{"id":1207,"date":"2025-04-29T17:48:07","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T15:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fair-equity.com\/nicht-kategorisiert\/between-markets-mobility-and-momentum-our-journey-to-ghana-and-why-were-investing-here\/"},"modified":"2025-04-29T17:48:07","modified_gmt":"2025-04-29T15:48:07","slug":"between-markets-mobility-and-momentum-our-journey-to-ghana-and-why-were-investing-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fair-equity.com\/en\/news\/between-markets-mobility-and-momentum-our-journey-to-ghana-and-why-were-investing-here\/","title":{"rendered":"Between Markets, Mobility, and Momentum: Our Journey to Ghana \u2013 and Why We\u2019re Investing Here."},"content":{"rendered":"

Why Ghana?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Ghana was our first destination \u2013 and intentionally so. Every year, we plan to visit our project countries to get to know startups, social initiatives, cultural developments, and local ecosystems firsthand. Our first stop was in Accra in March 2025 \u2013 with our Investment Analyst Vanessa Ennen, Managing Director Lutz Hethey, Entrepreneurs & Partners Karsten Wulf, Gunnar Sander, and Bert Mutsaers, our newest team member Caroline Flohr (Impact & Communications), and our Tax & Legal expert Klaus Stein.<\/p>\n

\"@blackimagegh\"

Lutz Hethey at Makola Market @blackimagegh<\/p><\/div>\n

Why Ghana? Why Ghana? Because it brings together many of the factors shaping Africa\u2019s future: economic momentum, entrepreneurship, cultural depth \u2013 and significant challenges. The population is growing rapidly and is expected to double by 2050. More than half the population is under 25, and youth unemployment exceeds 20%. Ghana doesn\u2019t need outside aid \u2013 it needs investment in employment, the middle class, and entrepreneurial solutions. <\/p>\n

\"@blackimagegh\"

@blackimagegh<\/p><\/div>\n

What struck us immediately: energy, movement, pace. In the evenings, Accra comes alive \u2013 with live music from jazz to funk, and street food that packs a punch even in its mildest form. During the day? The Makola Market \u2013 one of the country\u2019s most well-known informal markets \u2013 shows how commerce thrives beyond formal structures. From the top of a nearby parking deck, the activity below looks like organized chaos: fast, efficient, and relationship-driven. It\u2019s all about who knows whom, and who brings what to the table. Every move has its place, every network counts. It quickly became clear: in a market with a small upper class, B2B and B2B2C models are most viable. Innovation here doesn\u2019t revolve around lifestyle \u2013 but around practical solutions and scalable partnerships. <\/p>\n

Contrasts That Stick<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Amid the many positive impressions, we were also confronted with sharp contrasts. One of the most striking: Agbogbloshie \u2013 one of the largest e-waste dumps in the world, located right in Accra. More than 40,000 people live and work there under extreme conditions, often without protection and surrounded by toxic smoke from open-air recycling fires. The polluted lagoon stretches all the way to the sea.<\/p>\n

The issue of waste is visible throughout the city. Plastic lines the streets and beaches, discouraging many Ghanaians from entering the sea. A large share of this waste comes from the Global North \u2013 dumped cheaply, yet left untreated. Accra isn\u2019t a polished backdrop, but a city full of challenges. Anyone looking to invest here must look closely \u2013 and be ready to contribute to real solutions. <\/p>\n

\"@blackimagegh\"

Trash Lagune in Agbogbloshie @blackimagegh<\/p><\/div>\n

\"@blackimagegh\"

Lutz Hethey and Bert Mutsaers in the old harbour @blackimagegh<\/p><\/div>\n

Startups with Substance \u2013 Our Highlights from Accra<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In Accra, we met entrepreneurs who aren\u2019t looking for aid \u2013 they\u2019re looking for strong partners. Three stood out: <\/p>\n

Wahu!<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/h4>\n

Wahu! \u2013 develops electric bikes designed for everyday life in Accra. Their \u201clease-to-own\u201d model allows young people to work for delivery services like Uber, Bolt, or Hubtel with the option to eventually own the bike. Locally built, the bikes come with an app that handles support and maintenance \u2013 enabling both mobility and independence. <\/p>\n

\"@blackimagegh\"

Fair Equity at Wahu!<\/p><\/div>\n

Affinity<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/h4>\n

Affinity \u2013brings banking to people and businesses that previously had no access. Accounts, loans, and savings plans \u2013 all digital, simple, and scalable. Especially for small and medium-sized enterprises, this model offers real leverage. Since its launch in 2024, Affinity has acquired over 50,000 users. <\/p>\n

Tendo<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Tendo is a platform that enables people to resell products online\u2014without needing their own inventory or startup capital. More than 10,000 resellers are already using the system. Logistics are handled by an external partner, and the entire transaction process is digital. Especially in countries with informal labor structures, Tendo offers an easy entry point into entrepreneurship. <\/p>\n

