AGGPEA Board Report | T1 · Jan – Apr 2026
Jasiri is undergoing a deliberate strategic evolution across three interconnected shifts. All activity sits within a considered research phase with pathways progressing as intended. This update covers the state of each shift and the supporting workstreams in progress.
Shift 1: General cohorts → struggle-focused cohorts | Research phase
To enable deeper, more targeted support, Jasiri is moving toward cohorts organised around shared struggle areas. Food Access has been selected as the starting point. Three parallel research threads are underway to inform design work in H2:
Shift 2: Single pathway → multiple pathways | In progress
Jasiri is moving from a single-pathway model to a multi-pathway delivery structure. Two additional pathways pilots are in active development: a value chain build pilot (target to launch by end 2026, partner discussions underway), Pathfinder, a less restrictive talent investor variant (framework finalisation and target to launch by end 2026). Brand positioning work due at the end of June will support how this shift is communicated externally.
Shift 3: Toward a platform model / Access Lab | Nascent
A separate research workstream funded through the RISA grant is examining the broader struggle landscape: food, education, housing, energy, and others. This work will inform how Jasiri sequences focus areas, what defensibly enables cohort specialisation while preserving platform neutrality. We are also evaluating how to best structurally capacitate for ongoing targeted enabling research into regulatory hurdles, value chain gaps and other hurdles within each targeted access area (eg. Energy access) to support venture progression within the programme. This workstream is still at an early stage.
All three shifts are interconnected and managed within a single R&D phase. No pathway will launch before sufficient learning has been achieved.
Cumulative View Across the First Eight Cohorts
Summary across cohorts Tai, Zua, Simba, Nuru, Liyu, Dana, Ntore, RAS.
| Cohort | Residential Intensive | Venture Creation | Active Post-Programme | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fellows | Teams Formed | Incubated Fellows | Incubated Ventures | Active Fellows | Active Ventures | |
| Tai | 28 | 12 | 25 | 9 | 11 | 5 |
| Zua | 48 | 25 | 36 | 16 | 15 | 9 |
| Simba | 48 | 22 | 38 | 17 | 16 | 11 |
| Nuru | 49 | 21 | 44 | 19 | 14 | 9 |
| Liyu | 50 | 20 | 45 | 18 | 24 | 12 |
| Dana | 48 | 18 | 39 | 14 | 34 | 14 |
| Ntore | 49 | 21 | 33 | 15 | 26 | 14 |
| RAS | 22 | 11 | 17 | 8 | 15 | 7 |
| Total | 342 | 150 | 277 | 116 | 155 | 81 |
As of end-2025, 88 East Africa ventures were reported as active. Between January and April 2026, 7 ventures became inactive, with the drivers outlined below. This table provides context on each venture's context and the root causes of becoming inactive with insights informing ongoing programme refinement.
| Cohort | Country | Venture Failure Causes |
|---|---|---|
| Luna (Cohort 2 - Zua) | Rwanda | Product-market fit challenges, coupled with limited full-time co-founder commitment due to family responsibilities. |
| Eco-crop (Cohort 3 - Simba) | Kenya | The venture struggled to achieve product–market fit and faced constraints in attracting capital to drive customer acquisition, alongside reduced founder commitment as priorities shifted to parallel pursuits. |
| Hayah Bloom (Cohort 4 - Nuru) | Kenya | Entry of a strong competitor weakened traction and founder confidence; capital raised proved insufficient to restore viability. |
| Human Element (Cohort 4 - Nuru) | Ethiopia | The founders were unable to achieve product–market fit, leading to a shift in commitment and reversion to a prior family venture. |
| Zindi Care (Cohort 4 - Nuru) | Kenya | Irreconcilable founder conflict led to legal proceedings, resulting in stalled operations with no clear ownership or succession. |
| Baobab (Cohort 5 - Liyu) | Rwanda | Regulatory constraints and gaps in key technical expertise (Food Scientist) resulted in the closure of the venture. |
| Liyu (Cohort 8 - Ras) | Ethiopia | Venture exited in Q1 of Venture Creation due to challenges demonstrating product viability and customer desirability. |
The cohort is currently six months into the Venture Creation phase. During this period, fellows have focused on validating their solutions with customers through pilot programmes, converting early users into paying customers, and addressing key regulatory requirements to ensure compliance ahead of broader market rollout.
