IN THE VALLEY

Welcome "IN THE VALLEY" Season 2. We are happy to be back with an exceptional episode where we dive deep into the world of sports business, focusing on the incredible journey of the new CEO of NBA Africa, Clare Akamanzi, who recently received the 2024 Forbes Africa Investment Catalyst Award. Join us as we explore how she revolutionized the sports industry in Africa and what to expect in the NBA Africa's upcoming chapter!🎙️This conversation will take us through Clare's personal and professional journey as a refugee, a student, a lawyer, and a leader of international entities. Clare was the lawyer and one of the key masterminds behind the partnerships with the BAL, Arsenal FC, Paris Saint-Germain FC, FC Bayern Munich. Having an African country-sponsored sports jerseys was never done before that. It was viewed at first as a "scandal". But Clare was never one to shy away in the face of a challenge or to seek permission from closed minds. She is a Harvard-trained forward thinker, a clear market disrupter, and understands the power of media rights like very few. She was also one of the driving forces for many of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) policy reforms and initiatives that led to significant investments and generated massive development of her home country, Rwanda.Chapters:00:00 - Intro 01:24 - Why it took NBA Africa so long to take a lawyer as a CEO?6:55 - How did Clare manage to partner with Arsenal, PSG, and Bayern Munich for the Visit Rwanda campaign? 13:25 - How did Rwanda use big funds to improve its economy?17:23 - Why is it important to involve governments in sports development?21:26 - Who is Clare? How did she overcome challenges to be a successful woman?28:30 - Statement AD.29:26 - What's Clare's plan to push the NBA Africa and sports business forward?33:36 - What do you need to do to be a winner?34:36 - What would Clare say to her younger-self?38:20 - How The Kalahari Conference is proof that the BAL is expanding?42:24 - What's the nicest thing that someone has ever done to Clare?Subscribe to Ibrahim Sagna's newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/in-the-valley-7087065335408828416/ Find us on social media: LinkedIn : https://bit.ly/silverbacks-linkedinInstagram : https://www.instagram.com/in.the_valley/TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@in_thevalleyTwitter : https://twitter.com/In_TheValleyFacebook : https://bit.ly/silverbacks-facebook🖱️Click here to learn more about Clare: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clare-akamanzi-6a46a783/ 📢Don't miss out on the latest episode. Subscribe now to stay updated on all things in sports, tech, media and entertainment, and more!💬Leave us a comment and tell us what you think about this episode. We will wait for your questions and recommendations. Disclaimer: This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only, no content of the conversation should be considered as investment advice. IN THE VALLEY is where people across sports, tech, entertainment, and the creative economy get it done from Africa to the rest of the world. Join us every other week for a new episode.

Welcome to Silverbacks Valley, a podcast changing the narrative around Africa through the bridging of the worlds of #venturecapital, #tech, #sports, #media and #lifestyle.Find us on Youtube : https://bit.ly/3PIwbVgA question? Write to us at contact@silverbacksvalley.comDisclaimer : This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only, no content of the conversation should be considered as investment advice. This episode of Silverbacks Valley is brought to you by IRL, a podcast by Mozilla. Discover amazing conversations with the people who are building artificial intelligence : https://bit.ly/irlpodcastToday, Ibrahim Sagna welcomes in the valley four VC leaders operating in Africa and the Middle East : Dina el-Shenoufy of Flat6Labs , Dr Mohamed El Sayed Okasha of DisrupTech Ventures , Sara Enan of VentureSouq and Mariam Kamel of LoftyInc Capital. The conversation took place at the Egypt VC Summit and we are grateful for their support. 5 BIG IDEAS DISCUSSED AT THE EGYPT VC SUMMIT1."Do more with less" Dr Okasha is known to many as the Founder of Fawry, which became Egypt's  first unicorn and became the first African fintech to IPO on Africa soil through the Egypt Stock Exchange. Now he is bringing his management experience to the companies that he invests in through Disruptech Ventures, an Egyptian-based fintech-focused VC. In our conversation, he pleads founders to learn to do more with less in the current times and beyond. 2."Do not neglect the rest of Africa" Silverbacks invested in one of LoftyInc's fund and participated in co-investments as well. They are one of our favorite GPs. What we've enjoyed with their thesis is their relentless search for widening moths beyond the obvious jurisdiction such as the "Big Four". In our conversation, Mariam explains how LoftyInc's thesis started out from its inception as the founding partner, Idris Bello, had invested as an angel outside  of his home country : Nigeria. Three funds later, LoftyInc has closed an oversubscribed USD 14 million fund which is currently being deployed in over 40 companies.3."On the scalability and defensibility of African and Middle Eastern founders." Flat6Labs is arguably the oldest MENA region focused early stage VC. The firm was founded 12 years ago, has invested over USD 16 million in startups across many countries and  contributed to  2,500 direct jobs and 80,000 indirect jobs through its first two funds in Egypt and Tunisia. They are now established in various countries in the GCC. In our conversation, Dina urged founders not to shy away from the structural context that is intrinsic to the African and Middle Eastern markets. 