african entrepreneurs

As we began our exploration into retail and the so-called B2B commerce platforms, we kept asking about the nature of last-mile retail. Why is it so fragmented? And can we expect retail consolidation? 

In this episode, we explore why retail looks the way that it does in African markets, and how B2B commerce platforms are working to empower retailers in the context of the way in which last-mile retail works to meet the demands of their customers, the mass-market consumers across the continent. 

These platforms aggregate demand at the fragmented last mile, to ensure that products not only get to consumers but get to consumers more efficiently, with the aim to ultimately reduce the costs of goods, which, as we talked about last episode, are disproportionately expensive in African markets.

[05:12] - Why is retail in Africa so fragmented? As Twiga Foods' Peter Njonjo explains, it's largely due to the rate of population growth in urban cities across the continent.
[07:42] - How are B2B commerce platforms attempting to provide solutions for retailers in the context of massive fragmentation? We go on a journey of discovery with ZUMI's William McCarren.
[14:29] - So what exactly do B2B commerce platforms do, and how does retailer aggregation work? Sokowatch's Daniel Yu explains.
[16:52] - And as a result, these platforms can offer embedded finance offerings to SMEs and retailers who may not have previously had access to credit.
[22:07] - On the back of demand aggregation, platforms like Twiga Foods and Sokowatch are both needing to invest further upstream at the supply level of the value chain, as well.
[31:30] - A retrospective conversation with The Flip's host, Justin Norman, and b-mic, Sayo Folawiyo.

This season is sponsored by MFS Africa.

All this season, we're exploring value chains. And in the payments value chain, no fintech has a wider reach on the continent than MFS Africa. Through their network of over 180 partners - MNOs, banks, NGOs, fintechs, and global enterprises - MFS Africa's API hub makes connects over 320 million mobile wallets across 30+ countries in Africa.

As we continue our season on value chains, in this episode, we explore logistics. 

The cost of goods and food is disproportionately higher in Africa than anywhere else in the world, with consumers in some markets, spending 50% or more of their total income on food alone. A major reason for these high prices is logistics. 

So how do we fix this? How do we improve the efficiency of logistics on the African continent, and ultimately drive down the cost of goods?

[04:20] - On the role of containerization and efficient ports, with Jetstream Africa's Miishe Addy.
[11:37] - After we get through the ports, our goods are loaded onto a truck. We hear from Omar Hagrass on how Trella is trying to improve long-haul efficiency in North Africa and the Middle East.
[15:26] - From the port, we move on to the wholesale distributor. As we discuss with Daniel Yu, Sokowatch is aggregating small retailers at the fragmented last-mile and offering same-day delivery of fast-moving consumer goods. 
[22:37] - As the nature of retail evolves and more small merchants need logistics solutions, logistics-as-a-service providers like Sendbox are playing a role at the last-mile. We hear from its CEO, Emotu Balogun. 
[26:41] - But amidst all of this tech and innovation - what about infrastructure? To what extent is the problem just poor ports and roads? The Flip's b-mic, Sayo Folawiyo, and its host, Justin Norman, call up infrastructure investor Dami Agbaje for some insight. 
[32:42] - This episode's retrospective with Sayo and Justin. 

This season is sponsored by MFS Africa.

All this season, we're exploring value chains. And in the payments value chain, no fintech has a wider reach on the continent than MFS Africa. Through their network of over 180 partners - MNOs, banks, NGOs, fintechs, and global enterprises - MFS Africa's API hub makes connects over 320 million mobile wallets across 30+ countries in Africa.

As we continue our season on value chains, in this episode, we explore logistics. 

The cost of goods and food is disproportionately higher in Africa than anywhere else in the world, with consumers in some markets, spending 50% or more of their total income on food alone. A major reason for these high prices is logistics. 

So how do we fix this? How do we improve the efficiency of logistics on the African continent, and ultimately drive down the cost of goods?

[04:20] - On the role of containerization and efficient ports, with Jetstream Africa's Miishe Addy.
[11:37] - After we get through the ports, our goods are loaded onto a truck. We hear from Omar Hagrass on how Trella is trying to improve long-haul efficiency in North Africa and the Middle East.
[15:26] - From the port, we move on to the wholesale distributor. As we discuss with Daniel Yu, Sokowatch is aggregating small retailers at the fragmented last-mile and offering same-day delivery of fast-moving consumer goods. 
[22:37] - As the nature of retail evolves and more small merchants need logistics solutions, logistics-as-a-service providers like Sendbox are playing a role at the last-mile. We hear from its CEO, Emotu Balogun. 
[26:41] - But amidst all of this tech and innovation - what about infrastructure? To what extent is the problem just poor ports and roads? The Flip's b-mic, Sayo Folawiyo, and its host, Justin Norman, call up infrastructure investor Dami Agbaje for some insight. 
[32:42] - This episode's retrospective with Sayo and Justin. 

