Maya Horgan-Famodu is a venture capital investor and entrepreneur, committed to ensuring brilliant people, wherever they are located, have access to the resources they need to build wildly scalable businesses.
She founded Ingressive Capital (a $10 Million VC Fund I and $50 Million Fund II focused on early stage African tech); Ingressive for Good (a nonprofit providing micro-scholarships, technical skills training, and talent placement); as well as Ingressive Advisory (an advisory firm providing market entry / market opportunity services and tech research for corporates and investors).
Ingressive Capital portfolio companies include Paystack, Bamboo, Carry1st, Mono, Tizeti, Lenco, Jetstream, 54gene, and OZÉ among many others.
In a recent share, Maya says:
If I earned a dollar every time I say “The time to invest in African tech is now”, I would be a multi-billionaire. It’s not just hype, Africa’s digital economy is expected to reach $180 billion in 2025, enabled by a young, tech-savvy population, and the increasing internet & mobile adoption.
African founders are pioneering innovative solutions within untapped markets, creating opportunities for significant impact and high returns.
At SOCAP Global, I had the opportunity to contribute to a fireside chat titled ‘Africa as an Emerging Frontier for Tech Investments and Impact-Driven Philanthropy.’ I echoed the importance of directing investment towards Africa to unlock its potential for innovation and economic development.
At Ingressive Capital, we invest in high-growth tech startups in the pre-seed and seed stages. Find out more at www.ingressivecapital.com
Maya’s thoughts are a trigger for some of these facts that she repeatedly emphasises:
- Many African countries have growing, underserved markets across sectors like financial services, health, education, and e-commerce. Startups that address these gaps through technology have the potential for high growth and returns.
- Africa boasts the world’s youngest population, with over 70% of its people under the age of 30. This demographic represents a dynamic, tech-savvy generation poised to drive innovation.
- Investment in Africa is not just about financial gain; it offers a chance to create transformative social and economic impact.
- As traditional markets become saturated, Africa offers a frontier for new opportunities. Directing capital toward innovative businesses can accelerate the continent’s economic transformation, making it a critical player in the global economy.
- Cities like Lagos, Nairobi, Cape Town, and Kigali are becoming hotbeds for tech innovation, with startups leveraging mobile technology, AI, and blockchain.