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Shaping tomorrow’s investments: A triumph of collaboration at the Africa Early Stage Investor Summit 2023

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2 years ago

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investment

The two-day summit serves as the pivotal platform for robust discussions, networking and collaboration, propelling the African early-stage investment landscape forward

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, December 19, 2023/APO Group/ — 

The Africa Early Stage Investor Summit 2023, concluded with resounding success, bringing together 350+ investors, founders, and industry leaders from across the continent. The two-day summit, organized jointly by VC4A (VC4A.com) & African Business Angel Network (ABAN), serves as the pivotal platform for robust discussions, networking and collaboration, propelling the African early-stage investment landscape forward.

“AESIS connects the early stage (angel) investor networks with VCs, mapping a path for founders’ fundraising journeys. The exchange of knowledge and experiences between the two is invaluable to the startup ecosystem, directly supporting founders in their entrepreneurial adventures.” – Vincent Hoogdyn, CEO of VC4A.

Key highlights

1. Insightful Opening Townhall & State of Industry Overview: The event kicked off with a thought-provoking Opening Townhall, moderated by the host Hope Ditlhakanyane, featuring AESIS advisor Eghosa Omoigui, and AESIS partner representatives Eleni Gabre-Madhin, Laurien Field, and Jean-Marie Kananura, who reflected on the theme of 10x-ing early-stage investing in Africa, and set the scene for the impactful conversations that followed.

Maxime Bayen of Africa:The Big Deal (TheBigDeal.substack.com) expanded this sentiment in his address sharing that the number of active investors in startups in Africa have doubled from 242 in 2019 to 529 in 2023, additionally funding raised by startups in Africa has grown 119 times in 10 years from $27M in 2014 to $3.2B in 2023 (YTD). The primary emphasis of the overall message underscored the importance of deriving lessons from failures we’ve seen, gaining a more realistic perspective on exits through data, and strategically incorporating this information into the efforts to strengthen our collaborative ecosystem.

“AESIS plays a pivotal role in fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing between angel investors and VCs, and investment activities within the African startup ecosystem, contributing to the overall growth and development of entrepreneurship on the continent” – Fadilah Tchoumba, CEO of African Business Angel Network (ABAN).

2. Masterclasses and Breakaway Sessions: Attendees immersed themselves in an array of masterclasses and breakaway sessions, covering pivotal topics such as The winning recipe for Deal Collaboration and The Anatomy of Effective Corporate VC, as well as AESIS partner series covering Impact in collaboration with UNDP’s Africa Sustainable Finance Hub, and Gender Lens Investing in collaboration with IFC’s She Wins Africa initiative.

Notably, we had the Angel Investing Roundtable which was the launch of the ABAN 2023 Angel Investment Survey Report (ABANAngels.org/insights) –  Research into ABAN’s network of angels indicates that 2058 angel investors invested more than $22.5M across 408 deals, out of 5,743 applications received, at an average ticket size of $55.2K in the first and second quarter of 2023.

A special recognition goes to our investor meetup hosts who worked very hard and brought incredible energy into making our new record of 36 meetups happen for 2023

3. Deal Morning: In partnership with VC4A, SU Launch Lab, Next176, JICA, GIZ SAIS, MADICA, and Founders Factory Africa – 28 founders had been given the stage to showcase their business together with their attending investors. This setup facilitated meaningful connections not only between entrepreneurs and investors, but also between investors unlocking potential co-investments.

4. Ecosystem Side Event: The 2nd official Ecosystem Side Event took place on Saturday the 2nd of December, hosted at the WomHub coworking space, spotlighting the symbiotic relationship between Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) and investors. Panels, case studies, and presentations such as The ESO as an early stage investor, by Cindy AI of Dream VC highlighted the collaborative efforts driving entrepreneurship development and active opportunities for co-creation and progressive innovation efforts.

The summit concluded on a high note with a Closing Cocktail, with the first AESIS awards handed out in the following categories:

  • AESIS Most Valuable Players Award – to attending members that have attended more than 6+ annual Summits;
  • #AESIS2023 Outstanding Investor Meetup Award –  Serengeti Angels and Ennovate Ventures as the hosts in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania;
  • #AESIS2023 Outstanding Angel Network Award – RisingTide Africa;
  • #AESIS2023 Outstanding VC Company Award – Founders Factory Africa.

Throughout the year we have had a series of numerous events in the lead up to these amazing two days in Cape Town; including Investor meetups which took place across Africa and the globe in September and October. A special recognition goes to our investor meetup hosts who worked very hard and brought incredible energy into making our new record of 36 meetups happen for 2023.

#AESIS2023 is honored to have partnered with many influential entities to make this 10 year milestone a resounding success including Investec, Next176, UNDP, Timbuktoo, JICA, GIZ SAIS, GIZ MAKE IT, Madica, Womhub, OceanHub Africa, Founders Factory Africa, Untapped Global, US Consulate, Double Feathers Partners, SU LaunchLab, SA SME Fund, Value for Women, International Finance Corporation, Kigali International Financial Center, Dutch Good Growth Fund, and South Africa National Conventions Bureau.

