Connecting African innovators with global markets and mobilizing smart
money for impactful female-led businesses
About Us
WHY
AfriProspect’s purpose is connecting African innovators with global markets and mobilizing smart money to enable sustainable female-led startups to grow and scale their businesses. We address challenges faced by the following groups:
African innovators with world class innovators struggle
Read MoreAfrican innovators with world class innovations struggle to establish win-win business partnerships needed to introduce their solutions to global markets.
African female entrepreneurs struggle to have access to seed capital…
Read MoreAfrican female entrepreneurs struggle to have access to seed capital and venture building support needed to achieve their full potential.
Investors need access to a pool of innovative, profitable…
Read MoreInvestors need access to a pool of innovative, profitable, scalable & impactful deals.
Corporate interested in African Markets need market intelligence ...
Read MoreCorporates interested in African Markets need market intelligence, assistance in establishing relevant connection and access to a pool of scalable innovations for merger & acquisition.
Ecosystems’ enablers need access to resources in order to design ...
Read MoreEcosystems’ enablers need access to resources in order to design interventions supporting local innovators, mobilize key partners to strengthen local innovation ecosystems and jointly achieve higher impacts.
WHO
We are a group of experts on African innovation and impact investment in African businesses. Our global network covers the African continent, Asia, Europe, and North America. See our Team and Advisory Board of international experts here.
WHO
We are a group of experts on African innovation and impact investment in African businesses. Our global network covers the African continent, Asia, Europe, and North America. See our Team and Advisory Board of international experts here.
WHAT
We create value by providing strategic support and facilitating win-win business partnerships between innovators, corporates, female entrepreneurs, investors, and innovation ecosystem enablers. We capitalize on our expertise and high-value networks to foster the growth and the scaling of African innovations and mobilize investments for impactful and sustainable African female-led businesses. Our services are summarized below:
We offer advisory and consulting services including market intelligence and facilitating access to a pool of scalable innovations for merger & acquisition as well as mobilizing key partners to strengthen local innovation ecosystems
We provide business development support to African Innovators and Female Entrepreneurs to enable the growth and scaling of their businesses
We foster win-win business connections responding to the needs of our key Customers and facilitate access to high value networks
We mobilize impact investments and provide venture building support for sustainable female led-startups and facilitate investor access to a pool of profitable, scalable & impactful deals
Meet The Team & Advisory Board
Pauline Koelbl
Founder & CEO
Tenemba Anna Samake
West Africa Region Representative
Phindile Tshabangu
SADC Region Representative
David Butler
Advisory Board Member
Tech Advisor/Startup Mentor, Social Axle
Dr. McLean Sibanda
Advisory Board Member
Managing Director at Bigen Global Limited
Erick Yong
Advisory Board Member
CEO, GreenTec Capital Partners
Nicholas Draeger
Advisory Board Member
Founder and Director, Cederberg GmbH
Eliane Ubalijoro
Advisory Board Member
Deputy Executive Director (Programmes), GODAN
Foster Fosu
Advisory Board Member
Innovation and Capacity Development Specialist, AfDB
Gurinder Singh Duggal
Advisory Board Member
Global Procurement/ Supply Chain Specialist
Pauline Koelbl
Founder & CEO
Founder and Managing Partner of ShEquity Holdings, Pauline is an Innovation Expert in Developing & Emerging Economies, impact investor, and seasoned impact-driven Team Leader with over 20 years’ experience in international affairs and philanthropy industries. Pauline is a leading expert and influencer on the transformation of developing countries to emerging economies by designing programs & policies fostering inclusive innovations. Her passion lies in innovation, entrepreneurship, and empowerment of youth and women.
During the last 10 years, Pauline’s work focus has been on impact investing as well as catalyzing marketable, scalable, and impactful home-grown innovations for African-led growth across the African continent, building strategic partnerships and innovation ecosystems that will invigorate economic growth across Africa. Her work at the African Innovation Foundation (AIF) as the Managing Director and Director, Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) led to the impact of more than US$ 135 Million generated investments for supported African innovators.
