Fueling Africa’s Tech Talent: A New Playbook for Venture Capital and Founders

June 29, 2026

Africa’s tech ecosystem has experienced remarkable growth over the past decade, drawing increasing global interest while facing persistent structural challenges. In this episode, Maria Rotilu, Founding Partner at Openseed VC, shares insights on how venture capital can be better aligned with local realities, the importance of developing and retaining talent, and the need to strengthen collaboration across the ecosystem. The discussion highlights that sustainable innovation in Africa will depend not only on funding, but also on investing in skills, mentorship, and inclusive capacity-building to translate momentum into long-term economic impact.

Speakers
Ahmed Ouhnini
Economist, Policy Center for the New South
Ahmed Ouhnini is an Economist at the Policy Center for the New South. His research area covers agricultural economics, human and social development. Previously, he has worked as a researcher at the Paris School of Economics (PSE) and has also a record of working in consulting services in Morocco. Ahmed holds an engineering Diploma in Agriculture and Rural Development from the National School of Agriculture of Meknes and a Master’s Degree in Law, Economics and Management from the Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne Institute of Development. ...

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