| Venture | Sector | Country | MCI Potential | Key Traction (April 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neema | Medical Device / Health | Ethiopia | High | 20 clinical cases successfully completed with surgeons' endorsement; 90 rings sold to clinic at $1.20; contract manufacturer secured at $0.37/unit; 1,300 units in inventory pending import license. |
| Zemi | Fintech / Secure Checkout | Kenya | High | 200+ registered sellers, 550+ transactions processed; Payment service provider partnership secured with Kashiya. |
| GRO Foods | Food Value Addition / FMCG | Ethiopia | Medium | Full regulatory clearance achieved (EFDA, business license, VAT); 30 paid sales at 450–500 ETB with 67% price acceptance; Mul Mul Bakery (chain coffee shop) identified as primary retail entry partner (35% profit share). |
| Dive | Health Services / Marketplace | Kenya | Medium | 500+ providers registered (150+ onboarded); 55 sessions completed; $946 revenue generated; 30 patient subscriptions and 4 corporate clients onboarded; Kijabe Hospital onboarded as second partner hospital. |
| Zurff | Fintech / Invoice Financing | Ethiopia | High | First ETB 500k invoice financed; 300+ invoices analyzed for future financing using proprietary risk assessment model; 3 banks in active discussion; venture ranked second nationally (out of 300 fintechs) and awarded $25,000. |
| LiveUP | Nutrition / FMCG | Ethiopia | Medium | FDA licence secured; manufacturing facility secured; initial sales of 20 bottles; 2 chain pharmacy partnerships established for commercial distribution. |
| KOLD | Hardware-as-a-Service / Cold Chain | Rwanda | High | Pivoted solution; 2 paying customers secured (RWF 80,000/month), 21 customers in the pipeline; total post-pivot revenue of RWF 360,000. |
Cohort 9 is Jasiri's first struggle-focused cohort, with Food Access as the focus area, targeting 36 fellows across Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. Selection, recruitment, and quality standards have been redesigned accordingly, covering how candidates are sourced, the profiles targeted, and how readiness is assessed. Rather than relying on broad eligibility criteria, the approach is anchored on eight specific founder archetypes, developed through analysis of successful East African agri-venture founders and informed by relevant AgTech ecosystem frameworks.
| Type | Archetypes |
|---|---|
| Technical | Software & Digital Systems Builder; Hardware & Engineering Builder; Data & Analytics Builder; Agronomist / Biological, Chemical, Food, Life Scientist; Financial Systems Builder. |
| Commercial | Operator (Execution Owner); Hustler (Market Builder); Strategist (Strong commercial sense, go-to-market strategy). |
Key Selection and Programme Timelines:
| Phase | Dates |
|---|---|
| Applications Open | 22 June 2026 |
| Applications Close | 12 September 2026 |
| Selection Conference | 3 – 4 October 2026 |
| Individual Interviews | 12 – 16 October 2026 |
| Selection Committee & Communication | 26 – 27 October 2026 |
| Jumpstart | 16 November – 15 December 2026 |
| Residential Intensive | 18 January – 16 April 2027 |
Cumulative View Across the First Two Cohorts
Summary across cohorts Selemela and Kwande.
| Cohort | Residential Intensive | Venture Creation | Active | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fellows | Teams Formed | Incubated Fellows | Incubated Ventures | Active Fellows | Active Ventures | |
| Selemela | 18 | 9 | 15 | 7 | 10 | 6 |
| Kwande | 24 | 11 | 22 | 11 | 22 | 11 |
| Total | 42 | 20 | 37 | 18 | 32 | 17 |
The cohort is in the final quarter of the venture creation phase, with three ventures (Roomify, Boleka, Melora) preparing to transition into the E Squared Pathways with access to follow-on funding and support. One venture (Laeta Cool) has secured a $5,000 grant to sustain its operations.
