Connect with us
Anglostratits

Business

Africa rises as a startup investment destination, 9th Africa Early Stage Investor Summit (#AESIS2022) connecting 1000+ investors

Published

on

AESIS2022

3000+ attendees in total including Entrepreneur Support Organizations, incubators, accelerators and select high-impact startups

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, November 10, 2022/APO Group/ — 

VC4A (https://www.VC4A.com) and ABAN hosted Africa’s investor community at the 9th Africa Early Stage Investor Summit (#AESIS2022) from 2-4 November 2022. 1000+ investors connected via the virtual summit, 3000+ attendees in total including Entrepreneur Support Organizations, incubators, accelerators and select high-impact startups. 30 cities unlocked for Investor Meetups in 25 countries worldwide. 12 organizations joined the partner list, boosting support for the theme Investing with a Gender Lens & Clean/Green Tech .14 women-led companies presented at the first Women Founder Edition of the VC4A Venture Showcase Africa.

On November 2nd, 3rd and 4th, VC4A and ABAN brought Africa’s investor community together for the 9th Africa Early Stage Investor Summit. The industry leading event, which successfully hosted 3000+ attendees from all over the world.

In a major milestone this edition, 1200+ investors attended the exclusive and in-person Investor Meetups in 30 cities worldwide, more than doubling from 13 cities in 2021. We witnessed many new bonds formed and celebrated the past year with one another as the community continues to grow. Experience moments from the Investor Meetups in the aftermovies (https://bit.ly/3hwYxmj) and look through the picture gallery (https://AESIS2022.myportfolio.com).

#AESIS2022 in highlights

– 89 speakers (55% female)
– 30 investor meetups hosted by partners in 25 different countries
– 60 virtual sessions featuring

  • 8 fireside chats
  • 6 investor panels
  • 4 investor masterclasses as part of the AESIS Academy
  • 3 keynotes
  • 3 research presentations
  • 2 interactive workshops
  • 14 VC4A Venture Showcase companies pitching their Seed/Series A rounds and
  • 6 DFIs joining the Office Hours resulting in 30 1-on-1 meetings

Shining the spotlight on gender inclusive investing

Jessica Espinoza of 2X Collaborative gave the keynote address on gender-smart investing, highlighting that “Gender balanced leadership teams in private equity generate 20% higher net IRR, yet, we don’t find good gender balance in leadership in early stage investing”, adding that “This is a missed opportunity that can be resolved by adopting a gender smart lens.”

In addition, two key research reports were presented by Briter Bridges (https://bit.ly/3NV6td1) and Africa: The Big Deal (https://bit.ly/3Toz4Zq), which highlighted record breaking angel and venture capital investments into Africa early stage businesses. Only $1 out of every $15 of this investment went to women founded and led startups.

14 women-led companies selected for the 2022 VC4A Venture Showcase Africa (https://VentureShowcase.VC4A.com) were invited to pitch as part of the first Women Founder Edition. These founders are all looking to raise their pre-seed to seed and Series A rounds of between USD 250K – 10M, as Venture Showcase alumni have raised USD 600M till date.

At #AESIS2022, the Ecosystem Side Event was launched with the aim to speak to the intersection between entrepreneurship development and early-stage investing. Industry leaders dug into different views around investment readiness and ESO sustainability. The segment was attended by more than 300 delegates, and was hosted thanks to the partnership with GIZ Make-IT in Africa. The panel on Hub Sustainability was powered by FMO Ventures.

AESIS2022 would not  have been possible without the support from our #AESIS2022 partner organizations. We would like to specially thank Strategic partners GIZ Make-IT in Africa and Work in Progress! Alliance, Knowledge partners FMO Ventures and the UNDP – Africa Sustainable Finance Hub (ASFH), and Friends of the Summit – UK South Africa Tech Hub, the Bestseller Foundation, Launch Africa Ventures, Dutch Good Growth Fund, AWS Activate, Flourish Ventures, Afrilabs and Next176 by Old Mutual.

Nine years ago when AESIS first launched, “there was approximately 120M USD in investment to around 30 early stage deals. Now in 2022 the ecosystem has crossed the 4B USD mark in investment in over 200 deals” said Hope Ditlhakanyane, who added that “#AESIS2022 is a good moment for us to reflect on how far we have come as an industry to grow venture investing across the continent”. All recordings of the virtual Summit remain available via www.AfricaInvestorSummit.com.