Prior to that, she worked for a number of UN bodies and NGOs in Africa, Europe, and the USA including WHO in Geneva, UNESCO in Paris, UNICEF in Goma, Enda Tiers Monde in Dakar, Jewish Family and Children’s Services in Arizona, etc.
A double Fulbright -Scholar and Fellow-, Pauline is currently serving on a variety of Boards of companies/organizations connected to business, entrepreneurship and innovation in Africa. She is the co-founder of Professional Women of African Heritage (PROWAH), and is a member of ABM University Council (Botswana) and serves on the Academic, Research, and Innovation Committee.
Daniel Kofi Kyeremateng
Software Officer
Daniel is an experienced Software Engineer with a demonstrated history of over 4 years working in the information technology and services industry. He is currently the Software Team Lead at Kumasi Hive. He is skilled in Python (Programming Language), Spring Boot, Go, Javascript, Spring Framework, and Data Science. He is a strong community and social services professional who also is a developer advocate.
Prince Sarfo
Communication Officer
Prince is an innovative storyteller and certified digital marketer. He is passionate about telling impactful stories and helping people become better in what they do. He leads the Media team at Ghana Tech Lab (GTL) which is responsible for developing and generating all content. He also works closely with GTL’s partners-Mastercard Foundation, Ministry of Communication and other organizations to develop content to be published on international platforms. Prince is also the Marketing and Social Media Advisor for Beach Cleanup Ghana, a Ghanaian company that provides a solution for Ghana to become one of the leading nations in Africa to tackle ocean pollution. Prince believes in youth empowerment and he is a keen advocate for the rights of women and children.
Nicholas Draeger
Founder and Director, Cederberg GmbH
A scientist, chemical engineer, financial expert and entrepreneur, Nicholas started his career at Roche Pharmaceuticals in Research and later in Global Business Development focusing on M&A and licensing. At the Italian pharmaceutical company, Recordati, he was Director of International Business Development. Later, Nicholas moved into the finance sector at the French finance group, Credit Agricole Indosuez Cheuvreux as head of the Biotech broker team. Nicholas was a member of the management team of BB Biotech and later portfolio manager at Adamant Biomedical Investments both in Switzerland, specialising in investments in Australia, Asia and South Africa, and venture capital.
Nicholas is a Founder and Director of Cederberg GmbH, a Swiss pharmaceutical marketing, and distribution company, and Founder and Director of Nurevas International, a food (and fortified foods) production and marketing company, with operations in Switzerland and Ghana and with sales across West Africa. Learn more here
David Butler
Tech Advisor/Startup Mentor, Social Axle
David is an expert in startup culture and entrepreneurship, known as the “Go to guy” in the Swiss entrepreneurial ecosystem. Involved in the Zurich startup scene since 2009, David has been managing events for entrepreneurs such as Startup Grind, Zuripreneur Meetup, Failcon, FintechDay, and mentoring / judging at Mass Challenge, Startup Weekend, Founder Institute. Always connecting founders and investors, advising startups, with a passion to inspire the next big thing.
As Director of Startup Grind Zurich, David forges connections between local and global entrepreneurs, experts, executives, and investors.
As a serial networker and social media aficionado, his love for testing beta versions of new products coming out of Zurich’s many startups has made him a sought-after advisor in many industries. Learn mor
Edith Uyovbukerhi
CEO, Sun Ridge Company Limited, Ghana
Edith is a strong, results-oriented, dynamic, and proven leader, bringing excellence, experience, and passion to whatever she does. She has wide experience spanning over 26 years in blue-chip companies in the United Kingdom, holding senior leadership positions in companies that include PwC, Cadbury, Nestle, and Diageo. She has a strong business, financial and commercial skills with a special focus in all aspects of accounting, finance, business management, strategic planning, project management, and business systems implementation. She has excellent interpersonal skills and is a great leader with the ability to motivate teams to peak performance.
