Shows
The BIG5D PodcastEpisode 57: Bianca Waterberg, NspyreEpisode 57 of the Big5D Podcast again turns to the May 2025 BigFive Summit in Cape Town for a great conversation about tech and business in Africa.
This conversation, recorded at Innovation City Cape Town on 6 May 2025, features a primer on how to choose a digital marketing agency partner led by Summit Co-host Amanda Louw-Bester (Pragmattica Consulting) and featuring Bianca Waterberg, the founder and CEO of the Cape Town digital agency Nspyre, which specializes in paid media and SEO.
Really, it all comes down to clear and effective communication. As Bianca puts it during this conversation, "You want your agency to...
2025-07-2650 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 56: Keshni Morar, Founder InstituteIn Episode 56 of the BIG5D Podcast, we talk about venture building with Keshni Morar, the MD-South Africa, Founder Institute. The conversation jumps off from a LinkedIn post Keshni wrote about #Statuptruth in which she laments how too many startup founders fail to appreciate the need to carefully manage the funds they raise from investors.
“$1M in funding doesn't make you rich,” Keshni wrote. “It makes you responsible.”
Keshni’s post goes on to recount the story of one founder who spent VC money on a “founder wellness” trip to a tropical island.
The substance of Keshni’s post is that venture fun...
2025-07-1541 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 55: Live from the BigFive Summit -- GTM for SMEsEpisode 55 of the Big5D Podcast once again turns to the May 2025 BigFive Summit in Cape Town for a great conversation about tech and business in Africa.
This conversation, recorded at Innovation City Cape Town on 6 May 2025, features a panel on Go to Market Strategies for SMEs led by Summit Co-host Amanda Louw-Bester (Pragmattica Consulting).
The panel features three entrepreneurs who have seen it all and can at the very least steer small business founders away from obvious mistakes in the early stages of their business journey.
The panelists offer a wide array of insights for founders on everything from...
2025-07-0732 min
The BIG5D PodcastEpisode 54: Live from the BigFive Summit -- Supporting StartupEpisode 54 of the BIG5D Podcast again turns to the recent BigFive Summit in Cape Town for source material. This episode features a panel discussion of the kinds of support, in addition to capital, that African startups need to be successful -- things like best practice sharing and mentorship, among others. Sharing their views are Lucie Fink, CEO of Thinkroom Consulting; Egla Ntumba of MsFit Ventures, and Thapelo Ntite, Co-founder of Botlhale AI.
This discussion originally took place on stage on 8 May at Innovation City Cape Town.
2025-06-1840 min
The BIG5D PodcastEpisode 53: Jamie Wyngaard, LoopEpisode 53 of the Big5D Podcast comes from the recording of an on-stage interview with Loop Co-founder Jamie Wyngaard at the 2025 BigFive Summit in Cape Town.
Loop is a South African fintech startup that has digitized payments for African minibus taxi drivers using WhatsApp. Loop's broader ambition is to become a payment solution for emerging markets.
Episode 53 of the BIG5D Podcast is supported by The 2025 BigFive Summit Sponsors.
The Summit's sponsors were led by Premium Sponsor Absa Group and also included Dialog, NSPYRE, Networds, AfriGIS, and Pragmattica Digital Consulting.
2025-06-0815 min
The BIG5D PodcastEpisode 52: Zach George, Launch Africa VenturesEpisode 52 of the Big5D Podcast comes from the recording of a Fireside Chat (sans fire) that we recorded with Zachariah George at the 2025 BigFive Summit in Cape Town. Zach is the Managing Partner of Launch Africa Ventures, the Cape Town venture firm that has invested in African startups including Happy Pay, Peach Payments, Kuda Bank, Moove, Gozem, and many others.
Zach has a very clear perspective on Africa Tech. He believes there needs to be more funding for tech startups that comes from within Africa, in particular South Africa. And he also thinks fouders in Africa need to take...
2025-05-2943 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 51: Tinashe Ruzane, FlexClubThis episode of the BIG5D Podcast is presented by Local Knowledge.
Episode 51 of the BIG5D Podcast, features a conversation about using the subscription model to help South Africans gain access to automobiles in a non-traditional manner with Tinashe Ruzane, the co-founder and CEO of FlexClub.
FlexClub helps South Africans access vehicles when they need them on a pay-as-you-go basis (they partner with major car rental platforms in South Africa).
Ruzane, a former Uber executive, explains why car subscriptions make more sense in a market like South Africa where the need for vehicles is high but accessibility is very...
2024-11-1934 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 50: Neal PolachekThis podcast usually talks to guests with a foot on the ground in Africa or the Middle East. For this episode, we make an exception.
