🤩 Reliving our incredible Founder Sunrise Safari experience! 🦁 We had the privilege of connecting with 13 exceptional founders as part of our final activity on the back of the recent Africa Fintech Summit on our Founder Sunrise Safari through the scenic Nairobi National Park! This game drive wasn’t about the beautiful scenery and being out in the wild, it was an opportunity to spend valuable time with different types of founders, candidly share our personal stories, exchange invaluable insights, and foster meaningful connections in a unique, inspiring environment! 🌍 We met founders addressing Africa’s development needs through tech innovation, navigating unique challenges, and #BuildingWithoutBoundaries to create a lasting impact within their communities, throughout Africa and beyond. We've captured their inspiring stories in an upcoming founder stories series launching soon. 🚀 Thank you to all the founders who leveraged the opportunity to connect with our team. We’re excited to see what lies ahead for you as you continue to build without boundaries! Our next stop? Hint: Moonshot by TechCabal 😉🇳🇬 #WeAre54Collective #AFTS2024 #MoonshotbyTechcabal
54 Collective VC
Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
Johannesburg, Gauteng 43,919 followers
Redefining investing across Africa so that entrepreneurs can #Buildwithoutboundaries 🌍
About us
54 Collective is a leading venture capital firm revolutionising investment and scaling idea to early-stage ventures throughout Africa. We are a commercial-first investor that embeds impact into everything we do. Our catalytic capital provides founders with the tailored funding they need to scale while providing investors with outstanding returns. The catalytic capital our founders receive is combined with value-add support through our Venture Success Platform, enabling entrepreneurs to build without boundaries as they solve Africa’s greatest challenges. Vital to our mission is fostering gender inclusion through the founders and ventures we support, allowing them to be inclusive in their product and service design.
- Website
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https://54collective.vc
External link for 54 Collective VC
- Industry
- Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
- Company size
- 51-200 employees
- Headquarters
- Johannesburg, Gauteng
- Type
- Privately Held
- Founded
- 2018
Locations
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Primary
Johannesburg Rd
Johannesburg, Gauteng, ZA
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Nairobi
Nairobi, KE
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Lagos
Lagos, NG
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Accra
Accra, GH
Employees at 54 Collective VC
Updates
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😎 Wrapping up an eventful week in Nairobi! We had an incredible LIVE recording of the African Pre-seed Podcast by 54 Collective during the Africa Fintech Summit! 🇰🇪 The episode titled "Behind the Scenes of Capital Funding: What Early-Stage Founders in Africa Need Most" was a melting pot of candid conversations with actionable insights and practical guidance for entrepreneurs. 🎙️ Our host and moderator, Loraine Achar-Ogada, Investment Manager (54 Collective), and MC Takondwa Mwendera, MSc, Managing Producer (54 Collective), led a dynamic discussion with powerhouse guests Zanifu and Andreata Muforo - Partner at TLcom Capital LLP., Djiba Diallo, Senior Fintech Advisor at Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, and Steve Biko, Co-Founder and CEO of Zanifu. The conversation dove deep into the realities of capital funding for early-stage African founders, exploring diverse funding options such as catalytic and non-dilutive capital, and innovative approaches we need to hone to provide flexible and sustainable support to founders across the continent. 🤩 We are grateful to work with Africa Fintech Summit as our strategic ecosystem engagement partner, and to The Kenyan Wall Street for serving as the official digital media partner. Stay tuned for the full episode → https://bit.ly/3qzgupg On our schedule today: 𝟲 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 🚀 Women Who Build Africa Assembly (Day 2) at Nairobi Street Kitchen - Connect with Millie Bulbeck, M.Sc., Vasundhra Thakur, Ruhi Manek, Loraine Achar-Ogada, Kennedy Kamau, and Kevin Odongo. 🌅 54 Collective Sunrise Safari at Nairobi National Park – Connect with Zinhle Phakathi, (MPhil) Cheri Blair Alumni It's been an amazing week, more updates and recaps coming your way! 😉 #BuildWithoutBoundaries #WWBA #AFTSNairobi2024
