Full Scale Podcast

Full Scale Podcast
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Imagine a space where deep legal and business insights blend seamlessly with casual conversations and personal anecdotes. Welcome to 'Full Scale', a podcast that offers a unique look into the entrepreneurial spirit of Africa through the lens of two seasoned corporate lawyers, Tim and Adrian. From the essentials of fundraising to the complexities of mergers & acquisitions, this podcast covers it all, with a side of humor and relatability. Tune in every Tuesday for a dose of practical advice, industry interviews, and engaging discussions designed to enlighten, entertain, and inspire.

  1. 08/21/2025

    Episode 27 | Guest Episode: Ivy Macharia - Head of Portfolio at Gather Ventures.

    In this episode of the Full Scale Podcast, Adrian and Tim sit down with Ivy Macharia, Head of Portfolio at Gather Ventures, board director, angel investor, and a driving force in Africa’s startup ecosystem.From her journey into venture capital through actuarial science, to her reflections on the maturity of the African startup landscape, Ivy shares a wealth of insights on:🌍 The evolution of Africa’s startup ecosystem—from its early days to today’s cycles of highs and downturns.👩🏽‍💼 The role of resilience, grit, and execution in successful founders.💸 Balancing commercial viability with impact investing in Africa’s unique markets.🚫 Myths about investing in Africa (and why Silicon Valley’s playbook doesn’t fully apply here).👩‍👩‍👧 Gender dynamics in VC and why amplifying women’s voices matters.🔮 Her one piece of advice for the next generation of African founders. Along the way, we also get personal—chatting about golf, roosters keeping neighbors awake at 2 a.m., and even how a tendon injury taught Ivy something new about anatomy.🔊 Ivy Says: "You can’t have a down cycle unless you’ve had an up cycle—that’s maturity. “Don’t ignore women as a market. They control most household spend and drive consumer decisions.”“Execution in Africa takes grit. It’s harder, but the ones who push through build lasting businesses.”🌍 About Ivy Macharia:💼 Head of Portfolio – Gather Ventures (backing catalytic climate & gender-focused businesses)💡 Angel Investor – Member of Nairobi Business Angel Network & Grounded Investor📊 Board Director – Drop Access Limited🌱 Advocate for capital in local hands—championing African-led venture building👩‍👧 Wife, mother, firstborn daughter, and smallholder farmer on weekends📌 Connect with Ivy:🔗 LinkedIn: Ivy Macharia🎙️ New Full Scale Podcast episodes every two weeks!🎧 Listen on Spotify | Watch on YouTube | Subscribe on Apple Podcasts💬 Like, Comment, Share & Subscribe!#FullScalePodcast #IvyMacharia #GatherVentures #AfricanStartups #AngelInvesting #ImpactInvesting #VentureCapital #WomenInVC #ResilientFounders #ProductMarketFit #AfricaRising👉 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe—and let us know in the comments what stood out to you most from Ivy’s story. (00:00) behind the scenes. (03:41) Intro. (04:40) Who is Ivy Macharia. (08:51) Journey of start- up in Africa. (13:02) Key traits and red flags that shapes investment decision. (17:32) Kenya's start up criticism. (22:34) Balance between commercial viability and impact. (29:38) Regional differences on how to approach difficulties. (33:25) Myths about investing in Africa (36:15) Do silicon valley playbook work for Africa. (39:37) Is the industry empowering women voices. (44:08) Founders time capsule. (46:55) Surprise question. (50:16) Interesting thing of the week. (52:27) Outro and conclusion.

    54 min

  2. 08/06/2025

    Episode 26 | Guest Episode: Gilbert Manirakiza - CEO - NEWMARK GROUP.

    (00:00) Behind the scenes. (04:41) Intro. (06:16) Who is Gilbert. (07:32) Gilbert's hobbies. (09:11) What is NEWMARK Group? (11:31) How NEWMARK Group began? (14:00) How does Weza Prosoft company fit? (16:32) Is Weza Prosoft solutions tailored or standard? (19:18) Biggest challenges so far? (21:30) How to keep rapid innovation at the same time being consistent. (24:43) The highest moment in the entrepreneurship journey. (28:48) Product market fit. (34:18) Did Newmark start through bootstrapping or external capital. (41:11) Newmark's long term vision. (44:20) What is Kasi Afrique? (48:05) Founders time capsule. (50:32) Surprise question. (52:24) Interesting thing of the week. (54:42) Outro.

    56 min

  3. 07/23/2025

    Episode 25 | Guest Episode: Arnold Kwizera - Co-Founder & CEO of ArCa Ventures.

