AVCA Conference

1 - 5 May 2023
Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza, Egypt

Formats

VC Summit

Registration 7:00 am - 6:00 pm

8:55 am - 9:00 am

Opening Remarks

9:00 am - 9:15 am

Opening Keynote

9:15 am - 9:20 am

Morning Chair Introduction

9:20 am - 10:05 am

Panel 1: On the Rise – Venture Capital and Early-stage investing in Africa Catapulting

Africa’s early-stage investment landscape has proven bullish despite surging inflation, an unfavourable macroeconomic climate, and contractions in startup funding within the global venture market. This panel chronicles the maturation of Africa’s entrepreneurial space, investigating the catalysts for its exponential growth and what changes can be expected as the asset class continues to take off. It also explores the rise of venture capital investing in Africa and the role of managers in supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem on the continent.

Idris Bello Founding Partner & Portfolio Manager , LoftyInc

Maurizio Caio Founder and Managing Partner, TLCom

10:05 am - 10:50 am

Panel 2: The Giant that is Fintech

FinTech is the biggest buzzword in Africa’s innovation ecosystem, continually assuming the lion’s share of the volume and value of venture capital being channelled to the continent. This panel discusses the history and evolution of financial technology in Africa to contextualise its prominence and understand the underlying market fundamentals fuelling its continued growth. In particular, this panel highlights the breadth of opportunities the sector has to offer outside of digital payments, including digital banks, cryptocurrency, international remittances and peer to peer lending. Finally, this panel explores how FinTech is disrupting established traditional banking and payment practices and how these innovative uses of technology are transforming Africa’s informal sector.

Yehia Abouelwafa Co-Founder and Partner, Disruptech

10:50 am - 11:20 am

Network Network Network!!!

11:20 am - 11:35 am

60 Seconds With…….

11:35 am - 12:20 pm

Panel 3: Africa to the World – A look at the Global Managers Expanding Africa’s Innovation Ecosystem

African startups are transforming the continent’s economic landscape and creating new market opportunities, and global managers and capital allocators are taking notice. Several multi-billion-dollar VC fund managers from around the world have participated with increasing frequency in late-stage venture rounds in recent years, and these commitments will be inspected over the course of the panel. This panel addresses the market drivers for Africa’s continued attractiveness to international investors; the increasing diversification of actors (by both investor type and location) active in Africa’s VC ecosystem; and prospects for further attracting global managers to Africa’s shores.

Yuan-Ting Meng Venture Capital Invsestor, SOSV

12:35 pm - 1:15 pm

Workshop: ESG for early-stage businesses

1:15 pm - 2:00 pm

Networking Lunch

12:20 pm - 12:35 pm

Fireside Chat

2:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Stream 1: Trailblazing Beyond Fintech

Picking up from Panel 2, this stream looks beyond the giant of Africa’s silicon savannah to explore alternate sectors prime for growth and investment in Africa. Which sectors and verticals are bringing commercial opportunity, and who are the notable investors and innovators trailblazing in these spaces? Will we see opportunities for unicorns outside of FinTech in the near term?

Ory Okolloh Partner, Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures

Hany Sonbaty Managing Partner, Sawari Ventures

2:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Stream 2: Leveraging Venture Debt to unlock financing for startups in Africa

Venture debt has emerged from the periphery to become a key component of the African investment ecosystem as startups opt to remain private longer and seek creative forms of financing that minimize dilution. This stream takes a look at the players that are actively providing venture debt. the role of venture debt and mezzanine financing as a complement to equity; how and when African investors should deploy this tool; and how to raise awareness of these alternative financing products to entrepreneurs and companies unfamiliar with these investment strategies.

2:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Stream 1: Trailblazing Beyond Fintech

Picking up from Panel 2, this stream looks beyond the giant of Africa’s silicon savannah to explore alternate sectors prime for growth and investment in Africa. Which sectors and verticals are bringing commercial opportunity, and who are the notable investors and innovators trailblazing in these spaces? Will we see opportunities for unicorns outside of FinTech in the near term?

Ory Okolloh Partner, Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures

Hany Sonbaty Managing Partner, Sawari Ventures

2:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Stream 2: Leveraging Venture Debt to unlock financing for startups in Africa

Venture debt has emerged from the periphery to become a key component of the African investment ecosystem as startups opt to remain private longer and seek creative forms of financing that minimize dilution. This stream takes a look at the players that are actively providing venture debt. the role of venture debt and mezzanine financing as a complement to equity; how and when African investors should deploy this tool; and how to raise awareness of these alternative financing products to entrepreneurs and companies unfamiliar with these investment strategies.

2:45 pm - 3:30 pm

Stream 3: Adaptation & Mitigation – Climate Tech to Rescue

Africa is home to some of the most innovative ecosystems and resources aimed at building climate resilience. This concentration of climate-related technologies is of no surprise, given the galvanising force of digitalisation and technology developments in reducing costs for renewable energies. This stream examines the role of venture capital in accelerating Africa’s transition to carbon neutrality, and the innovative technology being used to build climate resilience in Africa.

