A GAP IN THE MARKET
Building a pipeline of African tech businesses
According to Partech, in 2018 over $1B was invested in Africa, representing a 108% YoY growth rate. As positive as this is, we believe there's opportunity for this number to be much, much higher.
The number of accelerators, tech hubs, awards and grants available for entrepreneurs in Africa is rising. At the same time, there are a record number of large funds being committed in the region. Many are well into the $100M range, requiring a pipeline of growth stage companies that are able to take on greater levels of capital. As well, corporate partners who see the potential in African markets are expanding their presence and developing programs designed to grow startups in particular industries.
However, there's a widening gap in the investment pipeline between very early stage startups and companies that are ready to take on significant funding.
These businesses often struggle at the point of growth and scale, as well as to successfully convey their stories to investors, and to customers. At the same time, investors and corporates struggle to find promising startups from among the noise.
We believe we can make a difference at the intersection of these needs. In African markets, it's not enough to provide a company with cash. Entrepreneurs need full support from mentors who understand their market and have a presence on the ground, in order to reach their full potential.
Our mission is to create more employment opportunities in Africa by supporting tech startups and founders. We believe these innovators offer the best potential to make a real economic difference on the continent. To do this, we aim to bring more companies to the point of scale and get them investor ready, and to help discover more opportunities for international investors and corporate partners looking to become more involved in African markets.
MASOKO ADVISORS
Professional Consulting
Masoko is the Swahili word for marketing. Our founder Thea's last name is Sokolowski, and she was often called "Soko." She's been leading marketing and growth strategy at global and Pan-African organizations, as well as African startups, for the majority of her career. The business name is a marriage of these elements, and speaks to her origins as a marketer and storyteller.
Thea recognized this gap in the market after spending time working with early and growth stage African startups at MEST Africa. Since 2013 she's worked with 60+ companies and teams building businesses across African markets to get them to the next level. She has an MBA from Oxford University and deep experience in marketing, branding and storytelling.