Africa Startups

This article presents a summary of the information contained in our presentation. The purpose of our presentation is to extract more information contained in the Startups Database to inspire the RDN community, entrepreneurs, governments, and key players to understand what is going on and take the opportunity in this movement to make Africa a better place. 

From 2019-2022 over 2300+ big deals were funded across 12 sectors over 38 countries in Africa. African founders from 500+ universities worldwide are championing these 2300+ big deals with a value of $13,000M+.  

Deals Distribution by Sector

Fintech is a big deal in Africa for 2019-2022. About 29.4% of 2300+ sales are addressing financial service challenges in Africa. 

Deals Distribution by Country

Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt & South Africa created 72% of the total big deals from 2019-2022. That means 72%+ of the $13,000M+ received in these four countries will create robust economic growth, employment, and other positive economic multiplier effects. The four economic giants countries will maintain their positions. 

Annual Growth in the number of Big deals

Africa Startups experienced a slow annual increase in the number of deals in 2022 compared to 2021 and 2020 regardless of the positive growth in the number of deals over the past four years. 

Capital Distribution by Sector

Fintech is the Big receiver of the total funds raised by Africa Startups from 2019-2022. About 48% of $13,000M+ channeled to address financial service challenges in Africa. 

Deals Distribution by Country

The Africa Big Deals are for the Big Four!

Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt & South Africa received 77% of the total fund raised from 2019-2022. 

Annual Growth in the Amount of funds raised

Africa Startups experienced a slow annual increase in the amount of funds raised in 2022 compared to 2021 and 2020 regardless of the positive growth in the amount of funds raised in the past four years.  

Type of Funds raised by African Startups

Venture round, seed, grant, and pre-seed contributed 79% of the total funds raised by Africa Startups. 

1st $M

About 52% of startups who raised $M raised for the first time. Most of 1st $M came from the Venture round, seed, grant, and pre-seed funding categories. 

Who are the Founders of Africa Startups?

Founders of Africa Startups are African graduates from over 500 Universities around the world. 

Founders University or School

The University of Cape Town produced many founders in the innovation ecosystem of Africa followed by the America University of Cairo & Paris, Stanford University, Obafemi Awolowo University, and the University of Oxford. Other universities in the top 20 are Harvard University, University of Lagos, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Nairobi, Stellenbosch, Cairo University, Stellenbosch University/Universiteit Stellenbosch, University of California, Berkeley & Los Angeles, Columbia University in the City of New York, Federal University of Technology, Cornell University, Imperial College London and University of the Witwatersrand. 

Founders Universities by Country

The Universities from the United States of America produced many founders in the innovation ecosystem of Africa followed by universities from the United Kingdom, Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, and France.  Other top 20 countries with the best Universities that produced many founders for Africa Startups include Kenya, Canada, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, India, Uganda, Tunisia, Latvia, Morocco, Belgium, and China. 

Team Mix | Number of founders per startup.

About 47% of Africa Startups are founded by two founders, 27% by one founder, and 20% by three founders. 

Gender Mix

About 51% of Africa Startups are founded by a male-only founding team, 22.7% by a male single founder, 19.1% by a sex-diverse founding team, 5.3% by a male single founder, and 1.9% by a female-only founding team. 

Founders Graduation

About 54.8% of founders graduated between 2011 - 2020 while 35.4% of founders graduated between 2001 - 2010. 

Launch year of Africa Startups

Many startups launched between 2010 to 2020. 

Graduation and Startups Launch 

Many founders launched startups within 10 years after they graduated. 

Exit  

96% of exits are M&A funding category. 

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Observation

We are surrounded by new ideas 360 degrees around us. 

• There are many ideas along the way from home to office. 
• There are many new ideas in our community
• There are many new ideas around us

What do you observe and discover at home, office, in the community, or in any environment around you? We may miss many opportunities that can change our lives if we do not see and discover new ideas.

There is a way we can observe things and discover new ideas. It makes us more. Also, there is a way we can see things and catch nothing. It makes us less. We can observe and discover new ideas if our minds are programmed to be receptive to new ideas. Also, we can observe and catch nothing rather than information if our minds are not programmed to be receptive to new ideas.

It all depends on how we have programmed our minds on observation.

What is Radical Observation?

Radical observation is the ability to observe positively beyond the fundamental nature or facts of something. You focus your eyes on appreciating the meaning and understanding and see behind the scene. The focus of radical observation is to observe while fixing your mind to catch new ideas beyond the known facts.

Radical observation is different from observation used in research. Observation is a systematic research technique used to collect evidence for research findings. But radical observation is a strategic observation focusing on discovering new ideas from problems or events in life. It is not necessary to be systematic. 

Sir Isaac Newton, a mathematician, and physicist discovered gravity when he saw a falling apple while thinking about the forces of nature. Sir Newton observed the falling apple beyond the known facts. He challenged himself by asking the following questions;

Why is the apple falling?

