\u201cThe purpose of this roundtable is to build a relationship of trust with each other and to be true to our slogan of nothing about us without us \u2013 solving the challenge of women\u2019s financial inclusion can be accelerated with increased participation of women as innovators, problem solvers, entrepreneurs and business leaders\u201d –\u00a0Korkor Cudjoe<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
<\/p>\n
The event had a number of objectives aligned to GMT\u2019s vision of growing a robust pipeline of investor-ready businesses. They were:<\/p>\n
- \n
- To strengthen relationships with entrepreneurs within the Trust\u2019s network through providing informal and periodic check-ins.<\/li>\n
- Explain the investment journey to allow the entrepreneurs understand our investment process – including due diligence information requirements.<\/li>\n
- \u00a0To informally determine entrepreneurial tenacity, attitude, commitment, accountability and progress within entrepreneur business and towards achieving growth and technical assistance support.<\/li>\n
- Gather market intelligence around both financial and non-financial needs of women entrepreneurs in GMT\u2019s potential pipeline to help categorize the needs and develop product and service offering to respond to those needs.<\/li>\n
- Encourage peer listening, learning and communal sharing. Understand regional insights, sectoral differences and or business stage nuances as GLI fund invests.<\/li>\n
- Explain the next steps from GMT and the entrepreneurs and call for commitment to partner in the success of the GLI fund initiative.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
<\/p>\n
The Inaugural GMT Entrepreneur RoundTable: Understanding the Fundraising Journey: An Entrepreneur & Investor Perspective<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
The event discussed the entrepreneur and investor journey, engaged entrepreneurs on their experiences around growing their business, COVID and funding access including challenges faced and support required.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cTo adapt to the new normal, I wish to have a business model that\u2019s not constrained to one location to expand and engage women who are sewing from their homes for a collective project. This will reduce costs on infrastructure for my business\u201d shared one South African Entrepreneur – Textile Business. Her sentiments were shared by another Zambian Entrepreneur in Agro Processing. She said, \u201cmy wish is to have my product sold across Africa and to have avenues to create opportunities to employ women.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
<\/p>\n
The roundtable ended with deliberations on how best to drive the possibility of a gender lens investment vehicle designed by African women for African women, with entrepreneurs who were called upon to make commitments towards championing the cause.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cGender lens investing is not only about ownership but also about leadership and how all those areas can be accelerated at the point of investment. Meaning that as a business you may not already have a gender lens focus but ideally, you may end up having a gender lens after we invest,\u201d – Andia Chakava.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
<\/p>\n
Below are the learnings outcomes from the event<\/h4>\n
- \n
- 9 women entrepreneurs who are graduates from our various enterprise development programs or form part of our investable pipeline participated in the event from 5 countries (South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania)<\/li>\n
- Women entrepreneurs demonstrated great resilience during COVID despite facing challenges around cash flow and consumer demand.<\/li>\n
- Grant financing and business pivots supported business survival during the COVID crisis.<\/li>\n
- The stage was strengthened for building lasting relationships between GMT and our women entrepreneurs.<\/li>\n
- Entrepreneurs were willing to make tangible commitments to getting their businesses ready for investments by making necessary changes in preparation for this.<\/li>\n
- Entrepreneurs expressed their interest in technical assistance programs that supported funding readiness, involved localised role models for relatability and practicality and provided exposure and linkages to funding and markets.<\/li>\n
- Entrepreneurs were committed to being GMT\u2019s ambassadors for the gender lens investment fund and expressed willingness to share the opportunity with their networks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
<\/p>\n
This article was written by Jane Muia the investment analyst at the Gra\u00e7a Machel Trust.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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