| Venture | Sector | MCI Potential | Key Traction (April 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heads Up | Safety & Security Mapping | High | MVP deployed on WhatsApp; 2,522 members; 517 WhatsApp Bot Users; 1,348 alerts received; 1 institutional/community partnership established; 5 proposals awaiting feedback; 2× local tier customer pass clients converted. |
| Roomify | Property & Real Estate | High | 1 rental property converted and 6 tenant lease agreements signed; R100,000 in rental revenue generated since Jan 2026; 3 new properties on waitlist; onboarding into E Squared in process; secured potential angel investment of R1.5 million (subject to E Squared terms). |
| Laeta Cool | Cold-chain & Refrigeration | Very High | 1 site operational serving 5 small businesses and 36 individual residents; 12 repeat customers; awarded $5,000 grant from BeGreen Africa. |
| Boleka | Fintech | Medium | MVP live since September 2025; 512 platform sign-ups with 47 active users; R127,000 total loan value to date; onboarding into E Squared in process. |
| Melora | Beauty & Skincare | Low | MVP live since mid-December 2025; 137 skin analyses completed; 6 skincare bundles sold; E Squared onboarding in process. |
| Space Time Advertising | Adtech | Low | Platform and Android app developed; 9 screens / advertisers and streaming locations onboarded; pipeline of 21 screens secured (LOIs in place) pending installation requests. |
The cohort completed the residential intensive at the end of April with 11 out of 11 ventures (22/24 Fellows) progressing into the venture creation phase. Overall, a strong cohort with great potential.
| Venture | Sector | MCI Potential | Key Residential Intensive Traction (April 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nexus | Fintech | Very High | 50+ survey responses; 4+ expert interviews; 3+ site activations; regulators engaged (Shariah compliance, FSCA); partnerships initiated (Guardrisk, Muslim Judicial Council); 1,000+ customers in the pipeline. |
| O-Pen Veld | Agritech (livestock) | High | Engagement with 64+ livestock farmers, 42+ feedlots, 8 abattoirs & ARC; 35 farmers (1,600 cattle) onboarded; MVP developed. |
| iGezi | Renewable Energy | Very High | 100+ in-field customer interviews conducted; partnership established with manufacturing partner. |
| Neo | AI / Software Development | Low | MVP developed; 12 interviews with CTO profiles; 3 codebases under governance; free pilot completed; paid pilot in pipeline. |
| U-Send | Logistics | High | 115+ interviews completed; 3 transport partnerships in negotiation; 4 dropoff points identified; 6 potential clients in pipeline. |
| Next Yield | Precision Agriculture | High | 20 farmer interviews; 3 retailer discussions; 4 fresh-produce market agents; 4 financial institutions in discussion; 8 infrastructure builder interviews. |
| iKhaya Collective | Rental Property / Proptech | Medium | 30+ interviews conducted; 1 property agent agreed to scale MVP; 6 landlords in client pipeline; pilot underway with 1 landlord. |
| Kini | CareTech | Medium | 110+ interviews conducted; 30 people on waitlist; technical advisor secured. |
| Zuza | Logistics (Township) | Medium | 50+ interviews conducted; 10+ solution validation engagements; partnership with the Kota Festival; logistics partnership with Delivery Ka Speed. |
| Sweetspot | Healthtech | Medium | 57 interviews with diabetes patients; 2 advisors onboarded; partnership with largest SA diabetes community in pipeline. |
| Smart Rep | Retail Tech | Low | 750+ seats in the pipeline; demo requests secured; pilot discussions underway with major retail groups; key retail pain points validated through industry engagement and sales experience. |
The Jasiri Growth Accelerator (JGA) expanded its portfolio with the addition of two new companies: Shop Okoa (Kenya), a fintech platform which is digitising informal shopkeeper credit to improve affordability of essential goods for low-income households, and Save Directly (Rwanda), a fintech offering a "Save Now, Buy Later" solution that enables customers to save progressively for purchases of goods and services, providing an alternative to traditional "Buy Now, Pay Later" models.
Cohort 3 ventures have completed the programme's investor readiness support and are now actively pursuing follow-on commercial capital.
Cohort 4 has progressed into the second half of the programme, improving their operational efficiency, product development, partnerships and revenue growth, and received constructive mid-programme feedback from the Investment Committee.