Neal Polachek is an old colleague who has co-founded Dialog, a business doing groundbreaking research around small business use of AI. Dialog is learning not just how many SMEs are using AI but why and what the outcome is of this usage.
The bottom line is no surprise. Time is the SME's most precious resource and AI gives them back an abundance of time.
Dialog is currently US-based but will be expanding globally.
2024-09-1040 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 49: Steven Boykey Sidley, Johannesburg Business SchoolSteven Boykey Sidely is a professor, author, and investor with strongly held views on the threats and opportunities presented by AI.
This candid and engaging conversation spans AI safety, the AI opportunity for startups, and AI's geopolitical implications.
It is a fascinating conversation that you will not want to miss.
2024-08-1337 min
The BIG5D PodcastEpisode 48: Houssam Kayal, FOOThis week's guest on the BIG5D Podcast is Houssam Kayal, the chief revenue officer at FOO, a Dubai-based B2B SaaS company that offers banking-as-a-service and other solutions that help corporations offer financial services.
The conversation covers trends in fintech that are making financial services more widely accessible.
The BIG5D Podcast is brought to you by BigFive Digital.
Questions about the show? Write to us at info@bigfivedigital.org.
This episode is supported by Fraktional.dev.
"Where innovation meets code, and the possibilities of technology unfold at your fingertips"
2024-07-2228 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 47: Nic Rawhani, VulaNic Rawhani is a native South African software engineer and McKinsey alum who has co-founded Vula, a company that aims to use AI to solve Africa's SME funding gap, which Rawhani says surpasses $330 billion.
The conversation digs into the bad experiences most SMEs face in Africa as they seek the funding any business needs to operate.
Rawhani shares how Vula uses AI to make the financing application process easier for both SMEs and the banks who stand to gain from closing the continent's SME funding gap.
The BIG5D Podcast is brought to you by BigFive Digital.
Questions about the...
2024-07-0240 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 46: Imtiyaz Mohamed, Realm DigitalImtiyaz Mohamed is the principal consultant at South Africa technology consulting firm Realm Digital. One of Realm's and Imtiyaz's focus areas is augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR).
The conversation focused on clarifying what AR/VR is (and isn't) and how businesses use it today to save money, improve safety, and more.
The BIG5D Podcast is brought to you by BigFive Digital.
To ask questions, recommend a guest, or inquire about sponsorship, write to us at info@bigfivedigital.org
Find @RealDigital on X.
The episode is sponsored by Fraktional.dev
2024-06-1834 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 45: Zane Stenning, Mia Health TechnologiesZane Stenning is the Co-founder of Mia Health Technologies, a Cape Town startup that addresses profound needs in Africa by providing greater access to dental care. Zane and his team do this via mobile clinics. But Mia also leans into new technologies from 3D printing to connected technology to AI to scale its services.
Zane was a speaker at the 2024 BigFive Summit in Cape Town.
Realm Digital sponsored this episode of the BIG5D Podcast. Realm empowers industry leaders through innovative business solutions. Contact them at realmdigital.com.
2024-04-2229 minThe BIG5D PodcastSummit Speaker Series John KitengeThe BigFive Summit Speaker Podcast Series continues with a conversation with John Kitenge, a young South African entrepreneur who founded Fraktional.dev, a marketplace that matches IT talent with startups and cpr[pporates.
The interview covers how startups can use alternative workplace models to access higher quality talent, along with a lively discussion on how AI is changing the business of coding.
This episode is sponsored by the 2024 BigFive Summit, "Africa's leading small business technology event" which is coming to Cape Town 19-20 March 2024. Learn more at qkt.io/laNIFj
2024-02-2531 minThe BIG5D PodcastSummit Speaker Series Thaheer MullinsThe BigFive Summit Speaker Podcast Series continues with a conversation with Thaheer Mullins. He is the general partner of Savant Venture Fund, which is a deep tech-focused venture firm and startup accelerator.
The interview talks about how the fourth industrial revolution is breeding some very interesting companies that are addressing real needs in Africa.
This episode is sponsored by the 2024 BigFive Summit, "Africa's leading small business technology event" which is coming to Cape Town 19-20 March 2024. Learn more at qkt.io/laNIFj
2024-02-1831 min
The BIG5D PodcastSummit Speaker Series Kimberley TaylorThe BigFive Summit Speaker Podcast Series continues with a conversation with Kimberley Taylor. She is the founder and CEO of Loop, a South African logistics tech company that helps delivery companies with route optimization.
The interview talks about how her company progressed from idea to execution as well as the perspective of a young founder on what it takes to run a tech startup and the hard lessons learned int he process of doing so.
This episode is sponsored by the 2024 BigFive Summit, "Africa's leading small business technology event" which is coming to Cape Town 19-20 March 2024. Learn more at...
