Legal Challenges - Part 3: Corporate Housekeeping Issues for African Startups
Lowenstein Africa Presents: Venture Voices
Release Date: 07/11/2024
Seizing Opportunities in Frontier Markets with a Positive Mindset
Lowenstein Africa Presents: Venture Voices
Host sits down with Ernest Kabuye, managing partner at Seven Capital Ventures, a firm focused on FinTech, e-commerce, and transportation/logistics in Africa and the Middle East, to discuss some of the internal and external challenges faced by underrepresented investors and founders in venture capital, such as the mythical need to follow a ‘checklist,’ the burdens of both success and failure, and how to assess bias and allyship. Kabuye says, “If we don't know what our biases are,… then it's going to be very difficult for us to be able to properly evaluate what these ideas are. And then,...
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Jemimah Orevaoghene: A Lesson on Investing with your Sixth Sense
Lowenstein Africa Presents: Venture Voices
In this episode of Venture Voices, and of Lowenstein’s Africa practice speak with , a Venture Capital Director at Morgan Stanley and Africa portfolio leader, about her unique experience investing both professionally and personally. Jemimah discusses her role as an angel investor for various African startups, how she uses her sixth sense when choosing companies to support, and how she uses a value-centric approach to investing. She also provides insight on the current African ecosystem and shares candid opinions on the continent’s future. Speakers: , Counsel, Africa Practice, Debt...
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Growing the Glow from Ghana: A Karité Founder’s Journey
Lowenstein Africa Presents: Venture Voices
, partner and chair of Lowenstein's international finance practice and co-chair of the firm's Africa practice, speaks with Akua Okunseinde, co-founder of the natural skincare brand Karité, about her journey as a founder, the brand's deep roots in Ghana and Africa, and some of the sustainable initiatives that are core to its mission. Akua describes how her family-owned business enterprise came about, how her background in marketing at large corporations informed her perspective as a founder, and the cross-border challenges of sourcing, packaging, and meeting regulatory requirements across...
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Eloho Omame: A Female Investor’s Perspective on the VC Market in Africa
Lowenstein Africa Presents: Venture Voices
Hosts and speak with Africa-focused technology venture capital investor Eloho Omame about her career; Africa’s investment potential due to its impressive scale of market and pace of growth; and what she looks for when she invests, such as the ambition and strategy of the founding team, the accessibility of the market in question, and the structure of the deal. Eloho also discusses how she co-founded FirstCheck Africa, a female-led, female-focused angel fund, and the data she’s seen that indicates female-led companies perform better. Speakers: , Counsel, Africa Practice, Debt Finance,...
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Legal Challenges - Part 3: Corporate Housekeeping Issues for African Startups
Lowenstein Africa Presents: Venture Voices
In the final episode in of this three-part series, the hosts discuss good corporate housekeeping for startups in Africa, particularly the concepts of optics and risk. How well a company keeps its books and records sends a signal to investors; it is important to maintain orderly documentation of corporate governance documents such as board minutes, as well as IP assignments, and founders’ agreements, in order to be best prepared for the due diligence process. Speakers: , Partner and Chair, International Finance; Co-chair, Africa Practice , Counsel, Africa Practice, Debt Finance, Emerging...
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Legal Challenges Part 2 - Capital Structure Issues for African Startups
Lowenstein Africa Presents: Venture Voices
In Part Two of their discussion of the legal challenges facing startups in the African VC system, , , , and address the topic of possible pitfalls in the way that startups allocate company ownership or capital structure issues, particularly in negotiating terms with potential investors. They explain managing the expectations investors may have regarding their potential returns, liquidation preference, or degree of control, as well as challenges arising from cross border transactions, vesting and exiting, and recordkeeping. Speakers: , Partner and Chair, International Finance; Co-chair,...
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Welcome to “LS Africa Presents: Venture Voices”
Lowenstein Africa Presents: Venture Voices
Lowenstein Sandler is proud to launch its latest podcast: “LS Africa Presents: Venture Voices,” hosted by , , , and . The podcast will explore the stories that define Africa's emerging company and venture capital landscape, featuring interviews with the audacious founders, visionary investors, and everyday individuals shaping Africa's venture landscape. We'll delve into the triumphs and the challenges, the risks, and the rewards. In this podcast series, we'll tell the stories of the entrepreneurs, investors, and others in the African ECVC ecosystem who are leading the way in the growing...
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A Conversation with Janade du Plessis of Launch Africa Ventures: Balancing Sustainable Development with ROI
Lowenstein Africa Presents: Venture Voices
Today on “LS Africa Presents: Venture Voices,” Raquel Smith and Deangeor Chin speak with , a South African investor, entrepreneur, and researcher who is managing partner of Launch Africa Ventures and Five35 Venture, and an angel investor and impact investor through his investment company, Abrazo Capital. Janade discusses how emerging company and impact investing in Africa have evolved over the last 20 years, how the African VC ecosystem has grown from $25M ten years ago to $6B today, and how his fund balances seeking returns and contributing to sustainable development. Speakers: , Counsel,...
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Legal Challenges Part 1 – Setting Up Your Startup for Success
Lowenstein Africa Presents: Venture Voices
Today on “LS Africa Presents: Venture Voices,” , , , and present the first in a three-episode series on legal challenges in the startup space in Africa. They discuss how and where to structure your startup or high-growth entity, providing examples of common legal issues and potential solutions and emphasizing the importance of familiarity and comfort for investors. Speakers: , Partner and Chair, International Finance; Co-chair, Africa Practice , Counsel, Africa Practice, Debt Finance, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital , Counsel, Africa Practice , Law Clerk, Emerging Companies &...
info_outlineIn the final episode in of this three-part series, the hosts discuss good corporate housekeeping for startups in Africa, particularly the concepts of optics and risk. How well a company keeps its books and records sends a signal to investors; it is important to maintain orderly documentation of corporate governance documents such as board minutes, as well as IP assignments, and founders’ agreements, in order to be best prepared for the due diligence process.
Speakers:
Rossie E. Turman III, Partner and Chair, International Finance; Co-chair, Africa Practice
Deangeor Chin, Counsel, Africa Practice, Debt Finance, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital
Raquel Smith, Counsel, Africa Practice, Debt Finance, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital
Tolulope "Tolu" Adetayo, Law Clerk, Emerging Companies & Venture Capital