An active women’s leadership and innovation champion with a passion for next-generation leadership, Edith is on a mission to support millennial ladies who seek to use their passion for life to transform their lives and the lives of all around them. She has a deep belief in Africa and the potential of Africans to create innovative products and services that are sound, commercially viable, positively impactful and which can shape the future of the continent for good.
Dr. McLean Sibanda
Managing Director at Bigen Global Limited, South Africa
McLean is an experienced innovation enabler with a demonstrated history of working in investment management, science and technology, innovation, incubation, startup industries, and infrastructure development in Africa. He is a strong entrepreneurship professional skilled in Negotiation, Business Planning, Analytical Skills, Innovation Management, and Patent at Law. He has an in-depth understanding of and experience in innovation, development, and infrastructure development as drivers for a prosperous Africa.
Foster Fosu
Knowledge, Innovation and Capacity Development Specialist, AfDB
Foster is an economist with over 20 years’ experience in researching, teaching, and practicing International Business and Innovation Management in Europe and Africa. He currently is a capacity development specialist at the African Development Bank (AfDB) with responsibility for leading the program development division of the African Development Institute. He is an innovation and technology driver with entrepreneurial instincts and training, supporting creative initiatives inside and outside organizations.
Within the AfDB, Foster has championed internal innovation by staff in organizational transformation. He led the building of the eInstitute Portal of the AfDB using his experience in incorporating ICT and multimedia tools into training activities. Foster has an insatiable passion for developing the capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa, especially among the youth.
Afua Umoah
CEO, Sun Ridge Company Limited, Ghana
Afua brings 19+ years of financial experience across different sectors and regions. She is the Founder and Managing Partner of Delwik Group, an independent financial advisory and principal investment firm based in Switzerland. Her primary role focuses on advising companies and on projects development in Africa. She also serves as the CFO of a fintech based in Luxembourg and Francophone West Africa.
Afua has worked with international firms such as African Capital Alliance (ACA), Barclays Africa, Deutsche Bank, BlackRock, Goldman Sachs, and Simon Murray China Fund in Shanghai. She holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and a dual degree in Mathematics and Engineering from Mount Holyoke and in Mechanical Engineering from Dartmouth’s Thayer School of Engineering.
Gurinder Singh Duggal
Global Procurement/ Supply Chain Specialist
Gurinder is a senior Supply Chain/Procurement professional with extensive experience in managing end to end Supply Chain activities. He has experience in Supply Chain/Procurement gained by working across the globe. Gurinder has successful experience working in a matrix structure and being part of the senior leadership team at the global/regional level. Hi specialties: Setting up categories/procurement/supply chain from scratch, Global Category Management, Strategy Development, and implementation, Procurement- low-cost country/Total Cost of Ownership basis, high-value contract negotiations, Sales and Operation Planning process management, Demand Forecasting, Logistics, Inventory Management.
Eliane Ubalijoro
Deputy Executive Director (Programmes), GODAN
Eliane is the Deputy Executive Director for Programs at Global Open Data in Agriculture (GODAN). She is a professor of practice for public and private sector partnerships at McGill University’s Institute for the Study of International Development, where her research interests focus on innovation, gender and sustainable development for prosperity creation and her teaching over the last decade has focused on facilitating leadership development. She is the founder and executive director of C.L.E.A.R. International Development Inc., a consulting group harnessing global networks for sustainable systems development.
Eliane is a member of Rwanda’s National Science and Technology Council, and she has been a member of the Presidential Advisory Council for Rwandan President Paul Kagame since its inception in September 2007. She also services on numerous Boards of international organizations including Global Crop Trust Executive Board; Next Einstein Foundation and Kifra Prize Board, Board of Trustees of WWF International, the International Digital Monetary Council member, etc.
Yvonne Bettkober
Amazon General Manager, Switzerland
Yvonne is a seasoned cross-continent executive with a proven track record in leading and operationalizing change. 15+years in General Management, Enterprise Sales, Alliance Management, and Business Development. A transformational leader with a unique combination of strategic altitude and execution skills.