Cohort 1 and 2 ventures continue to grow sustainably, with a number of ventures actively pursuing follow-on commercial capital, while others, such as Mulika Farms and Credit Jambo, are advancing growth through recently secured non-dilutive funding raised in Q4 of 2025. HIQ, a cohort 2 venture, is facing co-founding team dynamics during this period, as outlined in the Venture Reporting Challenges section below.
This is the revenue performance review of Cohort 1, 2 and 3 portfolio companies across Jan to April 2026 compared against the same period in the prior year (Jan to April 2025). All figures in USD. Exchange rates applied: 1,466.50 RWF / USD · 130 KES / USD. ▲ green indicates positive growth; ▼ red indicates a decline. "JTI" indicates the venture is also a Jasiri Talent Investor venture. Source: JGA Portfolio Financials workbook.
| Venture | Country | Jan – Apr 2026 | Jan – Apr 2025 | PoP % Change | Review Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cohort 1 | |||||
Afri- Farmers
|
Rwanda | $434,271 | $360,323 | +20.5% | Strong and sustained revenue growth driven by continued customer acquisition and increasing platform demand. |
| Cohort 2 | |||||
Irebe (JTI)
|
Rwanda | $126,166 | $64,371 | +96.0% | Strong revenue growth driven by expanded pharmaceutical offerings and strengthened B2B wholesaler partnerships supporting increased product offtake. |
Rhea (JTI)
|
Kenya | $9,280 | $4,236 | +119.1% | Significant revenue growth driven by expanded customer acquisition through strategic partnerships with agro-input providers, leveraging seasonal demand for pre-planting input prescription services. |
| Cohort 3 | |||||
MOTI
|
Kenya | $335,385 | $15,389 | +2079.4% | Significant revenue growth driven by a strategic pivot to B2B product solutions, with continued strong performance from the proprietary platform launched in H2 2025. |
Mulik Dairy
|
Kenya | $95,698 | $98,141 | -2.5% | Consistent revenue generation for the period year on year, maintaining existing customer base, slight decline attributed to macroeconomic market dynamics affecting milk pricing. |
Ace Mobility
|
Kenya | $44,540 | $51,715 | -13.9% | Revenue declined due to macroeconomic pressures on the B2C model, including rising fuel costs and inflation, which reduced customer spending power and demand for Ace Mobility's offering. |
GARE
|
Kenya | $15,701 | $6,223 | +152.3% | Significant revenue growth driven by expanded production capacity following the 2025 Jasiri capex investment, enabling increased customer acquisition and fulfillment of seasonal farm input demand. |
Patvention
|
Kenya | $9,915 | $6,714 | +47.7% | Revenue growth driven by the 2025 Jasiri capex investment, which enabled the launch of high-margin bee venom collection devices, expanding the product portfolio and supporting continued growth momentum. |
Indintabwe Feeds
|
Rwanda | $39,253 | $16,741 | +134.5% | Revenue growth driven by expanded production capacity following the 2025 Jasiri capex investment, enabling increased customer acquisition and fulfillment of animal feed demand. |
Cohort 4 commenced the programme in September 2025; revenue performance is therefore compared against Sept to Dec 2025 rather than Jan to April 2025.
| Venture | Country | Jan – Apr 2026 | Sept – Dec 2025 | PoP % Change | Review Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cohort 4 | |||||
Blue Pearl AgroVentures
|
Kenya | $35,464 | $18,596 | +90.7% | Significant revenue growth driven by increased production capacity from the 2025 Jasiri capex investment, enabling expansion into larger B2B customers. Further growth projected in coming periods. |
Sow Precise (JTI)
|
Kenya | $27,562 | $7,522 | +266.4% | Significant revenue growth driven by increased production of proprietary Sun Rider units enabled by Jasiri capex investment, expanding capacity to serve broader smallholder farmer demand and supporting continued growth momentum. |
Eneza Malipo
|
Kenya | $15,723 | $21,930 | -28.3% | Revenue reduction driven by current macroeconomic factors disrupting horticultural export supply chains, reducing transaction revenues and associated premiums that large offtakers channel through the platform to local farms. |
Terralima
|
Kenya | $5,537 | $3,302 | +67.7% | Pilot pivots are ongoing toward developing bespoke digital payments solutions for farmer cooperatives which have driven early adoption; however, significant challenges persist and revenue generation remains low. |
HIQ (JTI)
Rwanda, Cohort 2
One of the co-founders responsible for financial management is currently exiting the venture, creating gaps during the review period. Consequently, financial data could not be fully consolidated for accurate reporting, and follow-up is ongoing to address these gaps.
