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’:
Ndidi Nnoli Edozien
Rebecca Enonchong
Tomi Davies
Brett Commaille
Chams Diagne
Stephen Haggard
Ike Eze
Lexi Novitske
Aaron Fu
Fabian Guhl
Justin Spratt
Viola Llewellyn
Charlene Chen
Dima Rifai
Ibanga Umanah
Yemi Keri
Juliet Wanyiri
Simeon Ononobi
Aurelien Duval-Delort
Stephan Breban
Fatoumata Ba
Emeka Afigbo
Russell Southwood
Peter Allerstorfer
Vusi Thembekwayo
Sylvie Dalode
Wim van der Beek
Dotun Olowoporoku
Tom Jackson
Maxime Bayen
Isaak Mogetutu
Erick Yong
Andrea Böhmert
Danai Musandu
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