This season is sponsored by MFS Africa.

All this season, we're exploring value chains. And in the payments value chain, no fintech has a wider reach on the continent than MFS Africa. Through their network of over 180 partners - MNOs, banks, NGOs, fintechs, and global enterprises - MFS Africa's API hub makes connects over 320 million mobile wallets across 30+ countries in Africa.

Introducing The Flip Season Three. This season is about value chains - we pop the hood across sectors and take an in-depth look at what's going on underneath. 

Introducing The Flip Season Three. This season is about value chains - we pop the hood across sectors and take an in-depth look at what's going on underneath. 

Each episode during our narrative episodes, The Flip's b-mic, Sayo Folawiyo, and founder, Justin Norman, sit down for a retrospective conversation on the topic explored in that episode. However, our current series of conversational episodes explored one theme across the series - digitizing analog and fragmented industries - we opted to have one retrospective conversation that reflects on the entirety of our 10 episode series.

In this episode, Sayo and Justin talk about people-centric tech startups, market segmentation, interoperability, specialization, and they may have even invested a new as-a-service category. 

3:54 - After a full season of episodes exploring those digitizing analog and fragmented industries, what did we learn?
5:17 - People heavy, high-touch businesses are a feature, especially in African markets.
10:10 - On segmenting the informal sector.
11:53 - A discussion on interoperability and the role of the middlemen.
15:35 - Introducing Middlemen as a Service.
16:04 - On specialization.

This episode is part of our conversational series sponsored by MFS Africa. MFS Africa’s competition is with cash, and throughout this series, we’ll feature other startups and entrepreneurs who are digitizing, better organizing, and aggregating analog and fragmented industries.

Follow The Flip on social media @theflipafrica.

Each episode during our narrative episodes, The Flip's b-mic, Sayo Folawiyo, and founder, Justin Norman, sit down for a retrospective conversation on the topic explored in that episode. However, our current series of conversational episodes explored one theme across the series - digitizing analog and fragmented industries - we opted to have one retrospective conversation that reflects on the entirety of our 10 episode series.

In this episode, Sayo and Justin talk about people-centric tech startups, market segmentation, interoperability, specialization, and they may have even invested a new as-a-service category. 

3:54 - After a full season of episodes exploring those digitizing analog and fragmented industries, what did we learn?
5:17 - People heavy, high-touch businesses are a feature, especially in African markets.
10:10 - On segmenting the informal sector.
11:53 - A discussion on interoperability and the role of the middlemen.
15:35 - Introducing Middlemen as a Service.
16:04 - On specialization.

This episode is part of our conversational series sponsored by MFS Africa. MFS Africa’s competition is with cash, and throughout this series, we’ll feature other startups and entrepreneurs who are digitizing, better organizing, and aggregating analog and fragmented industries.

Follow The Flip on social media @theflipafrica.

This week's guest is Parminder Vir OBE, who has dedicated her career to positively impacting and transforming lives through her work in philanthropy, film & TV production, arts and culture, entrepreneurship and investment funding. She received her OBE from the Queen for her services to the Broadcasting & Film Industry.

Host & artist Lou Hamilton and Parminder discuss how she came to UK as a child from the Punjab, and as an outsider, grew up to champion the causes of under-represented people across the arts, culture and entrepreneurship. A film producer for twenty years making films for social change, she became interested in media & creative industries, small to medium enterprises & entrepreneurship as economic drivers for growth, not least across the 54 countries of the African continent.

In this way this Woman of Courage brings us her Story from the Edge.

You can find out more about her work on www.parmindervir.com and follow her on Instagram @virparminder

Join our tribe https://www.brave-new-you.com/tribe and follow us on instagram @bravenewyoutribe and Lou @brave_newgirl CLUBHOUSE: @Louhamilton

Thanks to Podstar PR - the Podcast Guest Agency for producing, & sourcing guests for the series https://podstarpr.com

Music is licensed from Melody Loops

Lou is the founder of Brave New Girl Media, helping put your expertise, vision & mission in the spotlight by helping you launch and grow your podcast. https://bravenewgirlmedia.com

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Books by Lou Hamilton:

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• FEAR LESS- coaching guide to living more bravely
• Brave New Girl- How to be Fearless
• Co-author: Women Excelling Everywhere #1 International Best-seller

Paintings by Lou @LouHamiltonart

In this episode, we open the black box of last-mile retail distribution with MarketForce 360's Tesh Mbaabu. 90 percent of trade in Africa is informal, and MarketForce's software-as-a-service platform to better manage their field sales agents and distribution. We'll talk about product, the considerations in building products you use at the last mile and the needs of the multinational FMCG companies and financial service providers at the other end of the value chain. We talk about his recent experience participating in Y Combinator's accelerator program, what other companies he hopes to see built in the retail and logistics space, and more.