Yemaachi<\/strong><\/em><\/h4>\n

Yemaachi is a biotech startup with the goal of collecting African genomic data and making it usable for medical research. With a network of hospitals in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and Senegal, and over 15,000 data sets, they aim to drive new solutions in precision medicine\u2014while bringing African perspectives into global pharmaceutical research. In 2024, the company generated approximately $4.5 million in revenue. <\/p>\n

\"@blackimagegh\"

Gunnar Sander, Jeanne Donkoh and Karsten Wulf at Bioko Treats @blackimagegh<\/p><\/div>\n

\"@blackimagegh\"

Jeanne Donkoh (Founder of Bioko Treats) showing the fair equity team raw cocoa nibs @blackimagegh<\/p><\/div>\n

BioKo Treats<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/h4>\n

BioKo Treats \u2013 produces high-quality chocolate from locally sourced cocoa \u2013 handcrafted and rooted in the region. Founder Jeanne Donkoh launched the business in her early sixties after a long career in the hotel industry. Today, BioKo stands for local value creation, female leadership, and growth: with \u20ac130,000 in revenue in 2024 and a goal to scale up to 25 tons of annual production. <\/p>\n

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\"@blackimagegh\"

Jeanne Donkoh showing fair equity the chocolate factory @blackimagegh<\/p><\/div>\n

Ecosystem & Network: Learning from the Best<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A special moment was our meeting with Lofty Inc.\u2014an experienced VC fund focused on Africa. Founder Idris Bello shared insights into key success factors and challenges: capital alone is not enough. What\u2019s needed is strategic support, trusted networks, and experienced founders. Currently, 83% of VC funding in Africa goes to Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, and South Africa\u2014Ghana is only slowly coming into focus. That\u2019s why initiatives like Impact Hub Accra are so important: they connect talent, support startups, and bring international expertise into the country. Also noteworthy: PivotVC\u2014a venture studio that not only invests but actively helps build startups. <\/p>\n

Social Impact: Education, Health, Agriculture & Creativity<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Our journey also took us beyond the city\u2014to places like the Baobab Children Foundation, which combines ecological farming with education and social responsibility. Their Moringa production is not only sustainable but also economically significant\u2014with organic certification and a strong focus on youth empowerment. <\/p>\n

\"@blackimagegh\"

Lutz Hethey and Bert Mutsaers at the Baobab Farm @blackimagegh<\/p><\/div>\n

\"@blackimagegh\"

Baobab carpentry school @blackimagegh<\/p><\/div>\n

We were also impressed by Elucid, a social healthtech company that leverages health data to make impact measurable along supply chains. Originally launched in Madagascar, the team now works with chocolate producers to provide healthcare services for farmers\u2014creating real value for everyone involved. <\/p>\n

Another powerful example: Mable Preach. Known for her performances on the stages of Hamburg and Hanover, the Ghanaian-German director is building an artist village in Tamale that brings together the diaspora, local creatives, and people with disabilities. At the same time, she runs BLKSTR NOIR, a creative hub in Accra that gives young people access to artistic expression. <\/p>\n

These Impressions Shape Our Next Steps<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Now it’s time to take the next step: to develop the right partnerships, build structures, and design processes for our investments. We rely on the people on the ground \u2013 their expertise, their networks, their understanding of the market. We don\u2019t have to do everything ourselves. On the contrary: those who invest at eye level listen first and act in tandem. That\u2019s why we focus on collaboration and B2B partnerships \u2013 just like at the Makola Market: every move has its place, every network counts. <\/p>\n

Conclusion: Why We’ll Be Back<\/strong><\/h3>\n

This journey wasn\u2019t just a change of perspective \u2013 it was the beginning of something deeper. Ghana showed us what\u2019s possible when entrepreneurship, capital, and cultural intelligence intersect. We\u2019ll be back \u2013 not as spectators, but as investors. We\u2019re convinced: Ghana meets the criteria for our investment strategy, and we\u2019re preparing to launch our first local partnerships soon. <\/p>\n

\"@blackimagegh\"

Gunnar Sander, Lutz Hethey and Klaus Stein at a Start-Up Visit @blackimagegh<\/p><\/div>\n

Witten by: Caroline Flohr<\/p>\n

Photos by @blackimagegh<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Why Ghana? Ghana was our first destination \u2013 and intentionally so. Every year, we plan to visit our project countries to get to know startups, social initiatives, cultural developments, and local ecosystems firsthand. Our first stop was in Accra in March 2025 \u2013 with our Investment Analyst Vanessa Ennen, Managing Director Lutz Hethey, Entrepreneurs & […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":1004,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1207","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fair-equity.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1207","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fair-equity.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fair-equity.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fair-equity.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fair-equity.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1207"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fair-equity.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1207\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fair-equity.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1004"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fair-equity.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1207"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fair-equity.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1207"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fair-equity.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1207"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}