko's Product & monetization strategy
Competitive positioning & potential exit options
Overall outlook.
This episode was recorded on June 11, 2023
Companies discussed: Wasoko (Sokowatch), Twiga Foods, TradeDepot, OmniBiz, Alerzo, mPharma, Nestle, Unilever, Multipro, Marketforce, Udaan & Flipkart
Business concepts discussed: Informal retail penetration, Agency banking adoption, B2B Operating systems, Informal markets, & last-mile distribution
Conversation highlights:
(00:40) - Sokowatch background and why we’re talking about it
(08:35) - African informal retail context
(16:11) - Founder background and Founding story
(29:55) - Fundraising and early growth
(36:56) - Geographic expansion, growth and partnerships
(45;12) - Team strategy
(54:00) - Product strategy and monetization
(1:10:00) - Competition and options for exit
(1:23:13) - Bankole’s overall thoughts and outlook
(1:33:05) - Olumide’s overall thoughts and outlook
(1:43:30) - Recommendations and small wins
Olumide’s recommendations & small wins:
Interested in investing in Africa Tech with Olumide: Read about Adamantium fund & contact me at olumide@afrobility.com. Founders looking for funding: If you're a B2B founder working on Education, Health, Finance or food, please contact me for funding at olumide@afrobility.com
Checkout my FIREDOM book = FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) + Freedom = personal finance and financial independence book. Website, Read: Substack Newsletter & Buy: Print, eBook or Audiobook)
Recommendation: The Slight Edge. Amazing Personal Development book about a mental framework to apply daily actions to get what you want in life. I have read it about 6 times at this point.
Recommendation: Temu.com. Started using it for shopping. It has some cool gamification ideas to nudge ecommerce purchases
Small win: Hosted house party with friends. It was great to see everyone together
Bankole’s recommendations & small wins:
Recommendation: Artificial Intelligence, a guide for Thinking Humans by Melanie Mitchell & Would You Sell Your Extra Kidney - Dylan Walsh
Small win: won my physical activity mini-league
Other content: FT fastest growing companies 2022 & Modularity Theory - Christensen Institute
Listeners: We’d love to hear from you. Email info@afrobility.com with feedback!
Founders & Operators: We'd love to hear about what you're working on, email us at info@afrobility.com
Investors: It would be great to link up with you. Contact us at info@afrobility.com
Join our insider mailing list where we get feedback on new episodes & find all episodes on Afrobility.com
TechCabal
TechCrunch
Our guest today is committed to enhancing people's lives by empowering them to recognize their inherent greatness.
Mark Paulson is the President of People First Operations Inc., helping leaders understand their people's strengths, motivations, and goals, and then aligning them with processes that fit their needs and abilities. From an early age, Mark has always had an insatiable curiosity, often taking things apart to find out how they work. He went on to apply this same kind of analytical mindset in other aspects of his life, from the communities and spaces he engaged with, to his 30 years of leadership experience in the high-tech industry.
In this episode, Mark unravels the intricacies of hiring processes from his experience in the tech world and illustrates the transformational leadership models necessary to create work cultures within an organization that contribute to sustainable growth. We also delve into the qualities that hiring managers look for in an ideal team player such as humility, hunger, and high emotional intelligence skills - and why it is important for young professionals to be intentional about excavating themselves to understand who they are, what abilities they possess, and how to position themselves for the opportunities that await them.
Join us for yet another masterclass episode that bridges the gap between the complex hiring processes in the job market and empowering individuals to thrive within them.
To learn more about Mark and the incredible work that he does, check out his LinkedIn profile here.
---
Join us in creating social impact through a cup of tea by visiting the Nepal Tea website here.
Support our podcast further by pledging your support through our Substack Channel: click here
Oluwadamilola Elizabeth
Do you ever feel stuck staring at a blank page, unsure how to create content that resonates with your audience?
You're not alone. Many content creators experience periods of writer's block, inconsistent engagement, or even a complete lack of traction.
What is Content Strategy?
Content strategy is the roadmap for creating, managing, and distributing content that resonates with your target audience and achieves your brand goals.
