Launched in 2016 by IROKO alumnus Jessica Hope, the communications consultancy has become the go-to B2B PR partner for startups, scale-ups, venture capital firms and institutional organisations looking to reach African and international audiences.

Over the past decade, the 15-strong team, located across London and Lagos, has advised some of the continent’s most recognisable tech companies and investors, including M-KOPA, Andela, MaxAB and Ventures Platform, helping shape communications around pivotal moments such as major funding rounds, product launches, crises, acquisitions and market expansions. 

Reinforcing its position as a leading storyteller in the tech ecosystem, in 2025, Wimbart launched The Wimbart Way – a podcast of deep-dive interviews with leading African tech space operators, investors, founders and journalists including Omobola Johnson, Iyin Aboyeji and Tomiwa Aladekomo, who each look at different aspects of the intersection of media and African tech storytelling.

The consultancy’s growth has mirrored the rapid rise of Africa’s technology sector. Since 2015, startups across the continent have raised over $20 billion, produced globally recognised unicorns and attracted increasing international investment.

Over the past decade, Wimbart has worked with 230+ clients across nearly 20 countries, including its key markets, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Egypt. In February 2016, the company expanded with the launch of Wimbart Lite, led by founding team member Maria Adediran, to provide communications support for early-stage startups.

Jessica Hope, Founder and CEO of Wimbart, says:

“We’ve had the pleasure of working alongside elite founders and investors building the continent’s tech ecosystem, and telling their stories globally, via hundreds of press releases and thousands of articles and interviews over the past decade.

“What has consistently defined us is simple; our energy, ambition and intensity matches our clients’. Passion underscores everything we do, but is coupled with PR technical skill and a nose for what makes a great story. Wimbart only works because the people building Africa’s tech ecosystem have continuously trusted us to tell their stories, and backed us to do it right.”

A short film marking Wimbart’s 10 year anniversary, featuring those who have helped shape the company – African tech leading ecosystem partners, clients and the Wimbart team [past and present] – can be found here.

The Summit, which was held from November 12th to 14th, 2025, with the theme “Growing the Pie: Building the Pathways for Liquidity, Scale, and Enduring Returns”, the Summit provided a forum for investors, operators, and other ecosystem players to explore the dynamics shaping Africa’s next decade of capital formation and liquidity.

The three-day Summit attracted stakeholders from key markets, framing the urgency of establishing clear liquidity benchmarks.

Leading executives, including Temi Popoola GMD/CEO, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) Group Plc, Tosin Eniolorunda, CEO of Moniepoint, Chirantan Patnaik, Director, Venture Capital at British Investment International, and Lexi Novitske, General Partner at Norrsken22, engaged in high-level sessions that scrutinised the true mechanics of scale.

They also tackled systemic barriers to sustained liquidity, assessing policy, regulatory, and operational constraints, including FX restrictions and capital controls.

Kicking off the Summit, Kola Aina, Founding Partner at Ventures Platform, in his open remarks emphasised that Africa stands at a pivotal moment where liquidity (not just capital), is the defining lever for scale.

He noted that closing the continent’s liquidity gap, which is driven by limited exit pathways and underdeveloped acquisition and listing markets, requires building acquisition-ready companies, deepening corporate participation in exits, strengthening listing readiness, and innovating Africa-specific liquidity mechanisms capable of driving long-term, continent-wide prosperity.

In a keynote address, Chirantan Patnaik provided a data-driven analysis of capital flows across Africa’s innovation ecosystem, detailing who is deploying capital, what LPs are seeking, and how fund managers must adapt.

By benchmarking Africa against Latin America and India, he drew parallels in market maturation, exit pathways, and fund dynamics, positioning Africa’s current challenges within a proven global growth curve.

His insights framed ongoing discussions on DPI, sustainability, and institutional readiness throughout the Summit.

Dotun Olowoporoku, managing partner at Ventures Platform, commented on the significance of the Summit,

“We started the Africa Prosperity Summit three years ago not just to host another conversation, but to build alignment around what truly drives growth on the continent. And as this year’s convening showed, unlocking liquidity and scale will require collaboration and trusted intelligence across the ecosystem. The next frontier for Africa will not only be about attracting capital, but also about earning it through transparency, resilience, and consistent performance. We remain committed to providing the platform for these conversations to thrive and drive results.”

Discussions extended beyond conventional equity, exploring venture debt, blended finance, and revenue-based financing as viable instruments for enabling African companies to achieve cross-border scale.

A recurring theme was the need for an authoritative measure of exit performance to inform sustainable investment and policymaking.

Participants also highlighted the importance of harnessing local capital as investment pipelines, strengthening talent management and operational infrastructure, and building robust exit strategies, all critical components for scaling startups and businesses successfully across the continent.

