Fuel Ventures Asia’s Post

Embracing Tradition in the Digital Age: Exploring the Intersection of African Leadership Values and Tech Leadership. In the bustling tech hubs of Africa, where innovation meets tradition, a fascinating convergence of leadership styles unfolds. In this digital era, where modern tech leadership principles reign supreme, the age-old wisdom of traditional African leadership models continues to shape the landscape of tech ecosystems across the continent. At the heart of African leadership lies the concept of communal leadership, where decisions are made collectively, and the well-being of the community takes precedence over individual interests. This echoes the collaborative ethos of modern tech leadership, where teamwork and shared goals drive innovation and progress. Elder wisdom, revered for its depth of experience and insight, finds resonance in the mentorship culture of tech startups, where seasoned entrepreneurs impart knowledge and guidance to the next generation of tech leaders. The principles of respect for authority and hierarchical structures, ingrained in African cultural values, find expression in the organizational structures of tech companies, where leadership roles are defined and respected. However, it is not just about preserving tradition; it's about harnessing its power to propel Africa's tech revolution forward. African cultural values of collectivism, ubuntu (the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity), and community are the driving forces behind initiatives that seek to bridge the digital divide and empower underserved communities through technology. In this dynamic landscape, tech leaders in Africa navigate a delicate balance between honoring tradition and embracing innovation. They draw inspiration from the rich tapestry of African culture while leveraging cutting-edge technologies to solve complex challenges and drive socio-economic development. #leadershipintech #techinAfrica #alxafrica #alxNigeria #alxfellowship #T22

Nairobi is set to host the 6th edition of the Africa Tech Female Founder Summit on October 15, 2024. Organized by TLcom Capital, this event is Africa's largest gathering of women tech entrepreneurs. The summit, themed "Transformative Leadership: Redefining Success in Tech," aims to unite and empower female founders across the continent by offering a platform for learning and networking. The summit will feature a dynamic lineup of speakers, including prominent female founders such as Nelly Chatue-Diop of Ejara, Nneile Nkholise of Thola, Rasha Rady of Chefaa, and Sneha Mehta, CFA of Uncover. These leaders will participate in panels and workshops focused on scaling businesses and strategic partnerships. Topics will include budgeting, KPI design, growth strategies, and scaling successfully. Participants will also have the opportunity to pitch their startups to leading investors like Yemi Keri from Rising Tide Africa and Joyce-Anne Wainai from Chui Ventures. The event aims to address the challenges female founders face in a demanding tech ecosystem, emphasizing high-performance qualities and transformative leadership. The summit is expected to draw over 500 female tech entrepreneurs, continuing its tradition of fostering innovation and leadership among women in Africa's tech industry. #AfricaTechSummit #FemaleFounders #WomenInTech #Leadership #Entrepreneurship

2025 is our year of Embracing Growth and Transformation As we step into the new year, I am filled with gratitude, excitement, and determination. My team and I have been accepted into the Stanford Seed Program, a monumental opportunity that will shape not just our business, but also who we are as leaders and change-makers.  This year will be one of transformation—both professionally and personally. The program promises to challenge us, refine our vision, and equip us with the tools to expand beyond our borders, taking our business to other parts of Africa.  Looking back at last year, I am incredibly proud of what we achieved:   - Collaborated with global organizations and research centers to foster innovation and bridge the gap between academia and industry.   - Mentored emerging entrepreneurs, helping them embrace technology and thrive in their ventures.   - Empowered organizations to become data-enabled and make informed, strategic decisions.  Each milestone reflects the hard work, resilience, and unwavering belief of my team in our mission to deliver transformative solutions.  Now, as we embark on this next phase, I want to thank everyone who has been part of our journey. Your support, encouragement, and partnerships have been the foundation of our success.  Here’s to a year of bold moves, impactful collaborations, and new horizons! If you’re in the business of transforming Africa through innovation, let’s connect—our journey is better together.  Happy 2025!! #StanfordSeed #Transformation #Innovation #Africa #Leadership  

