Key Takeaways
- • The fifth Africa Venture Finance Programme (AVFP) convened more than 40 African and Africa-focused venture capital fund managers from 14 countries at Oxford's Saïd Business School (21-25 September 2026), addressing Africa's persistent capital access gap for early- and growth-stage technology businesses.
- • Africa receives only a small share of global venture capital despite substantial investment opportunities driven by expanding markets, entrepreneurial talent, and technology adoption across the continent.
- • The 2026 curriculum focused on venture debt, investment exits, and artificial intelligence applications in venture capital models, with participation from development finance institutions, institutional investors, and established VC firms.
- • Programme alumni, including HealthCap Africa General Partner Dr. Ola Brown, report that relationships formed at Oxford provide ongoing sources of advice, collaboration, and deal opportunities.
- • AVFP strengthens fund managers' capabilities and professional networks to mobilize increased local and private capital for African funds and their portfolio companies, positioning investors as catalysts for job creation and economic value generation across the continent.
Summary
The fifth iteration of the Africa Venture Finance Programme brought together a concentrated group of African venture capital leadership to Oxford's Saïd Business School from 21 to 25 September 2026. The five-day convening attracted more than 40 venture capital fund managers focused on African investments, representing 14 countries and collectively backing early- and growth-stage technology and technology-enabled businesses across the continent. This gathering underscores the strategic importance of strengthening the investor infrastructure supporting African entrepreneurship at a time when the continent remains significantly underserved by global venture capital flows.
The programme operates against a backdrop of substantial but underutilized opportunity. Africa's expanding consumer and business markets, demonstrated entrepreneurial talent pool, and accelerating technology adoption create compelling investment conditions, yet the continent continues to receive a disproportionately small allocation of global venture capital. The AVFP, now in its fifth consecutive year, directly addresses this gap by focusing on the fund managers and institutional investors positioned to direct capital toward promising African businesses and entrepreneurs.
The 2026 curriculum reflected evolving challenges and opportunities within African venture capital. Sessions covered venture debt financing structures, investment exit strategies and valuation dynamics, and the integration of artificial intelligence into venture capital operations and decision-making. Beyond technical training, the programme facilitated structured dialogue among peer fund managers while hosting representatives from development finance institutions, institutional investors, and established venture capital firms—creating a forum for addressing systemic capital mobilization barriers and identifying pathways to increase both local and private investment flowing to African funds and their portfolio companies.
The programme's impact extends beyond the immediate five-day session. Dr. Ola Brown, General Partner at HealthCap Africa and a programme alumna, emphasized that relationships forged at Oxford continue to function as ongoing sources of strategic advice, business collaboration, and investment opportunities. According to EIB Global Director General Andrew Mc Dowell, the programme serves a critical function by equipping "the people who can turn entrepreneurial potential into investment," enabling portfolio companies to secure growth capital, expand operations, and generate sustained economic value. This network-building dimension—combining Oxford academics' research rigor with experienced industry practitioners' applied expertise—positions AVFP as a systemic lever for channeling capital toward African technology businesses and the job creation potential they represent.
The programme operates against a backdrop of substantial but underutilized opportunity. Africa's expanding consumer and business markets, demonstrated entrepreneurial talent pool, and accelerating technology adoption create compelling investment conditions, yet the continent continues to receive a disproportionately small allocation of global venture capital. The AVFP, now in its fifth consecutive year, directly addresses this gap by focusing on the fund managers and institutional investors positioned to direct capital toward promising African businesses and entrepreneurs.
The 2026 curriculum reflected evolving challenges and opportunities within African venture capital. Sessions covered venture debt financing structures, investment exit strategies and valuation dynamics, and the integration of artificial intelligence into venture capital operations and decision-making. Beyond technical training, the programme facilitated structured dialogue among peer fund managers while hosting representatives from development finance institutions, institutional investors, and established venture capital firms—creating a forum for addressing systemic capital mobilization barriers and identifying pathways to increase both local and private investment flowing to African funds and their portfolio companies.
The programme's impact extends beyond the immediate five-day session. Dr. Ola Brown, General Partner at HealthCap Africa and a programme alumna, emphasized that relationships forged at Oxford continue to function as ongoing sources of strategic advice, business collaboration, and investment opportunities. According to EIB Global Director General Andrew Mc Dowell, the programme serves a critical function by equipping "the people who can turn entrepreneurial potential into investment," enabling portfolio companies to secure growth capital, expand operations, and generate sustained economic value. This network-building dimension—combining Oxford academics' research rigor with experienced industry practitioners' applied expertise—positions AVFP as a systemic lever for channeling capital toward African technology businesses and the job creation potential they represent.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.