Ventures 54

🟩 Founder 2 Funder (F2F) Sandbox Assembled 💡 Earlier this month, we welcomed our partners from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, UK-Nigeria Tech Hub, UK-Kenya Tech Hub and UK South Africa Tech Hub to 🇿🇦 Cape Town. As part of a half day strategy roundtable to review and plan for the future of F2F Sandbox, we took the opportunity to convene some of our community of Sandbox Founders & Fund managers who have recently been supported by the initiative to meet with our partners and share their stories. Sparking meaningful connections and sharing candid insights into how we can continue to and improve upon bridge building between the UK 🇬🇧 and Africa's 🌍 Tech, Startup and Investment ecosystems through Sandbox. Lots learnt and new ideas now in motion for the initiative in 2025 🚀 👩💻 To find out more go to: www.f2fsandbox.africa But in the meantime, if you are a founder or fund manager looking for UK market access support. Or an ecosystem support organization that can provide support to African founders and fund managers with market expansion. 📩 Then get in touch: sandbox@ventures54.com F2F Sandbox is delivered by V54 Open Impact, the nonprofit arm of Ventures 54, and funded by the UK Government through the UK South Africa Tech Hub, UK-Nigeria Tech Hub and UK-Kenya Tech Hub. #Africa #Startups #Investors #F2F #F2FSandbox #V54

Cape Town 🇿🇦 Ecosystem Month turns its focus toward’s Investor Week. Over the next ten days several key Africa Tech Investment convening’s will be happening across Cape Town. Bringing together VC and PE Fund GPs, LPs, DFI’s, Entrepreneurial Support Organisations and Government Agencies. We are delighted to be attending, supporting and co-hosting a few key events. Below is a spotlight on our activities and if interested in finding out more or want to participate - get in touch! 📅 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 26𝐭𝐡: 𝐎𝐱𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 (𝐨𝐱𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬.𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥) 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞 Hosting our friends from OxFounders at Innovation City Cape Town for their first Startup Pitch event in South Africa to unlock Oxford’s network of founders, investors and operators for the continents entrepreneurs. 📅 𝐓𝐡𝐮 28𝐭𝐡-29𝐭𝐡: Africa Early Stage Investor Summit 𝐆𝐏 𝐱 𝐋𝐏 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 Partnering with AESIS this year to curate and host its GP x LP Office Hours as well as host its ABAN-Dutch Good Growth Fund (DGGF) Roundtable sharing key insights from the 2024 Angel Investment Survey (launching this week). 📅 𝐒𝐚𝐭 30𝐭𝐡 - 𝐌𝐨𝐧 2𝐧𝐝 - 𝐕𝐂 𝐔𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 Joining this year's convening of Fund Managers, DFIs and ESO leaders to host alongside our partner Briter the E Squared Investments Session on “The Missing Middle: Early Stage Investing & Technical Assistance in Africa”. 📅 𝐓𝐮𝐞 3𝐫𝐝 - 𝐓𝐡𝐮 5𝐭𝐡 - AfricArena 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭 Moderating the “Finding the next Growth Capital for African Tech” with Investors and Market Makers - Simon Olsen, Ariel W., Ido Sum & Abi Ajayi to dive into global Exits and Liquidity vehicles for African Tech. 📅 𝐓𝐮𝐞 3𝐫𝐝 - 𝐓𝐡𝐮 5𝐭𝐡 - SuperReturn 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 Finally supporting the judging panel for the Startup Fundraising Pitch session alongside our friends at HAVAÍC & LoftyInc Capital. Finally a 🎁 for anyone wanting to know more about all the events across Cape Town Ecosystem Month. Click here for a free events digest: https://lnkd.in/drukGTwj #Startups #Tech #Investment #CapeTown #Africa #V54

Our Founder Anthony William Catt has been appointed 🌟 to the SA Startup Act Movement Steering Committee. Since calling South Africa 🇿🇦 our teams home on the continent since 2022, we are excited to further strengthen our roots in country and support its tech, startup and investment ecosystem. Read more about the Startup Act Movement in the announcement post below. #Africa #PublicPolicy #SAStartupAct #V54