4:00 - First question, what problems do multinational FMCG companies have with regards to distributing products in African markets?
5:31 - We dive into MarketForce 360's product.
13:06 - Product and design lessons from the last-mile.
14:41 - On consumer insights from the last-mile.
16:17- On competition, strategy, and MarketForce's asset-light approach to servicing distributors and manufacturers.
21:12 - We discuss Tesh's recent experience participating in Y Combinator's accelerator.
23:40 - YC has Request for Startups; what is MarketForce's Request for Startups?

This episode is part of our conversational series sponsored by MFS Africa. MFS Africa's competition is with cash, and throughout this series, we'll feature other startups and entrepreneurs who are digitizing, better organizing, and aggregating analog and fragmented industries.

Follow The Flip on social media @theflipafrica.

In this episode, we open the black box of last-mile retail distribution with MarketForce 360's Tesh Mbaabu. 90 percent of trade in Africa is informal, and MarketForce's software-as-a-service platform to better manage their field sales agents and distribution. We'll talk about product, the considerations in building products you use at the last mile and the needs of the multinational FMCG companies and financial service providers at the other end of the value chain. We talk about his recent experience participating in Y Combinator's accelerator program, what other companies he hopes to see built in the retail and logistics space, and more.

4:00 - First question, what problems do multinational FMCG companies have with regards to distributing products in African markets?
5:31 - We dive into MarketForce 360's product.
13:06 - Product and design lessons from the last-mile.
14:41 - On consumer insights from the last-mile.
16:17- On competition, strategy, and MarketForce's asset-light approach to servicing distributors and manufacturers.
21:12 - We discuss Tesh's recent experience participating in Y Combinator's accelerator.
23:40 - YC has Request for Startups; what is MarketForce's Request for Startups?

This episode is part of our conversational series sponsored by MFS Africa. MFS Africa's competition is with cash, and throughout this series, we'll feature other startups and entrepreneurs who are digitizing, better organizing, and aggregating analog and fragmented industries.

Follow The Flip on social media @theflipafrica.

In this episode, we explore digital savings with PiggyVest's Odunayo Eweniyi. PiggyVest's competition is the wooden box that Nigerians were using to save cash. We'll talk about how the company designed the product to compel mass-market consumers to save digitally; how their use of social media and word of mouth built trust and engendered a savings culture, how Odun think about new products, like crypto and insurance, as well as geographic expansion, and more.

4:19 - First question, what is PiggyVest's core competency, and how has the founders' past experiences helped them build the product and the company?
8:27 - We discuss key features of the savings platform, like a 90-day savings period.
11:37 - How did PiggyVest build trust amongst its users?
15:30 - On product and geographic expansion.
24:08 - Odun shares her thoughts on competition and the un-bundling (and re-bundling) of financial services by the fintech ecosystem.

This episode is part of our conversational series sponsored by MFS Africa. MFS Africa's competition is with cash, and throughout this series, we'll feature other startups and entrepreneurs who are digitizing, better organizing, and aggregating analog and fragmented industries.

Follow The Flip on social media @theflipafrica.

In this episode, we explore digital savings with PiggyVest's Odunayo Eweniyi. PiggyVest's competition is the wooden box that Nigerians were using to save cash. We'll talk about how the company designed the product to compel mass-market consumers to save digitally; how their use of social media and word of mouth built trust and engendered a savings culture, how Odun think about new products, like crypto and insurance, as well as geographic expansion, and more.

4:19 - First question, what is PiggyVest's core competency, and how has the founders' past experiences helped them build the product and the company?
8:27 - We discuss key features of the savings platform, like a 90-day savings period.
11:37 - How did PiggyVest build trust amongst its users?
15:30 - On product and geographic expansion.
24:08 - Odun shares her thoughts on competition and the un-bundling (and re-bundling) of financial services by the fintech ecosystem.

This episode is part of our conversational series sponsored by MFS Africa. MFS Africa's competition is with cash, and throughout this series, we'll feature other startups and entrepreneurs who are digitizing, better organizing, and aggregating analog and fragmented industries.

