The Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford is currently hosting an extensive event called the Africa Venture Finance Programme. This initiative is a gathering of 44 distinguished fund managers who specialize in African and Africa-centric venture capital investments. The purpose of this assembly is to exchange knowledge and develop strategies that will contribute to creating a sustainable and impactful investment environment throughout the African continent.
The funding for the Africa Venture Finance Programme is provided by the European Union through the Boost Africa initiative, and by the AfricaGrow Technical Assistance Facility, which is financed by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) via the KfW Development Bank.
This week, the programme is welcoming 44 top-tier fund managers representing 33 venture capital (VC) funds from Africa, including well-known entities such as Partech, AfricInvest, TLcom, Noorsken22, Speedinvest, among others. They are participating in a specialized, week-long course that takes place in person and is tailored for VC fund managers who focus on investing in early-stage and growth-stage technology companies across Africa.
The aim of the programme is to bolster the expansion of the technology venture capital industry in Africa. It is designed to provide fund managers with the necessary skills to spot and invest in innovative solutions that tackle the distinct challenges faced by the continent. The participants will exchange their knowledge and lead discussions that are expected to catalyze swift advancement in the technology venture capital sector in Africa.
Ambroise Fayolle, the Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), expressed the bank’s dedication to funding new technologies and ideas that can address the global challenges that affect us all. He highlighted the instrumental role of the Boost Africa initiative in nurturing a dynamic and resilient venture capital ecosystem in Africa and in assisting African entrepreneurs to turn their innovative concepts into thriving enterprises.