Mulika Farms (JTI)
Rwanda, Cohort 2
Mulika Farm is facing delays in financial reporting due to the founder being out of the country, highlighting reliance on a single individual. The programme team will review reporting processes and strengthen support to ensure more consistent reporting.
Credit Jambo (JTI)
Rwanda, Cohort 2
The venture recently transitioned to a new accounting platform; however, inaccuracies, particularly in cost allocations, were identified in the financial data shared. Feedback has been provided. Updated data was not available in time for this report. The programme team will actively identify ways to enhance support to ventures in strengthening financial management practices.
Across all three countries, the first four months of 2026 focused on delivering tailored Post-Program Support and one-on-one venture check-ins, strengthening community engagement through Jasiri Connects, and leveraging ecosystem opportunities to support venture growth.
The period also marked the launch of the Post-Program pilot. Following 63 baseline engagements in January, 12 ventures were selected for deeper support beginning in February. Each venture received venture-building support, averaging approximately 48 touchpoints per month across the portfolio. The current portfolio includes Laminar, Loopa, Moma, UKC, Clenville, Farmsky, Bountiful Farmers, Adumu, Konjo Foods, Plafco, Pro Path, and Aqua Treasures.
Key highlights include Zurff (Ethiopia) securing ETB 4 million in institutional funding, the delivery of sector-specific Agri-Ventures workshops across all three countries, and continued ecosystem engagement through meetings with ventures, funders, clients, and partners to strengthen relationships and unlock opportunities for the Jasiri community.
In addition, two Jasiri Fellows and H-Lab Prize Winners from Rwanda and South Africa were sponsored to participate in the 2026 Harambeans Global Summit, an opportunity to connect, learn, and build relationships within a high-value entrepreneurial network.
The community team held one-on-one check-ins with 30 ventures across Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda.
10 requests addressed during January – April 2026.
175 opportunities surfaced and distributed across the Jasiri community between January – April 2026.
31 ventures supported: 12 active (structured) and 19 monitored. The 12 active ventures are in the JGA investor readiness pipeline, with 52 stakeholders engaged to support them. Each venture receives weekly check-ins, averaging 48 touchpoints per month.
Key wins this period:
What 50 Jasiri Founders value most
Pulse survey of 50 Jasiri founders showing what they value most about the Jasiri community. Access to ecosystem (38%) and Jasiri Connects (35%) lead, followed by Coaching & 1:1 support (30%). Peer-to-peer connections (20%) and the Newsletter (18%) round out the top five.
The Wavumbuzi Entrepreneurship Challenge nurtures entrepreneurial mindsets in secondary and high-school learners through a gamified online experience. Rwanda Edition 6 (active during the January – April 2026 period) delivered strong results across most metrics, exceeding several key targets.
| Metric | Target | Achieved | Progress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students Reached | 90,000 | 130,229 | 144.7% |
| Students Registered | 85,000 | 106,522 | 125.3% |
| Pre-Survey | 29,750 | 37,388 | 125.7% |
| Post-Survey | 13,985 | 9,752 | 69.7% |
| Training Center | 63,913 | 46,327 | 72.5% |
| One Quest / Engaged | 39,950 | 38,684 | 96.8% |
Registration in Rwanda has grown significantly, increasing from 3,829 learners in 2020 to 106,522 by 2026, a nearly 28-fold increase. The 2024 Edition 4 marked a clear inflection point, with registration rising from 17,081 to 55,722, participation tripling from 5,930 to 34,783, and engagement increasing from 3,189 to 20,866. This growth has been driven by stronger school partnerships, improved internal strategies, and increased institutional support.