Do you know the right networks can make or break your startup journey as a woman entrepreneur? Here’s the truth: Not all networking groups are created equal. Here’s a guide to the top networks and events you should join in Europe: 🔹 **European Women in VC** Unites female venture capitalists to support women-led startups. Join for support, mentoring, and investment opportunities. 🔹 **Women Who Startup** This community offers resources, events, and a strong network to help females grow their businesses. Weekly meetups and workshops. 🔹 **Alliance for Women Entrepreneurs \(AWE\)** Provides mentorship, funding tips, and access to a vast network of successful women leaders. 🔹 **European Women on Boards \(EWoB\)** Promotes gender diversity in leadership roles. Offers networking events and high-impact workshops. 🔹 **Femalentrepreneur** Dedicated to women's entrepreneurial ecosystem in France, with a strong influence across Europe. 🔹 **Women’s Entrepreneurship Day \(WED\) Europe** Annual event celebrating, supporting, and empowering female entrepreneurs globally. My own experience at Fe/male Switch showed me one thing: Surround yourself with a diverse, supportive group. It’s a game-changer. Let me know if this was helpful. Anything I missed? What would you add to this list?

We’re excited to introduce Women TechEU 2025 – a European prize designed to support women leading deep tech startups.   Women TechEU empowers women leading deep tech startups, providing targeted support to help them become future tech leaders.  The programme prioritizes green, digital, and social transitions, aligning with European goals and addressing regional innovation disparities. Why should you apply to this prize? ✅ This is a rare opportunity with a funding rate of 100%! ✅ It is open to any entity - SMEs, non-SMEs, and startups. ✅ Eligible countries- European Member States and Horizon Europe Associated Countries. ✅ Single beneficiary call- for women founders/co-founders in top leadership roles (CEO, CTO, CSO, etc.)   This is the third of four calls, offering 160 startups €75,000 in non-dilutive grants and a personalized business development programme, including mentoring, coaching, and training. 🗓️ Deadline: March 2025 Book a call with us to see how we can help you take your deep tech startup to the next level- https://lnkd.in/dSsJnYcb

🎉 Meet the 2025 BFFF Leadership Board! 🎉   We are thrilled to introduce the new Berkeley Female Founders & Funders (BFFF) Executive Board—a stellar team of passionate leaders dedicated to empowering women in entrepreneurship and venture capital! Berkeley and Haas: A Legacy of Leadership As part of UC Berkeley, the world’s #1 public university, and the Haas School of Business, a hub for innovation and entrepreneurial excellence, BFFF is shaping the future of female-led ventures. Since our founding in 2019, we've been committed to fostering connection, learning, and growth for women founders and funders.  2025: A Year of Bold Impact This year, we’re taking things to the next level: 💡 Building actionable skills to address gender biases in the entrepreneurial ecosystem 🤝 Creating pipelines for VCs to meet top-tier female founders 🌟 Amplifying advocacy and awareness for women-led ventures 📚 Hosting workshops, co-founder matching, and mentorship programs  Empowering Women, Expanding Opportunities BFFF is more than a club; it’s a movement for change. By partnering with local incubators, accelerators, and VCs, we’re driving innovation, promoting diversity, and creating economic impact. Together, we are breaking barriers and setting new standards for women in entrepreneurship.  ✨ Here’s to transformative growth, bold ideas, and groundbreaking innovation in 2025! ✨ Want to collaborate, speak at our events, or support our mission? Let’s connect! Together, we’ll redefine the entrepreneurial landscape. 💼🌍   #FemaleFounders #WomenInVC #Berkeley #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #HaasBusiness

The inequality gap in entrepreneurship and venture capital isn’t closing fast enough. I’m joining the Culture Shifting Summit Miami to be part of the change. Join me on January 24-25, 2025! This event is part of a annual series of deal-making summits hosted by Culture Shift Labs, uniting accomplished tech executives, entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators to enable collaborations and wealth creation. As one of the largest gatherings of Black and Latinx leaders in tech, innovation, and social impact, the Miami summit is a platform to narrow the inequality gap in entrepreneurship, corporate leadership, and venture capital. Over the past 15 years, these events have catalyzed over $1.6 billion in funding, with a goal of reaching $2 billion by 2025. I look forward to connecting with visionary leaders, sharing ideas, and contributing to this powerful mission of creating impactful change. If you’ll be there, let’s connect! #CultureShiftingSummit #Innovation #Leadership #Networking #SocialImpact

