Madica, an Africa-focused investment program dedicated to pre-seed stage startups in Africa, has announced the strategic appointments of Rose Odengo and Brenda Wangari. The new appointments strengthen Madica’s commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and innovation in the tech sector across the continent. Odengo’s extensive wealth of experience and expertise will lead her to take on the pivotal role of Head of Communications and Community. An accomplished storyteller and seasoned communication strategist with nearly two decades of experience, Kenya-based Odengo will draw from her expertise in advertising, public relations, brand development, journalism, and digital communication. She will support Madica and its portfolio companies in communicating their visions and journeys effectively with stakeholders.
While Wangari, hailing from Kenya and boasting an impressive background in program management, investment analysis, operations, and network building, will undertake a crucial role within Madica’s portfolio companies, fostering their growth and prosperity. Prior to joining Madica, she spearheaded entrepreneur support programs at Village Capital, collaborating closely with innovation hubs across the continent, enabling them to achieve sustainability while expanding their services and initiatives for entrepreneurs.
Launched in 2022, Madica bridges the gaps that impede Africa’s innovation, entrepreneurship, and wealth creation. With a $6 million sector-agnostic fund, the program strives to empower mission-driven founders, especially female-led founders. Madica enables these founders to build and grow their startups by providing access to finance and top-tier support. In response to the appointments, Emmanuel Adegboye, Head of Madica, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “We warmly welcome Rose and Brenda to the Madica team. Their remarkable qualifications and exceptional qualities further enrich our growing organization, and we feel privileged to have them join us. These appointments underscore Madica’s unwavering dedication to embracing diversity and promoting women in leadership positions, setting a positive precedent for the entire industry. “Our commitment doesn’t stop there. We are equally devoted to supporting underrepresented founders and fueling the growth of pioneering startups across underserved African regions.” Last month, Madica contributed to the groundbreaking Diversity Dividend: Exploring Gender Equality in the African Tech Ecosystem report, the first-ever publication focused on gender equality in the African tech startup landscape, with the results demonstrating the lack of gender diversity both within startup teams and funding rounds on the continent