The State of the Sector
By Factor[e] Ventures
Factor[e] Ventures is a team of venture builders dedicated to supporting the growth of early stage, technology-enabled companies solving challenges in energy, agriculture, mobility, and smart infrastructure in Africa. For more information, please visit www.factore.com/
The State of the SectorDec 06, 2022
On Productive Partnerships and Leveraging Unique Resources toward a Global Climate Transition
In the second installment of The State of the Sector, join your host Dr. Morgan DeFoort as he sits down with Steven Hunt, Senior Energy Innovation Advisor, UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Meera Shah, Head of Portfolio-Smallholder Farmers* at Shell Foundation and Nick Goddard, UK Venture Partner at Factor[e] Ventures, to talk about how productive partnerships can make greater impact in emerging markets.
50% of Africa’s GDP, for example, is vulnerable to extreme climate patterns, but Sub-Saharan Africa is also the fastest growing region in the world, with a projected annual GDP growth of 3-4% and the world’s youngest and fastest growing population. Yet the current momentum in emerging markets like Sub-Saharan Africa is at risk without immediate impact–and it’s not just about climate mitigation.
Innovation–a key contributor to economic growth–bolsters markets and boosts resilience, improving income equality and livelihoods while mitigating climate risk. Listen in as Morgan, Steven, Meera, and Nick detail how Factor[e] Ventures, Shell Foundation, and FCDO work together to bridge market and technology gaps and leverage their partnerships toward innovating for a global climate transition.
For more information on FCDO, the Ayrton fund and the TEA platform, or Shell Foundation, follow the links below to explore their LinkedIn pages and websites for impact numbers and more:
Shell Foundation
Website: https://shellfoundation.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shell-foundation/
FCDO
Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-development-office
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/foreign-commonwealth-and-development-office/
Ayrton Fund
Website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ayrton-fund
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ayrton-fund/
Factor[e] Ventures
Website: https://www.factore.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/factor-e-ventures/mycompany/?viewAsMember=true
*Meera Shah's title has changed to Head of Portfolio-Smallholder Farmers since the recording of this episode.
On Gender and Water Access in Africa
In this piece, join Dr. Morgan DeFoort, Dr. Barbara Van Koppen, and Samir Ibrahim as they use gender as a lens to add nuance to large-scale barriers–like sufficient access to water–for small-holder farmers in Africa.
For example, small-holder farmers in Africa are mostly women, some of whom may be spending up to four hours a day physically moving gallons of water for productive and domestic purposes. We’ll discuss how designing multiple-use irrigation technologies will best serve its end-users. Our deep dive into gender and water access also challenges us to reconsider business models. While the majority of users are women, money to finance these technologies often comes from a man’s account, even if decisions are made jointly in the household. How should gender dynamics like these change how we define what, or who, is "bankable?" How do we make these technologies more equitable and more affordable?
Listen in through our website and follow us on LinkedIn for more exciting explorations into The State of the Sector. A huge thanks to all the contributors to this insight piece who helped us deepen our understanding of the sector, end-users, and innovative technologies that are changing lives!
Click here for a great TedTalk on Hip-Hop and Climate Action from Samir!
Cover art courtesy of SunCulture.