Dream VC

Watch our co-founder Mark Kleyner live in action with Ahmad Takatkah (أحمد طقاطقه) on his VC React Podcast! 👏

After four gruelling, intense, and deeply engaging months, we’ve finally made it to the finish line! 🎉 Another brilliant cohort of LIVC has officially graduated, and 2024 folks—you were nothing short of amazing. 💫 All your hard work did not go unnoticed. From over 50 hours of active participation to countless more spent behind the scenes perfecting those intense submissions—you gave it your all, and we couldn’t be prouder. The late nights, the challenging discussions, the moments of doubt—and yet, you pushed through. You questioned, you collaborated, and most importantly, you evolved 🚀. Every step of this journey, you’ve shown resilience, creativity, and a true passion for #venturecapital. This is more than a graduation—it's the beginning of something far greater. Your journey into the ecosystem is just getting started, and we are beyond excited to see where your ambition, drive, and vision will take you. Remember, you will always be Dream VC. Here's to your next chapter, and we can’t wait to see what incredible things you accomplish next. 🚀 🥂 to each one of you: Abdallah S., Abidemi Adenle, Adebusola Anibi, Alejandro Giribás Makki, Grace Olakanmi, Babatope A., Beryl Sawyerr, Chiedza Sandra T., Dami Olonilua, Daniel Borges Correia, Eunice Kyereme, Farai Makunungunu, Francis Nwalibe, Ghislain Ndjapa, Gift Abah, Hamed Salah, Hersh Rai, Hiba Said, Katherine Kamel, Kevin Kipchirchir, Khin Pan Chi, Kofoworola Toriola, Kosisochukwu Mokwe, Love Akinkunle, Mary Nyakundi, CPA, Mercy Ajiboye, Michelle M., Munashe Nyabereka, Narmine Ben Aissa, Nathan Nagoor, Ndeye N., Jean Rene Hakizimana, Sarah Udoh, Sean Karanja, Sean Smith, Sheriff Alimi, Toochukwu Obayi Theresa Fehle, Tobi Oyebade, Waithera Mariga, #dreamvc #africa #fellowship #vc #cvc

✍🏼 Our first research piece on an extensive "Startup x VC Reading List 2.0 📕" is here! Let us know your favourites At Dream VC, we know that knowledge is the greatest asset you can have. That’s why we’ve curated the 🥁 Startup x VC Reading List 2.0 📕 —a must-read collection of books designed to help to aspire VCs sharpen their skills, broaden their horizons, and gain insights straight from the experts who’ve been there and done that. Some of our team favourites are “The Venture Mindset: How to Make Smarter Bets and Achieve Extraordinary Growth—a perfect primer on the nuts and bolts of venture capital; for a bit of inspiration our top pick is “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz—a masterclass on navigating the ups and downs of startup life. Ready to dive in? Check out the full list, complete with online links to each book. And feel free to share the list with your network—we’d love your recommendations to make this an even more holistic guide for everyone! 📚💡 Project Lead: Keo Sar 🫱🏼🫲🏽 Finally, here is the list 🔻 : https://lnkd.in/diZSYCEC #dreamvc #VentureCapital #VCReads #GrowthMindset #books. #africa

✍🏼 Our first research piece on an extensive "Startup x VC Reading List 2.0 📕" is here! Let us know your favourites At Dream VC, we know that knowledge is the greatest asset you can have. That’s why we’ve curated the 🥁 Startup x VC Reading List 2.0 📕 —a must-read collection of books designed to help to aspire VCs sharpen their skills, broaden their horizons, and gain insights straight from the experts who’ve been there and done that. Some of our team favourites are “The Venture Mindset: How to Make Smarter Bets and Achieve Extraordinary Growth—a perfect primer on the nuts and bolts of venture capital; for a bit of inspiration our top pick is “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz—a masterclass on navigating the ups and downs of startup life. Ready to dive in? Check out the full list, complete with online links to each book. And feel free to share the list with your network—we’d love your recommendations to make this an even more holistic guide for everyone! 📚💡 Project Lead: Keo Sar 🫱🏼🫲🏽 Finally, here is the list 🔻 : https://lnkd.in/diZSYCEC #dreamvc #VentureCapital #VCReads #GrowthMindset #books. #africa

A very happy Friday to everyone!  🎉 We are very excited to announce that something hot has been brewing in the Dream VC Research lab. 🧪 For the past few months we have been working on 𝟗 different research projects, some independently and some in partnership with some very credible ecosystem enablers. Thanks to our best-in-class alumni and fellows who have been leading these projects to enrich the industry with valuable data. Here are some of the project that you will be seeing coming out over the next few months: 1️⃣ Startup x VC Reading List 2.0 2️⃣ Startup x VC Film & Series Recommendations List 2.0 3️⃣ African Blogs, Podcasts & Substacks List 3.0 4️⃣ Quantitative Review of African VC Salaries 5️⃣ Mapping Gender Lens Investing Efforts in Africa 6️⃣ Mapping Africa-Focused CVC Units 7️⃣ Innovative Business & Revenue Models Emerging in African Markets 8️⃣ Documenting Alumni Success Stories (Success Echoes) 9️⃣ Creating Multiple Founder Personality Quizzes Each project is packed with its own objectives and fresh insights. The first release, the Startup x VC Reading List 2.0, led by our very own Keo Sar, is dropping this weekend! 📚🚀 ✍ This curated list will arm any aspiring VC with must-read books, each carefully selected to inspire, educate, and elevate your investment journey. We’ve even included online links to dive straight into these gems. Which ones are you the most excited about? 👀 #dreamvc #research #venturecapital #cvc #entrepreneurs #books