While registration has grown rapidly, participation and engagement present an opportunity for continued focus and improvement. By 2026, 49% of registered students participated, and 36% were actively engaged, presenting a strong foundation to build on. Encouragingly, the consistent growth in both participation and engagement, with engaged students increasing from 446 in 2020 to 38,684 in 2026, an 87-fold increase, demonstrates the programme's growing relevance and resonance with students.
Multi-edition growth trajectory across six Rwanda editions, showing registered, participating, and engaged learner volumes (Source: Wavumbuzi programme data).
Key Insight: Strong content relevance is driving engagement, with an opportunity to improve conversion from introductory to thematic participation.
Key Insight: System reliability and analytics capacity are strong enablers of scale and operational responsiveness.
Three key growth hacks were introduced this edition:
Key Insight: A more targeted and data-driven engagement model is improving efficiency and enabling more strategic deployment of resources.
During January – April 2026, AGGPEA contributed to ecosystem-building efforts across Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia, convening Entrepreneurship Support Organisations (ESOs), formalising data-pillar working groups, and shaping national entrepreneurship policy conversations. The activities below summarise the most significant engagements per country.
Jasiri participated in a convening of Entrepreneurship Support Organisations (ESOs) hosted by ASSEK and the Allan Gray Centre for Africa Entrepreneurship (AGCAE), contributing to discussions on strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems across Africa. The session explored the state of Africa's entrepreneurial ecosystem across seven key dimensions: support, market access, finance, governance, culture, infrastructure, and human capital.
Discussions highlighted persistent challenges, short-term interventions that limit sustainable impact, fragmented ecosystem efforts, and limited data to inform evidence-based action. There was strong alignment on the need for more coordinated and intentional ecosystem building, recognising that systemic change requires collaboration across multiple actors.
The convening concluded with the establishment of working groups to develop actionable work plans across identified priority areas, reinforcing momentum toward more structured and collaborative ecosystem development.
ASSEK / AGCAE Ecosystem Building Workshop, Nairobi.
On 31 March 2026, in partnership with the Ministry of ICT & Innovation, Jasiri convened the formal launch of the Data Pillar Working Group in Kigali, bringing together 22 representatives from across Rwanda's innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, including government, Entrepreneurship Support Organisations (ESOs), investors, and development partners.
The session re-positioned the Innovate Rwanda Platform as a central tool for ecosystem intelligence and visibility, and provided space for stakeholders to reflect on current data challenges and priority areas.
Five priority areas emerged:
The Working Group will meet bi-monthly to drive progress against these priorities, reinforcing a more coordinated and data-driven approach to ecosystem development.
Launch of the Data Pillar Working Group, Kigali, 31 March 2026.
Jasiri participated in several high-impact engagements in Ethiopia during the period. These included contributions to high-level discussions on manufacturing and industrial policy at the Timbuktoo ManuTech Hub, participation in the MiNT Startup Designation Committee Election, and engagement at the launch of Ethiopia's National Entrepreneurship Policy, a key milestone in strengthening the country's entrepreneurship governance.
Jasiri also engaged with investors, founders, and policymakers at the EdTech Week Ethiopia Demo Day and Investment Forum, while expanding its presence through ecosystem platforms such as the Reach for Change Green Entrepreneurship Networking Event and the Ethio-French CreaTech Forum.
Ecosystem building efforts to produce the National State of Entrepreneurship Report for Ethiopia are progressing well, with data collection completed and ecosystem assessment analysis now underway. Validation workshops are planned for the next phase. While initial data quality challenges were encountered, these were effectively mitigated through additional data collection from startups and Entrepreneurship Support Organisations (ESOs), strengthening the overall robustness of the dataset.
Circular Economy Startups Forum organized by Reach for Change and the IKEA Foundation
Ethiopian Startup Ecosystem Convening (IceConnect), organized by IceAddis
| Talent Name | Position | Start Date | Country / Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| S'bonelo Mkhumane | M&E Specialist – Jasiri SA | 07 January 2026 | South Africa |
| Dolapo Oni | RI Venture Builder – EA | 20 April 2026 | East Africa |
During January – April 2026, our focus has been on strengthening organisational capacity to support delivery and position teams for success. A key priority has been the parallel recruitment of critical roles, executed in close collaboration with hiring managers to maintain momentum and responsiveness.