Looking ahead

The success of the Africa Early Stage Investor Summit 2023 underscores the growing momentum of collaborative efforts in driving synergy and investment across the continent. The insights shared, connections forged, and collaborations initiated during the summit are expected to contribute significantly to 10x-ing early stage investing in Africa.

“Only ecosystems that have knowledge exchanges survive — that’s the power that we have here!” – Tomi Davies, President of African Business Angel Network (ABAN).

Photos of the events that took place during #AESIS2023 can be found here (apo-opa.co/3v6lGmj)

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VC4A.

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First WATT Renewable Limited and MTN Nigeria Launch Renewable Energy Infrastructure Programme for Critical Operations and Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Sites

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8 hours ago

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June 15, 2026

By

WATT Renewable Limited

The programme is expected to support the avoidance of an estimated 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (tCO ₂e) over five years, subject to operational performance and final emissions calculations

LAGOS, Nigeria, June 15, 2026/APO Group/ –First WATT Renewable Limited (www.WATTRenewables.com) and MTN Nigeria have announced a strategic renewable energy infrastructure partnership designed to reduce diesel dependence, improve operational resilience at MTN’s critical facilities and supply renewable energy systems to power electric vehicle charging infrastructure across selected MTN locations in Nigeria.

 

The programme comprises two major project components. The first is an Energy- as- a- Service deployment that will provide approximately 34 MWp of solar photovoltaic as a generation capacity and 40 MWh of battery energy storage across selected MTN facilities nationwide. These sites include data centres, switch facilities, cable landing stations, customer service centres and other network critical locations.

The second is the supply of renewable energy infrastructure to power 60 kW EV charging stations across eight MTN facilities located at Ikoyi, Matori, Ojota, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Asaba, Kano and Ibadan

Together, both components are designed to reduce dependence on diesel-based systems, lower operating emissions, support operational uptime, strengthen business continuity, and increase the contribution of renewable energy across MTN’s operational sites, including selected EV charging locations.

As digital demand continues to grow, reliable energy infrastructure remains critical to the performance of telecommunications networks and the wider digital economy. This partnership will support MTN Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen the resilience of critical operations while increasing the use of renewable energy across selected facilities.

This programme helps address one of the key requirements for wider EV adoption: reliable and cleaner energy supply

Based on current project assumptions, the programme is expected to support the avoidance of an estimated 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (tCO ₂e) over five years, subject to operational performance and final emissions calculations.

Commenting on the partnership, Oluwole Eweje, Chief Executive Officer of WATT Renewable Corporation, said:

“This partnership is a defining milestone for First WATT and an important step in strengthening the energy infrastructure that supports Nigeria’s digital economy. By deploying solar photovoltaic generation and battery energy storage across selected MTN facilities, we are helping to improve energy reliability at critical locations where uptime is essential.

“The EV charging component also demonstrates how renewable energy infrastructure can support Nigeria’s transition to lower-carbon mobility. By providing renewable power systems for EV charging sites, this programme helps address one of the key requirements for wider EV adoption: reliable and cleaner energy supply.”

Speaking on the initiative, Tobechukwu Okigbo, Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer at MTN Nigeria, said:

“As Nigeria’s energy and mobility landscape evolves, renewable energy will play an important role in building cleaner and more reliable infrastructure. This partnership supports our efforts to reduce diesel dependence, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen the resilience of the systems that power connectivity.

“It is also aligned with Project Zero, under our Doing for Planet sustainability pillar, through which we are focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency, and increasing the use of renewable energy across our operations.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WATT Renewable Corporation.

 

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RusselSmith Formally Transitions to Arridex

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12 hours ago

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June 15, 2026

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Nigeria

The change reflects the significant expansion of the organisation’s capabilities and the breadth of industries it now serves

LAGOS, Nigeria, June 12, 2026/APO Group/ –Arridex (www.Arridex.com), formerly RusselSmith, recently announced its formal change of name, registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of Nigeria. The change reflects the significant expansion of the organisation’s capabilities and the breadth of industries it now serves, which extend well beyond the oil and gas services with which it began operations in the early 2000s.

 

Founded as an asset integrity company serving Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, the organisation has grown into a multi-sector industrial technology group operating across oil and gas, maritime, aerospace, defence, construction, and manufacturing. Its subsidiaries cover engineering and construction delivery, autonomous systems development, and advanced technology products, in addition to its industrial additive manufacturing and asset integrity operations.

Arridex is the name of the company built over two decades and raised intentionally to enable industrial resilience in Africa

The organisation holds Pioneer Status in additive manufacturing, granted by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), and is the first company qualified by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) for additive manufacturing deployment in the oil and gas sector. Both represent formal recognition of Arridex’s capabilities and its role in building indigenous industrial capacity at scale. With more than twenty years of continuous delivery, Arridex holds certification to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018, underpinning an integrated management system that governs its operations across all sectors, and has recorded zero lost time incidents across over seven million man hours of operations.

