The Trajectory Africa

Tayo Akinyemi
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The Trajectory Africa is a “pop-up” podcast exploring the trajectory, or pathway, of venture capital and startup formation in Africa. With the unique African landscape—market characteristics, business environment, goals, and culture—as a starting point, The Trajectory Africa aims to identify a destination for African tech, as well as the sign posts that signal direction of travel. It’s modeled on the concept of a mixtape, in which each episode, or “track” will feature a conversation with a “guest artist”, and a playlist for inspiration.

  1. Goodbye for now, Trajectory Africa

    07/02/2025

    Goodbye for now, Trajectory Africa

    The Trajectory Africa, is a "pop-up" podcast designed to explore the first principles of VC and tech entrepreneurship in Africa, as they emerge in real time. After a nearly four year run, the journey has come to an end. This conversation with Andile Masuku, Co-Founder and Producer of African Tech Roundup (ATRU) and Tayo Akinyemi, Host and Producer of The Trajectory Africa tells the origin story of the pod, how and why ATRU was involved, how both media properties have evolved, and what's next for both creators. [07:15] – Revisiting early conversations about collaboration [13:55] – Unpacking tensions between openness, IP ownership and monetization models  [23:00] – Being the “African Tech Guy”; how podcasting shifted toward community-led media [34:15] – Reflecting on podcasting as a community-builder  [46:30] – Embracing the fear of launching something new [58:25] – Why The Trajectory Africa is going on hiatus and what's next Recommendations: African Tech Roundup — Independent insights and analysis on technology, entrepreneurship and innovation in AfricaChasing Outliers: Why Context Matters for Early Stage Investing in Africa — A report I co-authored on VC investing in Africa Connect on social media: Andile Masuku on LinkedIn and @MasukuAndile on XAfrican Tech Roundup on LinkedIn and @africanroundup on XTayo Akinyemi on LinkedIn, @Tayo_Akinyemi on X, and @TayoAkinyemi.bsky.social on BlueskyThe Trajectory Africa on LinkedIn and @trajectoryafrica.bsky.social on Bluesky

    1h 26m
  2. First Principles: Towards a Thesis on Digital Commerce & Logistics

    06/26/2025 · BONUS

    First Principles: Towards a Thesis on Digital Commerce & Logistics

    This episode of The Trajectory Africa features Lydia Idem, Chief Operating Officer of LoftyInc Capital and Managing Director of FM Capital Group. We discuss what “point B” looks like for digital commerce on Africa’s S-curve, why asset-heavy models are more necessary than investors like to admit, why venture debt may be a missing ingredient in African VC, and how talent, timing, strategic partnerships and focus, shape outcomes in logistics and e-commerce.  [00:00] – Introduction and context for Lydia’s role in the series roundup[04:55] – Africa’s S-curve, fund returns, and the need for longer-duration capital[10:34] – What “point B” looks like for LoftyInc in digital commerce[13:51] – The asset-light vs. asset-heavy dichotomy[22:21] – Talent as a constraint[26:39] – The absence of venture debt and its consequences for early-stage startups[36:02] – Forecasting human capital needs[41:21] – Value-added services diluting focus[47:02] – Embedded finance and digital commerce business models[52:22] – Value-added services vs. regional expansion[55:52] – Using capital, boards, and investor networks to scale[1:02:30] – The production and export opportunity[1:06:52] – First principles Recommendations: Chasing Outliers: Why Context Matters for Early Stage Investing in Africa — A report I co-authored on VC investing in Africa Connect on social media: Lydia Idem on LinkedIn and @fatithmight on XLoftyInc Capital on LinkedIn and @LoftyIncVC on XThe Trajectory Africa on LinkedIn and @trajectoryafrica.bsky.social on BlueskyTayo Akinyemi on LinkedIn, X, and @TayoAkinyemi.bsky.social on Bluesky