    @FullScale Podcast. (00:00) Behind the scenes (03:25) Intro (04:54) Who is Arnold (08:51) What is ArCa Ventures (15:50) Is ArCa Ventures a specific sector or sector agnostic (18:49) Why the name " ArCa Ventures." (23:23) Biggest challenges for ArCa Ventures. (25:38) Product market fit. (29:35) The standout highlight in the journey of start - ups. (31:45) Long term visions for ArCa Ventures. (38:36) Do ArCa Ventures create their own ideas or source them from founders. (39:57) Most Exciting trends in Africa's start - up ecosystem. (43: 07) Founders time capsule. (44:10) Surprise question. (46:32) Most interesting thing of the week. (49:20) Outro and conclusion

    52 min

  4. 05/14/2025

    Episode 24 | Guest Episode: Meredith Muthoni - Corporate Finance and Strategy Leader.

    (00:00) Behind the scenes. (02:17) Intro. (03:21) About Meredith. (05:41) What is head of electric finance? (06:25) When should a start-up fundraise? (09:34) Founders perspective on sale equity, debt and grants. (13:33) Most memorable fundraising. (17:35) The surprise in fundraising (18:32) Most underrated part of a pitch deck. (22:55) The power of storytelling in fundraising process. (25:40) Steps and preparation for reaching potential investors. (27:33) Approximate time for a fundraising process. (30:21) Red flags in a start up constantly seeking funds (31:35) Unexpected things when working with investors. (33: 00) Is fundraising a one time event or ongoing? (32:58) Fundraising drought in recent years. (37:17) Emerging trends in a start up ecosystem (38:55) Alternative funding model: (Revenue Based Funding and Crowd Funding). (44:11) Founders time capsule . (41:40) Surprise question. (48:56) Interesting thing of the week? (53:54) Outro and conclusion

    55 min

  5. 04/30/2025

    Episode 23 | Guest Episode: Denis Nyanja - Managing Partner and Co-Founder of DCB Consulting.

    (00:00) Behind the scenes. (07:38) Intro. (10:20) About DCB consulting. (14:08) Challenges of CFO and Finance in a start- up. (17:58) Best time for a start up to get a CFO. (21:34) What is fractional CFO and SME. (26:29) Importance of financial planning and fund raising. (30:42) Common financial mistakes when raising capital. (33:43) Day to day tools to improve on financial planning. (35:09) How to manage burning cash. (40:32) Key financial regulations for start ups. (43:17) Future exciting trends on finance ecosystem in Africa. (45:59) Effects of AI to a CFO. (48:15) Founder's time capsule. (50:20) Surprise question. (52:28) Interesting thing of the week. (55:10) Outro and conclusion.

    58 min

  6. 04/16/2025

    Episode 22 | Guest Episode: Michele Wanjiku – Africa Regional Lead, Endeavor Catalyst.

    What does it really take to build globally competitive startups from the African continent?In this electrifying episode, we sit down with Michele Wanjiku, the Africa Regional Lead at Endeavor Catalyst – a $500M+ global co-investment fund backing high-growth entrepreneurs across emerging markets. Michele breaks down how Endeavor identifies exceptional founders, invests alongside top-tier global VCs, and helps scale startups across borders.🎯 Whether you're a startup founder, investor, or ecosystem enabler, this episode is your masterclass in scaling African innovation.📈 What You’ll Learn:- How Endeavor Catalyst turned a $10M philanthropic fund into $70M+ (7x cash-on-cash)- The secret behind co-investing only alongside the world's best VCs- Why Africa’s “PayPal Mafias” are shaping the continent’s startup future- Lessons from InstaDeep's $700M AI exit and the power of the multiplier effect- Why picking the wrong investor could doom your company (yes, even at Seed stage)🌍 Endeavor’s Africa Portfolio Highlights:- 40+ African startups funded- 4 unicorns: Flutterwave, MNT-Halan, TymeBank, and Moniepoint- First Africa exit: InstaDeep (Tunisian AI startup, acquired for $700M)- Backed founders now mentoring and funding the next generation💡 Wisdom Nuggets from Michele:“You can build a global company from anywhere.”“Your investor is not just capital—they’re a long-term partner.”“Scaling your startup means scaling yourself first.”“Don't over-engineer terms—keep your rounds clean and founder-friendly.”📌 Who Is Michele Wanjiku?🇰🇪 Africa Regional Lead, Endeavor Catalyst🧠 Strategic Advisor at Chui Ventures🌍 Startup ecosystem connector, investor matchmaker, and advocate for founder-friendly capital🥾 Outdoor enthusiast, foodie, ex-New Yorker, and emerging market optimist📣 Connect with Michele & Endeavor:🔗 Michele Wanjiku on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-wanjiku-644a06a1/🌐 Endeavor Catalyst: https://endeavor.org/catalyst/🌍 Your Local Endeavor Office: https://endeavor.org/🧠 Founders, take note:If you're building in Africa and have global ambitions—Endeavor wants to hear from you.#FullScalePodcast #EndeavorCatalyst #MicheleWanjiku #AfricanStartups #VCinAfrica #StartupInvesting #TechAfrica #FounderFunding #ScaleUpAfrica #WomenInVC #MultiplieEffect #InstaDeep #Flutterwave #Moniepoint #AfricaRising @FullScalePodcast . ⁠00:00 - behind the scenes 07:42 - intro. 08:40 - About Michele Wanjiku. 11:03 - How did Michele get into start up? 14:24 - What does Endeavor do? 18:36 - What is a co- investment fund? 22:03 - Who is an Endeavor entrepreneur? 25:10 - How to join Endeavor? 28:08 - Biggest exciting trends. 32:15 - How do Endeavor link with new co- investors. 35:08 - Example of a multiplier effect connection in action. 39:30 - Evolving Trends in Africa for investment landscapes. 44:42 - Biggest challenges for a start up? 49:14 - Common mistakes for a start up? 54:31 - Founders time capsule. 57:23 - Surprise question. 1:00:02 - Outro and conclusion .

