The Not So Secret Sauce Podcast & Newsletter Founders Factory Africa

Not So Secret Sauce S2 EP5: Navigating Technical Debt in Early Startups: Speed vs. Quality
In this first episode of a two-part series on the Not So Secret Sauce Podcast, Kevin Odongo, Senior Software Architect at Founders Factory Africa, and Fabian Elliot, Africa Startup and Venture Capital Business Development Manager at Google Cloud for Startups, guide aspiring entrepreneurs through the critical journey of bringing their product to market.
What to look forward to in this episode:

Core pieces of technical infrastructure founders should have in place [04:15]
Evaluating market readiness [08:55]
Leveraging Google Cloud tools [13:01]
Red flags to look out for in preparation for market entry [17:10]
Prototyping and getting direct market feedback [21:46]
Going to market as an early-stage venture [26:07]
When to consider technical debt for your startup [33:47]
CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:
Connect with Fabian Elliot on Linkedin.Sign up for the Not So Secret Sauce Newsletter: ✅ http://eepurl.com/iwW_hw ⬅️ 

Not So Secret Sauce S2 EP4: Curating network effects to mobilise communities  This episode features Tayo Akinyemi, host and producer of The Trajectory Africa, a “pop-up” podcast that explores the pathways of venture capital and how startups form in Africa, and Ammin Youssouf, co-founder of The Colors and, critically, Afrobytes, a connection point between the African tech sector and other global tech ecosystems.
They discuss how communities can be better equipped to solve big problems than any one individual or organization and how collaboration is a consequence of community.
What to look forward to in this episode:

The ice-breaker! [02:37]
The role community has played in their journey [13:00]
Collaboration as a consequence of community [17:50]
Communities are better equipped to solve big problems [26:02]
Curating network effects to  [30:54]
Driving human connection in a digitized world [40:19]
CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:
Connect with Tayo Akinyemi Connect with Ammin Youssouf
😉 #FFACommunity Perk: Africa Tech Festival Visitors passes in Cape Town, South Africa are on us: ✅  https://bit.ly/45K6I24 ⬅️

Not So Secret Sauce S2 EP3: Unlocking The Power of Community Building Practice
Andile Masuku, Head of Community at Founders Factory Africa hosts this episode of the community practice focused episode featuring Karl Nchite, Co-founder and CEO at CatalyzU, a fellowship created to ignite collaboration between Africa's next generation of venture capital leaders. Karl is also formerly ESG and Impact Manager at early-stage impact investor Goodwell Investments.
Nchite defines community as "a group of people who are connected by a shared purpose or interest, and who support and encourage each other to achieve their goals." He believes that community is essential for founders, as it provides them with a network of support, mentorship, and resources.
What to look forward to in this episode:

Defining 'Community' [09:18]
Packaging community practice at CatalyzU [10:13]
CatalyzU's value add to the VC and startup community [17:33]
The business case for leveraging community practice [19:16]
The business model fundamentals of community practice [26:55]
Growing a community vs. Competition for commercial success [29:35]
Creating opportunities for mutual stakeholder benefits [36:46]
Turning community practice into a profitable business [40:53]
CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:
Connect with Karl Nchite on Linkedin
Sign up for the Not So Secret Sauce Newsletter: ✅ http://eepurl.com/iwW_hw ⬅️ 

Not So Secret Sauce S2 EP2 - SAFEs Evolution in African Early-Stage Venture Funding Adam Wakefield, Managing Editor at Founders Factory Africa hosts this SAFEs (Simple Agreement for Future equity) focused episode featuring Founders Factory Africa's Head of Legal, Lumi Mustapha and Deputy Head of Legal, Thando Sibanda. 
The African tech ecosystem is growing rapidly, and there is increasing demand for capital from startups. In recent years, SAFEs, or Simple Agreements for Future Equity, have become an increasingly popular way for African startups to raise capital.
SAFEs offer several advantages over traditional venture capital financing, making them an attractive option for startups and investors alike. Thando and Lumi discuss what SAFEs are, why they are becoming popular across the African ecosystem, and what the future holds for SAFEs in the continent.
What to look forward to in this episode:

