The Grinders Table
Leading by Following: Ghita Zniber's Unique Approach to African Startup Investment with Kalys Ventures
Published: 3 March 2025 at 19:09 Europe/London
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Episode notes
In this enlightening conversation, Ghita Zniber, co-founder of Kalys Ventures, shares her unique journey from rugby player to venture capitalist. Discover her "first follower" philosophy reshaping African startup investment and how a childhood conversation with her father about values became the foundation for her business approach.
Ghita reveals why she embraces being a generalist in a specialist's world, how Kalys Ventures supports African startups, and their strategic focus on the Moroccan diaspora. She offers invaluable advice on building founder-investor relationships, maintaining partnerships, and avoiding common capitalization pitfalls.
Whether you're a founder seeking investment, an aspiring investor, or simply curious about the evolving African tech ecosystem, Ghita's fresh perspective offers insights that challenge conventional venture capital wisdom.
Time Stamps:00:00 - Introduction03:42 - Rugby lessons that shaped her business approach07:14 - The childhood values conversation that changed everything13:15 - Discovering her true calling as a "first follower"24:23 - Investment philosophy at Kalys Ventures33:35 - Maintaining strong partnerships35:59 - The vision for African investment47:06 - Rapid fire advice for founders48:36 - Power, money, fame or pleasure?
