Investing for Impact

IMPACT = Podcast with Sapna Shah of Novastar Ventures

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Episode notes

In this episode of the IMPACT = podcast, we talk to Sapna Shah, a partner at Novastar Ventures, one of the first and largest VC firms in Africa that focuses on entrepreneurs building transformative businesses in Africa.

Originally from Kenya, Sapna started her career in London in international banking, initially at Lloyds TSB and later at HSBC, working with entrepreneurs and SMEs at various stages of their business lifecycle in the UK, US, Europe and the Middle East. 

She returned to Kenya in 2012 to continue her passion for working with entrepreneurs, this time as an investor at Acumen and co-founder of a food start-up. She joined Novastar in 2015. 

In this conversation with our host Andrew Murray Watson, Sapna shares her insights on the transformation of Africa’s venture ecosystem over the last decade and its future potential growth. She also discusses the role of entrepreneurship in helping solve complex problems, as well as the opportunities and challenges for investors on the African continent.