54 Collective

"Building without boundaries represents a world where I can grow, and founders can innovate and ideate without being limited by money, resources, or support," says Yunus Ibrahim, Junior Venture Builder in Gen F. 🌍 Yunus is passionate about the idea stage of entrepreneurship which is critical in any founders journey—He believes this foundational period is key to creating scalable businesses that address real challenges on the continent. What excites him most about the future of entrepreneurship in Africa? "The potential for boundless innovation. A future where African founders develop local solutions for global markets and achieve exits to major global players."" he shares. As Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem matures, structured support during the concept and validation stage are vital for de-resking ventures, fostering innovation, and paving the way for African founders to lead on the global stage. GEN F helps founders test, build, and access expert support to help them launch their ideas. Yunus’s vision reflects the growing need for pathways that empower entrepreneurs, giving them access to the resources and networks they need to succeed. It’s through collaboration and bold thinking that the continent will unlock its full potential. 📺 Catch the latest episode on our YouTube channel to hear more from Yunus on how to enable founders to build with purpose → https://lnkd.in/dk2aHhp6 #54Unscripted

🌟 Ventures Kitchen: A Recipe for Startup Success Last week, following an inspiring time at the Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town, South Africa, we had the privilege of hosting Ventures Kitchen, an event that brought together a remarkable group of founders driven by solving some of Africa’s most pressing challenges. Ventures Kitchen was an opportunity to take a step back with the founders, take some time to listen and understand their unique journeys, fostering meaningful partnerships, and being there to support them at every stage with a focus on scaling with intention and impact, aligning growth with purpose. 💡 Key Takeaways: • Listening is key: Every founder’s journey is unique, and understanding their needs helps us tailor our support effectively. • Hands-on collaboration: Building successful startups requires more than capital—it takes partnerships rooted in shared goals and trust. • Community accelerates growth: Moments of fellowship and openness remind us that we are human and that we should leverage the collective strength and potential in Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. To our portfolio founders, ecosystem players and the broader founder community who joined us, thank you for sharing your stories and challenges with us. You’ve validated our belief in the importance of building a connected, supportive ecosystem where innovation and collaboration thrive. Here’s to more moments of fellowship, connection, and growth as we continue to build a thriving ecosystem together 🤩 The Collective Community waitlist is now open! This community is designed to support founders and venture leaders in overcoming the challenges of building and scaling impactful businesses. Through Founder-to-Founder support, access to unparalleled networks, and honest conversations. 🔗 Link to join the waitlist: https://lnkd.in/dvBfjEQr #54Collective #CommunityBuilding

🌍 Reflections from the recent Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town 🇿🇦 Our Investment Manager Philani Mzila CDFA joined an esteemed panel of tech ecosystem leaders consisting of Miranda Perumal (Founder of scale), Vuyani Tati (Managing Director, Startupbootcamp AfriTech), Sherif Nessim (Founder and Managing Partner, Jedar Capital), and Zachariah George (Managing Partner, Launch Africa Ventures) to unpack one of the most nuanced challenges in startup investing: crafting fair and transparent term sheets. The Collaborative Spirit of Funding Imagine term sheets not as rigid legal documents, but as a collaborative journey between founders and investors. The panel emphasised that this process is about building mutual understanding and alignment. The Ethics of Valuation One fascinating discussion point was the ethical considerations around round pricing. Not all valuation changes are created equal. Context matters – whether it's time elapsed or fundamental shifts in the company's trajectory. The Bigger Picture This isn't just about numbers on a page. It's about creating an ecosystem where African startups can thrive, where communication is clear, and where both founders and investors feel respected and heard. 💡 Key Learnings: • Founders should take the lead in drafting initial terms that reflect their startup's vision • Investors are partners, not just financiers – they're there to guide and clarify financial complexities • Transparency isn't just a buzzword; open and honest communication are the foundation of successful startup-investor relationships Stay tuned for more insights from Africa Tech Festival and what we got up to While you're at it, visit our website www.54collective.vc #54Collective #AfricaTechFestival

