Catalyst Fund

Last week, Charles I. Nweke represented the Catalyst Fund at Ventures Platform's Africa Prosperity Summit. The summit, themed "Funding the Next Billion: Africa's VC Investment Landscape in a Post-ZIRP Era," brought together incredible speakers and panelists from the investment ecosystem across Africa and beyond. Here are Charles' 3 key takeaways from APS2024 ? Untapped potential: Africa's youthful population presents significant unrealized potential. The correlation between median age and economic prosperity seen in other emerging markets highlights opportunities for growth and innovation on the continent. ? Investing in talent: Equitable access to education and workforce development is critical for ensuring Africa's talent base can fully capitalize on the demographic dividend as the continent approaches peak productivity years and prepares to lead the global climate workforce of the future. ? Addressing diversity gaps: The persistent lack of investment in gender lens initiatives and diversity-focused strategies is no longer tenable. Collaborative, small-scale actions across ecosystem players can drive significant progress toward a more prosperous and inclusive Africa. A big thank you to Ventures Platform for hosting such a thought-provoking summit. We're excited about future collaborations to unlock Africa's full potential! ?? Lyndsay Holley Handler, Biola Alabi, Charlie Robertson, Maelis Carraro Maxime Bayen, Rasima Swarup, Javier Linares, Ngetha Mwangi, Valiullah Hashmi, Sydney Thiam, Maureen K.

Here's a little throwback to our buzzing evening hosting the Climate Mixer last month in Nairobi! It was exciting to see the ecosystem come together for a night filled with great conversation, new connections, and plenty of laughs. From founders to investors and ecosystem builders, the turnout and energy were exceptional. A huge thank you to everyone who came out and to our amazing partners, Satgana and ClimateHack NBO, for making it all possible. We loved the buzz and engagement and can't wait to do it all again soon! Stay tuned for more great events on the horizon! Maelis Carraro, Maxime Bayen, Rasima Swarup, Javier Linares, Ngetha Mwangi, Valiullah Hashmi, Sydney Thiam, Maureen K., Charles I. Nweke

In the latest episode of The Flip, Maxime Bayen joins Justin Norman, Lyndsay Holley Handler (Delta40 Venture Studio), and James Mwangi (Africa Climate Ventures) for a roundtable conversation on their hands-on, venture-building approach to support climate-focused founders across Africa. Maxime shares the insider scoop on our venture-building approach: adapting to the unique needs of founders and providing them with the tools and resources to create resilient, impactful solutions that tackle Africa’s climate challenges head-on. The conversation highlights how climate startups thrive under these venture-building models and the critical role of investing in climate action across Africa, a region with immense potential to drive global climate goals. Catch the full discussion for exclusive insights on how venture-building, when done right, can create resilient businesses with lasting impact https://lnkd.in/dB3SjiXi This episode is made possible through a partnership with Prosper Africa. Prosper Africa is a Presidential-level national security initiative aimed at strengthening the strategic and economic partnership between the U.S. and Africa by catalyzing transformative two-way trade and investment flows. The Catalyst Fund, aimed at boosting investment and innovative climate adaptation and resilience ventures across Africa, is one of the grantees under Prosper Africa's Catalytic Investment Facility. Maelis Carraro, Maxime Bayen, Rasima Swarup, Javier Linares, Ngetha Mwangi, Valiullah Hashmi, Sydney Thiam, Maureen Koech, Charles I. Nweke

Highlights from our event last month with Catalyst Fund and Satgana ClimateHack

We're still on the lookout! ?? Are you building a startup in Africa in any of these areas??? ?? WaterTech and Water Intelligence Solutions ?? Financing Solutions for Regenerative Agriculture ?? Precision Reforestation ? Alternative Materials (especially alternatives to plastic) ?? Coastal Resilience Technologies We're looking to invest in and accelerate pre-seed startups working on these solutions. If you know any, have them reach out to us today! https://lnkd.in/dMjUv4ga

Tanzania loses 20-40% of produce and USD$1.5 billion each year to agricultural inefficiencies. Poor #farming practices and inadequacies in post-harvest handling have further increased #carbonemissions by over 17%. MazaoHub helps solve this problem by powering farming in #Africa with hyperlocal soil analytics.?Learn more about why we’re backing them: https://lnkd.in/dKcvDYsd Maelis Carraro, Maxime Bayen, Rasima Swarup, Javier Linares, Ngetha Mwangi, Valiullah Hashmi, Sydney Thiam, Maureen K., Charles I. Nweke.

We're thrilled to announce that Maxime Bayen, Operating Partner at Catalyst Fund and Co-founder of Africa: The Big Deal, will be the opening keynote speaker for Day 1 of the AfricArena Grand Summit! With over a decade of experience driving innovation across Africa, Maxime will share powerful insights into the state of African tech and the exciting progress we’re seeing in 2024. Join us at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from December 3-4 alongside 50+ industry experts and 20+ incredible startups competing for top honors. Don’t miss out. Secure your spot here: https://lnkd.in/eBUXbMg9 Maelis Carraro, Rasima Swarup, Javier Linares, Ngetha Mwangi, Valiullah Hashmi, Sydney Thiam, Maureen K., Charles I. Nweke.

Friday #goodread to get the weekend started ???? IYMI: ?? Get to know the team! Ngetha Mwangi is our Venture Builder and Tech Specialist. He brings passion, expertise, and dedication to his work, with a strong background in computer science. He believes that technology empowers African startups to build climate resilience and drive sustainable impact. He has supported various startups at Catalyst Fund, leveraging tech to create solutions for climate challenges across the continent. Get to know more about Ngetha ?? https://lnkd.in/dJ8N4PBk Maelis Carraro, Maxime Bayen, Rasima Swarup, Javier Linares, Valiullah Hashmi, Sydney Thiam, Maureen K., Charles I. Nweke

Yesterday evening was nothing short of incredible as we celebrated alongside our portfolio company, Keep IT Cool | Deliver while still fresh, in Cape Town! ?? Huge congratulations to the team for winning the prestigious 2024 Earthshot Prize in the "Build a Waste-free World" category and securing a ￡1 million (€1.2 million) prize to scale their impactful solutions! This recognition is a testament to the amazing work they're doing to reduce food waste and improve access to protein nutrition across East Africa. Through their innovative solutions, Keep It Cool is transforming the food supply chain by tackling food spoilage with sustainable, localized refrigeration systems. Their solar-powered cold storage units at fish landing sites ensure fresh catches stay preserved, reducing waste and boosting market access for small farmers and fishers. We’re super proud to partner with Keep It Cool on this journey to create more resilient markets.?Learn more about their inspiring work in The Earthshot Prize announcement?https://lnkd.in/dYbVAN9a?and check out why we invested (link in comments). Francis N., Abigail Gachigi, Maelis Carraro, Rasima Swarup, Maxime Bayen Javier Linares, Ngetha Mwangi, Valiullah Hashmi, Sydney Thiam, Maureen K., Charles I. Nweke

?? We're excited to see Catalyst Fund featured in the World Bank's flagship report, "Rising to the Challenge," as a catalyst for #climateadaptation and resilience (A&R) solutions in Africa!??? Our investment approach empowers founders working on climate innovations to reach underserved communities with solutions that are both impactful and scalable. Check out the report now to learn more about our impact and how innovators are driving resilience: https://lnkd.in/eTxwFRUr Maelis Carraro, Rasima Swarup, Maxime Bayen Javier Linares, Ngetha Mwangi, Valiullah Hashmi, Sydney Thiam, Maureen K., Charles I. Nweke