4."We have to capitalise more on the similarities between Africa and the Middle East" VentureSouq is a GCC-based VC for global early-stage technology businesses. With their global focus, the investment firm is able to draw comparisons between how fintechs operated globally versus how they operate in the GCC, North Africa and SSA regions. Sara Enan spoke on those differences and explained that from a VC standpoint these markets were quite similar. 5."When things look bad from afar, they are actually far from bad." Ibrahim Sagna's own takeaway from the conversation is that tough times will continue to test our ecosystems but this most often leads to outstanding outcomes. We all need to exert resilience, remain discerning and focus on first principles. This, too, shall pass.

Welcome to Silverbacks Valley, a podcast changing the narrative around Africa through the bridging of the worlds of #venturecapital, #tech, #sports, #media and #lifestyle.Find us on Youtube : https://bit.ly/3PIwbVgA question? Write to us at contact@silverbacksvalley.comDisclaimer : This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only, no content of the conversation should be considered as investment advice. This episode of Silverbacks Valley is brought to you by IRL, a podcast by Mozilla. Discover amazing conversations with the people who are building artificial intelligence : https://bit.ly/irlpodcastToday, Ibrahim Sagna welcomes in the valley Acasia Ventures Managing Partner and General Partner, Aly El-Shalakany and Biola Alabi 5 BIG IDEAS DISCUSSED WITH ALY AND BIOLA IN THE VALLEY 1."As an angel investor, you get to make a vision come to life and roll-up your sleeves" Aly, Biola and I discussed our first cheques as angel investors. Today, we are leading institutional investment platforms but we all began with wanting to financially support the vision of African founders. At the start of our conversation, Aly and Biola revisited their transition from angel to institutional investors : To Biola, being an angel investor was all about being an ally for entrepreneurs at the very beginning of their journeys. Aly explained how he first got exposed to the tech and VC space while practicing corporate law in London. While observing the space, he saw an opportunity in bringing the concept of risk capital to the Egyptian ecosystem. 2."A common thread was how we both viewed investing as a vehicle of positive impact and change" Aly is a trained corporate lawyer from Egypt. Biola is a media executive and business woman from Nigeria. They excelled at their respective crafts overseas before making the decision to return home to serve their local markets. It is because of the uniqueness of their profiles and their combination that I felt compelled to share their story with you. I must disclose that we are also joining their list of LPs. They are the epitome of fixing the divide between Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa. 3."I'm energized by two-three time founders. There is a virtuous cycle that did not exist when we started." Prior to launching Acasia Ventures, Aly founded the Cairo Angels Network, one of Africa's first angel investment networks. In our conversation, we explore what was venture capital then and what it has become. Aly believes that our ecosystems are showing signs of maturity, whether through repeat founders or through founders with strong startup experience. Such an evolution in our ecosystem has required a lot of patience from early investors such as Aly and Biola, but their resilience is proof that the continent can bring the sizable returns that have occurred in other geographies. 4."Media and technology are actually cousin industries" The very fact that we launched the podcast, Silverbacks Valley, alongside the investment platform, Silverbacks Holdings, tells you how much we value the media as an industry and within the investment landscape. Biola is one of the few media entrepreneurs that I know to have made that connection too : in the episode, she explains how people do not seem to grasp how interconnected media and technology are as industries. She even postulates that the media industry's financing model has inspired venture capitalists.5."People believe that lawyers are focused on the downside" Aly speaks on the misconception that people have about lawyers turned investors. As a lawyer, Aly focused his career on value creation and M&A transactions which have made him better equipped to work as a fund manager. He recognizes that his career as a lawyer has also given him the discipline to think of controlling downside risks without missing out on opportunities.