2024-02-1438 minThe BIG5D PodcastSummit Speaker Series Fiona TabrahamThe BigFive Summit Speaker Podcast Series continues with a conversation with Fiona Tabraham, CEO of Capaciti, a South African organization that provides digital skills training for African youth so that they can compete for tech-related jobs in the private sector.
This episode is sponsored by the 2024 BigFive Summit, "Africa's leading small business technology event" coming to Cape Town 19-20 March 2024. Learn more at https://qkt.io/laNIFj
2024-02-0534 minThe BIG5D PodcastSummit Speaker Series Ashmita SinghEpisode 2 of the 2024 BigFive Summit Speaker Series featured a chat about economic inclusion with Ashmita Singh, the Co-founder of SwapVend Afrika and the Co-Managing Director for South Africa of AMLANDA Social Entreprises.
The conversation is focused on addressing informal SMEs with technology, which has been Singh's life's work.
This episode is sponsored by the 2024 BigFive Summit, 19-20 March in Capoe Town. https://qkt.io/laNIFj
2024-01-2629 minThe BIG5D PodcastSummit Speaker Series Aisha PandorThe BigFive Summit Speaker Series features conversations about Africa’s tech scene, empowering SMEs with technology, entrepreneurship, leadership, startup life, and much more featuring the incredible thought leaders who will speak at the 2024 BigFive Summit, 19-20 March in Cape Town.
The series’ first guest is Aisha Pandor, the CEO of SweepSouth, a two-sided marketplace startup celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
This podcast series is sponsored by The 2024 BigFive Summit
2024-01-0840 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Ep. 38: "The 5 Trillion Dollar Credit Gap" with Jia CEO Zach MarksDuda is a website builder trusted by more than 20,000 agencies and SaaS platforms worldwide. Every 17 seconds a new website is created on Duda. Partner with Duda to build high-performing websites at scale while reaching higher productivity with a customizable platform designed for agencies and SaaS companies.Please write to Mitul Patel (Mitul@duda.co) to begin a conversation with Duda.The BIG5D Podcast is back and this episode features an engaging and informative conversation with Zach Marks, the Co-founder and CEO of blockchain-based fintech Jia. The company, formed in 2022, provides access to...
2023-07-1232 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 38: Zack Marks, JiaEpisode 38 of the BIG5D Podcast features an interview with Zack Marks. He is the Co-founder and CEO of Jia, a blockchain-based small business lender that is focused on emerging markets, where Marks says there is a $5 trillion small business credit gap.
Jia's current operational scope includes Kenya, with ambitions to expand elsewhere within Africa.
This episode is sponsored by the no-code website builder Duda. Please visit them at Duda.co to learn more about how they help digital agencies deliver website solutions to their customers.
2023-07-1132 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Ep. 37: "Automating Digital Marketing for SMEs" with AdBot Founder & CEO Michelle GeereDuda is a website builder trusted by more than 20,000 agencies and SaaS platforms worldwide. Every 17 seconds a new website is created on Duda. Please write to Mitul Patel (Mitul@duda.co) to begin a conversation with Duda.Episode 37 of the Big5D Podcast delves into how AI can move the needle for small business digital marketing in Africa. Our guest is Michelle Geere, the founder & CEO of AdBot.AdBot is a Cape Town-based start-up that uses AI and machine learning to automate the process of advertising on Google and Bing for small businesses. ...
2023-05-0841 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 37: Michelle Geere, AdBotEpisode 37 of the BIG5D Podcast features a conversation with Michelle Geere, CEO of Adbot, a Cape Town startup that automates Google and Bing ads for SMEs. The conversation included a discussion of how AI will change everything from digital marketing to employment to how we create the movies we love.
This episode is sponsored by the no-code website builder Duda.co. Please visit them at Duda.co to learn more about how they help digital agencies deliver website solutions to their customers.
2023-05-0841 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 36: "Smart Asset Financing" with Untapped Global's Caitlin CraigEpisode 36 of BigFive Digital’s BIG5D Podcast features another speaker from the recent BigFive Digital Summit in Cape Town (aka “Africa’s Leading Small-business Technology Event”). Our guest, Caitlin Craig, is head of private capital markets for Untapped Global, which she describes as a “Global investment company focused on emerging markets, specifically Africa. We're trying to reshape how profitable investing is done.”Untapped follows a revenue-based financing model. What does this mean, exactly?Caitlin says that revenue-based financing “allows us to track the health of the assets and the health of the businesses we...
2023-04-0425 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 36: Caitlin Craig, Untapped GlobalEpisode 36 of the BIG5D Podcast features a conversation with Caitlin Craig, head of private capital markets at Untapped Global, an asset based financing firm focused on emerging marketing, in particular Africa.
This episode is sponsored by the no code website builder Duda.co.
