Maizonn recognizes the challenges met by entrepreneurs facing the daunting prospect of scaling their start-up businesses into market leader enterprises. Africa is a breeding ground for resilience and innovation, and a plethora of entrepreneurial businesses exist. Many successful small ventures, and their founders, however, require a different level of leadership and management – as well as access to capital – in order to realise their full potential.

Compliance, governance and robust financial management are fraught with complexities and nuances – requiring insightful and expert guidance along the capital road map from start-up to exit. This road is easier for Private Equity (PE) companies, which are more structured and better able to source high level management teams. Venture Capital Companies (VCCs), however, are often started by individuals with passion and purpose, (and friends and family willing to provide angel or seed funding), but limited access to the diverse skills and experience required to grow the venture beyond a particular point. Many of them are vulnerable to the exploitative tactics of ruthless potential investors and ‘partners’.

This is where Maizonn steps in alongside the founders to provide a solid and balanced support structure (and coffee). The Maizonn team has ‘been there, done that’. They have all embraced the lessons of failure … and the recovery. They have all had to ‘start again’ and are committed to ensuring that others on a similar path have the benefit of their hard-earned hindsight.