In a fireside chat titled “The Road to a Billion: Raising, Scaling, and Building Trust at Scale”, Dotun Olowoporoku and Tosin Eniolorunda shared insights on what it takes to scale African companies to billion-dollar valuations.

Both industry leaders agreed that sustainable growth in Africa requires a balance of ambition and discipline – combining bold vision with rigorous operational execution, building ecosystems of trust, and leveraging local insights to create businesses that are profitable, resilient, and scalable across borders.

Highlighting the importance of data in investment decisions, the Summit also saw the official launch of the first-ever African Exit Index, presented by Michael Famoroti, head of Research at Stears, Africa’s leading financial data provider.

The Index, a continuously updated, publicly accessible resource, aims to benchmark exit performance and provide investors and policymakers with actionable insights for strategic deployment.

Africa Prosperity Summit, now in its consecutive third year, has continued to serve as the essential platform for translating high-level conversations into the actionable strategies and trusted intelligence required for scalable, long-term prosperity.

This year’s edition was proudly sponsored by G. Elias, Aluko & Oyebode, Iron Capital, and Google for Startups Accelerator Africa. In line with its ecosystem-driven approach, this year’s summit was curated in collaboration with several ecosystem leaders, including AVCA, Algebra Ventures, Miva University, Novastar, Wimbart, 7 Generations Institute, and TLP Advisory.

Quick look:

• 51% of surveyed startups report difficulties in securing funding, with angel investors emerging as a crucial support.
• 30% of founders view regulatory challenges as significant barriers, calling for greater policy engagement.
• One-third of startups form strategic partnerships, highlighting collaboration as a key driver of resilience.

TLP Advisory, the venture law firm headquartered in Lagos, with offices in London and New York  marks ten years of operation with the launch of a new report, “A Decade of the Nigerian Venture Ecosystem: Numbers, Insights & Stories.”

The report provides a comprehensive analysis of Nigeria’s startup landscape, revealing the growth, challenges, and strategic shifts that have defined the ecosystem over the past decade.

Launched in 2014, TLP Advisory has advised over 250 clients in the Nigerian technology and venture ecosystem on transactions ranging from institutional investments, M&A, intellectual property, international expansion strategies and more.

TLP was also one of the only two law firms that drafted the landmark 2023 Nigerian Startup Act, which created the legal framework for key regulatory bodies to provide an enabling environment and support to startups in Nigeria.

Having worked on and structured many of the continent’s biggest deals for the fastest-growing technology companies, TLP has been well positioned to collect technical intelligence for the ecosystem over the past decade, as well as source candid insights from technology leaders.

A Decade of the Nigerian Venture Ecosystem: Numbers, Insights & Stories also chronicles the growth and evolution of the Nigerian venture ecosystem from its nascent stages in 2014 whilst also paying homage to early investors like Olumide Soyombo’s Leadpath and enablers like the CcHUB and Lagos Angel Network.

Key findings from A Decade of the Nigerian Venture Ecosystem: Numbers, Insights & Stories include

• Funding Struggles Amid Currency Devaluation: While 2021 saw record venture capital investments of USD 3 billion, 51% of startups surveyed cited difficulties in securing funding, primarily due to currency volatility and access to investors. Angel investors have emerged as a crucial funding source during this challenging period.
• Talent & Operational Efficiency: Talent acquisition and retention are among the top challenges for startups, emphasising the need for efficient operations and customer-centric strategies.
• Regulatory Hurdles: 30% of founders cite complex regulatory landscapes as a major hurdle, urging closer collaboration with policymakers, especially under the Nigeria Startup Act.

The report makes recommendations for fostering a more robust startup ecosystem in Nigeria and is now calling for the following:

1. Deepening Strategic Partnerships: Expanding collaborative efforts between startups and corporates can unlock new markets and aid regulatory navigation.
2. Investing in Talent Development: Addressing skill gaps is crucial for retaining high performers in a competitive landscape.
3. Engaging in Policy Development: Proactive participation in policy discussions is essential for creating a supportive business environment.

Odunoluwa Longe, co-founder of TLP Advisory, comments,

“Despite the current tough macroeconomic climes, engaging with participants in this project ignited in me renewed hope and optimism for our ecosystem. We embarked on this project as our way of celebrating the ecosystem that made us, and this report reflects both the resilience and the evolution of the Nigerian tech ecosystem. It’s not just about technology; it’s about building a future where founders, investors, and the public sector work together to make Nigeria a leader in innovation and digital solutions. Over the past decade, we’ve witnessed, and have been part of, incredible success stories born from collaboration and adaptability, and we believe the best is yet to come.”

Adenike Adeyemi, executive director of FATE Foundation, added

“The most unexpected challenge for entrepreneurs in Nigeria has been the unstable and inconsistent regulatory and business environment. Founders here often have to navigate unique complexities, and a supportive policy framework is essential for unlocking their full potential.”