It's the bridge between the "what" and "how" of content creation, ensuring your efforts are targeted and impactful.
10 Tips for Crafting an Effective Content Strategy
The following ten tips will help you create a successful content strategy:
1. Define your purpose: What do you want to achieve with your content?
Do you want to inform, entertain, or inspire? Once you know your purpose, you can start to develop a strategy that will help you achieve it.
2. Know your audience: Who are you writing for? What are their needs and interests?
The better you understand your audience, the more likely you are to create content that they will find valuable.
3. Focus on quality over quantity: It's better to publish one high-quality piece of content each week than ten mediocre pieces.
Take the time to research your topic thoroughly and write something that your audience will love.
4. Do your research: Before you start writing, make sure you have a good understanding of your topic.
Research the latest trends and identify any gaps in the existing content.
This will help you create content that is both informative and original.
5. Structure your content effectively: Your content should be well-organised and easy to read.
Use clear headings, subheadings, and bullet points, enough spacing to break up your text.
You should also include images, gif, infographics and other multimedia elements to make your content more engaging.
6. Optimise your content for SEO: This will help people find your content when they search for the relevant keywords.
Make sure to include relevant keywords in your title, meta descriptions, and throughout your content.
And just in case you are looking to upgrade your content writing skill Creaitz content writing ebook is there for you. It is well detailed
7. Be consistent: Publish new content on a regular basis to keep your audience engaged.
You can use a content calendar to plan your content in advance and ensure that you're publishing on a consistent schedule.
8. Include a call to action: Tell your readers what you want them to do next.
Do you want them to subscribe to your page, follow, share your content?
Include a clear call to action at the end of each piece of your content.
9. Promote and distribute your content. Once you've created high-quality content, you need to promote it and distribute it to your target audience.
You can do that by sharing snippets of your article on social media that pique your audience's interest and encourage them to click through for the full article.
Social media marketing is a great way to get your content in front of a wider audience.
10. Track your results: Use analytics tools to track the performance of your content.
This will help you see what's working well and what's not.
You can then use this information to improve your content strategy over time.
Most writing platforms has analytics tool for you to track your growth
A content writing strategy is very important for creating content that achieves your goals.
You can develop a strategy that will help you create content that is informative, engaging, and results-oriented only if you follow these tips.
What is your favourite content writing strategy tip? Share with me
—————
📌 About Me: My name is Oluwadamilola Olaniyan a certified content writer and marketer with passion for both Web2 and Web3.
I turn complex jargon into captivating and easy-to-read content. Follow me on LinkedIn and X
🎙 Samsung has overtaken Apple as the leading mobile devices provider.
🎙 Antonio Querido, the FAO Country Representative in Uganda returns to discuss the slow uptake of renewable energy in the Agriculture sector.
🎙 Vodacom Tanzania PLC has acquired broadband internet provider, Smile Communications, after purchasing all its shares to a tune of US$ 27.4 million.
🎙 The UN Trade and Development (UNTD) warns of a continued global economic slowdown in 2024, following a milder-than-expected downturn in 2023.
🎙 Kenya has been ranked after South Africa, Egypt and Nigeria as African countries with the highest number of millionaires.
Bird Story Agency
Victor Alade is the founder of Raenest, an African payroll tech startup providing borderless payments for African startups. Raenest is also one of Ajim Capital’s portfolio companies.
In this episode, I spoke to Victor Alade about his journey as an entrepreneur and his experience as a startup founder solving one of the most critical issues on the continent.
“One of the core export of Africa is talent. The population of youth and the rate at which they are adopting technology is growing rapidly. Gone are the days when people only hire software developers from Africa. Today, people hire product managers, designers, and customer support.”
This explosion of talent growth in Africa has led to a high demand for African tech talent worldwide, which has led to the need to solve the problem of cross-border payments. Before becoming a VC, I was a founder. I also experienced this same issue of facilitating payment to my African tech hires, primarily because traditional payroll systems could take up to 10 business days.
