Dream VC Opens Applications for 2023 Talent Accelerator Program for VCs in Africa
The 2023 Accelerator Program for VCs in Africa applications round has been opened applications by Dream VC, a Remote Venture Capital Upskilling Institute. In three successive cohorts since its founding in 2021, Dream VC has trained more than 80 African and Africa-focused investment professionals, many of whom are now serving in various leadership and investment capacities for top African venture and tech companies.
With an extensive curriculum, hands-on training, and direct contact with top investors, the program offers the perfect launching pad for all prospective and current investors to enter the African venture arena.
African technology businesses have received more than $15 billion in funding over the past six years from angel investors, institutional investors, and development funders. The incredible expansion of the venture industry in Africa has rightfully brought attention to the region, which grew in 2022 despite a global fall in venture capital funding for entrepreneurs. Although if a sizable number of funds collected are from outside Africa, local funds are increasingly participating in the continent’s developing venture ecosystem and playing a crucial role in maintaining its stability. In parallel, limited partners from outside and domestically are providing institutional capital to syndicate funds and angel investors.
It only makes sense to develop a deep pool of sophisticated investment talent to lay the foundations of the continent’s private markets necessary to ensure the sustainability and sustained impact of venture investment given the acceleration of technology businesses, digital adoption, and investor interest in Africa.
The next generation of African-focused investors will be trained by Dream VC’s carefully curated investor-talent accelerator programs to close this critical gap. The annual “Launch into VC” and “Investor Accelerator” venture capital fellowship programs from Dream VC serve as the ideal starting point for all aspiring and experienced investors to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully seek out, invest in, and support African technology businesses.
They stand out from comparable programs simply because of their strong emphasis on Africa and the Dream VC community’s global presence. Within weeks of finishing the program, I was able to successfully transition from investment banking into venture capital, thanks in large part to the excellent simulation provided by Dream VC, said Lamin Darboe, VC Associate at BDev Ventures and a Dream VC Fellow from the 2022 LIVC cohort.
Leading African doctors like Dr. Ola Brown (HealthCap), Samakab Hashi (Lateral Frontiers), Satoshi Shinada (Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures), Keet Van Zyl (Knife Capital), and Zachariah George have given guest lectures to previous Dream VC cohorts (Launch Africa Ventures). Both programs offer advanced investor training by fusing a broad curriculum with hands-on experience and direct contact with top investors. With more than a dozen firms interested in the African market, the company also regularly teaches investment teams, M&A teams, and venture teams.
The key to unlocking local capital lies in investor support infrastructure, which is sorely lacking in comparison to almost every other global ecosystem, said Cindy Ai, Co-Founder at Dream VC. Significant efforts are being made across the continent to build out support infrastructure for entrepreneurs.
Dream VC claims that its goal goes beyond simply attracting “X” investors in “Y” years; we are builders who always consider how we might fill in the holes in the investor ecosystem.
Our seminars will assist in preparing these future leaders who will join VCs, start ESOs, become angel investors, venture capitalists, and even entrepreneurs since we firmly believe in the potential of African talent. Cindy continued.
The deadline for “Launch into VC (LIVC)” and “Investor Accelerator” program applications for the 2023 cohort is April 16, 2023. From late June until late August, both programs will continue for three months. Those that are interested may apply here. The Deadline to submit this application is Sunday April 16th
On the other hand, the Investor Accelerator program starts in June and lasts until October. 5 months in total. Interested applicants can apply here. The Deadline to submit this application is Sunday April 16th