This structured approach has enabled steady progress in filling key positions, ensuring AGGPEA is well-positioned to meet current programme demands while building the foundation for sustained execution going forward. Total roles in the 2026 recruitment plan: 9. Status breakdown:
Roles currently in progress:
Roles currently in offer stage:
| Dimension | Breakdown |
|---|---|
| Total Talent | 35 |
| Country Distribution | Kenya: 8 · Rwanda: 19 · South Africa: 8 |
| Gender Distribution | 57% Women · 43% Men |
| Retention Rate | 100% (Jan – Apr 2026) |
The registration of AGGP in Ethiopia remains in progress, with timelines currently impacted by the upcoming national election scheduled for 1 June 2026. Progress is expected to accelerate following the establishment of a new government, which will provide greater policy clarity and enable more concrete next steps.
The registration delay is also partly linked to the ongoing review of the civil society's regulatory framework, including extensive stakeholder consultations. The anticipated ratification of revised legislation expected after the formation of the new government is likely to provide clearer guidance and support for a more streamlined registration process.
In parallel, AGGPEA continues to explore partnership and interim operating models, recognising that registration is still in progress and alternative pathways are needed to pilot Wavumbuzi in Ethiopia. The team is assessing the implications of the newly ratified Ethiopian Startup Proclamation, which introduces new regulatory considerations for registration structures and programme operations.
At Africa X Change 2026 in Nairobi, AGGPEA engaged with new stakeholders, including the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Foundation, Hilton Foundation, and Rockefeller Foundation, and re-engaged with the Africa Philanthropy Network (APN) and the African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA).
AGGP was represented by Dr. Roselyn Marandu-Kareithi, who contributed to high-level discussions on ecosystem building and development finance. She positioned Jasiri and Wavumbuzi as models of scale through institutional embeddedness, collective action, and long-term commitment. This positioning resonated strongly with stakeholders and led to AGGP's participation in the Philanthropy and the Future of Development Finance roundtable.
As a direct outcome, AGGP was invited to join a newly formed committee advancing the philanthropy–development finance agenda.
AGGP at Africa X Change 2026, Nairobi.
At a Venture Studio Workshop in Nairobi, a new white paper on Venture Studios in Africa was launched. Discussions at the workshop highlighted increasing maturity across the venture studio landscape, with a noticeable rise in both the number and calibre of actors compared to similar convenings five years ago. A clearer economic model is emerging, with benchmarks suggesting ~$250,000 to launch a venture and expected exit thresholds of ~$500,000+. Venture studios are also demonstrating stronger conversion rates to follow-on funding relative to incubators and accelerators, albeit from a smaller base.
Key discussions focused on long-term sustainability models, including single-entity models with permanent capital, a studio-plus-fund model, and side-car fund structures, with the studio-plus-fund model gaining the most traction. Broader ecosystem gaps were also noted, particularly the limited role of corporates in supporting exits and scaling in East Africa. An additional opportunity identified is the expansion of venture-building capabilities beyond new venture creation, including supporting existing ventures and providing venture-building services to VC firms lacking in-house capacity.
Across all major channels, AGGPEA grew its total community by 2,126 followers in the January – April 2026 period, ending at 65,172 followers across seven platforms. Growth was strongest on Instagram (+11%), YouTube (+8%), and LinkedIn (+6%), while Telegram and TikTok saw modest declines. Alumni storytelling continued to drive the strongest engagement.
| Channel | Followers Dec 2025 | Followers Apr 2026 | Net New (Jan–Apr) | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16,693 | 16,936 | +243 | +1% | |
| X (Twitter) | 9,300 | 9,458 | +158 | +2% |
| 6,880 | 7,647 | +767 | +11% | |
| 14,983 | 15,815 | +832 | +6% | |
| YouTube | 4,935 | 5,350 | +415 | +8% |
| Telegram | 4,241 | 4,101 | −140 | −3% |
| TikTok | 6,014 | 5,865 | −149 | −2% |
| Total | 63,046 | 65,172 | +2,126 | +3% |
Engagement performance varied across platforms, with strongest results observed on Wavumbuzi Kenya Instagram (48%) and more modest performance on Wavumbuzi X (2.9%), while Jasiri Instagram maintained steady engagement at ~6%.
