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Renew Capital Exchange™ hubs connect African entrepreneurs with management training and investment capital to accelerate their business growth. Log into Renew Capital’s learning platform training.renewcapital.com or contact us for more information.

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Market building for African entrepreneurs

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The Exchange aims to create a vibrant investment ecosystem that drives economic growth, regional trade, women's economic empowerment and climate-smart business.

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Empowering entrepreneurs and executives

Renew Capital has a vision to become Africa’s largest investment firm with a presence in at least 27 African countries by 2025. Professional investment teams, who are on the ground in every country where we work, manage the Renew Capital Exchange and are responsible to source and diligence potential deals to bring before our impact investor network. 

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Impact investing across Africa

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Management training programs offered through the Renew Capital Exchange hubs are designed to empower African entrepreneurs and managers with critical skills to effectively grow their companies and prepare for international investment. 

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We partner with governments and the development community to grow emerging markets and accelerate sustainable development.

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Accelerating Africa's economic growth

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<h1 style="text-align:center;">Key Resources for Executives</h1>In the following post, we look at key resources to help executives manage and perform better in their roles. Below are 4 articles that will help you achieve this:Does brainwriting or brainstorming work better for generating creative/problem-solving ideas? In the article,<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/bluesky/originals/ct-creative-class-leigh-thompson-bsi-20170511-story.html"> Who Needs Brainstorming? Brainwriting Gets Way More Ideas, This Prof Says</a>, research shows that Brainwriting is much more effective than brainstorming. If brainstorming involves verbalizing ideas, brainwriting entails writing down ideas individually and then sharing it in a meeting.<a href="https://hbr.org/2017/05/why-do-so-many-managers-avoid-giving-praise">Why Do So Many Managers Avoid Giving Praise</a> outlines how the most difficult part of a manager’s job is giving feedback. In a survey of 7,631 people, participants were asked whether they believed that giving negative feedback was stressful or difficult, and 44% agreed.&nbsp;Research suggests that if you want to be seen as someone who gives good feedback, you should proactively develop the skill of giving praise as well as criticism.<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/abg_training_2_rows_8000825af1.jpg"></figure>Many manufacturing firms leave enormous value on the table because of their approach to sales and operations planning. <a href="http://www.bain.com/publications/articles/good-sales-and-operations-planning-is-no-longer-good-enough.aspx">Good Sales and Operations Planning is No Longer Good Enough</a> shows how they tend to use rough rules of thumb rather than rigorous mathematics, and they lack close coordination among different departments. This framework from Bain Consulting will help you plan in a more integrated way.In the modern world when everyone is busy, you need to be specific about how to get to the point in everything you write. Grammarly, the best app for helping people use the right grammar in communications, gives tips about how to write well and get attention in the article <a href="https://www.grammarly.com/blog/specificity-in-writing/?utm_source=grammarly&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=BlogNL&amp;utm_content=NL_052017&amp;utm_source=&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=&amp;utm_content=">Be Specific! How to Get to the Point in Everything You Write.</a>

Key resources to help executives manage and perform better in their roles.

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Key Resources for Executives

The Exec’s Program is offered to executives of companies in consideration for Renew Capital’s investment portfolio and select entrepreneurs identified by Renew Capital with strong management potential. The program teaches the practices and habits that top-performing executives use to execute and achieve breakout results. Upon completion, participants join an elite group of executives who know how to become Africa’s market leaders.


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For Entrepreneurs and Executives

The CFO100 program is developing an elite class of high-quality, credible CFO and finance managers across Africa. The CFO100 program provides a strong foundation of advanced accounting and real-world financial management skills to prepare companies to manage investment capital.