Top-rated people leader, Yvonne is experienced in managing through disruption and uncertainty and delivering results across Emerging & Mature Markets. “Growth Hacker” with passion for organizational development and turnaround management. She is a recognized expert in cloud computing and digital transformation.
Erick Yong
CEO, GreenTec Capital Partners
Erick is a strategic thinker with a systemic approach and 15+ years of successful venture building. He has unique experience in implementing strong and modern sustainability values into the supply chain, commercial & marketing strategies. He has strong experience in multicultural management, marketing research with proven success in developing and launching new products and services on various markets. He anticipates market trends, initiates timely development, identifies key target customers by market/ sector/channel, enhances value in highly competitive and innovating markets. He is respected as a dynamic team builder, hands-on leader, and creative solutions provider.
Tenemba Anna Samake
West Africa Region Representative
With 20+ years of West African experience in business development and SME financing, Tenemba is the Executive Director of an Agribusiness Advisory firm, MBC Africa, a one-stop boutique that provides an enabling environment for businesses in Africa.
High-energy, results-oriented leader with an entrepreneurial attitude, Tenemba has a solid experience managing all levels of complex and multiple stakeholders’ projects including design and administration. In addition, she has a solid experience in designing and implementing technical assistance in SMEs (capacity building, coaching, and mentoring entrepreneurs).
Tenemba has led the acceleration of more than 130 businesses in West Africa and trained more than 100 Young African Professionals in Agribusiness Advisory. She is the Chairperson ANDE West Africa Steering Committee. The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) is a global network of organizations that propel entrepreneurship in emerging markets, and she is the Founding Member of Impact Investing Ghana.
Phindile Tshabangu
SADC Region Representative
Described as an “extraordinary representative of business incubation and of South Africa” Phindile is passionate about unlocking creativity, leveraging technology, starting new ventures, and helping existing companies grow and excel. Phindile has utilized his training as an Engineer, together with a postgraduate degree in Technology Management, to develop and manage a range of commercial and development projects in South Africa.
His leadership experience has been in the areas of Production Plant operator, Business Incubator Regional Manager, University technology transfer manager, and Startup co-founder. Phindile has spent over 15 years in various operational and strategic roles in the business incubation sector in Southern Africa, including as the Executive Chairman of SABTIA (Southern African Business and Technology Incubation Association).
Phindile has a rare blend of a 3-dimensional appreciation of the support mechanisms required to start and scale early-stage knowledge-based ventures from a founder’s, market, and funder’s perspective.
In his current role as an independent consulting executive, Phindile provides strategic policy advisory, due diligence, and training services to government agencies, companies, private sector funders, and development funders.
Phindile is based in Cape Town, South Africa with his wife and blessed with two bright innovators.
ShEquity
A female-focused initiative, ShEquity provides smart and sustainable investments for African female entrepreneurs, the key driver for inclusive socio-economic growth … read more
Impact
Because we focus on sustainable innovations and female-led businesses, our activities have a direct impact correlating to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We conduct a detailed impact analysis to demonstrate how enabling sustainable local innovations and investing in African female entrepreneurs contribute directly to various SDGs as well as to inclusive growth for the benefits of the African continent and its population. Follow this link to access ShEquity’s 1 year impact report http://bit.ly/shequity2021
Interested in our services? Please fill out the form below and we will get in touch ASAP.
Partners
We are proud to work with a network of reputable partners active in enabling innovation, impact investment, sustainable development, and female economic empowerment.