🎙️ Featuring Jim Chu from Untapped Global (snippet from a Dream VC panel) 💰 Investing in entrepreneurs in emerging markets holds enormous potential for creating long-lasting economic and social change. These regions often face significant challenges, but entrepreneurs working within their communities are uniquely positioned to develop innovative solutions tailored to local needs, including healthcare, education, energy access, and financial inclusion. 💹 One of the most notable impacts of investing in these markets is job creation. Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in countries like Colombia, Malaysia, and Paraguay drive employment and economic growth, particularly where larger corporations may not be as prevalent in comparison. 🌍 In Africa, for example, entrepreneurial ventures are crucial to harnessing the potential of a youthful, fast-growing population. Investments in infrastructure, intra continental trade, and productivity can unleash even greater opportunities for growth. #dreamvc #venturecapital #cvc #africa #impactinvesting

📢 Calling all Tunisian Startups! Connect with our pan-African delegation of 60+ investment professionals, including VCs, business angels, SSOs, and even DFIs. Apply now for one of the 30 limited spots in Tunisia Ecosystem Week! 🔗Apply now: https://bit.ly/3TxJzfX 📆 Deadline: September 30th! Why Apply? 💡• Join a Pre-Event Investment Readiness Bootcamp: This will give you exclusive access to our preparatory bootcamp to better prepare you to meet investors and nail your meetings. 🎯• Participate in our Matchmaking Madness Session: This will help you connect and pitch to 60+ Investment professionals through a round of speed-dating enhancing your chances of securing funding. 📚• Attend Workshops & Panel Discussions with our delegation: You’ll join our in-depth sessions on multiple topics to directly discuss tips and tricks with investors to nail your fundraising and expansion journey. For more information, we’re hosting a Facebook Live to give you all the details about the event and answer your questions. Webinar Date: September 27, 2024 Time: 4:00 PM Tunisia Time (UTC+1) This initiative is co-organized by Dream VC and V3 Factory; Supported by the Special Initiative Decent Work for a Just Transition - "Invest for Jobs" mandated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH GIZ Tunisie through its Digital Transformation Center. In partnership with Impact Partner supported by Impact Europe as part of the EU-funded Impact Together project, and The Dot. Sarah Ben Younes Mark Kleyner Cindy Ai Zeineb Messaoud Zeineb F. Ahlem GHAZOUANI Amani Wahabi Magda Mahjoub Salma Baghdadi Safa Majdoub Mohamed Dhab Emna Triki

📅 Mark your calendars for Tunisia Ecosystem Week! This year, Dream VC will be hosting our annual community offsite in Tunis, after which we will be launching headfirst into the TEW 🇹🇳 We are bringing together a Pan-African delegation of 70+ investment professionals, VCs, Business Angels, DFIs, and SSOs; along with all key local Tunisian ecosystem players - all together under one roof! 🚀 Local startup and SSO calls for applications are just around the corner, stay tuned! 👀 This initiative is co-organized by Dream VC and V3 Factory; Supported by the Special Initiative Decent Work for a Just Transition - "Invest for Jobs" mandated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and implemented by GIZ Tunisie through its Digital Transformation Center. In partnership with Impact Partner supported by Impact Europe as part of the EU-funded Impact Together project, and The Dot.

🎥 In our latest alumni interview by Sharon Kabubi with Christine Namara from Flat6Labs, we focused on the realities of building Africa’s startup ecosystem. One critical lesson? The hard work needed to turn potential into progress. 💬 "For me, it was about taking off the rose-colored glasses and understanding the level of effort required for real success. Without this realization, we risk building an ecosystem on faith instead of data. While both are essential, the emphasis on returns makes hard work critical." This reflection sheds light on a potential issue facing many in the ecosystem — the tendency to rely too heavily on hope without grounding efforts in tangible results. Building a strong foundation on data-driven strategies and hard work is essential to avoid an ecosystem that runs purely on faith, which can lead to unmet expectations. In a space where we need to see more returns, balancing optimism with realistic action is key. Without putting in the necessary work, we risk limiting the long-term success of the African startup ecosystem. #dreamvc #africa #vc #fellowship #cvc

🏙 Looking back at our #CVC Workshop in #Dubai, we were reminded of the immense value our in-house expertise brings to the table! The workshop was buzzing with excitement as attendees arrived, armed with relevant and thoughtful questions about Corporate Venture Capital. The discussions highlighted not only the growing interest in CVC but also how corporates can strategically leverage venture investments for innovation and growth. It was amazing to see the level of engagement and passion for understanding the dynamics of CVC. A big thank you to all who attended and made this workshop a success – looking forward to continuing the momentum and driving further impact! 🚀 🔴 Featuring live in action: Rutvik Deepak and Kushal Shah #venturecapital #cvc #corporateventurecapital #dreamvc