Doers Defined Podcast

✨ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐋𝐮𝐤𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐄𝐒 💪 📚 Storytelling might just be one of the most underrated skills in fundraising. Yet, when done right, it has the power to turn hesitation into conviction and transform lukewarm investors into passionate backers. Ken Njoroge experienced this firsthand. As an entrepreneur building Cellulant, he had the vision, the numbers, and the strategy—but something was missing. Investors were interested, but not sold. 🙌 Everything changed when he joined the Endeavor network. There, he honed the art of storytelling—not just pitching, but crafting a compelling narrative that inspired action. He moved beyond numbers, weaving a vision so clear and powerful that investors couldn’t ignore it. The result? Millions of dollars raised and a timeless company built. Because in the end, people don’t just invest in ideas—they invest in stories that move them ✨

✨ It was a pleasure for Doers Defined Podcast host Elsie Mbugua, MBS to catch up with Kevin Rodrigues, a dear friend of two decades, who is making remarkable strides as Regional Managing Director of BP Ventures Fund and Head of Europe & Africa. BP Ventures is the venturing arm of BP - backing innovative technologies and visionary founders which could help revolutionize the energy sector. 🌍 Beyond capital, they are building a world-class team, fostering strong partnerships, and providing access to a powerful global network. Their commitment to fueling the energy transition is truly inspiring, and we are excited to support them as they continue investing in the ecosystem. The future of sustainable energy is being built today. Exciting times ahead! 🚀

✨ 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲: 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 ✨ Raising capital isn’t just about having a great business—it’s about navigating a system that wasn’t built with women or minority founders in mind. Nana Afoah Appiah-Korang’s journey in securing venture funding for her ready-to-eat manufacturing business Amayi Foods Limited highlights this stark reality. Venture Capital is a business with its own model, and truth be told, it’s not the right source of capital for many businesses. But when it is the right fit, the distribution remains deeply inequitable: 🚨 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟭.𝟴% 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗖 𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻-𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 🚨 𝟵𝟴% 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 🚨 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟬.𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴—𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟵𝟵.𝟱% 𝗼𝗳 𝗩𝗖 𝗱𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸-𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 This isn’t just about numbers—it’s about how investors assess risk and recognize opportunity. Too often, they rely on familiar signals, backing founders and business models that resemble what they’ve seen succeed before. This bias in risk profiling leaves countless visionary founders without the capital they need to scale. The solution? Expanding the lens of what "investable" looks like and ensuring that capital flows to where real innovation and impact are happening—not just where it's always been. It’s time to change the game. 🚀

🌍 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐯𝐬. 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 💰 The conversation around who gets funded in Africa’s startup ecosystem continues—especially the disproportionate funding foreign founders receive. Rosanne Whalley, CEO of AHL Venture Partners offers a key insight: investors fund trust. 🚀 Investing isn’t just about the business model; it’s a relationship game built over multiple touch points. The stronger the trust, the higher the chances of investment. 💡 So, how can African founders bridge this gap and build lasting investor relationships? What’s your take? 👇🏾 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dVYwenGu

🌍 𝐊𝐞𝐧 𝐍𝐣𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬: 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 🌟 Ken Njoroge, the trailblazing co-founder of Cellulant and PANI, shines a spotlight on a tough reality: the "graveyard" of African businesses that don’t survive the test of time. For Ken, the root cause is clear: 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 and 𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞. But instead of becoming a statistic, he made a bold promise early in his journey—to tackle these challenges head-on. 📍 It wasn’t just about hiring the best people; it was about hiring right—bringing on board individuals who aligned with the vision and fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and rock-solid governance. These intentional moves didn’t just future-proof his ventures—they became the backbone of Cellulant’s rise as one of Africa’s most iconic tech success stories. ✨ Ken’s story is a powerful lesson for entrepreneurs: Building a lasting business takes more than a great idea. It demands a relentless focus on the people you bring in and the systems you build. 💡 What do you think are other key factors behind the failure of many African businesses? Let’s spark a conversation below! 👇 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dsyC4z6N