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For Finance Professionals

<h1 style="text-align:center;">Why Supporting Women in Business is at the Heart of What We Do</h1>“...A woman might have an excellent idea on how to develop her business. But if she wants to get a loan from the bank to expand her business, she needs to have the approval of her husband. And if the husband doesn't approve, then that noble idea must be buried for the rest of her life because her husband didn’t understand it.” - Graduate of The Exec’s ProgramAs we approach International Women’s Day, it is important to remember and shed light on the context under which many women entrepreneurs, executives and employees operate. Unfortunately, stories and sentiments as outlined in the above quote are not unique to East Africa (globally, only one out of three businesses are owned by women); it is an all too common reality that women must face and is why, ultimately, there are less women entrepreneurs succeeding in this part of the world. After operating in Ethiopia for the past nine years, RENEW understands the hurdles that women must face in owning and/or managing a business. It is because of this that we have made it one of our guiding goals to find ways to enable and equip women with the tools they need to overcome the barriers holding them back.<figure class="image"><img src="/uploads/xec_fotor_0_af0bf06ab0_a9f4459589.jpg"></figure>Barriers in the business world in East Africa tend to be a bit different than the barriers we find in places like the United States. Women are far from being equally represented in Ethiopia’s private sector which, in turn, holds back Ethiopia’s economy from living up to its full potential for equality, job creation, growth and innovation. According to studies, less than 30% of SMEs in Ethiopia are owned or managed by women, and Ethiopia ranks last relative to other countries in the region for women in management and women in entrepreneurship.[1] Further, while gender-inclusive employment practices are critical to developing an equitable society as well as driving business growth, the SME sector is not currently doing enough to promote and incentivize these practices among businesses.[2] We believe that in order to fix this, women need to be given access to resources, financing and best practices to not only move their businesses forward but also help drive Ethiopia towards becoming a gender-smart economy.“The challenges go back to...how women are raised, and how society sees them. I don’t have a sense of entitlement and fearlessness that is more ingrained in men. Had I been a man in my situation, I probably would have gotten more aggressive in getting a bigger investment, but as women, we are told to be more cautious.” - Graduate of The Exec’s ProgramHistorically, gender dynamics within Ethiopia’s business environment have compounded the known problems of the “missing middle” - lack of access to finance and human capital development. In 2016, The Ministry of Women Affairs published a Development and Change Package of Ethiopian Women Report which noted that there was a need to develop a society wherein women are equal participants and beneficiaries of the economic, social and political life of the country. That’s why at RENEW, we believe that providing educational and financial training to women in the private sector is an important step forward in supporting women’s equality and empowering women within the country and region.“...As I mentioned earlier, access to finance and land - they go hand in hand. If I had land then I would be able to get access to financing, because they don’t give you loans [unless you have collateral].” - Graduate of The Exec’s ProgramRENEW has found that women entrepreneurs confront even higher barriers to finance than men because they often lack the collateral and banking relationships to secure loans, are not readily invited to investment forums and “after-hours” events to meet with equity investors and potential clients, and lack networks and market linkages that are afforded to their male counterparts. It is also evident that women entrepreneurs, executives and managers face a persisting historical disadvantage - they are not working from the same starting point nor in as safe of a working environment as their male counterparts. In addition, domestic and family commitments place significant demands on their time resulting in less availability to dedicate to skills training and business development.“As a woman, there is always a challenge...Most of the time we have a fear of failure at the beginning. I think risk-taking is also our problem. And the other thing is, balancing the business with your family. As a woman, you have a lot of things to do with family and children for most of us, I think.” - Graduate of The Exec’s ProgramThis is why RENEW supports and advocates for women’s economic empowerment and gender equality. We want the realities these women identify above to change, and we want the barriers they face to be non-existent. By providing business trainings, policies, practices, and leadership development opportunities, as well as investment facilitation services and networking opportunities, we’re doing our part to try to tackle discrimination and inequality within SMEs in East Africa. RENEW seeks to overcome the barriers that women entrepreneurs and executives face by shifting the mindset and cultures of SMEs so that work environments are supportive of women’s priorities. Our long-term goal is for women beneficiaries to be empowered in the private sector and no longer have to choose between their careers or their families, thereby helping drive Ethiopia towards becoming a more gender-smart economy.Sources: <a href="https://n26.com/en-eu/female-opportunity-index#:~:text=An%20analysis%20of%20gender%20equality,to%20education%20and%20parental%20leave.">The Female Opportunity Index 2021</a>. N26. 2021. <a href="https://www.andeglobal.org/publication/gender-equality-in-the-sgb-sector-ande-india-issue-brief/">Gender Equality in the SGB Sector ANDE Issue Brief</a>. Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs. 2019.