Welcome to Silverbacks Valley, a podcast changing the narrative around Africa through the bridging of the worlds of #venturecapital, #tech, #sports, #media and #lifestyle.Visit us at https://silverbacksvalley.comFind us on Youtube : https://bit.ly/3PIwbVgA question? Write to us at contact@silverbacksvalley.comDisclaimer : This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only, no content of the conversation should be considered as investment advice. This episode of Silverbacks Valley is brought to you by IRL, a podcast by Mozilla. Discover amazing conversations with the people who are building artificial intelligence : https://bit.ly/irlpodcastToday, Ibrahim Sagna welcomes in the valley Harvard Business School's Professor Paul Gompers, one of venture capital's prominent academic scholars.5 BIG IDEAS DISCUSSED WITH PAUL GOMPERS IN THE VALLEY1.I had not foreseen globalization as such an important factor for the growth of venture capital and private equityPaul Gompers' academic career in venture capital spans over 25 years. Naturally, we began discussing how the venture capital landscape had evolved. The globalization of this segment of alternative investments has become something of particular interest for his research. In our conversation, we also explored how these ecosystems and their wellbeing have a direct impact on the overall economic well being of countries. His work does also a phenomenal job contrasting cycles in venture capital. Private equity and public markets. Two great books of his I strongly recommend are "The Venture Capital Cycle" and Advanced Introduction to Private Equity.2. As a venture capital investor, our role is to gain access to teams that accept your capital and bring value regardless of the changing timesI asked Paul if they were some sectors that were more prone to yield consistent results in spite of the changing economic trends. He drew from his experience at Surge Capital to answer : there are often different trends happening in different geographies at the same time. As such, there are consistent opportunities to find opportunities to make returns. To Paul, the responsibility of a capital allocator is to find the venture capitalists who will be able to identify the right teams to create value.3. I remember being on a call and telling Peter Thiel that investing in SpaceX (rockets!) was nutsPerhaps the greatest lesson imparted by Paul in our conversation is about having the humility to recognize our own mistakes or preconceived notions. He told me about a particular time when - in relation to the previous point - him and his co-founders were commenting on Peter Thiel's decision to sign the first cheque of Founders' Fund II to Space X. At the time, the trends were more favorable to social media or internet-powered companies, not rockets. And yet, eighteen years later Space X is valued at USD 137 billion.4. I'm excited by the optimism of young peopleI had the chance to discuss with Paul about the upcoming trends he could see in the venture capital space. Beyond globalization, Paul spoke at length about the importance of diversity and inclusion and the role that younger generations had to play in correcting the precedent paradigm. To him, the access to the internet leads to inspiration that young people can be drawn from success stories beyond their own jurisdiction.5. Cash can be a curseTowards the end of our conversation, I had Paul comment on the notion that "Cash is always king". Paul gave a nuanced answer to this notion : to him, the past few years in developed markets have seen an outpour of cash which has diluted the importance of discipline for investors and entrepreneurs alike. He mentioned that economic downturns have actually led to the foundation of great enterprises : without too much cash, entrepreneurs can learn to focus on the development of their product, the recruitment of the right talent and generating internal cash flow..