Geetha Tharmaratnam Chief Impact Officer, WHO Foundation

2:45 pm - 3:30 pm

Stream 4: Plugging the Gap from Idea to IPO

Honing on the pre-seed stage, this panel explores the role of angels, accelerators and incubators in sourcing startups and accelerating their growth through capital and ancillary support. What is the motivation for taking early-stage risk to support entrepreneurs at their conceptual phase, and how do investors navigate the risk and rewards of early-stage investing? Finally, this stream discusses the role of accelerators and incubators as industry catalysts, institutionalising startups to attract follow on capital at later stages.

2:45 pm - 3:30 pm

Stream 3: Adaptation & Mitigation – Climate Tech to Rescue

Africa is home to some of the most innovative ecosystems and resources aimed at building climate resilience. This concentration of climate-related technologies is of no surprise, given the galvanising force of digitalisation and technology developments in reducing costs for renewable energies. This stream examines the role of venture capital in accelerating Africa’s transition to carbon neutrality, and the innovative technology being used to build climate resilience in Africa.

Geetha Tharmaratnam Chief Impact Officer, WHO Foundation

2:45 pm - 3:30 pm

Stream 4: Plugging the Gap from Idea to IPO

Honing on the pre-seed stage, this panel explores the role of angels, accelerators and incubators in sourcing startups and accelerating their growth through capital and ancillary support. What is the motivation for taking early-stage risk to support entrepreneurs at their conceptual phase, and how do investors navigate the risk and rewards of early-stage investing? Finally, this stream discusses the role of accelerators and incubators as industry catalysts, institutionalising startups to attract follow on capital at later stages.

3:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Networking Network Network!!!

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm

Stream 5: From Cape to Cairo: Bridging Pan African Opportunities

This stream zeroes in on the growth capacity of start-ups in Africa and the avenues available for market expansion, either by direct, organic business expansion in new markets, or via the use of mergers and acquisitions. The benefits and bottlenecks of each approach will be evaluated, giving a detailed picture into the practicalities of venture scaling on the continent from both the entrepreneurial and investor perspective. The panel will also explore the role of fund managers and other investors in positioning their portfolio for Africa expansion.

Nick Allen Managing Partner, Savant

Fope Adelowo Principal, Investment Team, Helios Investment Partners

Ashley Lewis Head, DPI Innovation Fund, DPI

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm

Stream 6: A Call for Governance: Principles for Corporate Responsibility

Although the ESG framework takes the holistic view that sustainability extends beyond just environmental issues, governance considerations are often overshadowed by the environmental and social. Headlines detailing corporate governance deficiencies wracked Africa’s startup ecosystem in 2022, illustrating the real-world implications of this long-term marginalisation of governance criteria and bringing to the fore the need for appropriate governance practices. This stream adopts an exploratory lens to determine practical principles that both entrepreneurs and investors should be aware of to ensure good corporate governance. How can venture capital investors add governance to their value creation strategies at the portfolio level, and how should these be tailored to suit the infancy and size of startups receiving funding in Africa?

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm

Stream 5: From Cape to Cairo: Bridging Pan African Opportunities

This stream zeroes in on the growth capacity of start-ups in Africa and the avenues available for market expansion, either by direct, organic business expansion in new markets, or via the use of mergers and acquisitions. The benefits and bottlenecks of each approach will be evaluated, giving a detailed picture into the practicalities of venture scaling on the continent from both the entrepreneurial and investor perspective. The panel will also explore the role of fund managers and other investors in positioning their portfolio for Africa expansion.

Nick Allen Managing Partner, Savant

Fope Adelowo Principal, Investment Team, Helios Investment Partners

Ashley Lewis Head, DPI Innovation Fund, DPI

4:00 pm - 4:45 pm

Stream 6: A Call for Governance: Principles for Corporate Responsibility

Although the ESG framework takes the holistic view that sustainability extends beyond just environmental issues, governance considerations are often overshadowed by the environmental and social. Headlines detailing corporate governance deficiencies wracked Africa’s startup ecosystem in 2022, illustrating the real-world implications of this long-term marginalisation of governance criteria and bringing to the fore the need for appropriate governance practices. This stream adopts an exploratory lens to determine practical principles that both entrepreneurs and investors should be aware of to ensure good corporate governance. How can venture capital investors add governance to their value creation strategies at the portfolio level, and how should these be tailored to suit the infancy and size of startups receiving funding in Africa?

4:45 pm - 5:15 pm

Panel 4: Straight From The Source: LP Perspectives on Venture Capital in Africa

This panel discussion explores the views, preferences and expectations of both commercial and development-focused capital allocators on the future of venture capital in Africa.

5:15 pm - 5:20 pm

Closing

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*The AVCA Conference is complimentary for qualified Limited Partners (LPs), classified as non-retail investors in private equity funds, limited to 3 complimentary passes per organisation. This includes full-time employees of development finance institutions (DFIs), endowments, single-family offices, insurance companies, public and private pension funds, and sovereign wealth funds.