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🤩🇰🇪 To kick off our community engagement activities alongside Africa Fintech Summit, AfricArena and Women Who Build Africa, we hosted our friends, founders and tech ecosystem partners in celebration of our brand evolution and our commitment to helping founders #BuildWithoutBoundaries in Kenya and across Africa! 📸 Gallery: https://bit.ly/4gdp15Z Followed by the LIVE recording of African Pre-seed Podcast at Capital Club, PRJ5+H2Q Imperial Court on the 4th of September, updates coming soon! And AfricArena 's "Funding the Future: Building a Resilient Investment Ecosystem” Panel Discussion at Shamba, Loresho Ridge featuring our Investment Associate (Portfolio) Towett Ngetich. Still coming up for the rest of the week in Nairobi: 𝟱 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 📍Africa Fintech Summit at JW Marriot Hotel – Connect with Bongani Sithole, Eunice Wambui, and Hetal Patel 🚀 Women Who Build Africa Assembly (Day 1) at Delta40 Venture Studio – featuring our Venture Success Manager, Millie Bulbeck, M.Sc., leading a workshop on finding Product-Market-Fit and so much more from our team, Vasundhra Thakur, Ruhi Manek, Loraine Achar-Ogada, Kennedy Kamau, and Kevin Odongo. 𝟲 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 🚀 Women Who Build Africa Assembly (Day 2) at Nairobi Street Kitchen 🌅 54 Collective Sunrise Safari at Nairobi National Park – Connect with Zinhle Phakathi, (MPhil) Cheri Blair Alumni #BuildWithoutBoundaries #WWBA #AFTSNairobi2024 #AfricArena2024
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🚨 LIVE now! AfricArena Nairobi Summit: "Funding the Future: Building a Resilient Investment Ecosystem" Featuring Christine Namara, Partner at Africa Seed Fund: Flat6Labs, alongside our Investment Portfolio Associate, Towett Ngetich, Vova (Vladimir), Senior Partner at , Christine Mbaabu, CPA-K, MAPPM, Program Manager at Kenya Climate Innovation Center (KCIC), and Maxime Bouan, General Partner at Seedstars Africa Ventures 📺 TUNE IN HERE: https://lnkd.in/d4AkvuqF #54Collective #AfricArena2024
AfricArena Nairobi Summit 2024 (Day 2)
https://www.youtube.com/
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🇰🇪 Heads up, Kenya! Here's what our team is up to this week as we engage with founders, investors, and tech ecosystem builders across Nairobi: 𝟯 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 🗞️ 54 Collective Media Roundtable – Connect with Adam Wakefield, Janet C. Kemboi, M.A 𝟰 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 🎙️ African Pre-seed Podcast LIVE Recording at Capital Club, PRJ5+H2Q Imperial Court – Connect with Takondwa Mwendera, MSc 🌱 AfricArena "Funding the Future: Building a Resilient Investment Ecosystem” Panel Discussion at Shamba, Loresho Ridge - Connect with Towett Ngetich 𝟱 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 📍Africa Fintech Summit at JW Marriot Hotel – Connect with Bongani Sithole, Eunice Wambui, and Hetal Patel 🚀 Women Who Build Africa Assembly (Day 1) at Delta40 Venture Studio – Connect with Vasundhra Thakur, Ruhi Manek, Loraine Achar-Ogada, Millie Bulbeck, M.Sc., Kennedy Kamau, and Kevin Odongo. 𝟲 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 🚀 Women Who Build Africa Assembly (Day 2) at Nairobi Street Kitchen 🌅 54 Collective Sunrise Safari at Nairobi National Park – Connect with Zinhle Phakathi, (MPhil) Cheri Blair Alumni It's an exciting time for us to connect and collaborate! Stay tuned for insights, connections, and updates from our team. See you there and see you soon! 😉 #BuildWithoutBoundaries #WWBA #AFTSNairobi2024 #AfricArena2024
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Small Foundation just launched its 2023 Impact Report, and we're excited to be a part of it! 🚀 Our CEO, Bongani Sithole, is among the contributors featured in this comprehensive report as we play our part in partnership with Small Foundation to address challenges and scale innovative solutions across the MSME investment landscape in sub-Saharan Africa. 💡 Watch the powerful stories and insights from thought leaders shaping Africa's future - Check out the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gFmSCJia #SFImpactReport #54Collective
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🤩 Join us for a special LIVE recording episode of the African Pre-seed Podcast by 54 Collective at the Africa Fintech Summit in Kenya on the 4th of September 2024! 🇰🇪 "Behind the Scenes of Capital Funding: What Early-Stage Founders in Africa Need Most" 🌟 Host/Moderator: Loraine Achar-Ogada, Investment Manager (54 Collective) 🌟 MC: Takondwa Mwendera, MSc, Managing Producer (54 Collective) 🎙️ Featuring powerhouse guests: Djiba Diallo – Senior Fintech Advisor at Ecobank Transnational Incorporated Steve Biko – Co-Founder and CEO of one of our portfolio ventures, Zanifu 💡This episode will dive deep into the realities of capital funding for early-stage African founders, explore diverse funding options like catalytic and non-dilutive capital, and unique approaches to providing capital—designed to empower founders with flexible and sustainable support. Register to attend here: https://lu.ma/naztco7f See you there! 😉 #AfricanPreseedPodcast #WeAre54Collective
