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Why We’re Attracted to Founders with Clear Direction for their Startup – Ifeoluwa Adepoju
Ifeoluwa Adepoju, a lawyer with over 6 years of legal experience. She is an LLM graduate of Business Law and currently heads the legal and compliance team at Future Africa. Ifeoluwa has worked with over 50 startups giving her current role in a VC firm and in her capacity in the tech ecosystem. In this interview with Ugo Onwuaso, she shares her experience assisting startups set up structures, scale and fund-raising processes. Excerpts:
Ifeoluwa Adepoju,
What actually led you to pick interest in startups?
I’ve always been drawn to startups because they’re like the underdogs with big dreams. Imagine this: a small group of people with a brilliant idea, working hard to turn it into something amazing. That kind of energy and determination is contagious.
Before I moved into the VC space, I have worked with many founders and their needs to get the right team, the right agreements, getting them ready to becoming investable, starts right from the formation of the company.
There’s this one startup I worked with early on. They had this revolutionary concept, and I got to be a part of their journey. We faced challenges together, including legal complexities, and celebrated victories.
Seeing them grow from a small idea to a successful venture was incredible, and it fueled my passion for helping startups thrive.
It’s like being part of a story where every small decision can make a huge impact. That’s why I love startups – they’re full of potential, surprises, and the thrill of making things happen.
A lot of startups struggle to raise funds. What do you think is responsible for this?
It is one thing to have a great idea; it is another to tell your story. The impact of storytelling is great when it comes to storytelling. One thing that makes each compelling story about how their product or service addresses a real market need is crucial in attracting investor interest.
Investors are not just looking at numbers; they want to be captivated by a story that resonates with the problem the startup aims to solve.
When startups can articulate their journey in a compelling way, it humanizes the business, making it relatable and memorable.
The power of storytelling lies in creating an emotional connection, helping investors understand not just what the startup does, but why it matters. a well-crafted narrative helps startups stand out in a crowded market. It differentiates them, making them more memorable amidst numerous pitches.
Successful fundraising often starts with a captivating story that leaves a lasting impression on potential investors, compelling them to be a part of the startup’s journey.
What are the things startup founders must bring to the table to convince VCs to make investment decisions?
Clear Vision and Mission: A well-defined vision and mission that communicates the startup’s purpose and long-term goals. VCs want to invest in founders who have a clear direction for their company.
Transparency and communication
Coachable founders and Capable Team: A skilled and dedicated team with relevant expertise. VCs invest not only in ideas but also in the people behind them and people who are teachable
Traction and Milestones: Demonstrable traction and achieved milestones, showcasing that the startup has made progress and has the potential for scalability. This could include user growth, revenue, partnerships, or product development milestones.
Market Understanding: In-depth knowledge of the target market, including a thorough understanding of competitors, potential challenges, and the overall industry. VCs want to see that founders have conducted comprehensive market research.
Effective Storytelling: The ability to tell a compelling story. Founders should be able to communicate their journey, challenges faced, and how they overcame them. Storytelling helps create an emotional connection with investors.
Scalability Plan:
There is ongoing debate as why VCs prefer to invest in a Deleware Corporation than an LLC. What is your take on that?
Registering a company in Delaware, whether as an LLC (Limited Liability Company) or a Corporation, is a popular choice for many businesses due to Delaware’s favourable business-friendly laws for startups.
LLCs are “pass-through entities,” meaning that profit (or loss) is passed through to the owners as income, and is taxable as such. VCs want no part of this as they are not investing solely to have any of the profits or losses of these businesses pass through to them.
Instead, VCs want to invest in C corporations, where the profit and loss are ascribed to the business and not the owners, allowing losses to be used to offset future revenues for tax purposes.
This does not mean that some VCs are not opened to taking on these risks and there are other options available to the VCs as well which I am writing on and should be published soon.
When is a startup due to have a board ?
It is never too early or late. What matters is having the right members who have the same goal and passion with you. You can wait till you become big and still not.
This year we have witnessed some startups shutting down business/operations. Some due to financial mismanagement, economic situations, lack of skills. But for you, do you think there are foundational challenges with startups, especially in Africa?
Beyond the personal mismanagement by founders, where fundraising is sometimes viewed as an opportunity for personal financial gain rather than contributing to the company’s overall objectives, I’ve identified additional critical factors.
One major concern is the regulatory environment, which often lacks the conducive conditions necessary for a thriving business in many African startup ecosystems.
Furthermore, the engagement of shareholders and venture capitalists (VCs) post-investment is crucial. The lack of follow-up by investors can pose a significant challenge.
This emphasizes the importance of a robust board that includes experienced mentors. With the right board members providing guidance and mentorship, startups stand a better chance of navigating challenges and achieving scalable growth.
This holiday season just got a whole lot more exciting! PalmPay, one of Africa’s leading fintech platforms, operates Nigeria’s most used mobile wallet and has teamed up with Jumia, the continent’s e-commerce giant, to launch a festive campaign that’s all about convenience, rewards, and enhancing your shopping experience.
Running from December 11th to 28th, 2024, this holiday campaign is set to reward shoppers who use the new “Pay with PalmPay” feature on Jumia with cash prizes. Every purchase made using the direct payment method automatically enters participants into a draw, giving them a chance to win exciting cash rewards while enjoying the seamless shopping and payment process.