2023-04-0425 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 35: Lavina Ramkissoon, the "aiMom"Episode 35 of the Big5D Podcast features an interview with Lavina Ramkissoon, a South African expert on artificial intelligence, who has adopted the personal brand "the aiMom".
She is an advisor to the Africa Union and a co-founder of the Fintech Association of South Africa.
The discussion is focused on the real opportunity for AI in Africa, particularly for businesses in Africa.
This episode is sponsored by Duda
www.duda.co/
2023-03-0327 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 34: 'Building the Future in Real Time' with CV VC's Brenton NaickerWe are excited to return this week with the BIG5D Podcast. Our latest guest is Brenton Naicker, who is the Director of Capital Formation and Growth at CV VC, which is a Swiss blockchain-focused venture capital firm that is now actively investing in Africa. We reached out to Brenton to discuss two broad topics. The first was to understand what the heck is going on in crypto, notably in the wake of the collapse of FTX and an overall very bad past year or so for the industry. “I think it really is...
2023-01-2035 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 34: Brenton Naicker, CV VCEpisode 34 of the Big5D Podcast features an interview with Brenton Naicker, Director of Capital Formation and Growth at CV VC, a blockchain-focused Swiss venture firm that is actively investing in Africa.
The interview includes Brenton's take on recent developments in the cryptocurrency industry. The bulk of the conversation deals with how blockchain-based startups are uniquely well-positioned to solve real-world problems in Africa.
This episode is sponsored by Duda
www.duda.co/
2023-01-1935 min
The BIG5D PodcastBig5D Podcast Episode 33: 'Save Now, Buy Later' with LayUp Technologies' Andrew KatzwinkelSouth African Andrew Katzwinkel, our latest guest on the BIG5D Podcast, is trying to shake up buy now, pay later with a relatively new alternative payments model called “save now, buy later” or SNBL for those fond of acronyms.For those few of you not yet in the know, BNPL lets consumers take immediate possession of goods they will pay for later through installments. SNBL is BNPL’s stern, responsible cousin. SNBL still facilitates buying cool things like furniture and jewelry. But you have to make your last payment before you can take possession of the chair...
2022-12-1336 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 33: Andrew Katzwinkel, LayUp TechnologiesThis episode features an interview with Andrew Katzwinkel, CEO of LayUp Technologies, a South African fintech that offers save now, buy later payments solutions to merchants large and small.
This episode includes a discussion of LayUp''s efforts to establish SNBL as a responsible alternative to the popular but controversial buy now, pay later payments method.
This episode is sponsored by Duda
www.duda.co/
2022-12-1236 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 32: 'A Super App for Retailers' with MarketForce's Tyler KarahaliosWe are excited to return this week with the BIG5D Podcast. We apologize for the unplanned hiatus we have taken over the past few months with the podcast and newsletter. The pause was due to a health challenge on our team that required taking extensive time off to recover. We are now back to creating unique content about B2B tech in Africa and the Middle East. We are also well into planning our 2023 BigFive Summit, which returns to Cape Town on 15-16 March at the Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel. Please add “Africa’s leading small busi...
2022-12-0128 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 32: Tyler Karahalios, MarketForceThis episode features an interview with Tyler Karahalios, Global Head of Special Projects and Merchant Banking for MarketForce, an East African retail distribution platform that was founded in Kenya in 2018.
This episode includes a discussion of MarketForce's effort to build a super app for Africa's informal retailers.
This episode is sponsored by Duda
www.duda.co/
2022-11-2928 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 31: Firas Ahmad, AzamPayThis episode features an interview with Firas Ahmad, Group CEO, AzamPay, an East African mobile money platform.
Topics range from the future of mobile money to the state of venture investing in Africa.
To access podcast bonus features, please subscribe at ctlaughlin.substack.com/
This episode is sponsored by Duda
https://www.duda.co/
2022-08-2329 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 30: Zachariah George, Launch Africa VenturesThis episode features an interview with Zachariah George, MP of Launch Africa Ventures, an early-stage VC investing in African B2B startups.
To access podcast bonus features, subscribe at https://ctlaughlin.substack.com/
Here is a link to the article on the demise of Kune Food.https://ctlaughlin.substack.com/i/60532660/the-sad-demise-of-kune-food
This episode is sponsored by Matchcraft
https://www.matchcraft.com/
2022-08-1136 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 29: 'Buy Now, Pay Later' with Mobicred CEO Jason SiveThis episode of the BIG5D Podcast is brought to you by MatchcraftJason Sive is lumped in with the buy now, pay later space via his company, Mobicred. But he resists this grouping, noting that what his company really offers is a virtual credit facility. And this bears more similarity to traditional revolving credit than the no interest, no fees “pay in four” structure that most of us associate with buy now, pay later.Mobicred, which was recently acquired by RCS, offers a virtual credit facility and partners with retailers to offer at the poin...