The Knowledge & Research Unit (KRU) delivers programme-level insights to strengthen the design and delivery of Jasiri and Wavumbuzi. This trimester's submission covers research findings, the Wavumbuzi Rwanda 6 outcome evaluation, Cohort 7 (Ntore) venture progression, and Jasiri portfolio progression, and impact data on Lives Meaningfully Improved (LMI) and Job Creation across the portfolio.
Wavumbuzi Rwanda 6 showed a positive pattern from baseline to endline, with 14 out of 18 entrepreneurial competency factors improving significantly. The strongest improvements were seen in entrepreneurial experience (+4.1%), taking action and initiative (+2.9%), opportunity recognition (+2.5%), and opportunity assessment (+1.9%).
Four factors did not improve: Need to Achieve, Business Preparation (EI 1), Positive Entrepreneurial Mindset (EM 1), and Structured Tasks and Following Others' Rules (EM 2). While Wavumbuzi strengthened many practical and behavioural competencies, some intention- and mindset-related areas remained unchanged and may require additional programme focus.
The Ntore cohort, which has just completed the Venture Creation phase, remains concentrated in the earliest stages of the entrepreneurial journey, with all 14 ventures distributed across only two categories: 79% (11 ventures) at MVP stage and 21% (3 ventures) at Ideation.
The Jasiri portfolio, spanning both JTI and JGA ventures, reflects both diversity and evolution of venture progression stages. Between 2024 and 2026:
This reflects gradual diversification of the portfolio across venture stages over time.
Out of 29 Jasiri ventures, that submitted the baseline and endline in 2024 and 2026 respectively, 28 (97%) in 2025 stayed at the same stage between baseline and endline. The only stage transition was Mulika Farms moving from Seed to Early-Growth (1 venture, 3%), indicating that stage-level breakthroughs are still rare in this early-stage cohort where 90% remained at MVP.
While stage-level counts barely changed, ventures advanced meaningfully on development phases: 41% progressed on Customer Development, 31% on Business Model, and 28% on Product Development. The cohort is maturing within stages rather than crossing thresholds.
How 29 ventures evolved between Baseline and Endline
Development Phases
| Phase | Progressed | Unchanged | Regressed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Development | 12 (41%) | 16 (55%) | 1 (3%) |
| Product Development | 8 (28%) | 16 (55%) | 5 (17%) |
| Business Model | 9 (31%) | 16 (55%) | 4 (14%) |
Entrepreneurial Stages
| Stage | Baseline | Endline | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| MVP Stage | 26 | 26 | — |
| Seed Stage | 2 | 1 | −1 |
| Early-Growth Stage | 1 | 2 | +1 |
Lives Meaningfully Improved and Job Creation across the active Jasiri portfolio.
Q1 2026 delivered 18,933 LMI across 18 ventures, the highest single-quarter output, exceeding the previous peak of 9,329 in Q4 2024 by more than 2×. LifeSten Health accounts for 63% of Q1 output (12,000 LMI).
LMI has grown 65× from 741 in 2022 to 48,188 in 2025, driven by a few ventures progressing and scaling faster than others over time. Tai and Zua, the oldest cohorts, contribute 65% of the total LMI.
Q1 2026 added 374 new jobs across 36 ventures, with a significant quality shift: 192 are permanent (51%), compared to a cumulative portfolio average of just 10%. Ventures like AFRI Farmers (34 permanent), Mulika (22), and Indintambwe Feeds (14) are building stable workforces at operational scale.
Jobs created increased year-on-year from 168 in 2022 to 2,402 in 2025. Nuru accounted for 47% of jobs created in 2025, largely driven by Girah's tourism employment opportunities. Q1 2026 also shows encouraging progress in employment quality, with a growing share of permanent roles across the portfolio.