Welcome to Silverbacks Valley, a podcast changing the narrative around Africa through the bridging of the worlds of #venturecapital, #tech, #sports, #media and #lifestyle.Visit us at https://silverbacksvalley.comFind us on Youtube : https://bit.ly/3PIwbVgA question? Write to us at contact@silverbacksvalley.comDisclaimer : This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only, no content of the conversation should be considered as investment advice. This episode of Silverbacks Valley is brought to you by IRL, a podcast by Mozilla. Discover amazing conversations with the people who are building artificial intelligence : https://bit.ly/irlpodcastToday, Ibrahim Sagna welcomes in the valley the face of the NBA in Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu, who has been nominated as a part of Sports Illustrated 100 Black Women in Sports.5 BIG IDEAS DISCUSSED IN THE VALLEY WITH GBEMISOLA ABUDU 1."Mark Tatum's appreciation of the rich heritage of Nigerian culture led to the NBA All-Star game Halftime show"Gbemisola shares the story behind how Burna Boy, Tems and Rema became headliners of the Halftime Show of the All-Star Game 2023. With her team, she launched the "NBA Meets Art" concept, an event showcasing Nigerian culture and arts through the lens of the NBA. The COO and Deputy Commissioner of the NBA, Mark Tatum, was invited to Lagos to attend the first NBA Meets Art in 2022 and he was inspired by what he witnessed. He was the one who brought forward the idea of making the next All-Star halftime show an Afrobeats-powered one and Gbemisola delivered.2."Even though I planned to study law, I very early on got bit by the marketing bug"During our conversation, Gbemisola looks back to her career and how she started. She explains how she first had dreams of becoming a lawyer before she took a life-changing marketing class : she later applied for a role at Disney in market research which encouraged her to further explore this field of study. Listen to the episode to learn more about how she used her marketing expertise to end up at LVMH and ultimately at the helm of the NBA in Nigeria !3."About half of the NBA players of African descent are from Nigeria, that tells you the talent bed that we represent, it's our responsibility to build opportunities around that talent"Gbemisola gets into the details of why the NBA recognizes Nigeria as an important hub. Nigeria represents an important bed of talent for the league. In this upcoming season alone, half of the players of African descent are of Nigerian origin. Nigeria's dominance in NBA basketball is not a new fit: the first international player to win the MVP trophy was Nigeria's very own Hakeem Olajuwon in 1994.4."Nigeria re-classified sports as an industry and that shows that we are headed in the right direction"During our conversation, Gbemisola speaks on the way forward to ensure that the Nigerian talent in basketball and in sports gets matched with the right opportunities. To her, countries like Rwanda and Saudi Arabia are paving the way forward in utilizing sports as a lever for economic growth. (Check out our episode with Michaella Rugwizangoga of Rwanda Development Board). Gbemisola is optimistic that Nigeria will be able to do the same and cited the recent reclassification of sports as an industry (and not a recreational activity). The decision has led to incentives being set up for investors in the sports industry.5."I was inspired by Kobe's vision and clarity from such a young age."Gbemisola spoke to me of her inspirations. Her late father inspired her move back to Nigeria :Nigeria: he was also the one who taught her to have a clear vision and to never shy away from her own ambitions. She also quoted the late Kobe Bryant :Bryant: Gbemisola told me that she was always inspired by Kobe and his Mamba Mentality, from the early days of his NBA career to his transition as a businessman.

