In this compelling episode of the Advancing VC Podcast, we sit down with Zachariah George, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Launch Africa Ventures, to explore the rise of venture capital across the African continent and why Africa represents the most exciting frontier for early-stage investing globally. With over a decade of hands-on experience building the continent’s venture ecosystem, Zachariah brings a data-driven and deeply personal perspective to how African founders are solving real-world problems with transformative technology—and creating outsized returns in the process.

Listeners will gain a front-row seat to the evolution of venture capital in Africa—from the dominance of private equity in the 90s and early 2000s to the mobile-first, digitally savvy generation powering a new wave of scalable, high-impact startups. Zachariah explains how three major forces—plummeting data costs, rapid smartphone adoption, and the world’s youngest population—have converged to unlock massive consumer purchasing power, making Africa a ripe market for tech-driven disruption.

The conversation dives deep into Launch Africa’s thesis: bridging the seed to Series A “valley of death” by backing high-quality, B2B SaaS startups with strong revenue traction and real impact. Zachariah details how Fund I raised $36 million from over 200 LPs (with check sizes starting at $50K), deployed capital into 133 startups across 22 countries, and achieved 13 exits within five years—all while maintaining an industry-low 16% failure rate. He also shares how Launch Africa supports LP co-investment, accelerates time to liquidity, and leverages proprietary data from over 10,000 startup evaluations to drive decision-making.

We also unpack broader themes such as the reverse brain drain of top African talent returning home to build, the misperceptions of risk in emerging markets, and the lack of visibility African unicorns receive in global media. Zachariah passionately outlines how African startups are solving critical challenges—from healthcare delivery via drones to last-mile logistics—and how global VCs are increasingly following through with Series B and C rounds, bringing scale and validation to the ecosystem.

This episode is both a masterclass in emerging market investing and a wake-up call for LPs, GPs, and founders who are overlooking Africa’s billion-person, digitally connected, and economically ascending population. Zachariah doesn’t just paint a vision—he backs it with performance, practical insights, and a powerful invitation to be part of something transformational.

Key takeaways include:
– Why Africa’s venture ecosystem has the lowest global failure rate post-Series A
– How Launch Africa Ventures built a seed-stage powerhouse without relying on DFIs
– The compounding impact of mobile-first behavior and young demographics
– How to bridge the seed to Series A funding gap with smart capital and data
– The importance of co-investment opportunities and fast liquidity for LPs
– Insights on the reverse brain drain and the rise of local founder talent
– Why global VC funds are increasingly participating in Africa’s growth story
– Real examples of African startups making global impact—from fintech to mobility
– A compelling case for Africa as a commercial opportunity, not just a philanthropic one

Whether you're a global investor seeking diversification, a founder interested in frontier markets, or simply curious about how venture capital is reshaping the future of Africa, this episode offers unmatched insights from one of the leading voices in the ecosystem.

Find Zachariah here:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachariahgeorge/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zachariahgeorge/
Twitter: https://x.com/zach_cpt

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