VC4A’s highly anticipated Deal Rooms returns. After a soft launch with five innovative startups and curated participation by top early-stage investors and VC firms, we are pleased to share that the VC4A Deal Rooms are back for good.
The Deal Rooms relaunched as a standalone initiative, to build on the success of the VC4A Venture Showcase, our annual flagship program that has supported over 120 startups across Africa and Latin America. These startups have collectively raised an impressive USD 850 million in funding since participating in the program.
By utilizing the expertise and network established through the Venture Showcase, the VC4A Deal Rooms offer a unique opportunity for startups to access a curated pool of investors, including prominent venture capital firms, angel investors, and impact funds.
Building on the success of the soft launch
The VC4A Deal Rooms set out with a select group of 5 high-growth startups, offering a sneak peek into the platform’s potential in May and June 2024. These startups were carefully selected from investor referrals and the VC4A startup database, to demonstrate the Deal Rooms’ ability to facilitate connections and drive new investment opportunities. The success of this phase has set the stage for the full launch, with a pipeline of promising startups ready to engage with investors.
The participating startups were:
An agritech company that aggregates imperfect/surplus produce; creates market demand and sells to customers via digital platform. By tackling food loss/waste, they aim to boost farmer incomes, improve food affordability and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Knabu Bank is a clearing bank offering clearing infrastructure for financial institutions and fintechs. They are a security and transaction settlement service that serves banks in emerging markets who struggle to scale because they have no/limited options for international transaction settlement.
An agritech platform that blends tech-plus-touch to provide farmers with affordable soil analytics, tailored Farm Insights, and hyperlocal AI powered agronomy services, eliminating guesswork and empowering data-driven farming for productivity and sustainability.
An edtech platform that connects parents with qualified teachers to provide affordable personalised tutoring to their kids, especially those with academic difficulties or special learning needs, delivered online or face-to-face.
A mobile app and B2B pharmaceutical marketplace. They source medicines from registered manufacturers and importers and sell them to facilities at a lower cost than the market price. They also provide buyer behaviour analytics, inventory management, and offers fast delivery to the buyers’ shops.
The feedback from both startups and investors has been overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the Deal Room’s focus on quality over quantity. Some organizations in attendance included TLCom Capital, PTV LLC, Unbound Afrika / WV Angels, Mirium Venture, PU Invest, Ethical Angels, Thrive Worldwide, Sunny Side Ventures, Seven Capital, BCV, Africa Health Ventures, Shujaa Capital and LoftyInc Capital, to name a few.
How the VC4A Deal Rooms work
The Deal Rooms involve a rigorous selection process which ensures that only the most promising startups gain access to a targeted pool of investors.
- Curation of ventures: Our team identifies promising startups through their active fundraising campaigns on the platform and referrals from the VC4A Investor Network. This ensures a diverse yet qualified pool of high-potential companies.
- Investor Network support: We extend invitations to our network of top investors whose interests align with the selected ventures. This targeted approach ensures relevant participation and maintains a higher quality of interactions.
- The virtual Deal Rooms: In a pre-screened online environment, the selected startups present their business models, traction, and funding needs. Current investors in those startups are also present on the call and available for Q&As after the presentation.
- Post-event follow up: After the Deal Rooms, the VC4A team facilitates direct connections between interested investors and founders. Thereby, the stage has been set for meaningful relationships that can lead to successful investments.
What sets the VC4A Deal Rooms apart
The Deal Rooms are designed to be a startup launchpad, to nurture new relationships between investors and entrepreneurs, creating new deal-flow for investors.
We take pride in the thorough selection process that fundraising ventures go through in order to be selected. Many of the featured startups come highly recommended by the Investor Network, ensuring that participating investors engage with some of Africa’s most promising ventures. This curation saves time and enhances the quality of interactions for all parties involved.
The presence of startups’ current investors also allows prospective investors to gain valuable insights from those already involved in the venture. It offers a deeper understanding of the startup’s journey, potential, and challenges and builds trust early on.
Participate in the VC4A Deal Rooms
The timing of the return of the VC4A Deal Rooms couldn’t be more accurate. Disrupt Africa’s funding report on 2023 highlights a “reset” in African tech startup funding due to the global capital shortage. While bloated valuations have been clamped down, this reset creates a more sustainable environment for future growth. The number of funded ventures remains significant compared to previous years.
As an accelerator for startup success, VC4A is dedicated to supporting the growth of the startup ecosystem in Africa and LatAm. We see and aim to uncover the potential of entrepreneurship to create jobs, drive economic growth, and improve lives. Through the VC4A Deal Rooms, we are set to unlock the next startup opportunity.
For further enquiries about registering for the next Deal Room or joining the Investor Network, please reach out to Julie Mackey via the contact form.