Welcome to Silverbacks Valley, a podcast changing the narrative around Africa through the bridging of the worlds of #venturecapital, #tech, #sports, #media and #lifestyle.Visit us at https://silverbacksvalley.comFind us on Youtube : https://bit.ly/3PIwbVgA question? Write to us at contact@silverbacksvalley.comDisclaimer : This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only, no content of the conversation should be considered as investment advice. This episode is powered by Statement.Today, Ibrahim Sagna welcomes in the valley Hamisha Daryani Ahuja whose movie Namaste Wahala reach Netflix Top 10 after being released on Valentine's Day 2021.5 BIG IDEAS DISCUSSED IN THE VALLEY WITH HAMISHA DARYANI AJUHA1. "I went for my second calling, which was hospitality and it benefited me eventually"In this episode, Hamisha spells out how her business education and first venture in the hospitality business were fundamental for her success in the film industry. She explains that although she's always wanted to work in film, her entourage convinced her to pick a steadier path at first. She opened several successful restaurants in Lagos (Bistrot7) and was acquired by the music label Chocolate City : in doing that, she earned her financial freedom to pursue her life long dream and invaluable business and financial lessons for her next venture.2. "I noticed that my Nigerian friends loved Bollywood and some of its actors. I knew there was something there."Hamisha illustrates the perfect example of what happens when a business mindset meets a creative spirit. In the episode, she explains what led her to look into the connection between Bollywood and Nollywood. Many of us growing on the African continent witnessed the popularity of Bollywood films first hand : Hamisha saw this as an opportunity to do business and bring something that the Indian and Nigerian audiences had never seen. The popularity of her film, which became a Top10 Netflix sensation after its release on Valentine's Day in 2020, confirmed her hunch.3. "I was conducting a workshop on the pursuit of happiness and took my own advice."Hamisha began hosting workshops to encourage people to find their path to happiness in the back of her Bistrot 7 restaurant. A few years later, her workshop has grown into a sensational experience : some of you may have caught her recently on TV on Big Brother Nigeria. She was inspired to follow the advice of her own workshop by Nigerian rapper and Chocolate City's former CEO, M.I. and as she says in the episode she has not looked back since. 4."The process of being a film producer and a film director was difficult"She further explains the dichotomy between being a film director (the person behind the camera) and being a film producer (the person in charge of the budget). She was able to find a balance between the two sides of the coin but never compromised on the quality of the images shot. In doing so she proved how valuable it can be for creative entrepreneurs to have a business background. 5.The next step is bringing Nollywood to India"In the episode, Hamisha reveals her next big plans including a TV series that will see some of Nollywood's most famous actors get in the action in Mumbai. This time, she explains that her next project Postcards focuses much more on the plot and the blend of the two cultures in the background. She also reveals that she is currently working on a reality show. By tailoring her content to the Indian and Nigerian audiences, Hamisha has found a very large niche market to serve and we, at Silverbacks Holdings, are proud fans of hers ! 

Welcome to Silverbacks Valley, a podcast changing the narrative around Africa through the bridging of the worlds of #venturecapital, #tech, #sports, #media and #lifestyle.Visit us at https://silverbacksvalley.comFind us on Youtube : https://bit.ly/3PIwbVgA question? Write to us at contact@silverbacksvalley.comDisclaimer : This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only, no content of the conversation should be considered as investment advice. This episode is powered by Statement.Today the valley welcomes Ernest "Danjuma" Enebi, a modern day storyteller, creator and influencer who has collaborated with top international brands and organizations through his agendy Denda.5 BIG IDEAS DISCUSSED WITH DANJUMA IN THE VALLEY. 1."I've always thought like an engineer"Danjuma grew up in Kaduna State, Nigeria. As a child, he showed prowess in his school work and convinced his parents to let him go study in the United States. In the episode, he explains how he transformed his aspirations to become an actor or comedian into studying mechanical engineering and joining the corporate world in a construction company. 2."I've taken it upon myself to be the person that makes noise to bring attention to substance"Our guest is a vibrant creative : if you've had the chance to meet him, you know that there is no escaping his high-pitched infectious laugh. In the episode, he explains where the boisterous personality comes from and how he uses it to bring attention to more "substantial" matters in his work, or others' work. His ability to blend fluff with substance is what has allowed him to bring his unique take to content and collaborate with world organizations such as UNDP, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and brands like AT&T, Google.3."Had I known the truth about Zaria (where I'm from) and where I aspired to go (the United States) it would not have been such an easy and obvious choice."In the episode, Danjuma gives several examples from his own personal experiences that have shaped his creative process. He emphasizes on his strong attachment to nuance why narratives need to get as close to the truth as possible. He talks about the responsibility that comes with having a platform and being able to portray people's lives and environment through his lens and his work. 4."I am fascinated by the human condition" Danjuma summarizes his multifaceted work (arts, content creation, public policy) as a bundle of life experiences. To him, the thread that cuts through all of these experiences is humanity and the ability to recount these moments of human life and condition.5."Masai Ujiri has inspired me to think and dream big." In the last moments of the episode, our guest discusses his inspirations including his father and the President of Basketball Operations of the Toronto Raptors. As the first black man and Nigerian to hold such a high-level role in a North American sports organizations, Masai Ujiri is quoted by many as a role model from those who do not hesitate to raise the bar and shatter glass ceilings. 

