Sherpa Ventures

Before the year comes to a close, we spoke with Sherpa Investment Associate Fellows Nanthini Kumarajan and Tiffany Monthe-Siewe about their backgrounds, experience working with Sherpa, and tips for breaking into the African VC space. Nanthini and Tiffany joined us in May and were part of the first batch of…

In this series, we sit down with Sherpa LPs to learn more about their background, interest in African tech, and lessons learned from their career. ⛰️ Sherpa: Nolan, thank you so much for speaking with us! We cannot wait to dive in and get to know you on a deeper…

In this series, we sit down with Sherpa LPs to learn more about their background, interest in African tech, and lessons learned from their career. ⛰️ Sherpa: Andrew, thank you for making time to join this Q&A! We are thrilled to speak with our LPs given the duality of the…

Take a closer look into ZUMI and their work with apparel retailers — Sector Background Although they form the backbone of African economies, microretailers (small shops) across the continent struggle to operate and grow their businesses. Chief among the challenges microretailers face include their poor access to wholesale markets. For apparel retailers in Kenya — a vital group that ZUMI’s platform is well-equipped to impact — the challenges are striking. Retailers wake up at the crack of dawn, arrive at a crowded wholesale market, compete for…

Take a closer look into Boost Technology and their work with small retailers — Small businesses fuel African economies. In Africa, there are over 100 million small businesses that contribute to 70% of the continent’s employment. They are the neighborhood grocer, pharmacist, restaurant, or clothier, all of whom are fixtures in vibrant urban landscapes from Lagos to Cape Town. They are predominantly informal, lying within the so-called ‘missing majority.’…