🌍 "Africa as a continent is very resilient and adaptable," says Wangui Kahumbi, Partnerships Manager (54 Collective), who’s passionate about connecting early-stage startups with corporate ecosystems to drive meaningful impact. In the dynamic African startup landscape, where entrepreneurial talent abounds, partnerships are key to unlocking resources that startups often can't access alone. Wangui’s mission? Bridging the gap between corporates and founders to foster transformative growth: “I believe there's a disconnect between startups and corporates... I want to be the conduit between the two, creating a space where innovation drives the continent’s growth.” By connecting founders with the right ecosystem players, Wangui enables them to adopt a global mindset: “For founders, we need to think globally, not just regionally,” she emphasizes. Through strategic alliances and broadened reach, founders are empowered to create solutions that tackle regional challenges and resonate on a global scale. In an industry where access to partnerships can make or break a venture, Wangui’s role exemplifies the power of relationship-building in scaling African innovation. 🎥 Watch the full episode of our #54Unscripted Youtube series to learn more about Wangui’s inspiring journey and the impact of partnerships in African VC → https://lnkd.in/dQ3x9wy8

After 4 incredible years with 54 Collective, I have officially wrapped up my work and reflecting on the remarkable journey I’ve had. I started this journey during COVID, when then Founders Factory Africa (FFA) was just a 2 year old venture with a small, ambitious team of 20 people. At that time, we had made 16 investments (<$20m combined valuation) with the support of $30 million from anchor investors like Standard Bank Group, Netcare, and Small Foundation. Back then, few people knew about FFA Coming from traditional asset management, I was driven by a desire to see capital flow more inclusively. I wanted to leverage my skills to help build “investable opportunities” where they were often reported as lacking—a common reason given by fund managers and pension funds for holding on to the "private assets" portion of their funds. I felt challenged to explore further and learn new approaches to evaluating early ventures that lack traditional track records, this meant unlearning some of what I learnt earlier on in my career. Today, I leave 54Co as a +$100 million-funded business backed by corporate and philanthropic partners who share a common vision. Together, we’ve funded over 80 early stage tech ventures now valued at >$550m combined. A further $140million has flown to these ventures enabling them to grow and most importantly address some of Africa’s most pressing challenges across financial services, healthcare, climate, logistics, and more. While many of these ventures have faced obstacles, some shut down, we celebrate the successes as that is how we start to shift perspectives and bring systemic change in how capital is allocated. I am proud of the diverse, talented team we’ve built, the investments we’ve made, the partners we have attracted and the entrepreneurs we have backed over the years. Thank you to the entire team and our partners for bringing creativity, resilience, and collaboration to our shared mission. It has been a privilege to help shape strategies for early-stage founders often overlooked by traditional markets and foster meaningful gender inclusion, both within our team and with the entrepreneurs we support. Together, we’ve made real progress toward a more inclusive future for African entrepreneurs. Here’s to continued success for 54 Collective and to new adventures ahead!

🇿🇦 Join us this week at Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town to engage in pivotal conversations and support for founders and entrepreneurs across Africa. Here’s what’s on the agenda: 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟮, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 🎤 Keynote: Finding Scale in Offline-Driven Markets & Why Some Get to Unicorn Status 📍 With: Bongani Sithole (CEO) 📍 Location: AfricaIgnite Main Stage - Hall 5, CTICC 2 Exhibition 🕒 Time: 11:40 AM - 11:55 AM SAST 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟯, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 🔥 Fireside Chat: The Rise of Debt Financing as an Alternative Funding Model 📍 With: Philani Mzila CDFA (Investment Manager) 📍 Location: AfricaIgnite Main Stage - Hall 5, CTICC 2 Exhibition 🕒 Time: 2:40 PM - 3:10 PM SAST 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 🍲 Community Engagement Activity: The Ventures Kitchen: A Culinary Experience for Africa’s Tech Founders! This exclusive experience brings together early-stage founders to exchange insights, network, and collaborate. 🕒 Time: 12:00 PM - 4:30 PM SAST 📍 Connect with: Zinhle Phakathi, (MPhil) Cheri Blair Alumni (Community Engagement Specialist) Exciting time ahead! We’re looking forward to an impactful week of discussions and collaboration to drive innovation and empower entrepreneurs across Africa! https://lnkd.in/dU-m94uj 🚀 #AfricaTechFestival #54Collective #BuildWithoutBoundaries

