About the Academy
The VC4A Startup Academy has been developed as part of the ‘Work in Progress!’ programme funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of LEAD (Local Employment in Africa for Development) initiative.Theory insights
The theoretical content of the VC4A Startup Academy has been created and edited by a pool of industry experts:
Andrew Sekandi
KPMG
United Kingdom
Andrew Sekandi is an Associate Director at KPMG where he leads the Corporate Intelligence team’s Africa practice. With a background in law and risk analysis, he has 10 years’ experience conducting non-financial due diligence and provides market intelligence for investors looking to acquire stakes in African tech companies and other sectors.
Eelco Benink
Rebel Group
The Netherlands
Eelco Benink is a specialist in private equity, venture capital and project finance, especially in relation to emerging markets. Eelco worked in Kenya to help set up and manage SME investment fund InReturn Capital. After four years in East Africa he moved to the Philippines and in 2015 Eelco moved back to The Netherlands where he works at Rebel Group.
Anneke Evers
Consultant
Rwanda
Anneke Evers has experience in the area of SME finance, preparing emerging market entrepreneurs in the final stages for finance and connecting them to financiers. As an overall SME advisor she worked with different support centers in Africa, Asia and the Middle East, capacitating their staff and enhancing their business services to SMEs.
Ben White
VC4A
The Netherlands
Ben White has been venturing in the African technology and media space since 2003. Involved in multiple startups, Ben is also the cofounder of AfriLabs, a pan-African network of innovation hubs, and the African Business Angel Network (ABAN). Ben is on the board of ActivSpaces and in 2007 he founded VC4A.
Andile Masuku
African Tech Roundup
South Africa
Andile Masuku is a Zimbabwean broadcaster and entrepreneur based in Johannesburg, South Africa. He produces and presents a portfolio of popular audio podcasts — including ‘the African Tech Round-up’, as well as developing and executing content strategy and tactical media plays for leading companies.
Expert insights
We thank the following people for taking the time to speak to us and enrich the Academy with their ‘expert insights’:
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Ndidi Nnoli Edozien
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Rebecca Enonchong
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Tomi Davies
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Brett Commaille
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Chams Diagne
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Stephen Haggard
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Ike Eze
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Lexi Novitske
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Aaron Fu
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Fabian Guhl
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Justin Spratt
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Viola Llewellyn
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Charlene Chen
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Dima Rifai
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Ibanga Umanah
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Yemi Keri
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Juliet Wanyiri
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Simeon Ononobi
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Aurelien Duval-Delort
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Stephan Breban
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Fatoumata Ba
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Emeka Afigbo
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Russell Southwood
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Peter Allerstorfer
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Vusi Thembekwayo
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Sylvie Dalode
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Wim van der Beek
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Dotun Olowoporoku
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Tom Jackson
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Maxime Bayen
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Isaak Mogetutu
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Erick Yong
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Andrea Böhmert
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Danai Musandu
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Chinedu Enekwe
Expert insights have been recorded at awesome events:
Afrobytes
African Angel Investor Summit
Africa Technology Business Forum
AHUB
Special thanks to the people who made the academy happen:
- Charles Meadows, Sheree Smuts, Thero Gabaraane – Incubate Productions
- Paolo Mantero, Carolina Mutti – Armonica Film
- Björn Rudner – Contrast TV Productions
- Albert-Jan Messenberg – Zilt Design
- Hendrik Admiraal – Lead developer – VC4A
- Damien Senger – UX developer – VC4A
- Nelson Kana – Developer – VC4A
- Catherine Gray – Product owner – VC4A
- Thomas van Halen – Investor relations – VC4A
- Alina Vinogradova – Programs & partnerships lead / ‘Work in Progress!’ project manager – VC4A
- Bertil van Vugt – Business development & Producer VC4A Academy – VC4A