Speaking to the need for proactive policy engagement, Kola Aina of Ventures Platform notes,

“The ecosystem must become more deliberate and take the job of engaging in government policy design more seriously, ensuring we shape the policies that govern our industry.”

In addition to quantitative metrics, the report features several compelling qualitative stories from key ecosystem players like Odunayo Eweniyi (Piggyvest), Mayowa Okegbenle (PressOne Africa), Nichole Yembra (The Chrysalis Co),  Kola Aina (Ventures Platform), Olumide Soyombo (Voltron Capital), Femi Longe (CcHUB) and Jessica Hope (Wimbart) – many of whom echoed the report’s findings, in terms of identifying challenges as well as reflecting on lessons learned.

Supported by key partners, including Big Cabal Media, Blue Advisory, PressOne Africa, Ventures Platform and Wimbart, the report reflects TLP’s commitment to advancing sustainable growth for African startups.

Through its legal-tech product, DIYLaw, TLP has also supported over 200,000 businesses, contributing to Nigeria’s economic development.

[Featured Image Credit]

The survey aims to understand the intricacies of investor relations within the African tech ecosystem and is now open for participation from startups and investors.

Findings from the inaugural report revealed that nearly one-third of startup investors do not receive periodic updates from their portfolio companies, which causes investor dissatisfaction and potentially hinders future funding.

This year’s edition will build on these findings by incorporating new insights from startup founders, aiming to track progress and chart the trajectory toward improved reporting in Africa’s tech ecosystem.

Supported by industry players such as Afrilabs, TLP Advisory, TechCabal, Ventures Platform, and London Africa Network, Wimbart invites all startup founders and investors in the African tech sector to share their experiences.

The quick and confidential survey is open until Friday, September 6th, 2024, at 23:59 WAT.

To access the inaugural Investor Comms Report: “Startup Performance Reporting in Africa 2023”, click here.

Wimbart is an award-winning, independent Public Relations and Corporate Communications consultancy specialising in Africa and emerging markets.

Wimbart has supported over 150 African-focused startups, scaleups, and investors for nearly a decade with hyper-targeted, impactful media and communications campaigns.

With a reputation for going beyond traditional PR, Wimbart’s unique understanding of the African technology ecosystem shapes its approach to breaking significant news stories and curating memorable press campaigns.

Based in London, Wimbart was named the 2023 Highly Commended Specialist Agency of the Year by PRWeek UK.

• Nearly one-third of startup investors do not receive periodic reports from their portfolio companies 
• Quality of startup reporting deemed as a “significant factor” in shaping perceptions of leadership, scoring 8.5 out of 10
• Consistency and reliability ranked as the most important features for investors during reporting process

According to a newly-released report from Wimbart, the leading PR agency specialising in tech & startup sectors across Africa and emerging markets, 71% of African tech investors will not invest follow-on funding in a startup failing to provide them with regular reporting updates.

Titled “Startup Performance Reporting in Africa: What do investors want to know?”, the report’s findings underscore the significant and timely need for founders across the ecosystem to reprioritise communication efforts with their existing investor base to support their long-term funding requirements. 

According to the report, 29% of startup investors stated they did not receive periodic reports from their portfolio companies. These findings are made especially more pertinent for founders considering when asked whether the quality of startup reporting was a significant factor in shaping perceptions of leadership, the average rating provided was 8.5 out of 10. Consistency and reliability were also ranked as the most important features for investors during the reporting process.   

Published as Wimbart’s inaugural investor relations report, “Startup Performance Reporting in Africa” explores the potential of consolidated investor reporting in boosting investor confidence and ongoing support in African technology startups. With over 90% of the report’s respondents comprising venture capitalists, angel investors, accelerators and incubators from across the continent, it is the first pan-African study to identify the pain points in investor relations communications and propose an optimised approach for African startups to adopt. Amidst a global downturn in investments whereby macro-economic conditions have forced a 50 percent year-on-year decline in fundraising success for startups per this report, Wimbart’s investor relations pan-African report is a timely resource for understanding investors expectations in startup performance reporting on the continent.

Speaking on the report, Jessica Hope, Founder and CEO at Wimbart says, ‘Over the last decade, we’ve worked alongside a wide variety of stakeholders from across Africa’s tech space, providing us with a unique and holistic insight into the gaps throughout the ecosystem. In recent years, we’ve become increasingly familiar with anecdotal intelligence on the lack of consistent investor communications and with our growing network of VCs, DFIs and early-stage investors, we strongly believed it was the ideal time to accurately capture the problem and contextualise the narrative.”

“The resounding conclusion from our research is that in light of the current funding climate, founders simply cannot afford to neglect consistent engagement with current & potential investors. Now more than ever, there is a huge need for clear, regular and standardised updates to investors so they can not only accurately assess the health of their portfolio companies during this critical period, but sustain the upward trend in funding we’ve experienced over the last 5 – 10 years.”   