Equity in the conversation between an investor and startup [06:54]
The basics of an agreement between the founder and investor [09:24]
The relevance of SAFEs in the negotiations process [13:21]
Evolution of SAFEs in the last 10 years [15:26]
Factors driving the evolution of SAFEs [20:46]
The balance of power between founders and investors [25:13]
The validity of enforcement mechanisms within SAFEs [28:45]
SAFEs in the context of Africa [31:01]
What founders should look out for during the negotiation phase with investors [34:17]
CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:
Connect with Adam Wakefield on LinkedinConnect with Lumi Mustapha on LinkedinConnect with Thando Sibanda LinkedinSign up for the Not So Secret Sauce Newsletter: ✅ http://eepurl.com/iwW_hw ⬅️ 

Not So Secret Sauce S2 EP1 - Impact Investing: Driving Commercial Sustainability
Andile Masuku, Head of Community at Founders Factory Africa, hosts this commercial sustainability-focused episode featuring Founders Factory Africa's Chief Financial Officer, Thabiso Foto, Director of Impact at Upaya Social Ventures, Shruti Goel, and Impact Measurement Consultant, Emily Waters, currently consulting at Founders Factory Africa.
This podcast episode is based on the growing debate about whether impact investing can truly deliver on both impact and commercial outcomes. Some argue that the two goals are inherently at odds, and that it is impossible to achieve both simultaneously. Others argue that impact investing can be a win-win proposition, and that investors can make a positive impact on the world while also generating financial returns. There is growing momentum behind the idea that impact investing can be a powerful tool for social and environmental change.
As more and more investors become interested in impact investing, it is likely that the market will continue to grow and mature.
The guests discuss this and more.
What to look forward to in this episode: 

The basics of impact investing [10:41]
The role of commercial perspectives in impact investing [11:59]
Differences between ESG versus impact investing [12:50]
Driving legislation that advances ESG and impact investing [15:42]
Managing stakeholder interests and relationships [19:06]
Opportunities for how businesses can get involved in creating impact [21:02]
The growth potential of impact investing within the global competitive economy [22:04]
Whose impact is it anyway? [24:06]
Frameworks for bringing different views and perspectives to alignment [25:50]
Focus areas of impact investing [34:49]
The role of tech in advancing impact outcomes [41:54]
Driving commercial returns through impact [44:50]
Metrics to measure commercial sustainability [49:23]
Pushing the impact agenda across corporate companies [56:12]

CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:
Connect with Shruti Goel on LinkedinConnect with Emily Waters on LinkedinConnect with Thabiso Foto on Linkedin

Not So Secret Sauce S1 EP8 - Identifying and optimising talent in the African tech ecosystem
Sam Sturm, Chief Portfolio Officer and Co-founder at Founders Factory Africa, hosts this episode featuring Founders Factory Africa's Talent Acquisition Lead, Ololade Odunsi and Karen Adie, Founder and CEO of agritech company, Isidore.
They take a dive deep into the African tech ecosystem, exploring the current talent market, the opportunities available despite economic turbulence, and the crucial impact that talent has on ventures. Lean in as they unpack the challenges and potential within this dynamic facet of the African tech ecosystem.
What to look forward to in this episode: 

Get to know Isidore [4:15]
Balancing optimal team capacity with limited budget and resources [7:42]
The role of talent acquisition support for startups [9:39]
Finding the right people for your organisation [10:57]
Building the right team for Isidore [13:41]
The current talent landscape across the continent [16:36]
Assessing candidate resilience [22:46]
Hiring from a culture fit perspective [26:20]
Overcoming complex team culture and challenges [33:35]
Effective people management [36:58]
CONNECT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA:
Connect with Karen Adie on LinkedinConnect with Ololade Odunsi on LinkedinConnect with Sam Sturm on Linkedin