Calls for stronger local capital ecosystems took centre stage at the inaugural AfriCANDo Inner Circle Breakfast, where more than 60 entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders gathered to explore practical ways of financing African enterprise.
The event, held under the theme “Igniting Local Capital Funding Solutions,” focused on the persistent financing gaps facing African entrepreneurs, despite the existence of significant pools of local wealth across the continent.
Speaking during the breakfast, AfriCANDo Podcast Founder and Curator Leonard Mudachi said Kenya continued to attract investment, but much of the available capital remained concentrated in a few sectors, leaving many entrepreneurs locked out of meaningful funding opportunities.
“While Kenya continues to attract investment, much of the available capital remains concentrated in a limited number of sectors and is often inaccessible to the majority of entrepreneurs building businesses across industries such as manufacturing, media, housing, food, retail and energy,” Mudachi stated.
He noted that although entrepreneurial stories help create awareness, transforming that awareness into action requires deliberate platforms that connect business builders with the right financiers and decision-makers.
“Stories open minds, but action requires more. It requires the right people, in the right room, having the right conversation at the right time,” he added.
Discussions at the breakfast highlighted the need to strengthen linkages between entrepreneurs and domestic sources of capital, including pension funds, SACCOs, family offices and retail investors.
Participants also examined opportunities within Kenya’s capital markets, pointing to underutilised financing instruments that could support businesses seeking to grow beyond traditional funding models.
Mudachi further observed that many entrepreneurs were spending too much time pursuing capital instead of focusing on scaling their businesses, a challenge he said called for more market-aware financing solutions.
“Too many entrepreneurs spend more time searching for capital than building their businesses. We need financing solutions that understand African markets, value long-term growth and are willing to invest in businesses that are solving real challenges across the continent,” he remarked.
The AfriCANDo Inner Circle Breakfast forms part of a broader initiative by AfriCANDo to foster meaningful conversations, connections and collaborations that support African entrepreneurs in building sustainable and scalable businesses.
Through the platform, AfriCANDo seeks to create spaces where founders, investors and ecosystem leaders can engage more directly on the practical barriers limiting business growth across the continent.
The inaugural breakfast also underscored the growing push for African-led funding models that can unlock local wealth and channel it towards businesses addressing real economic and social needs.
