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The Power of Partnership:
ADN Convenings

At African Diaspora Network, we greatly value the possibilities of collaboration. We develop meaningful partnerships that leverage community resources across sectors through our year-round Impact and Innovation Forums and our annual African Diaspora Investment Symposium. Working intentionally with government, NGOs, corporations, and foundations, we spark powerful dialogue with leading experts on pressing topics and issues related to Africa and the Diaspora. 

Join us for one of our upcoming virtual events in March and April:

March ADIS22: Changing the Landscape of Agriculture in Africa

Join us March 23, at 8AM PST, for March ADIS22: "Changing the Landscape of Agriculture in Africa."

Agriculture is a major part of life in Africa. Did you know? According to McKinsey & Company, more than 60 percent of the population of sub-Saharan Africa is smallholder farmers, and about 23 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s GDP comes from agriculture.

Given the importance of agriculture, what role can African governments play to set targeted policy initiatives to ensure secure land, tax incentives, work permits, supply chains, and other mechanisms to enable a flourishing agricultural sector? What investment frameworks would help regional farms be more attractive to international private equity investment?

This session explores opportunities, funding avenues, and best practices for shaping the future of the agricultural sector in Africa. Register today!
 
Register Here

Speakers

Before you register, consider giving to ADN to support our symposium series! Find the Support ADN page and select ADIS22. 
 
     
Your gift enables us to organize monthly panels with leading experts on topics ranging from healthcare to renewable energy in Africa. Thank you for supporting ADN to make the seventh annual African Diaspora Investment Symposium possible!

Skoll World Forum Ecosystem Day 2022

Women hold up half the sky, and with the weight of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is clear that women disproportionately carry the brunt of its impact. According to a UN Report, Rapid Gender Assessment (RGA) surveys indicate that 29% of working-age mothers living with children lost their jobs compared to only 20% of working-age men living with children. Women with children in the household were also more likely to report increased domestic work and childcare.

Despite the gaps, women have adapted and persevered to support their workplaces, communities, and families. How are women paving the path forward? In what ways are women continuing to make significant strides in the face of challenge? How can we better support women and invest in women-led organizations? This session examines how women continue to lead the way in reimagining the future of social entrepreneurship, healthcare, education, and other areas.
Register Here

U.S. – Nigeria Accelerator/Startup Connector

The U.S. – Nigeria Accelerator/Startup Connector on April 13, 2022, brings together Silicon Valley-based accelerators and VCs who will share how they are working with global tech firms in the U.S. and abroad. You’ll also hear from Flutterwave, known worldwide as Nigeria’s most recent fintech gazelle, as well as FoodLocker, a leader in Nigeria’s fast-growing food delivery market. Flutterwave and FoodLocker will share best practices and their own set of “golden rules” that any start-up can apply.

Tying these elements together are U.S. government experts from Prosper Africa, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, who will share how to engage the many government resources to support tech startups in the U.S. as well as those that want to be here.

This program is hosted by the Silicon Valley-based African Diaspora Network, whose mission is to harness and engage the intellectual, financial, philanthropic and entrepreneurial capacity of Africans and friends of Africa in support of economic and social development across Africa.
Register Here

Event Recap: Black History Month Celebration with the African Diaspora Network and IBM

Tuesday, February 22, 2022, African Diaspora Network and IBM celebrated Black History Month by hosting the webinar, "Blueprints for Innovation: Black Entrepreneurs Transforming the Landscape of Business" with keynote speaker, Jacqueline Hendy, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Bill.com. 
Watch the Recording

Celebrating Women's History Month

In celebration of Women's History Month, we will be highlighting women leaders in our network. Today, we recognize the women who are part of the Accelerating Black Leadership and Entrepreneurship (ABLE) cohort. Thank you for the impact you are making in your communities!
Learn More

Be a Mentor for
Builders of Africa’s Future (BAF) 2022

African Diaspora Network (ADN) seeks mentors to provide guidance and support for the Builders of Africa’s Future 2022 Cohort. The BAF Mentor Community welcomes seasoned entrepreneurs, founders, and experts in sectors pertinent to building successful enterprises. Sign up to mentor an entrepreneur once or twice a month from April to June 2022. For more information, please contact Debra Pacio at debra@africandiasporanetwork.org.
 
Mentor an Entrepreneur

Register for Upcoming ADIS22 Sessions

African Diaspora Investment Symposium (ADIS22) is the seventh annual global convening that celebrates and champions the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of Africans, Diasporans, and friends of Africa. 

Click the links below to register for upcoming sessions.

March 2022: Changing the Landscape of Agriculture in Africa
March 23, 2022 8am - 9:15am pst

April 2022: Energizing Investment in the Solar and Renewable Sector
April 27, 2022 8am - 9:15am pst

May 2022: Bridging the Connectivity Gap
May 18, 2022 8am - 9:15am pst

Celebrate Builders of Africa's Future 2022
June 23, 2022 8am - 10am pst

 
Visit the ADIS22 Webpage
Community Partner
Announcements 

Startup School May 2022 Applications are Open

Applications close on the 28th of April 2022.

Apply now and spread the word to all the entrepreneurs you know.

The entrepreneurial journey goes beyond building a business. It’s a practice that pushes people to go beyond their limits and drives them to live a life of impact, success and significance. 

Startup School's next 12 Week Online Entrepreneurship Development Programme, supported by Investec Bank, starts on the 2nd of May 2022. 

The programme also unlocks the opportunity to apply for 100k in prize funding for your business.

Places on the next programme are limited so be sure to apply now! Simply click here to start the application process. 

 
Apply Today!

Nigerian VC firm LoftyInc Capital Management made 65 African Investments in 2021

Photo Credit: Disrupt Africa
Nigerian venture capital (VC) firm LoftyInc Capital Management made 92 investments across 2021, with 65 of those in African tech startups.

LoftyInc Capital Management is a venture capital firm on a mission to “build an ecosystem of Africans investing in Africans solving African problems”. 

In September, the firm announced the first close of its US$10 million LoftyInc Afropreneurs Fund 3 (LAF3) as it seriously scaled up its activity in the startup space across the continent. This came after the first “unicorn exit” via the LoftyInc Afropreneurs Fund 2 (LAF2) investment in Flutterwave, providing substantial returns to its investors. 
Read More

Support African Diaspora Network

Looking to have a more active role as a member of African Diaspora Network?
Learn more about ways to engage:
  • Join ADN's online networking platform here
  • Invite a friend to subscribe to our newsletter by sending them the link here
  • Follow us on social media: FacebookTwitterLinkedInInstagram
  • Subscribe to our YouTube channel
  • Support us through Amazon Smile
  • Give Through Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) Donor-advised fund
  • Mentor entrepreneurs participating in our ABLE and/or BAF programs. Contact Debra Pacio, ADN's Entrepreneurship and Community Engagement Manager, at debra@africandiasporanetwork.org to learn more.
  • Be a volunteer and support African Diaspora Network initiatives
  • Be an organizational sponsor and support the African Diaspora Network to bring together diverse people from around the world to collaborate and work together. Support ADN HERE
Support ADN

A Special Thank You to Our Funders

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Hugh Stuart Center Charitable Trust



 




 



 
      



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