We are very excited about our special event next Thursday, 21 November: "𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀." This will be our final Entrepreneurship Lunch of the year - co-hosted with Start-Up Labs Hamburg as usual - featuring an impulse talk, panel discussion, and a networking lunch. Recently, social media has been buzzing with posts about an all-female business delegation attending the Web Summit in Lisbon with Robert Habeck, highlighting the importance of visibility for female founders - in Germany, fewer than 20% of founders are women, and the percentage is even lower in the tech sector. That's why we're thrilled to welcome four impressive female speakers to Start-up Labs Hamburg next Thursday! They will share insights on female leadership, discuss the challenges women face, and provide practical advice. The event is part of the Female Entrepreneurship Week, organized by GründungsService der HAW Hamburg and Startup Port, in the context of Global Entrepreneurship Week, from November 18 - 22, 2024. Here’s what to expect 👉 𝟭𝟭:𝟯𝟬 - 𝟭𝟮:𝟬𝟬 𝗵: 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝘂𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 "𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙀𝙢𝙋𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙄𝙣𝙋𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧" Dive into female leadership with a inspiring talk by Qiao Zhang, Program Director of Women’s Leadership Excellence at ESMT Berlin. 𝟭𝟮:𝟬𝟬 - 𝟭𝟯:𝟬𝟬 𝗵: 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 Featuring: ▪️ Ekaterina Jung (Zapolnova) (5pectre Optixx) ▪️ Louisa Wiethold (Equalista) ▪️ Anna von Berg (PatentPen) These three remarkable (pre-)founders will share their journeys, discuss the power of diversity, and offer actionable tips for overcoming barriers in the male-dominated tech world. The panel will be moderated by Lizzy Harmstorf from the DESY Start-up Office. 𝟭𝟯:𝟬𝟬 - 𝟭𝟰:𝟬𝟬 𝗵: 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 Building strong connections and finding allies is crucial. A light lunch will be provided, allowing plenty of time for networking. Register here: https://lnkd.in/dNNh_AB8 (All genders are welcome!) #femaleleadership #femalestartups #networking #lunchandlearn #entrepreneurship #startupsfromscience

“Some moments aren’t just milestones—they’re reminders of how far you’ve come and how much further you can go.” . . . A few years ago, I walked into the residence of the American ambassador in Paris for a private gathering following a special event with John Kerry about our sustainable future. It was an intimate group—just 30 of us—featuring top executives from Siemens, Boeing, and other global powerhouses. And then there was me: a young founder whose startup was just getting off the ground. Standing in that room was an unforgettable moment for me. My startup was still in its early days, yet here I was, personally invited to join a conversation with some of the world’s most influential leaders. It felt like a recognition of the potential in what we were building, even at such an early stage. But that evening also came with an important lesson: achievements like this are incredible, but they’re only part of the journey. 🕰 Recognition matters, but it’s not the destination. Being in that room was an honor, but it also fueled my drive to keep proving why we belonged there. 🎯 Pride in progress. Moments like these validate the effort, vision, and grit behind your work—they remind you to celebrate the wins while staying focused. 🔄 It’s about the bigger picture. Achievements are stepping stones, not endpoints. Each one should push you to aim even higher. Looking back, I’m proud of that moment—not just because of the room I was in, but because it reinforced the belief in what we were building and its potential to make a real impact. #SustainableFuture #BusinessJourney #StartupMilestones #LessonsInGrowth #ProudMoment #KeepBuilding

🚀 Excited to continue sharing insights from our recent meeting-discussion on "Poor Governance is Expensive: Challenges for Startups and Technology Companies," hosted by Diia.City United in collaboration with Ukrainian Corporate Governance Academy and INSEAD professors. 🍵 Grab your evening tea, take a short break, and invest two minutes to hear from international experts on effective governance. 🔹 Oleksandr Kosovan, founder and CEO of MacPaw 🇺🇦 and president of Diia.City United, shared valuable insights on building the right board for your company: "Find a person who aligns with your company's vision. Pitch your idea and present your company's future." 🔹 Prof. Ludo VAN DER HEYDEN, founding Academic Director of INSEAD's Corporate Governance Centre, added: "Be confident in what you offer. Seek individuals willing to invest their time and expertise. Attracting the right talent is your first test." 🔹 Daria Leshchenko, CEO/Partner of SupportYourApp, emphasized the importance of persistence: "Corporate governance is a journey. Understand the type of board you need and keep refining your approach. If you don't succeed initially, reconsider and try again." Join us in our mission to foster effective governance in the tech industry. Stay tuned for more insights and opportunities to learn from industry leaders! #DiiaCityUnited #Governance #TechIndustry #Startups #CorporateGovernance #INSEAD #Innovation #DiiaCityUnited #UkrainianTechLeadership #DiiaCity #Technology #IT #Ukraine