🌍 𝐀 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐖𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐦 𝐎𝐮𝐢 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 🎉 At just 5 years old, Oui Capital has achieved a rare milestone that most VC firms—especially young ones—only dream of: fully repaying its first fund and delivering profits beyond that. 💡 With its debut fund, Oui Capital placed a $150,000 early-stage bet on Moniepoint, a Nigerian fintech that recently hit unicorn status with a $1 billion valuation following a $110 million Series C round led by Development Partners International. Oui Capital’s partial exit from the deal turned its initial investment into an impressive $8 million return—enough to repay the entire fund. From here on out, every dollar earned is pure profit for its investors. This remarkable achievement highlights two key takeaways: 1️⃣ The lucrative potential of early-stage fintech investments in Africa. 2️⃣ Africa’s growing influence as a global innovation hub. Globally, many VC firms struggle to return their first fund. Oui Capital’s accomplishment is not only rare but also a powerful benchmark for Africa’s venture ecosystem, proving that bold bets on the African continent can yield extraordinary results 🚀 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dMGGt8YF

Romain Diaz, founder of Satgana—a pioneering VC firm focused on climate investments—shared his approach to sourcing deal flow 🌍 🍃 . His insights highlight three primary methods: 1️⃣ 𝐈𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝: By maintaining a strong social media presence and being visible in the industry, investors can attract startups that reach out directly. While the average quality of these deals may not always be the highest, they’re invaluable for staying connected to market trends and developments. 2️⃣ 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐬: Collaborating with Limited Partners (LPs), fellow VCs, or even founders often results in higher-quality opportunities. These trusted referrals bring a layer of credibility and often align more closely with the firm’s investment goals. 3️⃣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬-𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡: This involves intentionality—defining a specific investment thesis and actively seeking companies that align with it. This proactive approach ensures that the investments closely match the firm’s vision and values. 👉 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐕𝐂𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡-𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬? I’d love to hear your thoughts—whether you're an investor, founder, or part of the ecosystem. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dHdYGV4J

🌍 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬. How many times have we heard the refrain: "We can't find bankable projects or startups to invest in"? Jo Opot of Gather Ventures so powerfully articulates the unique challenges of businesses operating in emerging markets, especially in Africa. Entrepreneurs here aren't just building businesses—they’re often forced to build the infrastructure that enables those businesses to function and thrive. It’s not just about managing the business itself but addressing systemic gaps that should already exist. ✨💪 The sheer 𝐝𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲, and 𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 required to navigate this reality are 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲. And yet, as Jo reminds us, this is precisely why we need social entrepreneurs—to create the foundational infrastructure that addresses urgent challenges others shy away from. Without this critical groundwork, traditional investors may simply look elsewhere. The reality is stark: capital is scarce, and disposable income to refine a business idea often isn’t available from friends or family. Entrepreneurs are left to figure out how to make it all work with limited resources, even as they solve the pressing issues that impact communities. 💡 Thank you, Jo, for shedding light on this reality. Your words remind us to reframe how we view social entrepreneurship—not as a "nice to have," but as an essential pillar of our ecosystem. Do you agree? 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dAyBd6BY

🌍 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐄𝐱𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐆𝐨 𝐔𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 🤫 💼 Kanini Mutooni shares that the African startup ecosystem is thriving, and exits—those critical milestones where founders and investors monetize their stakes—are happening more than we think. But here's the catch: many of these exits go unannounced. ✨ One major reason? The tax man. Publicly disclosing financial details of exits can invite scrutiny, making founders and investors cautious about celebrating their wins out loud. Beyond taxes, privacy concerns, cultural norms, and strategic considerations also contribute to this silence. But staying quiet comes at a cost. Transparency around exits builds trust, attracts global investors, and inspires the next generation of entrepreneurs. Without it, we miss the chance to showcase Africa’s success stories to the world and drive momentum in our ecosystem. 💡 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞? Should we push for more transparency around exits, or is the current discretion justifiable? 𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐬𝐬! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/de4RxC7d

TIME 100 honoree and WRI Africa Managing Director, Wanjira Mathai, embodies the very essence of the Doers Defined Podcast community. Her unwavering commitment to driving sustainable, zero-carbon energy solutions is nothing short of inspiring ✨ I am incredibly honored to collaborate closely with her as we continue scaling and expanding our work to build a more sustainable future. Wanjira is not only a trailblazer but also the kind of friend who whispers your name in silent rooms—a true ally and advocate. Here’s to doing even more together this year, Wanjira. The impact we create together will undoubtedly ripple far and wide! 🌍✨ And, of course, we never miss a moment to share a laugh.