Looking ahead with great anticipation to the next edition. Join us again next year for the 10th anniversary of the Africa Early Stage Investor Summit at #AESIS2023.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VC4A.

Business

Aurionpro expands its multi-country transaction banking engagement with Diamond Trust Bank (DTB)

Published

on

Aurionpro

Aurionpro’s upgraded iCashpro platform for DTB delivers a unified digital experience across payments, trade, virtual accounts, and real-time reporting, enhancing straight-through processing, visibility, and control for both the bank and its corporate customers

MUMBAI, India, April 30, 2026/APO Group/ –Aurionpro Solutions Limited (www.AurionPro.com) (BSE: 532668 | NSE: AURIONPRO)a global leader in banking technology, announced the expansion and upgrade of its transaction banking engagement with Diamond Trust Bank (DTB), to modernize and enhance the bank’s corporate transaction banking capabilities across multiple countries.

Download Document: https://apo-opa.co/4edHUaC

This multi-country transaction banking upgrade covering Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania aligns with DTB’s intent to enhance customer experience, streamline operations, and support growing transaction volumes as it expands its regional corporate banking footprint. DTB continues to focus on building a more agile, ‘digital-first’ banking experience, particularly around payments for its corporate customers across Africa, and is now well positioned to scale these capabilities. As part of its broader transformation agenda, the bank has been steadily investing in platforms that enhance scale, reliability, and service consistency across markets.

Through this partnership, we are proud to lead the next era of transformation in transaction banking, helping DTB enhance operational agility

Aurionpro’s upgraded iCashpro platform for DTB delivers a unified digital experience across payments, trade, virtual accounts, and real-time reporting, enhancing straight-through processing, visibility, and control for both the bank and its corporate customers. By enabling DTB to standardize and scale its transaction banking operations across countries, the platform ensures consistent service levels, stronger control, and improved efficiency. It also supports enhanced user experience, advanced security, and the flexibility to introduce new features as DTB expands its regional transaction banking footprint.

Murali Natarajan (https://apo-opa.co/48trPdk), Managing Director & CEO, DTB Kenya   commented: “We are delighted to strengthen and broaden our partnership with Aurionpro Solutions as part of DTB’s ongoing digital transformation journey across multiple markets. Our focus on innovation, operational excellence, and customer-centricity continues to guide our technology investments. This upgrade strengthens our transaction banking capabilities, enabling us to deliver greater value to our customers through robust digital channels and seamlessly integrated experiences.”

Ashish Rai, Group CEO, Aurionpro Solutions, commented: “We are pleased to deepen our multi-country engagement with Diamond Trust Bank and support the next phase of its transaction banking modernization. As DTB continues to scale across markets, platform resilience and consistency become paramount. Through this partnership, we are proud to lead the next era of transformation in transaction banking, helping DTB enhance operational agility, deliver superior experiences to corporate customers, and create long-term value across geographies.”

He added, “Aurionpro’s iCashpro lays a strong digital foundation for transaction & wholesale banks across the globe to grow their corporate and SME client portfolio today, while creating a clear roadmap for next- generation capabilities in AI-driven insights, advanced automation and API-led connectivity for businesses in Kenya and across Africa.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Aurionpro Solutions Ltd.

 

Continue Reading

Business

Minerals Council Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Joins African Mining Week (AMW) as South Africa Improves Sectorial Investment Climate

Published

on

Energy Capital

Minerals Council CEO to share insights on policy, infrastructure and investment trends shaping South Africa’s mining industry

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 30, 2026/APO Group/ –The upcoming African Mining Week (AMW) conference will feature Mzila Mthenjane, CEO of the Minerals Council of South Africa, as a speaker. Scheduled for October 14 – 16, 2026 in Cape Town, the event will bring together global investors, policymakers and industry leaders, with Mthenjane’s participation highlighting the council’s commitment to engaging international stakeholders and promoting investment across South Africa’s mining sector.