2022-05-2421 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 29: Jason Sive, MobicredEpisode 29: Jason Sive, the CEO of South African virtual credit platform Mobicred talks about the problems facing the buy now, pay later space. This interview was recorded at the BigFive Summit, 12-13 May 2022 in Cape Town.
2022-05-2321 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 28: South Africa Shark Vinny LinghamThis episode of the BIG5D Podcast is brought to you by MatchcraftVinny Lingham is currently CEO of the video conferencing startup Waitroom. But he is best known for his side gig as a Shark on South Africa’s version of the reality show Shark Tank. For the uninitiated, Shark Tank is the show where entrepreneurs try to convince a panel of hard-nosed investors like Vinny to put money into their businesses.Shark Tank pitches tend to spring from the personal needs or passions of the entrepreneurs. Hence they’re heavy on products involving kids...
2022-04-2532 min
The BIG5D PodcastEpisode 28: Vinny Lingham, WaitroomThis episode features South Africa Shark Vinny Lingham talking about his new company Waitroom, why South Africa will never be a tech innovation leader, the true promise of blockchain, and what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.
This episode is sponsored by Matchcraft
2022-04-2232 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 27: CV VC Managing Director, Africa, Gideon Greaves (Free Version)This episode of the BIG5D Podcast is brought to you by MatchcraftOur latest podcast guest Gideon Greaves is MD, Africa for CV Vc, a Swiss investment firm that is all blockchain, all the time.Greaves, who joined the firm last year, is charged with finding and investing in blockchain-based startups in Africa. But in order to achieve that objective, his Swiss-based firm CV VC, also sees its role as creating an ecosystem that will help make these startups more successful.In fact, his firm’s origins are in hosting startup competitions an...
2022-03-0430 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 27: Gideon Greaves, CV VCEpisode 27 features Gideon Greaves, MD, Africa for CV VC, a Zurich-based blockchain-focused VC firm.
Greaves was brought on last year to build the VC firm's Africa practice. As he explains in the podcast, there is plenty of activity among startups built on blockchain technology, many of which address small business pain points. What's missing, Greaves argues, is a stronger supporting ecosystem and more capital.
Greaves will also speak at our upcoming BigFive Summit, 11-13 May 2022 in Cape Town.
To receive the full, ad-free version of the podcast, please subscribe at https://ctlaughlin.substack.com/
2022-03-0430 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 26: Orda Co-Founder & CEO Guy Futi (Free Version)This episode of the BIG5D Podcast is brought to you by MatchcraftGuy Futi is a born entrepreneur. The Congolese founder of food tech SaaS platform Orda was born in Gabon and raised in Canada, and educated at some of the world’s finest schools. He later honed his management chops at Jumia, one of Africa’s tech unicorns.One of Guy’s many childhood business ventures involved burning CDs off Napster downloads and selling them for walking around money. Fast forward a few years, he and his wife created and produced a reality show f...
2022-02-2831 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 26: Guy Futi, OrdaIn 2020, Guy Futi left Jumia, where he ran Jumia Food in Nigeria, to launch Orda, a Lagos-based software company that aspires to be the operating system for small (and also large) restaurants across Africa.
Great conversation about launching a business and raising money with a born entrepreneur.
This is a free version of the podcast. To listen to the full episode, please subscribe at https://ctlaughlin.substack.com/
2022-02-2331 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 25: Mike Smits, Ukheshe TechnologiesEpisode 25 of the BIG5D Podcast features a conversation with Mike Smits, CFO and a co-founder of Ukheshe, a South African fintech that provides API-first fintech-as-a-service solutions to banks, telecoms, and other fintech companies.
2021-10-2527 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 25: Ukheshe Co-Founder & CFO Mike SmitsEpisode 25 of the BIG5D Podcast features a conversation with Mike Smits, who is co-founder and CFO of Ukheshe, a South African fintech that operates largely in the background of Africa’s financial services ecosystem. Ukheshe was founded in 2018 as a B2C digital banking application with a mission to promote small business financial inclusions in Africa.But the Johannesburg-based company quickly realized that becoming a platform for other companies to build fintech products was a better path to scale than building a consumer-facing product. The latter would require raising a lot of money and po...
2021-10-2527 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 24: Africa 118/Taskmoby Founder Ezana RasworkEpisode 24 of the BIG5D Podcast features Ezana Raswork, founder and CEO of Africa 118, an East African local search platform, and of Taskmoby, an on-demand home services marketplace platform based in Ethiopia. Taskmoby connects consumers with vetted service providers, including domestic workers, plumbers, electricians, with more categories coming. Taskmoby made news recently when it was named as one of 50 startups receiving investments from the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund in Africa. This is a meaningful award. Google has invested $3 million in the fund, which translates into non-dilutive cash investments up to $100,000. The...
