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About Us

INVESTMENT-DRIVEN

We are committed to fostering economic development across the African continent.

Our team has worked with investors and operators in the public and private sectors to pioneering investment strategies that drive wealth creation and sustainable development in Africa.

Our Company

Mission

To invest in visionary African founders building businesses that deliver outsized returns and lead sustainable development in their countries and beyond.

Our Vision

To create the leading investment ecosystem that fosters collaboration, innovation, and economic value to tackle Africa’s biggest challenges.

Our Belief

The sustainable development and economic prosperity of Africa will be driven by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and powered by equity.

How we work

Our theory of change

Sustainable Development

  • Economic mobility and skills development through the creation of sustainable high-quality, skill-enhancing jobs.
  • Resilience by empowering African enterprises to do the work needed to prepare their communities for negative externalities such as climate change.

Impact Framework

  • Local: National development priorities of SMEs domiciled in target countries
  • Continental: African Union’s 2063 Agenda
  • Global: United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Enterprise Scalability

  • Can be optimized through the introduction of strategic capital and commercial technologies.
  • Fulfill an essential need for the local market within a growing economy.
  • Are uniquely positioned for scalability to become local, national, and continental champions.

Get to know our amazing team

We are a cross-functional team with deep investment and Africa experience. With over 40 years of cumulative experience investing and working in emerging market companies across financial services, mergers & acquisitions, management consulting, strategy, tech, agribusiness, and other key sectors, our investment team brings our breadth of finance acumen, Africa-specific experience, market insights, and deep networks.

Management

Joseph Hampanda

Joseph Hampanda

Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder

Joseph Hampanda

Management

Joseph Hampanda

Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder

  • Zambian-American entrepreneur with 10+ years experience in financial management, real estate investments and strategic consulting.
  • Over the last 7 years, Joseph has successfully launched one of Zambia’s fastest growing micro finances and outsourcing operation in Africa for accounting and technical support services.
  • Served as Finance Director at The Flyfisher Group, asset management and investment firm based in Colorado, managing a portfolio of 85+ entities.
Fabien Anthony

Fabien Anthony

Chief Investment Officer, Co-Founder

Fabien Anthony

Management

Fabien Anthony

Chief Investment Officer, Co-Founder

  • 15+ years of experience as an emergent markets entrepreneur, advisor and investor focused on the agribusiness, services, information technology, and real estate sectors.
  • Strategy consultant to Fortune 500 firms in areas of building vendor capacity, customer strategies and product development.
  • 10+ years of high-level political advisory on international cooperation and socioeconomic development.
  • Recognized as the Global Top 100 Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) Under 40 & the African Travel Top 100 Global Tourism Personalities.
Osa Aihie

Osa Aihie

Chief Operating Officer, Co-Founder

Osa Aihie

Management

Osa Aihie

Chief Operating Officer, Co-Founder

  • Nigerian-American entrepreneur and impact investor with extensive experience as an executive across the technology sector including SaaS, Fintech, government tech and consumer tech.
  • Extensive experience scaling and launching venture-backed startups in positions across the C-Suite, focusing on operational efficiency, growth strategy, and systems implementation.
  • Worked with public and private entities to co-develop Blended Capital models geared towards helping underrepresented entrepreneurs in the US access venture capital investment.

Advisory

Nicole Valentine

Nicole Valentine

Global Advisor

Nicole Valentine

Advisory

Nicole Valentine

Global Advisor

  • FinTech Director of the Milken Institute Finance pillar with over a decade of financial services, international Mergers & Acquisitions, technology development, and innovation experience.
  • In 2023, Nicole was appointed to become a member of the CFTC GMAC (Global Markets Advisory Committee) Digital Assets Market Subcommittee.
  • Her thought leadership on FinTech and the future of finance is frequently featured in news publications.
  • As an attorney by background and member of the NY Bar, Nicole practiced M&A and Securities at Wall Street law firm, Debevoise & Plimpton.
  • Founder of Synergy Business Development where she served as business strategist, advisor and consultant.
Joe Lopez

Joe Lopez

Career Diplomat & Africa Strategic Advisor

Joe Lopez

Advisory

Joe Lopez

Career Diplomat & Africa Strategic Advisor

  • Retired from a 20+ year career as a diplomat for the US Department of Agriculture, serving in a number of senior roles including Agricultural Trade Director, Agricultural Counselor, and Agricultural Attaché.
  • In his last role as the Minister Counselor for the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Joseph specialized in agribusiness development throughout Africa and Latin America.
  • In 2009, Joseph helped negotiate an agreement for U.S. poultry into Chile reaching $18 million USD in annual sales.
  • Joseph currently independently advises governments, chambers of commerce and business on public policy, market analysis and agribusiness strategy.
Norbert Haguma

Norbert Haguma

Senior Associate

Norbert Haguma

Advisory

Norbert Haguma

Senior Associate

  • Rwandan technology leader with over a decade of experience in the tech and startup sectors, specializing in mobile banking innovations throughout Africa.
  • Possesses extensive expertise in fintech management, evidenced by a successful tenure as Country Manager for SPENN Rwanda and current role as Africa Expansion Manager at Syber Group.
  • Proven entrepreneurial prowess through the founding and management of multiple tech startups in Asia and Africa.
  • Vocal advocate for the advancement of technology in Africa, actively involved in policy discussions related to technology and finance, and currently chairs the Rwandan Blockchain Association.
  • Committed angel investor in Rwanda since 2019 and a member of the Business Angels Rwanda network.