As we end 2022, we are unpacking lessons we picked up working with brilliant, African entrepreneurs.

As we end 2022, we are unpacking lessons we picked up working with brilliant, African entrepreneurs.

Back in 2017, we shared some of the perspectives from our network about how to make your fintech startup stand out. 

One of the most common questions our team is asked by entrepreneurs is: “How can I scale my business to another country?” We have a unique perspective at Village Capital: our team works with startups around the world, with alumni in more than 30 countries.

  Jake Tamarkin co-founded an insurtech startup that’s "not your dad's life insurance" - with the goal of helping everyday people get coverage for their families that saves money by automatically adjusting based on predictable life events. But fundraising for startup founders is hard. Really hard. “I’d been pitching to a whole lot of different people, but getting feedback along the lines of, 'You guys are great, but you don’t have enough traction for us yet.’”

As we step into uncharted territory each day due to COVID-19, the uncertain fundraising landscape can feel overwhelming. Seed stage funding dropped by more than 20% in the first quarter of 2020 as investors have hit pause on future investments.  

Talking about scale during the COVID-19 era may seem a bit odd. Right now, startup founders around the world are facing serious challenges - adapting to meet new needs, or taking things day by day in survival mode.

Are you an early-stage entrepreneur looking to raise capital, but need help building your financial model? Our team at Village Capital has trained more than 1,000 early-stage startups over the past decade, with a curriculum that is focused on how to get your startup “investment-ready”. One of the main questions we hear from founders is: how do I build a financial model?

You may have heard of “engineering debt”. Coders and web developers use the term to describe what happens when you take shortcuts to meet a deadline — skipping lines of code and skirting best practices in the interest of getting the job done. The end result may work, but it’s slower and glitchier than it needs to be — you’ll pay the price for cutting corners. Manu Smadja, co-founder of edtech and financial inclusion startup MPOWER Financing, has another term he’s fond of: diversity debt. It’s what happens when a startup leader fails to invest in diversity and inclusion from the very beginning.

A few years ago we asked 400 early-stage entrepreneurs about their biggest barrier to growth. Their number one answer: hiring and retaining high-quality talent.

Jim Atwater runs InReturn Strategies, a company that we’ve been following for years at Village Capital. Jim, a hard-of-hearing entrepreneur, helps companies tap into the untapped potential of the disabled community. This month InReturn Strategies reached their 100th provider partner.

Despite being the most-often cited barrier to growth for entrepreneurs in emerging markets, talent acquisition is also one of the least understood.