What is the force behind it?

With these attitudes, sir Newton realized that some force must be acting on the falling apple.  He researched the new idea and developed the law of gravity.

How to Program Radical Observation

Radical observation depends on radical thinking and observation skills. Therefore, it is necessary to program your mind on radical thinking and improve the way you observe to practice radical observation. Use the following techniques to practice radical observation;

Practice Radical Thinking

Our mindsets determine how we observe things around us. It is easy to practice radical observation if we practice radical thinking. The first step to practicing radical observation is to practice radical thinking. Program the following attitudes in your mind to practice radical thinking;

• Always appreciate what others think.
• Always think of alternative
• Always think more than what is known.

Observe Strategically

Time is a strategic resource for every innovator or inventor. You don’t have to observe everything around you. Observe strategic issues around every event in life. The strategic issue includes problems and challenges around you. Observe and discern solutions to different problems and challenges around you.  

When observing, challenge yourself with the following questions; 

• Is there any alternative?
• What is behind the scene?
• Ask questions to understand more than the known facts. 
• Ask yourself why only this or why this way? 
• Ask yourself how it will look if we change or make an improvement.

Write New Ideas & Develop It

Use a notebook, mobile phone, or tablet to write new ideas. Observe and write new ideas.  Chant, research and connect dots to explore more. Develop new ideas into products or services.

Source: The Art of Discovery & Innovation 

Thinking

A study conducted by Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada 2020, shows that every person produces 6,200 thoughts per day. The average thinking capacity for a person per day is 6,200 thoughts. It is the high level of production of thinking.

The challenge is, what kind of thoughts do we produce?

Do we produce thoughts that make us more in life?

Do we produce ordinary or extraordinary thoughts?

It all depends on how we have programmed our mindset.

There is a way we can think and produce new ideas. Also, there is a way we can think and come up with nothing rather than daily repeated ideas. It all depends on how we practice thinking. We can think and discover new ideas if our mindsets are programmed to be receptive to new ideas. Also, we can think and discover nothing rather repeated ideas if our mindsets are not programmed to be receptive to new ideas.

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary people depends on how they practice thinking.  Also, the difference between innovators and ordinary people depends on how they practice thinking.

Those who practice radical thinking produce new ideas and become extraordinary, rich, and wealthy. But those who practice ordinary thinking remain with the same old ideas and become normal. Innovators do practice radical thinking. But normal people think ordinary.

What is Radical Thinking?

Radical thinking is the ability to think positively beyond the fundamental facts of something. It is to think extraordinary or out of the box. You focus your mind not only on the known facts of something. But you also focus your mind on appreciating and thinking beyond the known facts.

Thinking beyond the known facts helps us to catch a ball and create new ideas.

Radical thinking creates new ideas beyond the existing ones. Many inventions and innovations that break the status quo came from radical thinking.

      Thomas Edison, an American inventor, was granted 1,093 patents for inventions. His radical thinking ability positioned him as one of the most famous inventors in the history of the world that ranged including the electric pen, the typewriter, the light bulb, the phonograph, the motion picture, the alkaline storage battery, and the concrete house. He left 3,500 notebooks for his ideas when he died in 1931.

      Radical thinking is an industry of idea production in our minds. It is the art of catching new ideas beyond the known facts. Radical thinking helps us to produce new ideas by keeping our minds open to learning more. Our mind can discover more if it is programmed to think of alternatives or more than known facts. Ask yourself the following questions for every thought that comes to your mind. 

Why only this?

How does it look if we make some changes?

What will happen if we add some features?

How to Program Radical Thinking

Everyone can program radical thinking. It is just your decision. Decide now to practice radical thinking. Use the following steps and techniques to practice and program radical thinking;

Step 1. Practice Radical Thinking

Everyone can practice radical thinking. Set standards in your mind to scan every thought with the following techniques;

• Always appreciate what others think.
• Always think of alternative
• Always think more than what is known.
• Always ask questions to understand more than the known facts. 
• Always ask why only this or why this way? 
• Always ask how it will look if we change.

Once you program these questions in your mind, it will help you to think radically and discover many new ideas in your life. 

For example

The above image is known as the image of heart or love. Whenever you think about love, this image comes to your mind. This image represents love because it looks like a heart. True love comes from the heart. It is a known fact for this image.

By using our ordinary thinking, this is the only image of love. We believe there is no alternative because we limit our minds to thinking beyond the known facts. 

But by using radical thinking, this is not the final and end image of love. Our minds are open to thinking more. With radical thinking, we can think of the following options; 

• What will happen if we change the design? 
• How does it looks if we add some features?
• Is there an alternative to this image?
• Why this image?

By using radical thinking, we appreciate and acknowledge that this is the image of love. But, it is not true that this is the only image of love. We keep our minds open to thinking more beyond the known facts. 