    1h 12m
  3. Leta: Why AI Compounds Logistics Efficiency at Scale

    06/19/2025

    Leta: Why AI Compounds Logistics Efficiency at Scale

    This episode of The Trajectory Africa features Nick Joshi, Founder and CEO of Leta, a startup that uses AI to optimize delivery routes, track shipments in real time, streamline payments, and provide businesses with shipping insights. We discussed how the first generation of logistics players paved the way for evolution in the space, how Leta optimizes trips and delivery routes at the last mile (otherwise known as the business model killer), how it plans to increase efficiency at the middle mile, and why efficiency gains compound at scale. [00:00] - Introduction/ Leta as a logistics OS for Africa [03:11] - 1st and 2nd waves of African logistics, market size,[08:47] - Leta’s value proposition and the role of AI[14:03] - Customers, products and services[17:04] - The first, middle and last mile in logistics/Leta’s approach to last mile[31:36] - Leta’s business model, embedded finance, cost structure and metrics        [45:51] - Performance metrics, moat and growth[53:19] - First principle Recommendations: Google, Speedinvest back Kenya’s Leta, which uses AI to make logistics cheaper. TechCrunch article about Leta’s seed round. Chasing Outliers: Why Context Matters for Early Stage Investing in Africa. A report I co-authored on VC investing in Africa.  Connect on social media: Nick Joshi on LinkedIn The Trajectory Africa on LinkedIn and @trajectoryafrica.bsky.social on BlueskyTayo Akinyemi on LinkedIn, X, and @TayoAkinyemi.bsky.social on Bluesky

    56 min
  4. Logistics for Trade: Why Paps is Building End-to-End Infrastructure

    06/12/2025

    Logistics for Trade: Why Paps is Building End-to-End Infrastructure

    This episode of The Trajectory Africa features Bamba Lo, CEO and Co-founder of Paps, a technology-enabled logistics company operating across Francophone Africa. He explains how Paps delivers across the value chain— from freight and customs clearance to warehousing and last-mile delivery, while owning less than 1% of the vehicles in its network. Bamba also shares how Paps is building Africa’s critical logistics infrastructure domestically, in service of a broader mission to drive regional and international trade. [00:00] - Introduction and Paps’ accidental origin story [05:40] - Paps’ value proposition and the role of technology[07:14] - An asset-light approach to logistics infrastructure[14:44] - Paps’ customers and products[27:30] - Building a virtual regional market in francophone Africa[33:00] - Logistics value chain breakdown and a model for collaborative infrastructure[42:55] - Paps’ business model and growth[58:46] - The future of logistics and a first principle for building in logistics Recommendations: Chasing Outliers: Why Context Matters for Early Stage Investing in Africa. A report I co-authored on VC investing in Africa.  Connect on social media: Bamba Lo on LinkedIn and @Khadim_L on XPaps on LinkedIn and @Paps_app on XThe Trajectory Africa on LinkedIn and @trajectoryafrica.bsky.social on BlueskyTayo Akinyemi on LinkedIn, X, and @TayoAkinyemi.bsky.social on Bluesky

    1h 3m
  5. Inefficiency the Income Thief: Lori and the Financial Story of African Logistics

    06/05/2025

    Inefficiency the Income Thief: Lori and the Financial Story of African Logistics

    The cost of moving goods across Africa remains one of the continent's toughest economic challenges. With logistics accounting for up to 75% of the price of goods—compared to just 9% in the US—solving transport inefficiency could be key to boosting affordability for African consumers. In this episode of The Trajectory Africa, I'm chatting with Jean-Claude Homawoo, CEO of Lori, a company that matches cargo owners with transporters, to move cargo efficiently. We discuss how badly trucking businesses need working capital with better payment terms, how truck utilization can change the economics of a trip, and the potential for electric vehicles to reduce the cost of transporting cargo enough to reshape the economics entirely. [00:00] - Introduction and Jean-Claude’s journey into African logistics [08:07] - The problem Lori is solving[13:32] - Logistics value chain and market structure[16:52] - Lori’s value proposition and customers[32:28] - Selling digitalization and efficiency[36:16] - The “financial story” of logistics[45:41] - Lori’s business model and role in the value chain[1:00:30]  - Growth, competition and the case for EVs in transport[1:07:37] - First principles Recommendations: Chasing Outliers: Why Context Matters for Early Stage Investing in Africa. A report I co-authored on VC investing in Africa.  Connect on social media: Jean-Claude Homawoo on LinkedIn and @JeanClaude_H on XLori on LinkedIn and @lorisystems on XThe Trajectory Africa on LinkedIn and @trajectoryafrica.bsky.social on BlueskyTayo Akinyemi on LinkedIn, X, and @TayoAkinyemi.bsky.social on Bluesky