2021-10-1829 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 24: Ezana Raswork, Africa 118 & TaskmobyThis episode features an interview with Ezana Raswork, CEO of Africa 118 and Taskmoby. The latter company is an Ethiopean home services platform that was a 2021recipient of Google's Black Founders Award, an equity-free investment from the search giant.
2021-10-1829 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 23: Postpay Founder and CEO Tariq SheikhEpisode 23 of the BIG5D Podcast features Tariq Sheikh, founder and CEO of Postpay, A Dubai-based buy now, pay later platform. This is a branch of eCommerce and fintech that allows consumers to pay for purchases in installments, often interest-free. The model is popular worldwide, in particular among younger consumers. Postpay was formed in 2019 by Sheikh, a former management consultant, and his co-founder Dani Molina, who was previously co-founder and CTO of Spanish BNPL Aplazme. Sheikh and Molina launched their product in 2020. Around the same time, several other companies did the same thing in the...
2021-09-1340 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 23: Tariq Sheikh, CEO, PostpayPostpay is a player in the Middle East buy now, pay later space. And it hopes soon in the wider Africa, Middle East, and Asian markets.
A former consultant, Sheikh launched Postpay in 2019, around the same time as several other regional competitors. The podcast covers the BNPL business model, competitive environment, future direction, and more.
Episode sponsored by Matchcraft.com
2021-09-1240 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 22: Omnibiz Africa Founder and CEO Deepankar RustagiEpisode 22 of the BIG5D Podcast features Deepankar Rustagi, CEO of Omnibiz Africa.Deepankar founded Lagos-based Omnibiz in 2020 to help small FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) retailers run their businesses more efficiently. Omnibiz has a solution for each link in the local FMCG value chain — retailers, field agents, suppliers, and drivers. Omnibiz offers agents, suppliers, and drives revenue opportunities. The company recently raised a $3 million seed round to build out its product and pursue international expansion. The company has raised $4 million since its inception. And Deepankar believes Omnibiz will need to raise $50 million in or...
2021-09-0831 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 22: Deepankar Rustagi, CEO, OmnibizDeepankar Rustagi founded Omnibiz in 2020 to help small FMCG retailers run their businesses more efficiently. He explains his business and his outlook on Africa's tech scene in this 30-minute interview.
The company recently raised $3 million to build out its product and pursue international expansion.
Episode sponsored by Matchcraft (matchcraft.com)
2021-09-0831 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 21: Kune Food Managing Director Kennedy KamauEpisode 21 of the BIG5D Podcast features an interview with Kune Food Managing Director Kennedy Kamau. Kune Food is an interesting company in many ways. The Kenyan food tech startup’s model sits at the intersection of cloud kitchens, delivery apps, virtual restaurants, home meal kits, and more. Following a pilot in Nairobi earlier this year, Kune is now gearing up to fully roll out a concept where it prepares either hot, on-demand meals or packaged ready-to-heat-and-eat meals in its own cloud kitchen, which it calls a “factory”. The company currently is in the pr...
2021-08-2631 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 21: Kennedy Kamau, MD, Kune FoodThe episode features an interview with Kennedy Kamau, a startup veteran who is now managing director of Kune Food, a food-tech startup in Nairobi that has a unique business model, using its own cloud kitchen and a fully owned and operated distribution network.
The company raised a $1M pre-seed round this year. This event sparked a brief controversy over supposed preferential treatment for ex-pat startup founders in Africa. Kune's founder is a French national.
This episode is sponsored by MatchCraft, a global martech firm with partners on six continents. Please visit them at matchcraft.com.
2021-08-2531 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 20: Sky.Garden CEO Martin MajlundThis episode is supported by Matchcraft, a global martech company powering local search, social, and display campaigns. Matchcraft has introduced “Powered By”, a solution that productizes its suite of APIs, giving third-party platforms access to the technology behind its flagship AdVantage platform. Visit Matchcraft.com for more.Episode 20 of the BIG5D Podcast features an interview with Sky.Garden CEO Martin Majlund. Sky.Garden is a Kenyan mobile-first SaaS company that provides an eCommerce platform for small merchants. The company sees itself as a Shopify-like solution for merchants in East Africa (and perhaps soon, West Africa...
2021-08-0342 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 20: Martin Majlund, CEO, Sky.GardenThis episode features Martin Majlund, co-founder and CEO of Sky.Garden, an eCommerce that offers a Shopify-like solution to small businesses in East Africa. The company recently raised $4 million to grow and expand internationally.
This episode is sponsored by Matchcraft.