Follow The Flip on social media @theflipafrica.

Our exploration of the entrepreneurs and startups digitizing analog and fragmented industries takes us to Nigeria, for a conversation with Helium Health's Co-founder and CEO Goke Olubusi. Helium's electronic medical records are providing the digital infrastructure for healthcare sectors across Africa, enabling a variety of stakeholders to make data-driven decisions.

4:26 - First question: what does the state of healthcare look like, and how is Helium Health solving the industry's problems?
9:16 - Helium's origin story. 
11:48 - On the big picture solutions that are required to have the type of impact in healthcare the continent needs. 
13:12 - A discussion on the benefits and opportunity of an open and operable approach.
15:46 - Helium's geographic and product expansion strategies.
19:42 - The impact of improving and opportunity to improve the efficiency of healthcare spending in Africa.  

This episode is part of our conversational series sponsored by  MFS Africa. MFS Africa’s competition is with cash, and throughout this series, we’ll feature other startups and entrepreneurs who are digitizing, better organizing, and aggregating analog and fragmented industries.

Our exploration of the entrepreneurs and startups digitizing analog and fragmented industries takes us to Nigeria, for a conversation with Helium Health's Co-founder and CEO Goke Olubusi. Helium's electronic medical records are providing the digital infrastructure for healthcare sectors across Africa, enabling a variety of stakeholders to make data-driven decisions.

4:26 - First question: what does the state of healthcare look like, and how is Helium Health solving the industry's problems?
9:16 - Helium's origin story. 
11:48 - On the big picture solutions that are required to have the type of impact in healthcare the continent needs. 
13:12 - A discussion on the benefits and opportunity of an open and operable approach.
15:46 - Helium's geographic and product expansion strategies.
19:42 - The impact of improving and opportunity to improve the efficiency of healthcare spending in Africa.  

This episode is part of our conversational series sponsored by  MFS Africa. MFS Africa’s competition is with cash, and throughout this series, we’ll feature other startups and entrepreneurs who are digitizing, better organizing, and aggregating analog and fragmented industries.

On October 15, 2020, Paystack and Stripe announced the acquisition of the former by the latter, in a deal reported to be worth over $200 million. This marks Stripe's largest acquisition to date and is an incredibly meaningful exit for the African tech ecosystem. To unpack the deal, we spoke to Shola Akinlade, Paystack's Co-founder and CEO, and Matt Henderson, Stripe's Business Lead for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

3:43 - We start our story of the Stripe acquisition of Paystack in the Winter of 2016. Paystack becomes the first Nigerian startup to participate in Y Combinator, where Shola is introduced to Stripe Co-founder and CEO Patrick Collison. Stripe leads Paystack's Series A.
6:02 - As both companies - and their relationship with each other - grew, the idea of an acquisition arose naturally.
8:10 - Why is Stripe interested in Paystack, and Africa as a region?
10:38 - What does the future for Paystack look like now that it has joined Stripe?
13:40 - We explore the growth opportunity for Paystack's merchants, as it expands its geographic coverage.
15:55 - On Paystack's customer intimacy and product roadmap.
19:44 - As always, a reflective conversation between Justin Norman and Sayo Folawiyo on this episode’s topic.

For more episodes, visit us at https://theflip.africa or follow us on twitter @theflipafrica.

On October 15, 2020, Paystack and Stripe announced the acquisition of the former by the latter, in a deal reported to be worth over $200 million. This marks Stripe's largest acquisition to date and is an incredibly meaningful exit for the African tech ecosystem. To unpack the deal, we spoke to Shola Akinlade, Paystack's Co-founder and CEO, and Matt Henderson, Stripe's Business Lead for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

3:43 - We start our story of the Stripe acquisition of Paystack in the Winter of 2016. Paystack becomes the first Nigerian startup to participate in Y Combinator, where Shola is introduced to Stripe Co-founder and CEO Patrick Collison. Stripe leads Paystack's Series A.
6:02 - As both companies - and their relationship with each other - grew, the idea of an acquisition arose naturally.
8:10 - Why is Stripe interested in Paystack, and Africa as a region?
10:38 - What does the future for Paystack look like now that it has joined Stripe?
13:40 - We explore the growth opportunity for Paystack's merchants, as it expands its geographic coverage.
15:55 - On Paystack's customer intimacy and product roadmap.
19:44 - As always, a reflective conversation between Justin Norman and Sayo Folawiyo on this episode’s topic.

For more episodes, visit us at https://theflip.africa or follow us on twitter @theflipafrica.