🌍 For African women founders, increased access to funding, networks, and representation is essential. 'We are creating space and funding for more women to lead startups,' says Jax, aiming to inspire others by showing that the success of women founders is not only possible but vital to the future of African innovation. In this #54Unscripted episode, Founder Experience Specialist, Jax Maroun, shares her approach to ensuring founders receive meaningful, well-timed support that drives growth across every stage of their journey. This founder-centric approach is shaping an environment where diverse ventures can scale and thrive, fueling innovation and inclusion across Africa’s startup ecosystem. Across Africa’s diverse and expanding startup ecosystem, the role of VC-backed platforms it has never been more critical to support founders to navigate complex challenges, reach new markets, and develop products that transform lives and industries. Jax’s work focuses on connecting founders to the resources they need—recognizing that “Until you have a product that adds real value in people’s lives, the journey isn’t complete.” 📺 Catch the latest episode on our YouTube channel to hear more from Jax on how to enable founders to grow and scale across Africa → https://lnkd.in/dy887Thv #54Unscripted #BuildWithoutBoundaries

🌍 We recently hosted iFHP | International Federation of Health Plans members at our South Africa office for Big Ideas - Africa Week! The event featured knowledge-sharing through panel discussions and workshops on topics such as leveraging private sector resources for healthcare, innovative approaches to affordable medicines, advancements in digital health and innovation, payor-provider relationships, AI in healthcare, precision medicine, and best practices. This sparked essential discussions, partnerships, and fresh ideas, aligning with our mission to drive innovation and empower entrepreneurs across Africa. 💡 Our healthtech ventures also took centre stage, showcasing their pioneering work: • Healthcenta (Veronica George): Bringing transparency to healthcare costs • Kapsule (David Chen): Driving insights through data • My 1Health (Ryan Marincowitz): Offering global access to specialized healthcare • Wellahealth (Ikpeme Neto): Making quality care accessible through technology • Rology (Jason Musyoka): Bridging radiology gaps with AI-powered solutions 🚀 We are grateful to the team at IFHP for the opportunity to collaborate with industry peers and visionaries to drive transformative change in healthcare! Check out our website to find out more about our portfolio - https://lnkd.in/dSavwQrg #BigIdeasAfrica #BuildWithoutBoundaries

🌍 Empowering founders to build scalable ventures that combine commercial success with meaningful impact: From financial and health inclusion to fostering dignified livelihoods, advancing climate resilience, and building a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem—these are the impact areas driving sustainable growth across Africa. In the latest episode of our #54Unscripted YouTube series, Joseph Dalley (Research Manager, 54 Collective) puts it, “Building without boundaries means addressing these areas head-on to create solutions with real, lasting impact.” 📺 Catch the latest episode on our YouTube channel to hear more from Joseph on how our impact team is helping founders to build scalable ventures with embedded impact → https://lnkd.in/dmUH_frs

🎙️ Here's what we're listening to lately: This insightful podcast episode hosted by Ibrahim Sagna features our CEO, Bongani Sithole, and board members Alina Truhina, and Roo Rogers, discussing the importance of infrastructure development and the innovative strategies we employ at 54collective‬ to achieve remarkable outcomes for founders and investors. Check it out! 🚀