2021-08-0342 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 19: SmartWage CEO Simon EllisIn its latest episode, the Big5D Podcast features Simon Ellis, the Co-founder and CEO of SmartWage. We asked Simon detailed questions about his company, which fits broadly into the financial inclusion space. SmartWage was founded in 2019 as an earned wage access platform for South African employers and workers. Essentially it allows workers to tap into wages they have already earned for a small fee, which is either paid by them or their employer.Why is this important? Far too many South African workers run out of money before their next payday. This is most ac...
2021-07-2639 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 19: Simon Ellis, SmartWageThis episode features a conversation about earned wage access with SmartWave CEO Simon Ellis. EWA is an increasingly common tool that gives employees access to wages before payday, usually for a small fee. EWA platforms are popping up all across Africa, where the need is acute. By some measures, nearly 80% of lower-wage workers in South Africa run out of money before payday, leaving them vulnerable to payday lenders. Simon walks us through the business model, detailing both its challenges and opportunities.
2021-07-2339 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 18: Grubtech CEO Mohamed Al FayedThis week the BIG5D Podcast welcomes grubtech Co-founder and CEO Mohamed Al Fayed. Grubtech is emerging as a key infrastructure player in the UAE’s exploding ghost kitchen scene.Dubai-based grubtech (founded in 2019) doesn’t operate virtual restaurants. The company has built an operating system to address the friction points arising from running a high-volume food delivery business. Its software provides the efficiency needed to serve multiple delivery-only brands from a single location.“Our key takeaway from studying the space was that there was no out of the box or native built technology to power these...
2021-06-1139 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 18: Mohamed Al Fayed, GrubtechMohamed Al Fayed is co-founder and CEO of grubtech company that is emerging as a key infrastructure player in the UAE’s exploding ghost kitchen scene.Grubtech has built an operating system to address the friction points arising from running a high-volume food delivery business.
2021-06-1039 min
The BIG5D PodcastThe BIG5D Podcast Episode 17: Tori Samples, CTO, Leaf Global FintechThis week’s podcast features an interview with Tori Samples. She is the co-founder and CTO of Leaf Global Fintech. Founded in 2017, Leaf is leveraging blockchain technology to offer a digital wallet to underserved populations in Africa. Notably, refugees, migrant workers, and small traders operating across borders. The company is based in Kigali and operates in Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda. We got right into it with Tori on some of the tougher questions that come up when you’re talking to the founder of an impact-driven business. For example, Can you scale a busines...
2021-05-2736 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 17: Tori Samples, Leaf Global FintechTori Samples is co-founder and CTO of Leaf Global Fintech, a company based in East Africa that offers a blockchain-based digital wallet for refugees and migrant workers.
The podcast focuses on whether a mission-driven business can also be a scalable fintech. And why blockchain can transform the African small business fintech space.
Note: The interview with Tori begins at the 6:45 mark.
2021-05-2736 min
The BIG5D PodcastBIG5D Podcast Episode 16: Firas Ahmad, AzamPayThis week’s podcast features an interview originally aired at our virtual BigFive Small Business Fintech Summit. Firas Ahmad is the Co-founder and Group CEO of AzamPay, a payments platform based in East Africa that is a division of Azam Group, a major East African industrial conglomerate.Firas is a deep thinker about fintech in Africa and our conversation centered around his views on mobile money. Firas argues that the success of mobile money on the continent is also in some respects a curse because there isn’t sufficient incentive to innovate. And the lack of con...
2021-05-0422 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 16: Firas Ahmad. AzamPayThis episode features Firas Ahmad, /CEO of AxamPay, an East African fintech that is a division of Azam Group, the East African conglomerate.
Firas is a thought leader on African fintech in addition to running a payments platform. His view that mobile money is not sufficiently innovative forms the nucleus of our conversation.
2021-05-0422 min
The BIG5D PodcastEpisode 15: Katharine Budd, NOW MoneyThis week The BIG5D Podcast talks to Katharine Budd about NOW Money, the Dubai-based company she co-founded in 2016. Kat, a former data analyst and banking executive, launched NOW Money in 2016 with her former university classmate Ian Dillon, who was working as an investment banker in Dubai.Kat and Ian saw a huge opportunity in helping the overwhelming number of migrant workers in the Gulf region gain access to banking services. And in the process of giving migrant workers access to financial services, NOW Money gains the ability to earn fees off of the Gulf...
2021-04-2735 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 15: Katharine Budd, NOW MoneyKatharine Budd and her business partner Ian Dillon spotted a huge underserved community in the Gulf Region. The millions of lower-wage migrant workers are largely unbanked and send billions of dollars back to their families in their countries of origin. NOW Money has created a digital banking solution, including remittances. for this population. The TAM is huge, but so are the challenges facing this business model.