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😁 Exciting news! We've partnered with Women Who Build Africa for the upcoming #WWBAAssembly in Nairobi, taking place on September 5th-6th. 🇰🇪 We're gearing up for an inspiring lineup of dynamic speakers, founders and tech ecosystem players such as: • Our Impact Director, Vasundhra Thakur • Our portfolio venture founders, Daisy Isiaho - Zuri Health , Ella Peinovich from Powered by People (PBP) , Miranda Perumal from scale. , and Sonia Kabra from BuuPass - Bus, Train & Flight bookings, • Connect with our team, Ruhi Manek, Millie Bulbeck, M.Sc. and Loraine Achar-Ogada 🚀 This year’s assembly promises to be a powerful gathering as they've teamed up with incredible partners including Africa Fintech Summit, Delta40 Venture Studio, Jobtech Alliance, Open Capital, and many more, all focused on driving actionable change and advancing gender equity across African markets. If you haven’t secured your spot yet, now’s the time—tickets are almost sold out! https://bit.ly/3XnBIDT #WWBAAssembly #WeAre54Collective
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To cement our new brand launch we hosted an internal celebration across our 4 key regions of Kenya, Nigeria, London and South Africa ! In Kenya, Nairobi brought the energy as we celebrated the evolution of 54 Collective! 🇰🇪🚀 Our rebrand is all about scaling impact across Africa, and it starts right with us celebrating this key moment in our brand evolution. 🎥 Catch our upcoming series coming soon as our team shares what #BuildingWithoutBoundaries means to them via our Youtube Channel: https://bit.ly/4e4HwIc While you’re at it, join us for a one of a kind Sunrise Safari experience and networking event at Nairobi National Park on the fringes of the upcoming Africa Fintech Summit in Kenya on the 6th of September! 🌅 As we prepare for this exciting event, we want to hear from you! How are you #BuildingWithoutBoundaries? Share your journey, your innovations, and your passion for driving Africa forward. Share a video of your story on your social media and tag us to join in. We’ll be selecting a few incredible submissions to join us for our special Sunrise Safari drive! Join us for an exclusive and inspiring event designed for visionary founders who are redefining boundaries in the African startup ecosystem: ✅ lu.ma/rt1wjqox ⬅️ Tag us in your hashtag#Buildingwithoutboundaries story!
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📚 Here’s what we’re reading at 54 Collective this week: We know that acquiring users is just the first step. The real challenge? Retention! In this months insightful newsletter from the African Pre-seed Podcast, Olumuyiwa Olowogboyega (Writer & Contributor) breaks down the concept of 'retaining genuine users' and why that is key to unlocking sustainable growth and product-market fit. 💬 From the dangers of focusing on vanity metrics to the power of building emotional connections with your customers, this edition is packed with valuable takeaways for anyone looking to scale their business the right way. Read the full issue here: ✅ https://bit.ly/3qzgupg ⬅️ #BuildWithoutBoundaries #productmarketfit #AfricanPreseedPodcast
🚀 In the race for growth, retention is the ultimate finish line. Many startups boast about user acquisition, but how many can retain them for the long haul? This month, we dive deep into the core of product-market fit (PMF), exploring the critical metric that defines success: genuine customer retention. "If you have a boatload of money, you can acquire millions of users at a stunning pace, publish press releases about those numbers, and maybe even raise even more money. Yet, the actual test is not really in the acquiring of said users but in ensuring they’re using the product. If they are, you’ll arrive at the most critical metric: retention." - Olumuyiwa Olowogboyega (Writer & Contributor, African Pre-seed Podcast). 🔍 Discover insights on how retention outshines acquisition, why emotions matter in keeping users loyal, and why pivoting may be the key to survival. 💡 Stories and lessons from Africa's startup ecosystem in this issue of our newsletter. Subscribe now to stay ahead of some exciting news coming soon! 😎 Check out the latest newsletter out now: ✅ https://bit.ly/3qzgupg ⬅️ #Africanpreseedpodcast #startupfounder #techinafrica