News
Check out events and opportunities for Innovator and Female Entrepreneurs
Shuttlers raises $4M to fuel its shared mobility solution across Nigeria
Shuttlers, a Nigerian shared mobility company that allows individual and corporate passengers to take rides on multiple bus routes via an app, has raised $4 million in a new funding round led by Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures (VKAV), a Pan-African focused venture capital firm…. read more
Pauline Koelbl, Founder & Managing Partner, ShEquity
Pauline is the Founder & Managing Party of ShEquity as well as Founder & CEO of AfriProspect GmbH. She is a gender-lens impact investor and a leading innovation expert in emerging economies with over 20 years’ experience in international affairs…. read more
Finanzielle Freiheit ist der Schlüssel zu wahrem Empowerment
Pauline Koelbl ist ein Business-Polyglott. Sie ist Impact Investorin mit einem Gender-Blick, ein Innovationskatalysator und die Gründerin und Managing Partner von ShEquity. Als Expertin und Zukunftsgestalterin haben wir mit Pauline über ihre Perspektiven… read more
ShEquity invests in woman-owned financial inclusion startup Owoafara
ShEquity, a gender-lens investment firm that seeks to address Africa’s gender funding gap by making smart investments in African owned and led businesses, announced its investment in a Nigerian fintech startup, Owoafara Inc, led by Tale Alimi…. read more
Kweza unlocking value for informal retailers in South Africa
In 2021, the 1,000 most influential climate scientists in the world were ranked based on publication record and social media engagement. Of the top 20, only one was a woman. (Reuters, 2021). Yet, the first scientist to make the connection between increased CO2 and atmospheric…. read more
PAULINE KOELBL COMBINES PASSION AND PURPOSE TO PAY IT FORWARD
Meet Pauline Koelbl, UArizona Franke Honors Alumna and founder and managing partner of ShEquity. We recently chatted with Pauline to learn about her passion for female empowerment and entrepreneurship, her experience at the University of Arizona Honors College… read more
Female-focused VC firm ShEquity to launch West African fund and accelerator
Launched this year to help reduce the US$42 billion gender funding gap in Africa, ShEquity combines cash investment, structured technical support and access to high value networks.
So far it has invested in three companies – Kenyan insect-based feed manufacturer Ecodudu, Kenyan data and AI startup Superfluid Labs, and Zambia’s WidEnergy, a last mile distributor of clean, reliable, and affordable energy solutions. read more
ShEquity invests in Ecodudu waste recovery start-up
The Kenyan start-up Ecodudu is again receiving financial support. It comes from ShEquity, an investment company that promotes female entrepreneurship in Africa. In line with its policy, the Ecodudu start-up to which it has just allocated funds is run by women who excel in the recovery of organic waste.
The start-up has developed an innovative process to produce feed for aquaculture and the nutrition of many other animal species. read more
Zambian startup WidEnergy raises new funding to scale its impact
WidEnergy, the name of which is an acronym for “Women in Development,” reflecting the startup’s goal of engaging women as active participants in Africa’s energy transition, leverages a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) model to provide solar-powered homes and appliances.
The startup works with female sales agents to distribute renewable energy solutions across Zambia, focusing on core competencies in lending and distribution to develop a high-quality lending portfolio with minimised default risks. read more
Social Enterprise Ghana, British Council launch Women Business Accelerator
The British Council Ghana and Social Enterprise Ghana have partnered to launch the Social Enterprise Women Business Accelerator.
The collaboration is a two month business accelerator for women-led social enterprises focusing on businesses that have a clear positive social and/or environmental mission. read more
Can African tech disrupt 2020’s gloomy investment outlook?
It appears that the momentum in Africa’s tech sector in 2019 has continued unabated into 2020.
That’s according to Evon Jeewan, a corporate finance principal at investment banking firm Bravura, who also pointed out that investor interest in the untapped potential of African tech start-ups reached a high point last year
read more
African AI startup Superfluid Labs receives investment from ShEquity
GreenTec Capital announces that Superfluid Labs was selected as the first investment for the newly launched ShEquity investment vehicle which focuses on providing smart and sustainable investments for African female entrepreneurs and innovators. The investment vehicle which is spearheaded by Pauline Koelbl, provides early stage capital and structure operational support as well as the facilitation of access to high-value networks. read more
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