Understanding the Context Under Which Many Women Operate

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Why Supporting Women in Business is at the Heart of What We Do

The Women in Business Series is offered as an in-person or virtual experience to empower female executives to break through personal and systemic barriers they face in advancing their careers and companies. 

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For Women Executives

Investment workshops explore the key concepts of investing for African entrepreneurs. Seminars are designed for companies, banks, government employees and other stakeholders who wish to learn about private equity or participate in a deep dive on valuations, the pre- and post-investment process and other investment topics.

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For Entrepreneurs Interested in Investment

<h1 style="text-align:center;">RENEW to Help Launch Season 2 of Chigign ‘Tobiya</h1>Season 1 of Chigign ‘Tobiya was a success culminating in the show’s angel investors choosing three companies to invest in, pending they pass due diligence. On September 11, 2018, just after the Ethiopian New Year’s Day, in a premium slot on national television, the show broadcasted the final episode of Season 1 during which the following three entrepreneurs were chosen by the panel of local angel investors for investment:<ul><li>Rohobot - A provider of home care nursing and training</li><li>YenePay - A mobile payment platform</li><li>BAMA Coffee - A mobile coffee-to-go business</li></ul>The transactions are in process, pending due diligence, and in the meantime, RENEW is helping to launch Season 2 of the TV series which will appear on Fana TV, Fridays at 8:30 PM. Girmay Haile Gebreselassie, the visionary behind the show, will return to produce Season 2. He has written and directed two movies, three plays and has a solid career in IT.Chigign is a reality TV show dedicated to elevating entrepreneurship and angel investing, with a special focus this season on female entrepreneurship. The show aims to encourage and educate youth and society at large about the importance of innovation, entrepreneurship, private equity, angel investing and the private sector in general in Ethiopia. RENEW is proud to be a sponsor, to be represented on the panel by our own Laura Davis, and also to invest in winning entrepreneurs who pass our due diligence process.Visit <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyovqM8acCY&amp;feature=youtu.be">YouTube</a> to view a short program clip or <a href="http://www.tonetormultimedia.com/">HERE</a> to see the advertisement.Show Name - Chigign 'Tobiya (Roughly translated to “Ethiopia Emerges”)The Concept - Chigign 'Tobiya is a platform for entrepreneurs to gain access to potential capital, contracts and coaching. Entrepreneurs appear and pitch in a venue that combines the American TV programs “Shark Tank” and “American Idol”. Entrepreneurs who move on through the competition receive coaching from the Chigign team and, in some cases, the judges with a focus on enhancing the entrepreneurs’ business concepts. The top contestants who make it to the final round will be considered for an investment from the panel's fund.Get Involved:Pitch Your Company or Idea - The Chigign 'Tobiya team will choose more than 30 entrepreneurs each season and have them pitch their company or idea for a chance to appear on the show.Be an Investor - Be a permanent or rotating investor on Chigign 'Tobiya. Hear pitches, mentor entrepreneurs and vote with the panel to allocate the fund to finalist entrepreneurs. Not interested in appearing on the show? There are still options to be involved. Reach out via email to learn more (contact information is below).Be a Sponsor - The Chigign 'Tobiya team is looking for sponsors interested in promoting entrepreneurship and innovation among Ethiopian youth and the society at large. We offer sponsors options to be featured in Chigign Tobiya events and programming, among a variety of benefits. Contact us to learn more (contact information is below).Ecosystem Partner - Do you work with Ethiopian entrepreneurs? We'd love to add value to your program by having your entrepreneurs pitch on Chigign 'Tobiya.Contact- Interested in being involved? Email us at <a href="mailto:renew@renewcapital.com">renew@renewcapital.com</a> or visit <a href="http://chigign.com">www.chigign.com </a>for more information.

Elevating Entrepreneurship and Angel Investing in Ethiopia

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RENEW to Help Launch Season 2 of Chigign ‘Tobiya

Edutainment uses mass media as a platform to educate the public and elevate the concept of entrepreneurship and angel investing across East Africa. In Ethiopia, Renew Capital helped to build Chigign, a reality TV show dedicated to elevating entrepreneurship and angel investing. Future programs will aim to extend this educational work across Africa.