The Builders vs. The Boosters: The Offstage State of the African Tech Ecosystem

Pulling Back the Curtain on Unseen Perspectives

There’s plenty of reports and interviews about the state of the ecosystem but after spending a few years as a player in the system and countless conversations and interviews on and off the record, I realize there’s a stark difference between what is publicly facing and real life. I want to share a glimpse of what these raw conversations look like in an attempt to shed a light on the views and perspectives of the different players within the ecosystem.

Ecosystem Context:

The African startup/tech ecosystem saw a surge of excitement and Western investment in recent years. However, as global economic fortunes have shifted, many Western investors have rapidly pulled out, leaving local founders betrayed and stranded without funding.

Uneasy power dynamics exist between naive Western do-gooder money, out-of-touch government officials, hungry local startups who idolize Silicon Valley, and more seasoned local builders crafting homegrown solutions.

Despite claims of commitment and understanding Africa, Western investor interest and media hype have proven fickle and fleeting. Local entrepreneurs must navigate this complex landscape of broken promises and misaligned incentives on their own.

Characters

Sandra

An impassioned foreign funder seeking redemption and purpose in investing into African startups, which she hopes to uplift. Though seemingly altruistic, her perspectives reflect unconscious paternalism and ignorance of realities on-the-ground. Eager to be a catalyst, she risks being no more than a figurehead - amplifying her own voice over those she intends to aid if she refuses to walk the path in their shoes first.

Malik

A talented engineer and thoughtful builder who cares deeply about positive change, Malik returned home from the West filled with hope but has grown jaded after encountering hardship and the fickleness of Western tech interests in Africa. Still, he remains committed to uplifting others and nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit he knows can thrive locally.

Tau

Seasoned African entrepreneur has weathered ups and downs, always standing by his communities. Though wearied by chasing short-lived trends, he taps deep wells of motivation to empower underdogs like himself toward sustainable success, never losing faith in what they can achieve.

Zara

Bright and ambitious, Zara brims with untapped potential but lacks opportunities to fully utilize her gifts. Resisting bitterness while navigating systemic limitations, she draws strength from other women innovators around her, embracing coalition over isolation along the unfamiliar road of impacting change.

Peter

Peter eagerly cheers for his country, believing its future is bright. He wants badly to succeed as an entrepreneur and lift others up too. Though over-eager at times, his determination comes from a good place – he just ignores the flaws and divides around him. For now, he’s all about rallying people with hope rather than listening to criticisms. Some say Peter’s optimism blinds him from truth. But he keeps shouting possibility until more people catch the vision he sees.

James

Well-meaning public servant James longs to catalyze innovation in his homeland but grasps the tools and concepts clumsily. Despite the weight of expectations, he has not given up - hoping through it all that empowering others will help him grow into the kind of leader he wishes he had.

Scene

ON STAGE

SANDRA clicks to the next slide, which shows a photo of her awkwardly holding African children.

SANDRA

“Our accelerator will uncover all the Zuckerbergs and Bezos lost in these remote villages! Though maybe with better morals than Silicon Valley folks...”

She chuckles obliviously at her own mild racism. A few audience members cringe

IN THE AUDIENCE

In the back, MALIK , TAU, ZARA and others chat loudly, actively ignoring Sandra’s pitch.

TAU
”I’m tired of getting whiplash from investors claiming to support African tech. They were all in when the hype was high, but the downturn hit and almost every VC I know has pulled out of their local deals.”

ZARA

“For real. Last month I spoke with a partner at a VC firm who wouldn’t stop bragging about their Africa fund...then literally the next week I find out they’ve exited 80% of their startup investments here. No warning even to their portfolio companies!”

MALIK (shaking his head)

“I know founders who turned down higher Silicon Valley valuations because the Goldmans team gave them some bullshit about “doing well by doing good in Africa.” What BS! They were just finance bros looking to ride the trend then make a quick exit.”

JAMES (peeking out of an ill-fitting suit that tries too hard to seem stylish and youthful), the bumbling ICT public servant, approaches. Eager to insert himself into any conversation about digital innovation, despite having little grasp of the topic beyond buzzwords that appeal to donors.

JAMES (inserting himself awkwardly)

“My innovative brothers! Why do you not actively engage with Madame Sandra’s presentation? Public-private partnership is crucial for digital transformation! We must leverage cross-sector collaboration to accelerate investment in our young lions! Do not worry my friends, rapid scale is coming soon for bold risk takers like yourselves! The future is..fumbles for the notes on his phone...”exponential!” laughs too loudly at his lame joke”

The group trades tired, polite-but-pained smiles.

TAU
”With respect, this accelerator is just more of the same hype we’ve seen before. A short influx of capital that will dry up in a couple years after the next hot region emerges somewhere else, leaving local founders in the lurch again. We need sustainable, long-term commitments, not more photo-ops for splashy press releases.”

ZARA
”These tourists will throw money at a couple vanity projects for good PR, then pat themselves on the back and leave while pretending they’re saving Africa.”

The Minister looks confused, mouthing buzzwords under his breath, unclear how to respond.

Suddenly, PETER appears with notebook with the branding of the previous accelerator that came and left. He’s a big fish in a small pond who dreams of making it big abroad someday.

He shushes them loudly, annoyed at the lack of deference towards esteemed foreign visitors bearing gifts of funding and wisdom.

PETER
”Show some respect! Madame Sandra’s accelerator could be a game changer! This is our chance to get in front of western capital guys!”

ZARA (rolling her eyes dramatically)

“Peter, you know the cycle by now. These people will be gone in a couple years after the photos and physical fund structure becomes inconvenient. We need our own, homegrown solutions if we really want to see impact.”

PETER
”Such pessimism! This is why I will be the one to create an African unicorn right here in my country, while you all stay trapped in your closed mindsets!”

ON STAGE

SANDRA wraps up her pitch, beaming and oblivious to the tension she’s helped create in the room. Scattered, unenthusiastic applause.

END SCENE

*This scene and its characters are entirely fictional creations, not based on any real-life individuals. They are intended as a satirical representation to comment on the broader state of the ecosystem.*