#13 | The Agile Growth Entrepreneur Newsletter
This week I explore "The Importance of African Space Exploration." It is generally agreed that improving Africa’s infrastructure and economy will significantly impact the continent’s.......
It is generally agreed that improving Africa’s infrastructure and economy will significantly impact the continent’s long-term viability and, by extension, the well-being of its one billion-plus inhabitants.
However, more and more people are considering how the space sector may help Africa develop. Both the SDGs and Agenda 2063 were created by the United Nations and the African Union to help with global poverty. The organization’s strategic framework for development, democracy, and peace both emphasize the importance of space-based products and services in achieving national and continental agendas.
With this in mind, one of Agenda 2063’s 15 main programs is the African Union’s space policy and strategy. It steers the industry towards growth and serves as the home base for the soon-to-be-functional African Space Agency.
Pan-African Startup Stories
Kenyan Startup Roam has Launched a New Electric Mass Transit Bus
Nigerian startup Flutterwave plans Nasdaq listing despite mounting fraud charges
Nigerian VC firms are still willing to invest—but they’re asking harder questions
Electric batteries are fueling the shift from petrol-powered bikes in Kenya
Microsoft appoints Nigeria's Kunle Awosika as Managing Director of its Africa Transformation Office
McKinsey sees Africa fintech sales surging eightfold by 2025
They Moved to South Africa and Started a Luxury Travel Company
Pan-African Startup News
Duplo digitizes payment flows for African B2B enterprises, gets $4.3M seed funding
Nigeria’s Startup, Grey Raises $2M for Regional Expansion, Cross Border Payments
MedGenome Raises $50 Mn To Expand Global Footprint, Scale Up SaaS Offerings
Egyptian mobile commerce startup Sharwa raises $2m seed round
Kenyan Fintech, Pezesha, Raises $11 Million Equity, Debt Fund
Pan-African Gaming News
FIFA 23 game adds Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia, Morocco and Cameroon among playable nations
The Rocket League Championship Series is expanding to Asia and Africa
GEF launch development federations in African and Pan American regions
South Africa’s Sun International rebounds to post record gaming income
Pan-Web3 News
Afriguild launches Web3 Africa Women Fellowship to bring women into Web3
Africa Accounts for Less Than 1% of Global Crypto Spot and Derivatives Trading, Says Latest Report
Venture Studio Stories
Venture Studios Demystified
+Shilpa Kannan & Mitchel Peterman are co-authors of the new book "Venture Studios Demystified: How venture studios turn the elusive art of entrepreneurship into repeatable success". Together, Mitchel & Shilpa spent a year working with 20 studio leaders across the world on a mission to codify the Venture Studio playbook and break down everything from why studios launch, how the ideation process works, where the capital comes from, and shed light on the legal and financial structures of the Studio model. In this episode, you'll learn... -The most surprising things Shilpa & Mitchel learned in their interviews with 20+ Studios -What processes were consistent among Studios -Various "Studio sustainability" tactics & opportunities -How Studios can fundraise successfully + so much more!
What I’m Reading
"Whatever size your business is, getting the right strategic business partnerships in place is fundamental to success. Callum has been creating partnerships for decades and in this book breaks down how anyone can follow his steps to partnership success." - Jean-Michel Wu, Chief Talent Officer at McCann WorldGroup APAC
"Callum has pulled back the curtains on the mystery of creating successful partnership in his book, Progressive Partnerships - The Future of Business. Simple frameworks coupled with actionable steps show how every business person can be a small giant in their space of expertise by leveraging on other people's resources. A definite must read book." - Cheryl Liew-Chng, Creator of The 24-Hour Woman, a media and training and development firm for Women Professionals and Entrepreneurs. www.The24HourWoman.com
Callum Laing has been starting, building and buying businesses for 20 years. He is a partner in the Private Equity company Unity Group, co-founder and non-exec director of The Marketing Group PLC and is the CEO of Entrevo Asia. He is based in Singapore with his family.
The Week in Podcasts
Pret & Itsu Founder: How I Built TWO Billion Dollar Brands At The Same Time!
Julian Metcalfe is the founder of Pret A Manger and Itsu, and since he’s been a young man has been on a mission to change the way we think about eating out and how we eat. His companies are together worth over $3 billion.
Topics:
0:00 Intro
01:32 Early years
06:00 The affect your parents had on you
12:01 The importance of transparency
17:44 Affection & self esteem
27:27 Was money driving you?
30:59 What was the "specialness" that made Pret successful
37:06 How I run my businesses
50:03 Selling Pret
56:14 Starting ITSU
58:01 The hardest day of your career
01:02:14 Finding out you had a daughter
01:07:14 What are you scared of?
01:08:45 Your happiness recipe
01:11:31 The last guest question Itsu:
https://www.itsu.com/