This week, hosts Abadesi and Michael discuss the state of the economy—how politics, layoffs, and shifting trends are hitting both new grads and seasoned pros. They chat about smart investing, changing consumer habits, and why building your brand matters more than ever. Plus, they explore hidden opportunities, sustainable growth, and the future of DEI. Chapters 00:00 The Economy A Mess and Everybody’s Struggling?07:09 Investment Strategies For Uncertain Times11:07 No-Buy Year: Getting Thrifty in 2025 14:23 Industry Trends and Opportunities Listen to the episode You can find the Techish podcast on Spotify, Apple,
In this episode, Michael and Abadesi dive into why Gen Z want to be in the office, tools like Replit that make app-building a breeze for entrepreneurs. They also look into the rise of on-demands security services aka “Uber for Guns,” and what it means about the state of the world. Finally, they tackle the ethics of investing—should you back a company that doesn’t align with your values? Chapters 00:00 Gen Z and Remote Work 04:32 Why Replit Is a Game-Changing App Builder 08:29 New Protector App Wants to Be ‘Uber for
In 2024, African startups saw fewer investors financing deals of over $100,000. 850 startups received funding over $100,000 in 2021, but this number decreased to around 520 last year, according to findings from Africa: The Big Deal. The report also found that investors are less active than before, as 28 were involved in over ten $100,000 deals in 2022, but this number dropped to 8 in 2024. Who were the top investors in Africa in 2024? 54 Collective was the only investor participating in more than 20 $100,000 deals. The
9fin, a London-based debt market intelligence startup, has secured $50 million in Series B funding led by Highland Europe, a prominent growth capital investor. As first reported by The Financial Times, this latest funding is expected to drive 9fin’s expansion, particularly in the United States, where the company’s growth is accelerating. It also marks a milestone in 9fin’s journey, bringing total funding to nearly $90 million since its inception in 2016. Aiming for Billion-Dollar Revenues Co-founded by Huss El-Sheikh and Steven Hunter, 9fin began as a response to the lack
Propelle, a new investment platform tailored specifically for women, launched on September 25 with an ambitious aim: to close the UK’s gender wealth gap. The platform, founded by 40-year-old Ayesha Ofori, a former Goldman Sachs Executive Director, empowers women to invest confidently and build wealth. Closing The Gender Investment Gap During her six years at Goldman Sachs, Ofori managed over £500 million ($663 million) in client assets and saw firsthand how the investment world primarily benefited the wealthy—and predominantly men. With the UK’s gender investment gap currently standing at £1.65
Marcy Venture Partners (MVP), co-founded by “Jay-Z” Carter, is reportedly nearing a significant merger with Pendulum Holdings’ investment arm Merger Talks According to Bloomberg, the merger could create a new entity with over $1 billion in assets under management. Sources close to the discussions, who preferred to remain anonymous, have indicated that the merger between these two California-based powerhouses is almost finalized. Both entities have declined to comment on these speculations. Culture-driven investments Marcy Venture Partners, established in 2018 by Jay-Z alongside Jay Brown and Larry Marcus, has demonstrated an eye for culture-driven investments. Its
Camelback Ventures has announced Shawna Young’s appointment as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), starting in early April 2024. Camelback Ventures Camelback Ventures is a New Orleans-based nonprofit social venture fellowship that aims to increase access to opportunity for entrepreneurs of color and women. Founded by Aaron T. Walker in 2015, Camelback Ventures has supported over 133 undervalued entrepreneurs with social impact ventures around the country. Its business model involves providing its Fellows with the “friends and family” stage of funding. The Fellows then reinvest in Camelback through grants or convertible notes. Meet
Alinea Invest has received $3.4 million in seed funding just in time for the launch of their virtual AI assistant to help users with their investing needs. Alinea Invest After interning at Goldman Sachs, Eve Halimi and Anam Lakhani, co-founders of Alinea, realized the need for a female-focused investing app to guide women in making investments and managing their wealth. “The pain point we saw is that people like us who are young women, Gen Zs, children of immigrants, they have no idea where to start,” Lakhani told TechCrunch. “Financial literacy is a massive pain
Copenhagen-based Unconventional Ventures has announced the second close of its €30 million fund ($32 million), dedicated to investing in diverse founding teams and founders. Unconventional Ventures According to Tech Funding News, Unconventional Ventures (UV) is the only European fund with a diversity impact at its heart. It is an impact-focused investment firm investing in early-stage startups led by underrepresented founders in Europe. Launched by Thea Messel and Nora Barvey in 2018, UV has a VC structure and invests across the Nordics in healthcare, women’s health, diversity tech, sustainable fashion, food
This article was first published by Rumbi Makanga on Medium. I was asked to give a talk by a London-based company for Black History Month in October 2022. Initially, I was going to title my talk Your Silence Will Not Protect You after the eponymous collection of essays by Audre Lorde and to honour the many silences I have nursed over the years and the vast silences I know countless Black people are forced into in their professional lives. It took a bout of illness in the last days of 2020 to
