Dr. Ola Brown, Founder of Healthcap Africa – a venture capital firm that invests in fintech and healthtech startups across the continent – has launched her latest book titled Journey To Series A. The book is a playbook for founders, funders and policymakers who want to succeed in the Series A funding round.
The Series A funding round is the first significant institutional capital that a startup raises. According to Core Signal, less than 10% of startups that receive seed funding go on to raise capital in Series A. This is partly because many founders struggle to navigate this crucial stage due to a lack of understanding. Drawing from her experiences and witnessing the challenges faced by other founders transitioning from seed to Series A, Dr. Ola has created this valuable framework for achieving a successful Series A round.
In June, Healthcap Africa held a webinar to launch the much-awaited Journey To Series A. With over 3,000 registered participants and 1,000 attendees, the webinar featured leading industry experts in the venture capital space. Maya Horgan Famodu, Founder Ingressive Capital, delivered the keynote address while Natalie Kolbe, Managing Partner at Norrsken22 reviewed the book. Other speakers included Andrew Firman, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Kaleo Ventures, Damilola Thompson, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ventures Dialogue, and Dr. Ola Brown.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Journey to Series A provides founders, funders and policymakers with key insights and strategies to scale startups from inception to Series A funding. The book explores the experiences, triumphs, and challenges faced by successful founders who have gone through this journey.
The book aims to empower aspiring entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers who want to drive investment in their communities by sharing firsthand occurrences, valuable perspectives, practical guidance, and effective strategies for navigating the complex world of entrepreneurship. The 114-paged book includes summary pages that give an overview of the most important tips for raising Series A funding.
Journey to Series A covers essential topics such as a checklist for Series A funding, the importance of keeping accurate financial records, and specialized financial modeling for Series A. Through her personal stories, Dr. Brown skillfully combines enlightening statistical analysis, and a unique mix of dos and don’ts to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with the knowledge and resources needed to overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and successfully secure Series A funding.
Journey to Series A is now available in digital format and can be downloaded via: https://selar.co/114631
ABOUT THE AUTHOR – DR. OLA BROWN, MFR
Dr. Ola Brown, MFR holds an MSc in Finance/Economic Policy and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Finance. Drawing upon her extensive experience as a venture capitalist and her proven track record as a second time fund manager, Dr. Ola Brown achieved an exceptional 25% Internal Rate of Return (IRR) for investors through her leadership of the initial fund she established and oversaw at HealthCap Africa. This fund managed a diverse portfolio valued at $700 million and supported portfolio companies operating in 10 African nations. Additionally, the portfolio companies have successfully raised $80.8 million in follow-on capital, secured 25+ warehoused deals, garnered nearly a million users and promoted gender diversity by employing women at a rate of 56.7%, with women also occupying 49.5% of management positions. Leveraging her wealth of expertise, she has authored a book dedicated to guiding startups in their pursuit of raising Series A fund.
ABOUT HEALTHCAP AFRICA HealthCap Africa Limited, also known as HCA, is a pre-series A fund keen to invest in the big four African economies. With a strategic focus on Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya—countries responsible for 50% of the continent’s GDP— It has played a pivotal role in nurturing startup companies such as Paystack, Helium Health, and Lifebank, all of which have contributed to the creation of numerous job opportunities. HealthCap Africa strives to offer crucial initial-stage assistance to entrepreneurs seeking funding in Series A rounds.
