🌟Get Ready for Community Pitch: Cuttoshape + Blitz AMA!🌟
- Our Community Pitch event is this Thursday!!
- Founder spotlight
- Ecosystem pulse
⏰ Friendly Reminder: Don’t Miss Out! This Thursday’s the Day! 🎉
We're counting down the hours to our Community Pitch featuring Cuttoshape + Blitz AMA on October 31st at 11:30 AM CDT! You won't want to miss this!
📢 Why This Event’s a Must
Live Startup Pitch: Join us to hear Owolabi pitch Cut to Shape, an AI-driven platform for custom-made African-inspired fashion that’s connecting global customers with tailors from across Africa. Owolabi will share his journey, discuss the hurdles he’s tackled, and explain how he’s bridging culture with cutting-edge tech. Got questions? This is your chance to ask him directly and see a unique vision come to life!
Blitz AMA: Our second half dives into all things Blitz, our new platform designed to help African founders find funding. It’s your opportunity to help shape Blitz’s roadmap. We want to know what tools and resources would truly empower founders to secure the funding they need to grow. Bring your ideas, your questions, and let’s create a platform that serves you.
Event Details
📅 Date: Thursday, October 31
⏱️ Time: 11:30 AM CDT
📍 Location: Discord
🎤 Host: Ukeme Daniel, CEO of The Beta Collective
📆 Save to your Calendar
🌟Founder Spotlight: Simi Aluko - Championing Authentic African Narratives🌟
This week’s Founder Spotlight highlights Simi Aluko, the visionary founder and creative director of Illino Media, a digital publishing platform dedicated to showcasing authentic African literature and empowering writers across the continent.
Her Story:
Simi’s journey into entrepreneurship is a testament to her passion for storytelling and cultural preservation. With a unique dual background in literature and civil engineering, Simi has always believed in the power of narratives that truly reflect the people they serve. Illino Media was born out of her desire to counter the trend of diluting African stories to fit Western tastes. Simi aims to ensure that African literature maintains its richness and authenticity, even as it reaches global audiences.
Current Projects:
At Illino Media, Simi is committed to not only preserving authentic African narratives but also nurturing the next generation of writers. The platform offers hands-on editing support and above-market compensation to young, emerging authors, many of whom are publishing for the first time. Simi's leadership focuses on building a vibrant community where African voices can flourish, sharing stories that resonate with their local contexts.
Lessons Learned:
- Authenticity Matters: Simi emphasizes the importance of remaining true to African narratives, resisting external pressures that seek to reshape them for broader appeal.
- Support is Crucial: Investing in young writers fosters a rich literary landscape, encouraging diverse voices to contribute to the African storytelling tradition.
- Adaptability is Key: Transitioning from a for-profit to a nonprofit model allowed Illino Media to prioritize cultural integrity over profit margins, showcasing the strength of purpose-driven entrepreneurship.
🌍 Ecosystem Pulse: Key Updates in the African Startup Scene
Upcoming Events:
Mark your calendars for the Africa Startup Festival, set for November 16, 2024, at the Balmoral Convention Center, Federal Palace, V.I, Lagos, Nigeria. This premier networking event will convene over 3,000 participants, including investors, founders, and industry leaders from 15+ countries, to explore how technology and innovation are reshaping various sectors across Africa. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with 30+ industry speakers and participate in 100+ facilitated meetings. This is a fantastic platform for startups to showcase their innovations and for attendees to network and discover new opportunities. For ticket information and further details, visit the Africa Startup Festival website.
Major Ecosystem Updates:
Despite a tough 2023, Africa's venture capital (VC) sector is showing signs of recovery and potential growth. The recent SAVCA VC Conference highlighted that collaboration among local VCs and alignment with investors can lead to successful exits. While investment has surged over the last decade, the amount flowing into Africa remains significantly lower than in smaller European markets, indicating substantial growth opportunities. Emerging markets such as Ghana, Uganda, and Tanzania are beginning to attract more interest from investors, suggesting a diversification of the VC landscape beyond the traditional hubs of South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt. Read more here
Government Policy Shifts:
UNDP Namibia is actively working with the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security to promote digital inclusion through robust governance of digital legal identity. This initiative emphasizes the importance of secure identity verification for accessing essential services and economic participation, especially for underserved communities. The assessment process includes consultations with various governmental and civil society stakeholders to identify gaps and enhance the legal identity framework. As Namibia aims to lead in digital identity initiatives, the focus is on innovative solutions such as biometrics and digital IDs, which will facilitate secure access to services like healthcare and education. Read more here
Stay tuned for more exciting updates next month!
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"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment" - Jim Rohn