    1h 3m

  7. 04/03/2025

    Episode 21 | Guest Episode: Amitty Peace – Founder of Mangrove.

    In this episode of the Full Scale Podcast, we sit down with Amitty Peace, the dynamic founder of Mangrove, a platform that helps startups build operational resilience and scale sustainably. From her 10+ years optimizing large financial institutions to working with scrappy scale-ups across Africa, Amitty shares the practical, no-fluff advice every founder needs to hear.💡 What You’ll Learn: What operational resilience really means—and why it mattersThe Mangrove 6-step framework for growth and efficiencyCommon blind spots founders overlookReal-world tools to help you cut costs and scale smartWhy Africa’s startup ecosystem is uniquely poised for resilient growthGoogle Cloud, AWS & Azure credits for startupsHow founders can build tools without breaking the bankAI agents for business efficiency🌍 Whether you’re building a fintech in Lagos or a logistics platform in Nairobi, this conversation is filled with grounded insights, practical frameworks, and a good dose of startup humor (plus, Amity’s favorite cake analogy 🍰).🔧 Resources Mentioned:👀 BONUS: Hear Amitty’s thoughts on the future of AI in African startups, and what she’d tell founders of the next generation!📌 Like, comment, and subscribe to join us on this full-scale journey through Africa’s startup ecosystem. 📱 Connect with Amitty on LinkedIn for more on Mangrove’s resilience tools and co-working community updates! https://www.linkedin.com/in/amittypeace/ 00:00 - Behind the scenes 03:08- Intro.03:45- Who is Amitty Peace.05:54- About Mangrove.07:09- What do Mangrove do?08:52- What is operational resilience?10:38- Why do most startups fail?13:06- The biggest blindspot for founders.14:27- What does a strong foundation look like?15:38- How to identify and fix inefficiencies.17:46- importance of mapping a business.21:38- Data's role in operational efficiency.24:21- Best practical tools for data collection and synthesis.29:09- Fast startup growth without compromising stability.31:51- Important things for a successful start up.32:39- Exciting trends and future start up resilience33:39- Future roles of AI, automation and data analytics in business.36:39- Risk part of AI in business.38:00- Founders time capsule.39:17- surprise question.40:44- Interesting thing of the week.43:41- Outro and conclusion.

    45 min

  8. 03/19/2025

    Episode 20 | Guest Episode: Lamusia Anzaya – Co-Founder and Director of Safari Advisor

    00:00- Behind the scenes 04:33 - intro05:40- About Lamusia07:39- About Safari Navigator Club08:53- what inspired Lamusia to start Safari navigator Club10:35- Biggest challenges at the start12:45- Product market fit15:07- Network effects for guides and visitors15:47- How is Safari Navigator club different.16:30- The capital raising journey so far 17:10- Business scaling plans19:29- Worst mistakes and lessons 20:22- The best moments so far21:35 - Most important things for a successful start up22:51- how to incorporate passion, purpose and practicallity24:27- long term vision and exit plan25:37- Most exciting trends in start up ecosystem27:19- Founders times capsule28:29- Surprise question30:40- Interesting things of the week32:06- Conclusion and outro

    36 min
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About

Imagine a space where deep legal and business insights blend seamlessly with casual conversations and personal anecdotes. Welcome to 'Full Scale', a podcast that offers a unique look into the entrepreneurial spirit of Africa through the lens of two seasoned corporate lawyers, Tim and Adrian. From the essentials of fundraising to the complexities of mergers & acquisitions, this podcast covers it all, with a side of humor and relatability. Tune in every Tuesday for a dose of practical advice, industry interviews, and engaging discussions designed to enlighten, entertain, and inspire.

Information

  • Creator
    Full Scale Podcast
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Full Scale Podcast
  • Show Website
    Full Scale Podcast