Monica Musonda: Founder & CEO Java Foods – Building and Scaling a Household Food Brand

Monica Musonda: Founder & CEO Java Foods – Building and Scaling a Household Food Brand

Monica Musonda is CEO & Founder of Java Foods, a Zambian based food processing company. Java Foods first product was “eeZee Instant Noodles”, which has become Zambia’s leading instant noodle brand. Java Foods also manufactures and distributes eeZee Supa Cereal (a fortified instant cereal/porridge).

Her experience working with one of Africa’s most successful entrepreneurs gave her the impetus to start her own business and in 2012, she moved back to Zambia and set up Java Foods. In a country where the landscape is dominated by foreign multinationals, Java Foods is a Zambian business run by a Zambian woman. Monica is one of a few Zambian women involved in manufacturing/agro-processing at a scalable level.

Nichole Yembra: Founder and Managing Partner, The Chrysalis Capital – Journey to Funding African Tech Companies

Nichole Yembra: Founder and Managing Partner, The Chrysalis Capital – Journey to Funding African Tech Companies

Nichole Yembra is the Founder and Managing Director of The Chrysalis Co which houses The Chrysalis Capital, a $15M African tech fund and The Chrysalis Advisors, a financial, investment, and strategy firm. Previously, she was the Chief Financial Officer for a PE Backed $80M fintech holding company and served as Managing Partner of its investment arm.

Ifeoma I. Idigbe: Founder boys to MEN Foundation – Mind Shift, Focus on Men and Privilege

Ifeoma I. Idigbe: Founder boys to MEN Foundation – Mind Shift, Focus on Men and Privilege

Africa has the highest concentration of female entrepreneurs, accounting for almost a third of all businesses on the continent. It’s safe to say we are a continent of strong women! That said, women continue to face enormous institutional and systematic challenges as well as gender violence. Women seem disadvantaged from the jump.

In addressing these issue, the burden had rested disproportionately on women. What role do men have to play? The ability to shift entitlement and using privilege for good required intentionality. We discuss these in my upcoming podcast interview with Mrs. Ifeoma I. Idigbe.

Vivian Nwakah: Founder & CEO Medsaf–Strengthening Health Systems in Africa

Vivian Nwakah: Founder & CEO Medsaf–Strengthening Health Systems in Africa

Vivian Nwakah is the Founder and CEO of Medsaf a tech enabled pharmaceutical distribution company based in Lagos, Nigeria. Vivian was born and raised in the United States and as part of her MBA, she moved to Nigeria for an internship in 2013 and never left! Medsaf was set up in 2016 and connects a fragmented supply chain to provide transparency to pharmaceutical companies and provide authentic drugs to hospital, pharmacies and patients. In 2019 Medsaf won the Seedstars Malaria Challenge, supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.