    1h 12m
  6. Reflections on Sote: A Business Model for Freight Forwarding

    05/29/2025

    Reflections on Sote: A Business Model for Freight Forwarding

    On this episode of The Trajectory Africa, Samora Kariuki, CEO and Founder of Frontier Fintech and former Director at Sote, a digital logistics and supply chain infrastructure company, breaks down the fundamentals of logistics in Africa. He explains the relationship between the size of an economy and its trade volume, and the role of a freight forwarder in making trade more efficient, sustainable and easier to coordinate. He also explains the primary stakeholders in logistics value chains and their roles, the margin distribution between them, what key problems in logistics can (and can’t) be monetized, and what problems remain to be solved. [00:00] - Introduction[02:10] - Sote’s founding hypothesis and why freight forwarders are the linchpin of trade[09:12] - Mapping a logistics value chain [23:41] - The limits of “Uber for trucks” logistics tech and visibility platforms [36:11] - Sote’s business model[47:27] - The relationship between efficiency and margin availability in logistics[54:14] - Lessons learned from Sote[59:34] - First principle  Recommendations: Frontier Fintech newsletter: Frontier Fintech is a premier newsletter covering the African fintech industry across the entire spectrum from start-ups to incumbent players. F-Squared podcast: Frontier Fintech is a podcast about the business of fintech in Africa. Chasing Outliers: Why Context Matters for Early Stage Investing in Africa. A report I co-authored on VC investing in Africa.  Connect on social media: Samora Kariuki on LinkedIn and @SamoraKariuki on X Frontier Fintech on LinkedIn The Trajectory Africa on LinkedIn and @trajectoryafrica.bsky.social on BlueskyTayo Akinyemi on LinkedIn, X, and @TayoAkinyemi.bsky.social on Bluesky

    1h 3m
  7. Talking to Trade: How Chpter Helps Businesses Sell Socially

    05/22/2025

    Talking to Trade: How Chpter Helps Businesses Sell Socially

    In this episode of The Trajectory Africa, Mark Kiarie, Co-founder and CEO of Chpter, explains conversational commerce and how his company uses AI to help businesses serve buyers where they already are, on social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Instagram. Chpter enables them to respond instantly to customers, transforming DMs into sales. Mark also shares how Chpter is building digital infrastructure for *Commerce 3.0*, where chat messages drive revenue for businesses that are selling online. [0:00] - Introduction, podcasting and a sneaker store success story[7:19] - Chpter’s value proposition and customers [12:14] - Defining conversational commerce [20:09] - Chpter’s origin story and product-market fit[35:00] - Chpter’s approach to customer acquisition[41:37] - How Chpter makes money[52:46] - Creating value to capture value[1:04:18] - The future of digital commerce and a first principle on building in the sector Recommendations: Chpter podcast: Chpter brings together top experts and innovators in the business world to share their experiences, strategies, and lessons learned. Chasing Outliers: Why Context Matters for Early Stage Investing in Africa. A report I co-authored on VC investing in Africa. Connect on social media: Mark Kiarie on LinkedIn and @markkiaria_ on XChpter. on LinkedIn and @chpter_co on XThe Trajectory Africa on LinkedIn and @trajectoryafrica.bsky.social on BlueskyTayo Akinyemi on LinkedIn, X, and @TayoAkinyemi.bsky.social on Bluesky

    1h 6m
  8. All in One: How Bumpa Aggregates Digital Services for BizOpps

    05/15/2025

    All in One: How Bumpa Aggregates Digital Services for BizOpps

    This episode of The Trajectory Africa features Kelvin Umechukwu, Founder and CEO of Bumpa, a company that provides sellers with the tools needed for digital commerce, inventory and sales management, and customer engagement. Kelvin explains how Bumpa helps businesses by aggregating and integrating functions like inventory and order management, payments, and messaging, so they can get what they need in one place. He also shares how Bumpa’s network of partnerships embeds it more deeply into customer workflows—solidifying retention and network effects without needing to "own" every piece of the stack.  [00:00] - Introduction: the problems you choose define you[06:34] - Bumpa’s value proposition, products and customers[15:43] - Evolution of Bumpa’s customer segments and product roadmap[27:30] - Bumpa’s business model[42:26] - First principle for building in digital commerce Recommendations: Chasing Outliers: Why Context Matters for Early Stage Investing in Africa. A report I co-authored on VC investing in Africa. Connect on social media: Kelvin Umechukwu on LinkedIn and @tushgeek on XBumpa on LinkedIn and @getbumpa on XThe Trajectory Africa on LinkedIn and @trajectoryafrica.bsky.social on BlueskyTayo Akinyemi on LinkedIn, X, and @TayoAkinyemi.bsky.social on Bluesky

    48 min
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About

The Trajectory Africa is a “pop-up” podcast exploring the trajectory, or pathway, of venture capital and startup formation in Africa. With the unique African landscape—market characteristics, business environment, goals, and culture—as a starting point, The Trajectory Africa aims to identify a destination for African tech, as well as the sign posts that signal direction of travel. It’s modeled on the concept of a mixtape, in which each episode, or “track” will feature a conversation with a “guest artist”, and a playlist for inspiration.

Information

  • Creator
    Tayo Akinyemi
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Tayo Akinyemi