Скачать или смотреть Episode 22 | Guest Episode: Michele Wanjiku – Africa Regional Lead, Endeavor Catalyst

What does it really take to build globally competitive startups from the African continent?

In this electrifying episode, we sit down with Michele Wanjiku, the Africa Regional Lead at Endeavor Catalyst – a $500M+ global co-investment fund backing high-growth entrepreneurs across emerging markets. Michele breaks down how Endeavor identifies exceptional founders, invests alongside top-tier global VCs, and helps scale startups across borders.

🎯 Whether you're a startup founder, investor, or ecosystem enabler, this episode is your masterclass in scaling African innovation.

📈 What You’ll Learn:
How Endeavor Catalyst turned a $10M philanthropic fund into $70M+ (7x cash-on-cash)
The secret behind co-investing only alongside the world's best VCs
Why Africa’s “PayPal Mafias” are shaping the continent’s startup future
Lessons from InstaDeep's $700M AI exit and the power of the multiplier effect
Why picking the wrong investor could doom your company (yes, even at Seed stage)

🌍 Endeavor’s Africa Portfolio Highlights:
40+ African startups funded
4 unicorns: Flutterwave, MNT-Halan, TymeBank, and Moniepoint
First Africa exit: InstaDeep (Tunisian AI startup, acquired for $700M)
Backed founders now mentoring and funding the next generation

💡 Wisdom Nuggets from Michele:
“You can build a global company from anywhere.”
“Your investor is not just capital—they’re a long-term partner.”
“Scaling your startup means scaling yourself first.”
“Don't over-engineer terms—keep your rounds clean and founder-friendly.”

📌 Who Is Michele Wanjiku?
🇰🇪 Africa Regional Lead, Endeavor Catalyst
🧠 Strategic Advisor at Chui Ventures
🌍 Startup ecosystem connector, investor matchmaker, and advocate for founder-friendly capital
🥾 Outdoor enthusiast, foodie, ex-New Yorker, and emerging market optimist

📣 Connect with Michele & Endeavor:
🔗 Michele Wanjiku on LinkedIn:   / michele-wanjiku-644a06a1  
🌐 Endeavor Catalyst: https://endeavor.org/catalyst/
🌍 Your Local Endeavor Office: https://endeavor.org/

🧠 Founders, take note:
If you're building in Africa and have global ambitions—Endeavor wants to hear from you.

#FullScalePodcast #EndeavorCatalyst #MicheleWanjiku #AfricanStartups #VCinAfrica #StartupInvesting #TechAfrica #FounderFunding #ScaleUpAfrica #WomenInVC #MultiplieEffect #InstaDeep #Flutterwave #Moniepoint #AfricaRising

‪@FullScalePodcast‬
00:00 - behind the scenes
07:42 - intro.
08:40 - About Michele Wanjiku.
11:03 - How did Michele get into start up?
14:24 - What does Endeavor do?
18:36 - What is a co- investment fund?
22:03 - Who is an Endeavor entrepreneur?
25:10 - How to join Endeavor?
28:08 - Biggest exciting trends.
32:15 - How do Endeavor link with new co- investors.
35:08 - Example of a multiplier effect connection in action.
39:30 - Evolving Trends in Africa for investment landscapes.
44:42 - Biggest challenges for a start up?
49:14 - Common mistakes for a start up?
54:31 - Founders time capsule.
57:23 - Surprise question.
1:00:02 - Outro and conclusion .