The name change coincides with a significant operational milestone. The Arridex Omnifactory, West Africa’s first multi-technology industrial additive manufacturing facility, has been commissioned in Lagos. The Omnifactory integrates multiple additive manufacturing technologies including Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), Cold Spray, Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) under one roof, enabling on-demand production of industrial components, spares, and improved part designs for critical industries. The Omnifactory’s large-format additive manufacturing capabilities also enable the production of large-scale structures, including full-size marine components. Its commissioning is the clearest measure of the distance that Arridex has travelled from its origins.

Africa’s critical industries have for decades depended on components and specialist expertise imported from outside the continent, with supply chains that routinely extend across multiple jurisdictions and lead times that affect operational continuity for asset owners when dealing with legacy parts. The Omnifactory manufactures industrial components and parts on demand in Lagos, helping to build operational resilience in critical industries.

Kayode Adeleke, Group Chief Executive Officer of Arridex, said: “The name RusselSmith defined what we were at the start. Arridex defines what we have built. The dependency of African industry on fragile supply chains is a structural problem that this continent has accepted for too long. The Omnifactory is a concrete answer to the challenge of manufacturing sovereignty. Arridex is the name of the company built over two decades and raised intentionally to enable industrial resilience in Africa.”

Arridex is a Designated Strategic Partner of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) and serves clients across Nigeria and the wider African region. The organisation has a joint venture partnership with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) for military-grade additive manufacturing, is a member of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and is also a member of the Defence Industries Association of Nigeria (DIAN). With the Omnifactory commissioning in June 2026, Arridex enters its next phase of operations under a name that reflects the full scope of what it has built.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Arridex.

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New Quality, Shared Future – Beijing CBD Extends a Global Invitation for Cooperation

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12 hours ago

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June 15, 2026

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Beijing

If there are only three days to understand China’s economic development, Beijing CBD is a good place to start.
BEIJING, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 June 2026 – In mid-June this year, 2026 Beijing CBD Forum Annual Conference will be held as scheduled. Nearly ten thousand participants from five continents will gather here, with international speakers accounting for more than 50% of the lineup. Yet the Forum is but a window; the true landscape worth the world’s attention lies just outside – the central business district itself.

“International Density” on Seven Square Kilometers

In the core area of Beijing CBD – a mere seven square kilometers – nearly 16,000 foreign-funded institutions and 125 regional headquarters of multinational corporations (MNCs) are located. This represents half of all MNC headquarters resources in Beijing.

This is no coincidence. The district is one of China’s most internationally oriented, service-rich, and mature international business zones. From law firms and consultancies to financial institutions, the world’s top professional services firms have formed a complete ecosystem here.

What makes the area even more valuable for overseas companies and organizations is that policies here are not just written on paper – they are embedded in actual processes.

From pilot schemes on cross-border data flows, to facilitated access for foreign financial institutions, to one‑stop service desks for international talent – Beijing CBD has long served as a pilot zone for institutional opening‑up. Foreign enterprises find that issues they encounter here tend to be addressed and resolved more quickly.

During this year’s Beijing CBD Forum annual conference, the Ambassadors’ Roundtable Dialogue will establish a regular communication mechanism, and the “International Delegations’ China Tour” will allow overseas business representatives and zone managers to conduct in‑depth site visits and exchange experiences. What is even more noteworthy, however, is that such exchanges are not confined to the Forum – they continue year-round here.

Beijing CBD: A Sincere and Pragmatic Invitation

Artificial intelligence, the digital economy, green technologies – these areas, known as “new quality productive forces,” are not empty buzzwords here. The Forum includes dedicated sessions on technological innovation, financial opening‑up, law-business integration, cultural industries, and international consumption. Yet what truly deserves the attention of potential international partners is the industrial foundation behind these topics.

Beijing CBD is home to the densest concentration of foreign financial institutions and cross‑border capital in China. A large number of tech companies are engaged in cross‑sector collaboration with traditional industries here. High‑end professional services – international law, arbitration, compliance – are highly concentrated, providing support for both inbound and outbound business activities. Moreover, as the starting area of the city’s international demonstration zone for law-business integration, the district continues to focus on strengthening the rule of law in commercial affairs, improving its legal services framework, enhancing the resolution of international commercial disputes, and fostering a stable, transparent, predictable, and internationally competitive business environment. In the future, Beijing CBD will build a one‑stop legal and commercial service platform that integrates legal, auditing, intellectual property and other professional resources to precisely serve companies going global and managing cross‑border operations.

Here, you will find that its vitality derives mainly from genuine business judgments about market opportunities. For enterprises, the cooperation logic here is predictable, commercial, and sustainable.

Beijing CBD is not merely a striking poster – it is a real‑world district where hundreds of thousands of business people move every day, thousands of foreign‑funded institutions operate, and countless cross‑border transactions take place.

If you are looking for a stable gateway to the Chinese market, or a high-level hub to connect global resources with local applications, it deserves your consideration.

The Forum’s 2026 annual conference lasts only three days. But Beijing CBD is open all year round.

 

 

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