Horizon Search Exploring the African Startup Ecosystem - Sherif Nessim | Horizon Search 30
Sherif Nessim is the founder and managing partner of Jedar Capital, a venture capital firm that focuses on investing in startups in emerging markets. Born and raised in Egypt, Sherif is an electrical engineer by education and has spent the past 23 years working in the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan, and Bangladesh in the telecom and technology sector. He has a deep understanding of underserved and underdeveloped markets. His expertise lies in areas such as entertainment services, mobile content, mobile payments, and wallets. With his extensive experience as a technology operator, Sherif has transitioned into investing in technology.
TL;DL
- Africa is not a homogeneous entity but is made up of 54 different countries with unique cultures and characteristics.
- Understanding local cultures and practices is crucial for business and investment opportunities in Africa.
- Lack of traditional infrastructure and a large unbanked population have facilitated the transition to digital banking in Africa and other emerging markets.
- Startups in Africa have the opportunity to lead in adopting new technologies, thanks to the continent's young population and demographics.
- The African Continental Free Trade Agreement is expected to boost trade between African countries, creating opportunities for startups in sectors like trade financing and supply chain.
Key quotes
- Unlocking Trade Between African Countries: "So probably we need now to see companies doing financial services more as fintech as a service. They will avail different financial services for this new wave of companies, especially with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement." — 00:23:08-00:23:24
- "The Importance of Understanding the Region: ...there are a lot of problems that you will never know unless you worked or lived in these specific countries, how people do business, how they work around different stuff." — 00:33:14-00:33:24
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