Launched in 2015, Wimbart has supported 120+ African-focused startups, scaleups and investors with high-profile names including Andela, TLcom, Wasoko, Piggyvest, Sparkle and Moove, producing hyper-targeted, relevant & meaningful media and communications campaigns. Based in London, the company was recently named Agency of the Year by BME PR Pros in the UK. 

Commenting further, Kola Aina, Founding Partner at Ventures Platform, says, “ In venture capital, investing in transparency is paramount, and consistent reporting is a sign of accountability. When startups regularly share their progress, challenges, and achievements, they are demonstrating a genuine commitment to transparency with investors. This reporting is also critical to keeping investors engaged and excited to help the company navigate challenges. In Africa especially, this credibility can serve as a crucial differentiator for investors seeking the most promising companies.” 

Despite a healthy appetite for entrepreneurship in Africa, there are still many challenges, and effective communication with investors is critical; founders therefore need to be intentionally accountable to existing investors by providing consistent and useful periodic investor updates, the report has revealed. 

Anna Ekeledo, Executive Director, AfriLabs, adds “Consistent reporting of a startup’s performance enhances investor confidence. Through this, the startup builds trust, shows accountability to their stakeholders, and gives investors the peace of mind. Investors can also support by analysing the data to spot potential pitfalls ahead of time, allowing them to step in with vital strategies to support the startup’s success.

The full report can be downloaded for free here.  

Facts About Wimbart

Wimbart has supported 120+ African-focused startups, scaleups and investors for almost a decade to produce hyper-targeted, relevant & meaningful media and communications campaigns and has gained a unique understanding of the gaps in the African technology ecosystem in the process.

Based in London, Wimbart is specialised in emerging markets and was recently named Agency of the Year by BME PR Pros in the UK.

Long-time Wimbart collaborators Ventures Platform will join the Office Hours programme for a third consecutive year and will be joined by TechCabal in delivering keynote talks. In an enhanced offering for 2022, cohort four will also receive talks by ecosystem leaders TLP Advisory, Norebase and Wowzi.

Wimbart Office Hours is a free mentorship programme targeted at early-stage startups with a focus on companies building tech solutions for Africans on the continent or the diaspora and has been structured to provide guidance, insight and tools on a range of topics from developing successful communications plans to building relationships with journalists, communicating with investors and how to amplify press coverage.

To-date, 70+ start-ups have gone through the programme, from over 10 countries and Wimbart Office Hours alumni include Healthtracka, Tix Africa, Artdey, Nguvu Health, Fashtracker and Vybe, among others.

Applications to be part of the fourth cohort are now open and will close on Friday 22nd July 2022. Eligible startups must:

• be located on or providing services to the continent 
• be less than two years old
• have a minimum viable product available 
• have secured investment at no later than a seed-level stage 

Successful Cohort 4 Office Hours start-ups will receive three X one hour all-cohort keynote training sessions, led by Wimbart [an introduction to PR & Communications], Ventures Platform [How to communicate with VCs] and TechCabal [How to communicate and build relationships with the media] before being matched with senior PR professionals from the Wimbart team who will deliver three one-on-one mentorship sessions over an 8 week period.

In addition, cohort four will receive expert talks from leaders in the investment strategy, legal and brand/consumer social space, with  Odunoluwa Longe of TLP Advisory, Garth Manthe of Wowzi and Adetola Onayemi of Norebase delivering presentations. 

Speaking on the launch of the fourth edition of Wimbart Office Hours, Founder and CEO, Jessica Hope says, “Wimbart has worked with almost 100 African technology companies over the years, which has given us a unique insight into the support and business tools they need. Previously we have focused Office Hours on PR & communications, but we realised that even more access to professional services was needed, which is why for 2022, we are excited to connect our incredible network of ecosystem operators to our cohort”. 

Kola Aina, Founder and General Partner of Ventures Platform says, “The funding space within Africa has grown tremendously over the last few years and it’s critical for start-ups to understand how they communicate with investors at every stage and how to powerfully connect with their customer base. The Wimbart team has a stellar track record of selecting and mentoring some very exciting early-stage companies and we’re excited to be on board for cohort four”

Tomiwa Aladekomo, CEO Big Cabal Media says, “Building long-term relationships with the media is a skill that needs to be learned and adopted by any start-up looking to build and maintain their public profile in our ecosystem. We’ve seen how companies who’ve progressed through previous Office Hours cohorts have managed to navigate the space, and so we’re excited to be joining the programme and continuing the work Wimbart has done to help nurture communications skills in our space.” 

Tech startups based in Africa or the diaspora interested in applying for Wimbart Office Hours can find out more information and apply for the programme via the website. Applications close on Friday 22nd July 2022 at 12pm BST, successful applicants will be notified on Thursday, 1st September 2022.