Welcome to Silverbacks Valley, a podcast changing the narrative around Africa through the bridging of the worlds of #venturecapital, #tech, #sports, #media and #lifestyle.Visit us at https://silverbacksvalley.comFind us on Youtube : https://bit.ly/3PIwbVgA question? Write to us at contact@silverbacksvalley.comDisclaimer : This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only, no content of the conversation should be considered as investment advice. This episode is powered by Statement.5 BIG IDEAS DISCUSSED WITH ECHE EMOLE IN THE VALLEY• « No modern African nation state has been created through reflection and choice »• « Society as a Service - the idea is, as Afropolitans, we will get it done for you »• « We want to combine the concept of an Embassy with Chinatown » • « If we were from any other place in the world going around fundraising for a country, people would ask us what is so wrong with your country - but most Africans can point to basic viability issues with their countries » • « I want to invest in my long-term people »

Welcome to Silverbacks Valley, a podcast changing the narrative around Africa through the bridging of the worlds of #venturecapital, #tech, #sports, #media and #lifestyle.Visit us at https://silverbacksvalley.comFind us on Youtube : https://bit.ly/3PIwbVgA question? Write to us at contact@silverbacksvalley.comDisclaimer : This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only, no content of the conversation should be considered as investment advice. This episode is powered by Afroballers.5 BIG IDEAS DISCUSSED WITH MICHAELLA RUGWIZANGOGA IN THE VALLEY. 1."As a chemical engineering student, I had a fascination for nation branding." Michaella studied in Germany, a country that had to experiment in nation branding after the Second World War. She explains how inspired she was by the German model and thought about nation branding as a concept. To her, her current role is another sign that the dots always end up connecting at some point - as Steve Jobs once said. 2."It has to start from the foundation, for us it's the vision of our President H.E. Paul Kagame" Michaella dives into what has made Rwanda's strategy successful. She explains how having a common vision, upheld by a leader is instrumental for the execution of a nation branding strategy. The President of Rwanda has been recognized for his bold initiatives to promote Rwanda : Building the Kigali Arena in six months, and see the returns through basketball tournaments, concerts, and global meetings (including FIFA World Congress) the soon to be completed 45,000 seats football Stadium (Amahoro Stadium) and Rwanda hosting the World Cycling Championship in 2025. 3."Sports have a unifier effect" Michaella explains why sports has become an instrumental element of Rwanda's strategy to stimulate tourism. The BAL Finals are one of the few periodic rendez-vous that have made Kigali the place to be. Rwanda has been hosting the BAL Finals for three years in a row and has just signed a new five year agreement. Visit Rwanda sports partnerships have been instrumental for the tourism recovery post-covid, just in 2022, the country attracted more than 1 million visitors generating beyond 240 Millions dollars in revenues . 4."Revenues from the gorillas trekkings are reinvested in the community."Rwanda's tourism has largely been driven by gorilla trekking activities. Our very own company, the Silverbacks, was inspired by my face to face encounter with arguably one of earth's most edifying creatures, one endowed with as much calm as sheer dominance. Michaella reveals that the popularity of these treks have allowed the country to nurture the gorilla community to the point that their natural habitat will now have to be expanded. Earlier this year, the country held its 19th "Kwita Izina" baby gorilla naming ceremony attended by several celebrities including Idris Elba, Joakim Noah and Winston Duke and Danai Gurira of the Black Panther cast. As a testament to Rwanda's effort to develop sustainable tourism, UNESCO has now recognised the Nyungwe Park as a World Heritage Site. 5."It is happening in Rwanda but we are doing it for Africa." From 1st to 3rd November 2023, Rwanda will host the World Travel & Tourism Council's Global Summit. This will be the first time that this Summit is hosted in Africa and a great testament to the tourism achievements of the country. Michaella speaks on how Rwanda's efforts are contributing to putting Africa on the spotlight. She believes that each African country has a unique offering and that every country can develop its unique position to attract tourists.  Rwanda is visa-free for all citizens from the African Union, Commonwealth and Francophonie area; other countries get visas on arrival. Whatever you do, make sure to … #VisitRwanda!