2. Write New Ideas & Develop It

Use a notebook, mobile phone, or tablet to write new ideas. Think and write new ideas.  Chant, research and connect dots to explore more. Develop new ideas into products or services.

Source: The Art of Discovery & Innovation 

Smart Teens

Nothing can stop Smart teens. They get what they want while others are complaining.   

Yes, they are students. 

But they have proved that there is no limitation in making a difference. 

Lack of capital is not a limitation. 

Lack of experience is not a limitation

Being a student or teen is not a limitation  

They are dependable leaders in the world. 

I crafted a Smart Teens book to amplify the works of the Smartest teens in the world.  Adeeb Alblooshi from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates; Shubham Banerjee from California, the USA; Harley Bird from Tring, Hertfordshire, the United Kingdom; Helena Coggan from London, England; and others.

Their stories are impressive and worth teaching. Achieving the best during teenager is a breakthrough. 

It is worthy for other teens to learn, dream more and be more. 

Why Smart teens?

1. They are proactive and action-driven. Smart teens take action to solve problems.
2. They are proactive and time-driven. Smart teens do not wait for graduation to start confronting challenges and providing solutions.
3. They are proactive and passion-driven. Smart teens do what they love.
4. They are proactive and talent-driven. Smart teens use their talent to solve problems.
5. They are proactive and vision-driven. Smart teens know what they want to achieve. 
6. They are proactive and network-driven. Smart teens know how to use a network to build success. 
7. They are proactive and success-mindset-driven. Smart teens have strong success characters.

The following is a list of the World's smartest teens according to the Best School;

1. Adeeb Alblooshi, 13 years, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
2. Shubham Banerjee, 16 years, California, USA
3. Harley Bird, 16 years, Tring, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
4. Henry Burner, 14 years, Carnation, Washington, USA
5. Grace Bush, 17 years, Florida, USA
6. Keiana Cave, 19 years, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
7. Helena Coggan, 18 years, London, England
8. Marley Dias, 13 years, Pennsylvania, USA
9. Charlie Fenske, 18 years, Edgartown, Massachusetts, US
10. Mihir Garimella, 17 years, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
11. Autumn Greco, 19 years, New York, New York, USA
12. Ruth Ama Gyan-Darkwa, 14 years, Kumasi, Ghana
13. Olivia Hallisey, 19 years, Greenwich, Connecticut, USA
14. Geneva Heyward, 17 years, Corona, New York, USA
15. Kimora Hudson, 13 years, Douglasville, Georgia, USA
16. Kimora Hudson, 13 years, Douglasville, Georgia, USA
17. Kenneth Jiao, 17 years, Indian Springs, Alabama, USA
18. Shriank Kanaparti, 18 years, Banaglore, India
19. Andrew Komo, 18 years, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
20. Anah Lewi, 19 years, Brooklyn, New York, USA
21. Aaron Lin, 19 years, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
22. Michelle Marquez, 19 years, Midlothian, Virginia, USA
23. Maanasa Mendu, 15 years, Ohio, USA
24. Kristián Mensa, 19 years, Prague, Czech Republic
25. Gabriel Mesa, 17 years, Hartford, Connecticut, USA
26. Anushka Naiknaware, 14 years, Portland, Oregon, USA
27. Nikhil Gopal, 18 years, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, USA
28. Kiara Nirghin, 16 years, Johannesburg, South Africa
29. Krtin Nithiyanandam, 17 years, Surrey, United Kingdom
30. Ethan Novek, 19 years, Greenwich, Connecticut, USA
31. Esther Okade, 13 years, Walsall, United Kingdom
32. Annie Ostojic, 15 years, Munster, Indiana, USA
33. Valerio Pagliarino, 18 years, Castelnuovo Calcea, Italy
34. Tristan Pang, 16 years, Auckland, New Zealand
35. Ben Pasternak, 18 years, Vaucluse, New South Wales, Australia
36. Peyton Robertson, 16 years, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
37. Zain Samdani, 17 years, Riydah, Saudi Arabia
38. Elliott Sarrey, 17 years, Maron, France
39. Connor Shugg, 18 years, Apex, North Carolina, USA
40. Jeremy Shuler, 14 years, Grand Prairie, Texas and Ithaca, New York, USA
41. Mphatso Simbao, 18 years, Lusaka, Zambia
42. Caitlin Stanton, 19 years, New York, New York, USA
43. Rohan Suri, 18 years, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
44. Franklyn Wang, 17 years, Falls Church, Virginia, USA
45. Ramarni Wilfred, 15 years, Romford, United Kingdom
46. Alexander Wulff, 18 years, Skaneateles, New York, USA
47. Jeffery Xiong, 17 years, Dallas, Texas, USA
48. Amber Yang, 18 years, Windermere, Florida, US
49. Ivo Zell, 19 years, Lorch, Germany
50. Elvis Yihui Zhang, 19 years, San Francisco, California, USA

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