Cape Town 🇿🇦 Ecosystem Month in full swing! It’s been a great start this week with AfriLabs Annual Gathering and The Earthshot Prize 2024 taking over Cape Town. Next week Africa Tech Festival is in town and we are delighted to be a partner this year to drive a few key initiatives. Below is a spotlight on our activities and if interested in finding out more or want to participate - links to all of them in the first comment. 📅 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 11𝐭𝐡 - 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐱 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐲  Co-hosting the Training & Networking day for Investors & Founders. Including this year a livestream of the Founder Sessions sponsored by the UK South Africa Tech Hub to bring the day virtually to founders across the continent. 📅 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 12𝐭𝐡 - 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥  V54 Open Impact our non-profit arm has partnered to co-host the EQL:HER Lounge, a networking space dedicated to women & their allies. Our partner Briter & Thuli Montana will be presenting findings from our Beyond the Noise Report. 📅 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 13𝐭𝐡 - 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭  This intimate meet-up for Corporate Leaders to engage directly with some of Africa’s leading VC Fund Managers. The event aims to build relations that can foster investment & strategic partnerships across Africa’s tech ecosystem. 📅 𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 14𝐭𝐡 - 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥: 𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞: 𝐕𝐂 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬 Finally moderating a panel focused on the VC Fundraising Landscape to discuss market dynamics, evolving LP requirements & how Chanzo Capital, MsFiT Ventures & TLcom Capital LLP are navigating the global economic downturn. We also look forward as always to be a supporting community partner for Tech Safari’s Cape Town Meet-up on Thursday. Finally a 🎁 for anyone wanting to know more about all the events across Cape Town Ecosystem Month. Click here for a free events digest: https://lnkd.in/drukGTwj #Startups #Tech #Investment #CapeTown #Africa #V54

Calling all African Founders building and scaling! Virtual event opportunity 👇 Africa Tech Festival returns this year in Cape Town and is kicking off the festival with its 2nd Edition of Founder & Investor Day in Cape Town. NEW for this year we've partnered with Africa Tech Festival to bring the event online for a interactive Virtual Livestream of the entire day. Expanding the events reach to support founders regionally in 🇿🇦 South Africa and more broadly across the 🌍 continent. This is the opportunity for startup founders to engage with experienced operators and investors to learn and gain valuable insights on key topics like fundraising, growth strategies, and market entry tactics, all designed to equip you with the tools needed for success. To find out more and register to attend this virtual event - see everything you need to know below: 📅 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 11𝐭𝐡 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫, 2024 🕐 13:45 - 17:30  📍 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥  🎟️ 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 & 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞: https://lu.ma/a1ha5zwf 🙏 Founder x Investor Day is Sponsored by GROW with SAP for Scaleups, accelerating your growth with a combination of solutions, services, and support. 💡 The event Livestream is powered by the UK South Africa Tech Hub an initiative delivered by the UK government that builds high-end digital and entrepreneurial skills, forging programmes through partnerships between the local tech sector and UK businesses to stimulate digital economies and capacitate the South African Tech ecosystem. #Tech #Startups #Bootcamp #Virtual #V54

Calling all Investors in and around Cape Town 📣 We began our journey as Ventures 54 in 2022, born out of London 🇬🇧, but choosing Cape Town 🇿🇦 as our home on the African continent. Over the years, we've run and partnered to run many Africa Investment focused events in London, but are excited to be now doing more in Cape Town. We are buzzing to collaborate with our friends Viridian to host the Africa Early Stage Investor Summit - Cape Town Investor Meetup later this month. In anticipation of the Africa Early Stage Investor Summit (AESIS) organises global meetups for local investors and stakeholders to foster connections, interact and strengthen relationships. Join us in just two weeks for the Cape Town meetup! 📆 Date: Wednesday, 30 October 2024 🕛 Time: 17:30 - 20:00 (SAST) 📍 Venue details will be shared upon RSVP confirmation. 🎫 Reserve your spot now: https://bit.ly/3YnlPOh We look forward to seeing you there! We are hosting the event alongside Viridian with a host of sponsors - big thank you to African Angel Academy, UK South Africa Tech Hub, Von Seidels & Dommisse Attorneys Inc. #Investors #Startups #Tech #CapeTown #AESIS2024

