According to leading financial expert, Robert Kiyosaki, “It’s not how much money you make, but how much money you keep, how hard it works for you, and how many generations you keep it for.” Investing is an essential path to building wealth but it’s not a walk in the park. More often than not, knowing where to start can be confusing.
Furthermore, high net worth and upwardly mobile individuals who want to invest are either unaware of profitable deals or their cheque sizes are too small to participate. Ignorance can also make budding investors vulnerable to deceitful founders who separate them from their hard-earned incomes.
Here are five recognised African networks, syndicates and communities that train you to become investors. These platforms not only help to participate in lucrative deals but they educate and mentor professionals to become sophisticated investors themselves. They are FirstCheck Africa, Volition Capital, African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association, Lagos Angels Network, and Rising Tide Africa.
FirstCheck Africa
A female-led investor community that supports technology-driven startups in Africa with at least one female founder or co-founder. FirstCheck Africa supports the community with learning and content about technology investing.
FirstCheck Africa creates opportunities for middle-tier women, who are millennials or in their mid-careers, to invest in venture-backed startups by writing smaller checks. The community is currently admitting members.
Volition Capital
Volition capital is a private equity company helping honest & hardworking professionals create wealth and enjoy fulfilling lives. They offer various investment intelligence services which include an investment education course by one of the Directors, Subomi Plumptre.
The course offers basic principles of investment, as well as different ways anyone can invest in and outside Nigeria. Also, an investment planning template is attached to the course. Request a quote to access Volition Capital’s free investment course.
African Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (AVCA)
AVCA is a pan-African industry body creating an enabling environment for private investment in Africa. The organisation connects, educates and equips its members with independent industry research, best practice training programmes and exceptional networking opportunities.
AVCA members include private equity and venture capital firms, institutional investors, foundations and endowments, pension funds, international development finance institutions, professional service firms, academia and other associations. The diverse membership is driven by a common goal: to be a part of Africa’s growth story. Register for AVCA upcoming events.
Related Post: How to become an angel investor with less than $3,000 (₦1.2 million) in Nigeria
Lagos Angel Network (LAN)
A non-profit accessible only to “accredited investors”, Lagos Angel Network organises focused educational events to enhance the knowledge of its members. These events educate the members on various aspects of the early-stage private equity process, deal-flow process and other essential information.
Lagos Angel Network also gives members the opportunity to form relationships and network with other successful early-stage investors. Intending members of LAN must be accredited investors. Apply here to become a member of LAN.
Rising Tide Africa
Rising Tide Africa is a pre-eminent investment pool educating and training women to become sophisticated angel investors. The women also receive mentoring from experienced angel investors while building a diversified portfolio of investments.
The network targets its investments in digital and technology-enabled companies, and early-stage startups primarily female-owned, female-led or with a gender-diverse leadership and management team. The registration fee to become a member of Rising Tide Africa is ₦300,000.00. Apply to become a member of Rising Tide Africa.
