Ola Brown (Founder, Healthcap Africa) Make Something People Want is the motto of Y Combinator, the early stage startup accelerator that has supported the launch of ultra-successful companies such as Airbnb and Reddit. Build something— not that people need — but rather something they want and are willing to pay for, Y Combinator adds. Ola Orekunrin Brown (Founder, Founder at Healthcap Africa) shares this immensely important reminder below, saying: Y Combinator, a renowned leader in startup investing, operates by a guiding principle that resonates deeply. This philosophy has undoubtedly contributed to their remarkable success in identifying and nurturing innovative ventures.As we strive for excellence in…
Opinion
🎥 AndrewFirman A significant talk from Andrew Firman, CFA (co-Founder & Managing Partner at Kaleo Ventures – providers of early-Stage Venture Capital in Africa). Andrew is a faith driven fund manager who has invested in more than 50 faith-driven entrepreneurs across sub-Saharan Africa. In the video above – a talk shared with a church in Lagos – Firman dissects workplace theology in a thoroughly mind-enthralling manner. 🎥Faith Driven Investor podcast In this video, Andrew Firman and Henry Kaestner (another faith-driven investor) are interviewed about the risks, rewards, and returns of investing in Africa. Both gentlemen discuss the opportunities and challenges…
📸 Nainika Seth By Nainika Seth (Sport and performance psychologist) As the best athletes from each country gear up for Paris 2024 Olympics. What goes on in the mind of an Olympic athlete days before the biggest event of their lives? How do they focus, get into the zone and motivate themselves in their quest for gold? Winning an Olympic gold medal is universally recognised as the pinnacle of sporting achievement. All eyes are on this prize, nobody wants consolation advise. It’s no longer about being happy to participate, it’s about being the best in the world when it matters…
📸 John Fowlie For four Olympic Games, John Fowlie was a swimming coach at the Australian Institute of Sport / Swimming Australia National Training Centre. During his tenure, his athletes won nine Olympic medals and set seven world records. For the last years, John has been working with high-talent, high-pressure teams in other specialised environments. On July 26th the Olympic Games will begin in Paris. Incredible athletes from around the world will gather and perform superhuman feats under immense pressure. John asks: ‘As a business leader, how can you draw inspiration from this event, extract lessons and talk to your…
Founder & Group Managing Director of Rainoil Limited, Dr. Gabriel Ogbechie Dr. Gabriel Ogbechie OON is the Group Managing Director of Rainoil Limited, a leading energy company in Nigeria. With an impressive career spanning over 30 years, he possesses a wealth of expertise in sales, marketing, and operations within the Oil & Gas space. In 1997, Dr. Ogbechie founded Rainoil Limited, an energy company that has since become a dominant player in Nigeria’s downstream value chain. He has overseen the growth of the Group’s business operations across the entire downstream value chain, including investment in agriculture and Real Estate. Dr.…
Launching the new Orange Corners hub at Ogun State (R-L) – Amaka Nwaokolo (Director, The The FATE Institute); Bambo Adebowale (Dean & Director, The FATE School); Adenike Adeyemi (Executive Director, FATE foundation); Michel Deelen (His Excellency, , Consular General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Lagos-Nigeria); Hon. Adebola Sofela (Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Ogun State) On Monday, July 15, 2024 Orange Corners Nigeria – an initiative of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Lagos and implemented by FATE Foundation – launched a new hub in Ogun State. Over the next five years, the Ogun State…
Marius Hamelot (Co-Founder, Le Pavé) 📸 Roxane Montaron / Les Canaux Co-founded by childhood friends Marius Hamelot (architect) and Jim Pasquet (entrepreneur), Paris-based Le Pavé is revolutionising the construction and furniture sectors by transforming plastic waste into 100% recycled and recyclable material. Their innovative approach has won them projects such as the Arena and the Olympic Aquatic Centre, where they will produce 11,000 seats. Excerpts from an interview with Ville de Paris: Could you explain the inspiration behind the creation of Le Pavé? Was it a realisation of the environmental backwardness of the construction industry that led to the creation…
Léon Serpollet Square (North-East of Paris) 📸 Joséphine Brueder/ Ville de Paris A vibrant transformation is underway across the city as monumental works of art adorn 3×3 basketball courts, leaving an indelible mark on the urban landscape. A closer look at this artistic facet of the Paris 2024 legacy reveals a fusion of sport and creativity. As part of the legacy initiative for the Paris 2024 Games, numerous 3×3 basketball courts have been renovated and refurbished. This development is particularly welcome in view of the sport’s Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games in 2021, setting the stage for a surge…
Developing agriculture at scale is a game changer for our continent [Africa] and I want to be part of the journey By Uche Ogboi (Investor. Ex CEO, Lori Systems. Ex Partner, EchoVC. Ex Citi) Over the last year, after some rest and rejuvenation, I have spent time working with various companies to support their strategic vision. Some of these include new market expansions, establishment of a holding company and acquisition of multiple subsidiaries across the financial services, technology, energy and food industries. Above all, the sector that has piqued my interest the most is the agriculture sector. Africa is blessed…
Intra-African trade is a nightmare, but advancing it is still on our agenda by Hendrik Reimers (Founder, fairafric – Ghana) Intra-African trade is a nightmare.Just last week, we faced this dilemma: A South African client wants to buy chocolate made from Ghanaian cocoa beans.When the cocoa beans travel from Africa to Europe and are transformed into chocolate in Belgium and then exported to South Africa, there is a 0% duty on them.When the cocoa is transformed into chocolate where the cocoa grew (i.e. in Ghana) and exported to South Africa, there is a duty of around 20% on the product.So…