Ingressive Capital

COMMUNICATE THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY TO YOUR INVESTORS! Investors understand that business isn't always smooth sailing. What they don't appreciate is being kept in the dark. Some founders when facing difficulties will either get distant or gloss over the truth. If you can't trust your investor to show up and support you when challenges occur, don't take the money! Because if they don't understand that there are risks to the business, how can they be helpful partners? One thing we prioritize at Ingressive Capital is ensuring we foster a real partnership with our portfolio companies. So signing up to have us on your cap table feels like joining forces with a dedicated team committed to your long-term success.

When we say that we look for post-traction businesses, it does not exclude businesses that have not yet attained high revenues. What matters to us are signs that indicate product-market fit. - How many users do you have? - By how much are you growing each month in users & revenue? - How long are you retaining users on your solution? - What is the frequency of engagement with your product? - How regularly are users willing to use your product or spend money on it? These are the indicators we're looking for, not just revenue. While it is important to have stable financials, there are signs in the early stage when we're investing in the pre-seed that suggest product-market fit and significant demand for your product/service. So as you are positioning your traction for investors ensure that however small your numbers are, you present them as indications of PMF. Join our portfolio and let's work with you to scale your business, Apply at www.ingressivecapital.com

Pre-seed or Seed? You're in the Right Place. We are ready to create a massive impact on your cap table by enabling your growth. Join our portfolio! Apply on www.ingressivecapital.com

I am in Cape Town for SuperReturn Africa where I will speak on the "Harnessing Private Capital for African talent, the diaspora and the future generations" panel! This conversation is particularly timely as Ingressive Capital reflects on a year that began with a challenging funding landscape for African startups. Despite initial headwinds, the second half of 2024 saw a remarkable resurgence, with startups in the 5 main markets raising over $200 million in capital (for October) for the first time since July. This optimistic shift is further fueled by the exciting news of a new African unicorn (huge congratulations to the Moniepoint Group team!). With inflation declining and more funding entering the ecosystem in key sectors like fintech, energy, logistics, and strategic partnerships between startups and established players, alongside supportive government initiatives, 2025 promises to be a pivotal year for African tech. If you're in Cape Town for Super Return Africa and interested in exploring investment opportunities in high-potential African startups, I'd love to connect!

"We hunt for underdog talent. We go to overlooked regions, talk to local communities, and find founders solving unsexy but essential problems. Our secret sauce? We look beyond the pitch deck. We’re interested in grit, market knowledge, and execution—because that’s where the magic happens." Our Founder Maya Horgan Famodu is the focus for Digital Network Africa's this month's founders feature. In this edition of the newsletter, she discusses the characteristics we look for in solutions and founders we invest in among other lessons she learned through her journey from finance to venture capital. Read the article in the links attached below:

When things go wrong with an order or service, many companies resort to a quick fix by apologizing and offering a discount or voucher. While this might calm the customer down, it doesn't protect you from a potential reoccurrence. To truly fix the issue and prevent it from happening again, you need to do a root cause analysis. Root cause analysis helps you find the main reason behind why a problem occurred, not just the obvious symptoms. By understanding the root cause, you can implement corrective solutions and make sure the problem doesn't happen again, protecting your company's reputation and ensuring customer satisfaction.

Despite facing a funding disparity, research shows that women-founded businesses outperform their male counterparts. They generate higher returns, create more jobs, and demonstrate stronger leadership qualities. The higher bar for securing funding forces women founders to develop exceptional businesses with robust plans and talented teams. This selective pressure inherently increases their chances of success. Secondly, with limited access to capital, women entrepreneurs become masters of efficiency. They focus on optimizing unit economics, leading to strong financial management and maximizing returns. If you're a woman-founder with a moonshot idea, Ingressive Capital is ready to take you from seed to scale. Apply today and join a community of tech pioneers. www.ingressivecapital.com

Catch our founder Maya Horgan Famodu at SuperReturn Africa in Capetown next week to discuss investment in Africa, particularly in the tech space.

2025 Investments in African tech are looking promising 👀 African tech startups witnessed a decline in funding in the first half of 2024, raising $780 million, a 31% drop compared to the same period in 2023. However, the third quarter had an uptick, with $600 million raised, and strong expectations for Q4 indicate a potential strong end to the year. The rebound indicates renewed investor confidence, with resilient sectors and emerging funding avenues fueling the growth potential of African tech, despite recent market slowdowns. Interested in backing the next wave of African innovation? Get in touch. 😊

I have seen businesses in their early stages break because of a weak team. Finding the right birds to flock with is important in scaling. The key is to assemble a diverse team with the necessary skills and expertise. The basic steps to build a strong team are: - Pinpoint the essential positions to fill, considering both immediate needs and future growth - Clearly outline the roles, expectations, and responsibilities needed to achieve your business goals. - Create a work environment that encourages collaboration, innovation, and open communication. - Ensure operational efficiency. Implement processes and tools to streamline operations and improve productivity. Be upfront about the challenges and rewards of working in a startup environment. While it's true that people can learn as they go, being upfront about the challenges helps ensure that they are prepared for the realities of working in a startup. It's a more ethical and sustainable approach that ultimately leads to a better fit for the candidate and the business. Still, assembling a team that shares your vision is more challenging than it sounds. Therefore, you might want to consider these key points: - Attract people who share your vision and have complementary skills. This could include technical expertise, business acumen, or marketing experience. - Hire talented individuals who fit your company culture and have the necessary skills for the job. Consider hiring for cultural fit and potential rather than just technical skills. Remember your team can either make or break your business. Ingressive Capital's team can support your vision from seed to scale, submit your application at www.ingressivecapital.com