A Strategic Partnership To Enhance Digital Payments
The integration of the “Pay with PalmPay Wallet” feature on Jumia marks a major milestone in the partnership between the two industry leaders.
Speaking at the media announcement, Mr. Chika Nwosu, Managing Director of PalmPay, highlighted the broader mission driving this collaboration: “We are thrilled to join forces with Jumia to redefine convenience for shoppers. At PalmPay, our mission has always been to drive economic empowerment through accessible and user-friendly financial services. This partnership is a natural step forward in achieving that goal.”
Beyond the holidays, this partnership with Jumia m,k is a signal of bigger things to come. Mr. Chika added: “This is more than just about payments—it’s about creating value for our customers. We are excited about the opportunities this partnership will unlock in 2025, including campaigns and innovative initiatives that will further transform the online shopping landscape.”
Sunil Natraj, CEO of Jumia Nigeria, highlighted the shared vision between both companies, stating: “At Jumia, we are dedicated to creating value for our customers by ensuring a convenient, reliable, and secure shopping experience. This partnership with PalmPay strengthens our commitment to enhancing the digital payments within our platform. By integrating PalmPay, we are providing more options for customers to access affordable and quality goods with the convenience of cashless transactions.”
How to Join the Holiday Fun
Participating in the campaign is simple. When shopping on Jumia, select the “Pay with PalmPay” option at checkout, and your entry into the draw is automatic. It’s that easy!
Bonus Entry: Share a screenshot of your purchase on X (formerly Twitter) using the hashtag #PalmPayXJumia to increase your chances of winning. Additional winners will be selected from participants engaging with the campaign on Twitter.
Whether you are shopping for gifts, or gadgets this festive season, PalmPay and Jumia are making sure your experience is not only seamless but also rewarding.
To learn more about the campaign, stay tuned to the official X accounts (formerly Twitter) of @palmpay_ng and @JumiaNigeria. for updates, announcements, and more chances to win.
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC), has revealed that none of the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), in the country complied fully with ethical standards, policies, and anti-corruption measures in the passing year.
This was following the findings from the Commission’s Ethics and Integrity Compliance Scorecard (EICS) for the MDAs.
The Commission warned that henceforth, non-compliant MDAs will face necessary actions, including enforcement, to ensure adherence to government directives.
According to the EICS scorecard released on Thursday in Abuja by Demola Bakare, ICPC spokesperson, no MDA out of 330 MDAs that were assessed through physical deployment by ICPC teams achieved full compliance.
The EICS serves as a preventive tool used to assess and enhance the compliance of MDAs with ethical standards, policies, and anti-corruption measures.
Findings from the report indicated that no MDA achieved full compliance, while 29.55 per cent of MDAs captured attained substantial compliance, and 51.62 per cent had partial compliance.
The report also observed that 15.91 per cent showed poor compliance, while 292 per cent were non-compliant.
According to the report, common gaps included a lack of whistle-blower policies, strategic plans, and effective stock verification units, adding that many MDAs failed to conduct any forms of system studies or render financial and audit reports.
Commenting on the report, Bakare noted: “This year, 2024, the tool covered 323 responsive MDAs, with 15 MDAs non-responsive and categorised as high corruption risk.
“It is imperative to inform you that this initiative has yielded some positive and value-driven impacts, and these are, but not limited to, increased awareness and compliance with anti-corruption measures, enhanced competition among MDAs to meet criteria, and improved procurement processes and data reliability.
“The Commission recognises the MDAs with substantial compliance and will continue deploying these tools to promote integrity and accountability.
“Non-compliant MDAs will face necessary actions, including enforcement, to ensure adherence to government directives. We are certain that these efforts will continue to underline ICPC’s dedication to enhancing good governance and preventing corruption.”
Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals (DPRP) has dismissed claims that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) used a $1 billion loan secured through a crude forward sale agreement to support the refinery during a liquidity crisis.
In a statement on Wednesday, Anthony Chiejina, company’s chief branding and communications officer, said the NNPCL’s stance was a distortion of the facts.
“We would like to clarify that this is a misrepresentation of the situation as $1bn is just about 5% of the investment that went into building the Dangote Refinery,” Chiejina said.
Chiejina stated that the refinery’s decision to enter into a partnership with the NNPCL was based on the recognition of “their strategic position in the industry as the largest offtaker of Nigerian crude” and at the time, the sole supplier of petrol into Nigeria.
“We agreed on the sale of a 20% stake at a value of $2.76 billion. Of this, we agreed that they will only pay $1 billion while the balance will be recovered over a period of 5 years through deductions on crude oil that they supply to us and from dividends due to them,” Chiejina said.
“If we were struggling with liquidity challenges we wouldn’t have given them such generous payment terms. As at 2021 when the agreement was signed, the refinery was at the pre-commission stage.”
According to the statement, the agreement would have been cash-based rather than credit-driven if the refinery struggled with liquidity issues.
The refinery’s spokesman said the NNPCL was subsequently unable to supply the agreed 300,000 barrels a day of crude (bpd).
He stated that the shortfall was because the NNPPC “had committed a greater part of their crude cargoes to financiers with the expectation of higher production which they were unable to achieve”.
“We subsequently gave them a 12-month period for them to pay cash for the balance of their equity given their inability to supply the agreed crude oil volume,” he said.
“NNPCL failed to meet this deadline which expired on June 30th 2024. As a result, their equity share was revised down to 7.24%. These events have been widely reported by both parties,” he said.
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