In this episode, we explore and unpack the relationship between the tech ecosystem and the media. We'll seek answers to questions such as - what roles do media publications play in the ecosystem? How does this differ between international and local publications? What are the key considerations for the media in doing this work, particularly from a talent and business model perspective? What about companies creating their own content - what is their motivation and what can be learned? And, why is there seemingly a contentious relationship between African tech and the media?

2:27 - We talk public relations utility and strategy, with Wimbart's Jessica Hope. 
6:47 - What role does international tech media play in the ecosystem? We hear from TechCrunch contributing writer Jake Bright.
12:05 - A discussion with Tomiwa Aladekomo, of Big Cabal Media, the parent company to TechCabal, on the publications' objectives and challenges. 
17:03 - We explore how one publication, Stears Business, is tackling information scarcity, talent, and business model challenges in Nigeria, with Preston Ideh.
23:05 - We speak with Paystack's Emmanuel Quartey on the company's editorial approach and hiring content to solve a problem. 
28:23 - Is there a contentious relationship between African tech and the media? Are those in the ecosystem playing their part in sharing with requisite openness and transparency? 
30:41 - A retrospective conversation between Sayo Folawiyo, Justin Norman, and this episode's co-producer Osarumen Osamuyi, on the environmental challenges of building sustainable media businesses and meeting the expectations of the tech ecosystem. 

In this episode, we explore and unpack the relationship between the tech ecosystem and the media. We'll seek answers to questions such as - what roles do media publications play in the ecosystem? How does this differ between international and local publications? What are the key considerations for the media in doing this work, particularly from a talent and business model perspective? What about companies creating their own content - what is their motivation and what can be learned? And, why is there seemingly a contentious relationship between African tech and the media?

2:27 - We talk public relations utility and strategy, with Wimbart's Jessica Hope. 
6:47 - What role does international tech media play in the ecosystem? We hear from TechCrunch contributing writer Jake Bright.
12:05 - A discussion with Tomiwa Aladekomo, of Big Cabal Media, the parent company to TechCabal, on the publications' objectives and challenges. 
17:03 - We explore how one publication, Stears Business, is tackling information scarcity, talent, and business model challenges in Nigeria, with Preston Ideh.
23:05 - We speak with Paystack's Emmanuel Quartey on the company's editorial approach and hiring content to solve a problem. 
28:23 - Is there a contentious relationship between African tech and the media? Are those in the ecosystem playing their part in sharing with requisite openness and transparency? 
30:41 - A retrospective conversation between Sayo Folawiyo, Justin Norman, and this episode's co-producer Osarumen Osamuyi, on the environmental challenges of building sustainable media businesses and meeting the expectations of the tech ecosystem. 

This season we've talked about the relationship between African tech and other emerging markets across the Global South, as well as with China. In this episode, we talk about the ecosystem's relationship Japan - and in particular, the interest Japanese investors and corporates have in innovations from the continent. 

1:33 - Satoshi Shinada and Rio Yamawaki on the macro situation in Japan, and why Japanese investors are interested in African tech. Satoshi and Rio are GPs at Kepple Africa Ventures, one of the most active VCs on the continent. 
5:58 - The primary reason why Japanese corporates are interested in investing on the continent is to form strategic partnerships and bring African innovation back with them. 
9:43 - We explore a case study - the investment in Kenyan startup PayGo Energy by Saisan, a Japanese multinational gas company. We hear from PayGo's Co-founder and CEO Nick Quintong.
14:48 - A reflective conversation between Sayo Folawiyo and Justin Norman, on the value of Kepple, not only in connecting the dots, but in seeing and knowing which dots to connect between Japan and the continent, and on the opportunity for technology export. 

This season we've talked about the relationship between African tech and other emerging markets across the Global South, as well as with China. In this episode, we talk about the ecosystem's relationship Japan - and in particular, the interest Japanese investors and corporates have in innovations from the continent. 

1:33 - Satoshi Shinada and Rio Yamawaki on the macro situation in Japan, and why Japanese investors are interested in African tech. Satoshi and Rio are GPs at Kepple Africa Ventures, one of the most active VCs on the continent. 
5:58 - The primary reason why Japanese corporates are interested in investing on the continent is to form strategic partnerships and bring African innovation back with them. 
9:43 - We explore a case study - the investment in Kenyan startup PayGo Energy by Saisan, a Japanese multinational gas company. We hear from PayGo's Co-founder and CEO Nick Quintong.
14:48 - A reflective conversation between Sayo Folawiyo and Justin Norman, on the value of Kepple, not only in connecting the dots, but in seeing and knowing which dots to connect between Japan and the continent, and on the opportunity for technology export.