African venture capital (VC) fund managers First Circle Capital, SpeedInvest and Knife Capital have all received awards recognising their success in supporting promising entrepreneurs and startups across African countries.
The awards were presented during the Africa Venture Finance Programme, a week-long, in-person course, which took place for the third time last week at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School.
The programme aims to support VC fund managers investing in early and growth-stage technology companies in Africa, with Boost Africa and AfricaGrow hosting 41 leading fund managers from 31 African VC funds.
The “Most Promising Fund Manager” award was given to the all-female team from First Circle Capital, which invests in and supports early-stage fintech founders.
The “Best Deal” award went to SpeedInvest for its investment in Nigeria’s Moove, a rapidly growing company providing vehicle financing and supply solutions.
Finally, the “Lifetime Achievement Award” was presented to Keet van Zyl, founding partner of South Africa-based Knife Capital, in recognition of his contributions to the venture ecosystem and leadership.
The shortlisted candidates were peer-selected by fellow fund managers, and a panel of judges composed of limited partners determined the winners from the shortlisted candidates.
The week-long programme saw investors from funds including Partech, AfricInvest, TLcom Capital and Norssken22 come together to discuss innovative solutions for Africa’s unique challenges. It allowed participants to share expertise and facilitate discussions to drive rapid growth in Africa’s tech venture capital sector. Attendees from all over the continent took part, with more than half of them being women, reflecting increased gender inclusiveness within venture capital leadership.
“We are proud of Boost Africa’s role in supporting a vibrant and resilient VC ecosystem in Africa and helping African entrepreneurs transform their ideas into successful businesses,” said EIB vice-president Ambroise Fayolle. “The EIB is committed to financing new technology and ideas that will address the global challenges we all face.”
