The Kenyan Wall Street recently sat down with Bongani Sithole, CEO of 54 Collective, one of Africa’s most active early-stage Venture Capital (VC) firms, at the Africa Fintech Summit.
- •Known for its hands-on approach, 54 Collective goes beyond simply providing capital, actively helping startups navigate the complexities of scaling across Africa.
- •Bongani shared that their vision is truly pan-African—aiming to be active in all 54 countries “…to help entrepreneurs see the whole continent as an opportunity to build and serve customers,” he explained.
- •For 54 Collective, capital is only part of the equation.
As Bongani pointed out, most VCs focus on financing and then wait for returns, but his experience has taught him the importance of having investors who are deeply engaged in the growth journey.
The firm’s approach includes offering vital advisory services, strategic introductions, and dedicated support.
A key part of its mission is to uplift women entrepreneurs, who often receive less funding than their male counterparts. To address this disparity, 54 Collective has a specialized team focused solely on backing female founders across Africa.
Despite Africa’s impressive $3.5 trillion capital market value, Bongani highlighted the scarcity of local funds to support startups, with many relying on foreign capital from early to late stages.
In light of recent funding slowdowns, 54 Collective is working to change that by empowering African businesses to scale without borders.
“We need more bold and visionary founders in Africa. Of the 54 African countries, 11 contribute 70% of the GDP.” Watch our full discussion here:
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