Dialogue with African Biotech Leaders: Navigating Funding and Investment

Welcome to another insightful episode of the Dialogue with African Biotech Leaders. In this episode, we focus on a critical aspect of biotechnology entrepreneurship—funding and investment. This episode was recorded as a live plenary session at BIO Africa 2023 in Durban, South Africa, and features in-depth discussions on funding challenges and opportunities in the African biotech landscape. Join our distinguished panelists: Dr. Allama Elmehdi: CEO of Prophamedis International from Mauritania, sharing insights on the funding landscape in West Africa, particularly Francophone Africa, and the role of foreign direct investment. Ms. Kim Hewlett: Co-founder and CEO of Next Biosciences from South Africa, discussing alternative funding strategies through revenue partnerships and collaborations. Mr. Gian-Marco Melfi: Investment Principal at OneBio, the leading venture studio in Africa focused exclusively on life sciences, providing a venture capital perspective on funding biotech ventures. Dr. Vuyisile Phehane: Executive for Bioeconomy at the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), South Africa, presenting the national funding landscape and the importance of de-risking innovations for attracting investors. Throughout this episode, we explore: The current funding ecosystem for African biotech entrepreneurs. Key elements investors look for in biotech ventures. Strategies for managing growth alongside funding. The significance of public-private partnerships in the biotech space. Insights into the role of diversity and local manufacturing in sustainable biotech growth. Stay Connected: Join the Dialogue with African Biotech Leaders LinkedIn page for updates on future episodes and events: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9389009/ Watch the video of this plenary session on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lCqZPl43zE&themeRefresh=1