Hence, when Raenest pitched its tech solution to Ajim Capital, we immediately saw its potential to transform how African tech talent gets paid globally.
And so far, investing in Raenest has proven to be a great decision.
TechCabal
Bird Story Agency
In this Future Cities Africa episode we explore the findings from Good Governance Africa's 2024 Governance Performance Index, examining local governance across South Africa’s 257 municipalities.
We discuss the effects of political instability on service delivery and leadership, the disparities in citizen satisfaction, and what can be done to improve municipal performance.
Join the Future Cities Africa Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ikZ-Uz
This months #APSVibecheck Podcast episode features Peter Muhumuza, CTO of Ugandan telecommunications company, Roke Telkom.
In Uganda, home-grown Roke Telkom is one of the first tier three carrier-neutral data center at the forefront of cloud computing revolution, helping businesses to leverage the full potential of telecommunications backed by cloud and data services to drive growth and success.
Their cloud and data services have been designed to help businesses achieve their goals by providing them with the infrastructure and tools they need to succeed.
Muhumuza has extensive experience within the telecommunications industry, working for the likes of Huawei, Orange Uganda, and MTN Uganda before joining Roke Telkom as its CTO in March 2021. The discussion took place at the Novacom Digital Transformation Strategy Summit Africa, held in Franschhoek, Western Cape, South Africa.
💡 Top 5 insights unpacked in the episode:
- The challenge of accessing finance within the Ugandan telecommunications industry [01:45]
- Roke Telkom's customer acquisition strategy and business model driven by a keen understanding of their market [06:01]
- Peter's thoughts the Ugandan telecommunications ecosystem at large [10:08]
- How regulators can better assist the African telecommunications industry [12:33]
- Peter's breakdown of key competencies to acquire for a job role in the telecommunications industry [15:58]
CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:
- Connect with Peter Muhumuza on Linkedin.
- Connect with Adam Wakefield on Linkedin.
- Connect with Hope Dithlakanyane on Twitter and Linkedin.
Tell us...
- What was your favourite quote or lesson from this episode?
- What topic would you like for us to feature on a future podcast?
Let us know via the hashtag: #AfricanPreseedPodcast
USEFUL RESOURCES:
ARTICLE: Cloud computing is driving business efficiency, competitiveness in the digital era by Kenneth Kazibwe, NilePost.
TechCabal
Bird Story Agency
Benjamindada
Episode 96 with Anthony William Catt, who is the founder and director of Ventures 54. A company on a mission to build and strengthen the international investment corridors between Africa’s tech, startup, and investor ecosystems and the rest of the world by mobilising capital and facilitating investment
Working with governments, DFIs, and other international funding agencies to provide technical assistance to founders and investors by establishing key networks, unlocking human and commercial resources, and creating access to global markets and investment opportunities.
What We Discuss With Anthony
- How did your personal interest in building connections between the UK and Africa, specifically in the fields of technology and startups, develop?
- Could you elaborate on the role of technical assistance funding in the African startup ecosystem and how Ventures 54 facilitates its deployment?
- Could you highlight the common trends and preferences you've observed among investors seeking to invest in the African tech scene?
- In your experience, how can the UK act as a springboard for African entrepreneurs seeking global exposure and growth?
- What advice would you offer to UK companies looking to explore opportunities and tap into talent within African markets?
- And much more...
Full show notes and resources can be found here: Unlocking Africa show notes
Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Investing in Financial Inclusion by Unlocking the Potential of Fintech Startups in Egypt and Beyond with Rana Abdel Latif? 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 TerserAdamu, and Twitter @TerserAdamu
Connect with Anthony on LinkedIn at Anthony William Catt, and Twitter @AnthonyWCatt
Ready to tap into the exciting opportunities of African markets? Uncover a wealth of invaluable tips to elevate your success to new heights! There's no need to delay – venture over to the ETK Group website today. Explore how we can empower and guide you in seamlessly entering and thriving across diverse African markets and sectors.
Connect with us at www.etkgroup.co.uk or reach out via email at info@etkgroup.co.uk
Bird Story Agency