Welcome to Silverbacks Valley, a podcast changing the narrative around Africa through the bridging of the worlds of #venturecapital, #tech, #sports, #media and #lifestyle.Visit us at https://silverbacksvalley.comFind us on Youtube : https://bit.ly/3PIwbVgA question? Write to us at contact@silverbacksvalley.comDisclaimer : This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only, no content of the conversation should be considered as investment advice. This episode is powered by the Global Sports Summit. During the summit, our host, Ibrahim Sagna, welcomed on stage ; Amadou Gallo Fall, President of the Basketball Africa LeaguePaxton Baker, Minority Owner of the Washington NationalOsi Umenyiora, former NY Giants, founder of the Uprise Academy5 BIG IDEAS DISCUSSED WITH AMADOU GALLO FALL, OSI UMENYIORA & PAXTON BAKER1. "We are following the path of the NBA" Osi Umenyiora explained in our previous episode that he saw the works of Amadou Gallo Fall and the NBA Africa as the blueprint for what the NFL Africa aims to accomplish. Both speak on the importance of collaboration within the sports industry in Africa and how exchanging best practices across disciplines can yield positive results and impact for young people. 2."There is a clear appetite for African-American investors to look at sports as an asset class in Africa."  Paxton Baker has seen the Basketball Africa League (BAL) grow from an idea to a full-fledged competition. He explains how the NBA's expertise has led the BAL to become such a high-level experience everyone involved in such a short amount of time. After the announcement that he had joined the Cape Town Tigers' investors group, he received solicitation from several high-profile figures of the entertainment industry (in this episode, he announces that Verdine White is joining him as an investor in the Cape Town Tigers). Amadou Gallo Fall also speaks to the attention the BAL has received from investors in the US notably at the All-Star Game. 3. "The number one resource Africa has is its human capital" Amadou Gallo Falls talks about replicating the student-athlete model that first emerged in the US in order to establish pathways of opportunities for young African athletes. His organization, SEED, has created opportunities for young people : the latest NBA finals saw two SEED alumni from Senegal, Remy Ndiaye and Dethie Fall, compete as members of the coaching staff of the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets respectively. Osi Umenyiora explains how the SEED model has inspired his own Uprise initiative which has already led twelve young men to find their way to the NFL or football scholarships. 4."It's important for us to export our products and push it in front of the diaspora eyeballs" Osi Umenyiora notes that it has now become "cool" to be African. Amadou discusses the importance of bringing the BAL products outside of Africa : this summer the BAL participated in Globl Jam in Canada and Quai54 in France. To him, the lifestyle element of a sports brand is a key component that allows the product to reach an audience beyond sports fans. Paxton Baker talks about his tourism experiences in Rwanda which he enjoyed on the sidelines of the basketball competition - he talks about the importance of having such experiences and being able to share them on social media to encourage more African-Americans to travel to Africa.5."When a tree falls in Africa, people in the United States now hear about it." The media industry's innovation has made it possible for sports competition to be broadcasted around the world. Amadou mentions that the BAL counts media partners such as ESPN, Canal+, BeinSports, Tencent). Paxton Baker recognizes that the media plays a key role in allowing African talent to be detected early, he believes that Joel Embiid winning the 2023 NBA MVP will lead to more interest for African talent.