An audience member at Silicon Xchange asked a panel of investors about failure. Philippe Griffiths of @TLCOMCapital answered with a question. How are you defining failure? Then he said the part that does not usually get said on a stage. Many of the companies his fund backs become write-offs, and that is after building a case for each one returning the fund on its own. Most founders will not reach the ambition they started with. “We are in a space of failure. That is a description of the sector, not a verdict on anyone working in it.” He drew one line, and it was around behaviour rather than outcomes. Egregious ethical issues, yes. Taking a big bet on high conviction and putting real money behind it, no. What he does not count as failure is the person who comes back. He said he loves second-time founders, and third-time founders, and he said it as a preference rather than a consolation. The experience is the asset. It only stays in the ecosystem if the person does. So if the last one did not work, the thing that would make it a failure is not starting the next one. Tag someone who needs to hear it from an investor rather than from a founder/friend. Video credit: Silicon Xchange

Brilliant piece from @MobilePunch on Tomiwa Aladekomo's (@TechCabal) letter: "Africa Tech: From Survival to Scale." He pulled in sharp minds like @pawapay's Nikolai Barnwell, @vp_fund's Kola Aina, @Communique_HQ's David Adeleke, @TBRAfrica’s Marcia Ashong-Sam & @TLCOMCapital’s Omobola Johnson to ask: what must African tech do by 2030 to win the next decade? Worth the read: punchng.com/african-tech-fro…

What does Find & Fund mean to us? It starts with finding exceptional founders and ideas before they become obvious — then backing them with the capital, network and long-term partnership they need to scale.

Really enjoyed this conversation on Africa VC journey to date. The foundation has been laid for future growth. Take a listen :)

Watch the full conversation here: piped.video/kPb4ijG4aRI?si=UuBK…

In this piece by Semafor Africa, Eloho Omame @ElohoVC, Partner at TLCOM, shares her perspective on why the shift toward later-stage investing doesn’t mean early-stage investing is going away. Read the full article here↓ semafor.com/article/08/05/20…

Meet the people behind TLCOM. Our team brings together different perspectives, experiences and networks around one shared goal: partnering with exceptional founders building Africa’s next generation of enduring companies.

At TLCOM, we do more than invest. We find exceptional founders early and fund them with the conviction and support to build enduring companies.

Taking it back to our TLCOM Brand Launch Mixer in Lagos, where we gathered with founders and friends to unveil our new brand. This milestone marked the remarkable maturity of the ecosystem. Just as capital compounds, so does everything else around it, from operator experience and institutional memory, to the collective confidence to build at a scale that will endure. Thank you to all who joined us, and cheers to the next decade of venture.

Thank you to Allan Cunningham and Africa Capital Digest for an incredible partnership on the Meridian Africa Digital Dialogues and for a truly spirited, and fun, co-moderation yesterday. We had our largest audience to-date, and 85% of attendees went the hour-plus distance with us—proving just how vital the conversation surrounding the future of the continent’s capital markets truly is. We brought together an All-Star panel to dive deep into where African private markets and capital mobilization are headed: Maurizio Caio (@TLCOMCapital) on early-stage investing and the rising quality of African tech founders. David Kornik (@vantagemarkets) on the niche growth of mezzanine financing and managing macro risks. Mohammed Usman Abdul-Razaq (@africa_finance) on de-risking mega-infrastructure projects, including the historic financial close of the Lobito Atlantic Rail. Christopher Chijiutomi (@BritishIntInv) on BII’s 5-year strategy to mobilize £9 billion and prioritize local capital matching. Thomas Sheehy (@KRLintl) providing critical insights on the shifting priorities of Western DFIs like the @DFCgov. Missed the live broadcast? You can catch the full replay and insights here: lnkd.in/eZCBAAkw The momentum doesn’t stop. We are already planning the next installment. We promise to continue delivering unique insights, practical and commercially valuable recommendations, and, of course, the same high energy and entertainment 🤩 #AfricanMarkets #PrivateCapital #Infrastructure #DigitalDialogues #EmergingMarkets #CapitalMobilization

Our new look as we continue to evolve. This is TLCOM.