Africa-Press – Tanzania. THERE is immense opportunity for economic growth and social impact by investing in Africa women, researchers suggest.
According to McKinsey & Company, an American worldwide management consulting firm, the female economy is the world’s largest emerging market, with the potential to add 12 trillion US dollars to global GDP by 2025.
Furthermore, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest rate of female entrepreneurship globally, with approximately 26per cent of female adults engaged in entrepreneurial activity.
Thus, a South African, Enygma Ventures, is eyeing to invest in women entrepreneurs in Tanzania through the venture capital (VC) in efforts to help them to grow big businesses.
The VC is a form of private equity and a type of financing that investors provide to start-up companies and small businesses that are believed to have longterm growth potential.
It generally comes from welloff investors, investment banks, and any other financial institutions. However, it does not always take a monetary form; it can also be provided in the form of technical or managerial expertise.
The Enygma Ventures, Operating Partner, Ms Lelemba Phiri, said in a statement issued Monday that after it had invested 3.5 million US dollars in 10 businesses in South Africa in 2020, this year it aims to invest in even more women with a big target on key SADC markets such as Malawi and Tanzania.
“We want to widen our network this year as our fund mandate covers all 16 countries in the SADC region. “We are particularly looking to increase participation from key markets like Tanzania and Malawi which have in the past recorded fewer VC investments, yet have exciting opportunities,” Ms Phiri said.
The team believes that there is no shortage of talent on the continent, just capital and people to bridge the gap to help women understand what it takes to grow big businesses.
Ms Sarah Dusek, co-founder and managing partner of Enygma Ventures, said that by focusing on African women, the fund aims to make the world a more equal place.
“The fund’s aim is to close that gap,” Ms Dusek said.
Having both been successful entrepreneurs themselves in the past, their experiences catapulted them into becoming investors. She argued that lack of access to capital and the huge potential of the continent make Africa an obvious venture capital opportunity.
“Combined with the fact that globally women are overlooked and underfunded, we knew we could make a difference by mobilizing women, funding their talent and using our own experiences of growing and scaling businesses to help women here excel,” Ms Dusek insisted.
The Enygma Ventures is more than just a financial investor; it also supports its portfolio companies to foster faster growth post investment.