Calling all Investors in and around Cape Town 📣 We began our journey as Ventures 54 in 2022, born out of London 🇬🇧, but choosing Cape Town 🇿🇦 as our home on the African continent. Over the years, we've run and partnered to run many Africa Investment focused events in London, but are excited to be now doing more in Cape Town. We are buzzing to collaborate with our friends Viridian to host the Africa Early Stage Investor Summit - Cape Town Investor Meetup later this month. In anticipation of the Africa Early Stage Investor Summit (AESIS) organises global meetups for local investors and stakeholders to foster connections, interact and strengthen relationships. Join us in just two weeks for the Cape Town meetup! 📆 Date: Wednesday, 30 October 2024 🕛 Time: 17:30 - 20:00 (SAST) 📍 Venue details will be shared upon RSVP confirmation. 🎫 Reserve your spot now: https://bit.ly/3YnlPOh We look forward to seeing you there! We are hosting the event alongside Viridian with a host of sponsors - big thank you to African Angel Academy, UK South Africa Tech Hub, Von Seidels & Dommisse Attorneys Inc. #Investors #Startups #Tech #CapeTown #AESIS2024

Are you working in UK-Africa 🇬🇧🌍 Tech and investment? Next week London will host the UK's busiest period of UK-Africa Investment, Startup, Culture & Connection events. With countless smaller events, breakfasts, dinners and coverings happening throughout, we wanted to highlight the marque events taking place next week: 📅 Monday 7th - Wed 9th: AFSIC - Investing in Africa Conference & Expo 📅 Tue 8th: Africa Early Stage Investor Summit London Meetup 📅 Thu 10th: Mastercard Foundation Fund for Resilience and Prosperity 📅 Thu 10th: AVCA - The African Private Capital Association Summit 📅 Thu 10th - Sat 13th: 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair Somerset House We are delighted to be attending several of these and other side events including co-facilitating the USAID Venture Capital LP Roundtable Session at AFSIC. If you are planning to attend any of these events or know of others happening that week - let us know in the comments. We look forward to connecting! You can find links to find out more or attend in the comments below 👇 #London #Africa #Tech #Investment #Events #V54

As part of South Africa’s Heritage Month, today we proudly celebrate Heritage Day in 🇿🇦 South Africa. Since 2022, South Africa has been Ventures 54’s home on the continent 🌍, and we’d like to take this moment to honor the rich cultural diversity that defines this nation. From the vibrant traditions to the unique stories that unite its people, we are continuously inspired by the resilience, creativity, and innovation that come from every corner of this beautiful country. At Ventures 54, we are committed to celebrating and supporting the individuals, communities, and entrepreneurs who carry forward the legacy of their heritage while forging new paths in the local startup ecosystem. Here’s to celebrating unity in diversity, and the shared heritage that makes South Africa truly remarkable! #HeritageDay #Diversity #Unity #V54

🟩 Founder 2 Funder (F2F) Sandbox is now live! Startup founders and funders across Africa are increasingly seeking ways to leverage global markets to enhance their access to capital, talent, and networks. However, many face challenges in identifying effective strategies, tools and ultimately the required capacity to do so... That is the thinking behind the F2F Sandbox 🚀 An initiative we’ve recently launched to equip 🌍 African Startups & Venture Capital Funds with everything they need to expand, scale and raise capital in the 🇬🇧 UK. So how does F2F Sandbox work? Like a regulatory sandbox, where businesses can experiment with new products and services with the support of a regulator, the F2F sandboxes provides dedicated space and support for for African Startups and Funds to explore, test and leverage opportunities within the UK ecosystem. Through our Sandbox team and network of partner organisations and experts - we provide each individual Startup or Fund a one-to-one support programme, tailored to their specific market entry goals. 👩💻 To find out more go to: www.f2fsandbox.africa What to keep an eye out for in the coming weeks and months 👀 🔰 Our “Pillars of Support for Market Access” content series.  🔰 Showcase of the first Startups & Funds we are currently supporting.  🔰 Announcement of our Sandbox Partners Network. 🔰 Launch of our free to access Ecosystem Resources Library. In meantime, if you are a founder or fund manager looking for UK market access support. Or an ecosystem support organization that can provide support to African founders and fund managers with market expansion. 📩 Then get in touch: sandbox@ventures54.com F2F Sandbox is delivered by V54 Open Impact, the nonprofit arm of Ventures 54, and funded by the UK Government through the UK South Africa Tech Hub, UK-Nigeria Tech Hub and UK-Kenya Tech Hub. #Africa #Startups #Investors #F2FSandbox #V54