His participation comes at a critical moment as the Minerals Council works closely with government on finalizing the Mineral Resources Development Bill 2025, a policy framework aimed at strengthening the country’s mining investment climate and the sector’s contribution to GDP. According to the council, the revised legislation will support new investment across the value chain as South Africa seeks to mobilize R2 trillion over the next five years to unlock its critical minerals potential.

The policy reforms come amid shifting production trends in the sector. In 2025, South Africa recorded declines in gold and platinum group metals output of 1.9% and 4.1%, respectively. The new regulatory framework is expected to strengthen public-private partnerships and stimulate investment, enabling South Africa to increase production and capitalize on strong global commodity prices. Increased private sector investments is crucial with South Africa seeking targeting to unlock an estimated R40 trillion in untapped iron ore potential as well as maintain its position as the world’s leading producer of chrome and manganese.

At AMW 2026, Mthenjane is expected to outline these trends, providing insights into how the council is contributing to addressing challenges disrupting the sector. Infrastructure and energy costs remain key concerns for industry players. To support the energy-intensive sector, South Africa approved a 35% reduction in electricity tariffs for major ferrochrome producers, helping stabilize an industry that has faced significant cost pressures after electricity prices surged by roughly 900% since 2008.

Logistics constraints are also a priority area for reform. South Africa’s economy is losing an estimated R1 billion per day due to inefficiencies across rail and port infrastructure. As a result, the government is considering measures supported by the Minerals Council to increase private sector participation in logistics. Planned reforms include rail modernization initiatives targeting 250 million tons of freight capacity by 2029, alongside port upgrades and private operator participation aimed at strengthening mineral exports and improving supply chain efficiency.

Beyond infrastructure and policy reforms, the Minerals Council is advocating for stronger exploration investment to support long-term industry growth.

At AMW, Mthenjane is expected to highlight these developments and outline the steps required to reinforce South Africa’s position in the global minerals supply chain. His insights will offer investors and stakeholders a timely perspective on opportunities within the country’s mining sector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.

Continue Reading

Energy

Seychelles Targets Energy Investment Push as Minister Jérémie Joins African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 as a Speaker

Published

on

African Energy Chamber

Seychelles energy minister will speak at AEW 2026, positioning her to highlight reforms, renewable projects and investment opportunities as the island nation advances its transition toward a diversified energy system

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –Marie-May Jérémie, Minister of Environment, Climate, Energy and Natural Resources for Seychelles will participate as a speaker at this year’s African Energy Week (AEW) 2026, taking place from October 12–16 in Cape Town. Her participation underscores the country’s growing role in shaping Africa’s small-island energy transition agenda.

Minister Jérémie’s presence at AEW 2026 comes at a critical time as Seychelles accelerates efforts to reduce its heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels. The event provides a platform to attract investment, strengthen policy alignment and showcase bankable projects, positioning the country as a viable destination for private-sector participation in island energy systems.

Seychelles is demonstrating how policy reform and innovation can unlock investment in constrained environments

In May last year, international finance institution the World Bank approved the Renewable Energy Acceleration Program, a seven-year initiative aimed at modernizing the grid and increasing renewable energy penetration to 15% by 2030. The program focuses on unlocking private capital while strengthening transmission infrastructure to accommodate variable renewable energy sources.

Project development is gaining traction in the country, particularly in innovative technologies suited to Seychelles’ land constraints. The 5.8 MW Seysun Lagoon floating solar PV project, developed by independent renewable power producer Qair, is under construction and expected online in 2026.

Alongside renewables, Seychelles continues to pursue upstream opportunities to diversify its economy. The government approved new exploration entrants in 2025 and extended exiting petroleum agreements, while securing an infrastructure partnership with China. Multilateral estimates suggest over $800 million in investment will be required over the next 25 years.

Regulatory reform is central to this transition, with Seychelles introducing an independent power producer framework to open the market to private developers. Standardized power purchase agreements, grid access reforms and strengthened public-private partnership structures are being implemented to improve transparency, reduce risk and accelerate project bankability across solar, storage and emerging wind opportunities.

“Minister Jérémie’s participation highlights the strategic importance of island nations in Africa’s broader energy transition,” says NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman, African Energy Chamber. “Seychelles is demonstrating how policy reform and innovation can unlock investment in constrained environments. Her insights will be critical to advancing dialogue on resilient, low-carbon energy systems across the continent.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

Continue Reading

Trending