2021-04-2635 min
The BIG5D PodcastEpisode 14: Brett White, ZapperWe engage Zapper CEO Brett White on the stage of small business in South Africa one year into the pandemic. We also discuss innovation, fintechs vs banks, and the technologies that will drive the payments space in the years to come.
2021-04-1224 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 13: Lauren Kagori, PezeshaLauren Kagori works with Pezesha, a financial inclusion platform in East Africa that is trying to solve to problem of poor access to capital for small businesses through crowdfunding.
2021-03-2718 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 12: Omosalewa Adeyemi, FlutterwaveFlutterwave's head of global partnerships chats with the BIG5D Podcast about her company's meteoric rise to become of just a few tech unicorns in Africa. Among the topics covered include Flutterwave's $170 million Series C round, its new deal with PayPal, and the complexities of simplifying payments in Africa.
2021-03-2239 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 11: Dana Buys, CEO, Cloudone.mobiDana Buys is a longtime software entrepreneur who had a vision for creating a technology that allows restaurant owners to manage their businesses through a mobile device.
Cloudone's TallOrder point of sale solution is designed for a mobile-first present and self-service future in the retail, dining, and hospitality industries.
His company's newest product VerPay, adds a needed trust layer to take payments over a voice call.
This episode also features a discussion of the battered state of South Africa's hospitality industry in the wake of the pandemic and how the industry will change permanently in the future.
2021-02-1845 min
The BIG5D PodcastEpisode 10: Meghan McCormick, Co-founder & CEO, OZÉThis is the first in the BIG5D Podcast's Fintech Founders Series, This episode features OZÉ CEO Meghan McCormick. Meghan explains her journey from American Peace Corp veteran and management consultant to founding a small-business fintech based in Ghana that helps SMMEs get organized with SaaS tools and get access to capital on fair terms.Meghan comes to everything with a core mission of creating jobs by helping small businesses thrive. This episode is sponsored by Mono Solutions. (https://www.monosolutions.com/) This is a public episode. If you’d like to dis...
2021-01-2037 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 10: Meghan McCormick, Co-founder & CEO, OZÉThis is the first in the BIG5D Podcast's Fintech Founders Series, This episode features OZÉ CEO Meghan McCormick.
Meghan explains her journey from American Peace Corp veteran and management consultant to founding a small-business fintech based in Ghana that helps SMMEs get organized with SaaS tools and get access to capital on fair terms.
Meghan comes to everything with a core mission of creating jobs by helping small businesses thrive.
This episode is sponsored by Mono Solutions. (https://www.monosolutions.com/)
2021-01-2037 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode Nine: Kartik Taneja, Head of B2B Solutions, EMEA, UberThe pandemic has created challenges for the region’s logistics players — ride-hailing services, food delivery apps, and others. But there is also a tremendous emerging opportunity to offer an ever-widening array of services. We will explore this landscape with Uber’s Kartik Taneja.
Episode sponsored by MatchCraft (www.matchcraft.com)
2021-01-1119 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode Eight: Samantha Naidu, Volt AfricaThis episode of BIG5D.TV features an interview with Samantha Naidu, CEO of Volt Africa. We discuss the optimal digital solution set for African SMEs, particularly in times of crisis.
This episode was sponsored by Duda: https://www.duda.co/
2020-12-3018 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode Seven: Colin Timmis, XeroToday’s guest is Colin Timmis, the South Africa country manager for Xero -- the global cloud accounting platform.
We had a great conversation about what it takes to get SMMEs to overcome their anxiety about technology and use it to their advantage.
This episode is sponsored by Duda
2020-12-1519 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 6: Grant GreeffCape Town entrepreneur Grant Greeff shares his experience of trying to save one company, EHire, while launching another, OpenRoute, in the midst of a global pandemic.
2020-09-1923 minThe BIG5D PodcastEpisode 5: Featuring Wayne Bischoff & George LeithThis is the podcast version of the BIG5D.TV video series. This episode features a conversation about sales during the COVID-19 pandemic with Wayne Bischoff, CEO of Mediamark, a media sales house in South Africa, and George Lieth, EVP Sales at Vendasta, a Canadian martech company. The original interview was conducted in July 2020.
2020-09-0233 min
The BIG5D PodcastEpisode 5: Featuring Wayne Bischoff & George LeithThis is the podcast version of the BIG5D.TV video series. This episode features a conversation about sales during the COVID-19 pandemic with Wayne Bischoff, CEO of Mediamark, a media sales house in South Africa, and George Lieth, EVP Sales at Vendasta, a Canadian martech company. The original interview was conducted in July 2020. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ctlaughlin.substack.com/subscribe
2020-09-0233 min