Sidebrief Supports Launch of the BOSS Program, a Quarterly Initiative Connecting African Founders with Investors
Sidebrief is pleased to support the launch of the Quarterly Building Outstanding Successful Startups (BOSS) Program, a quarterly initiative designed by Diligence Global and Diligence Africa to equip entrepreneurs with the knowledge, tools, and networks needed to build investor-ready, resilient businesses and create sustainable growth, whether or not external funding is secured.
Across Africa and other emerging markets, many SMEs, early-stage startups, and growth-stage businesses continue to face significant challenges in scaling sustainably, accessing capital, building governance structures that attract investors, and positioning themselves for long-term growth and strategic opportunities. At the same time, meaningful and practical conversations between founders and investors are often limited, creating information gaps that can affect fundraising outcomes, business growth, and founder expectations.
The BOSS Program was created to help bridge this gap by bringing together founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders to engage in practical discussions around fundraising, governance, operational excellence, due diligence, and business growth. The objective is to create an environment where entrepreneurs can learn, grow, and scale their businesses while gaining a clearer understanding of what investors look for when evaluating opportunities.
Diligence Africa and Diligence Global operate at the intersection of capital, risk intelligence and business efficiency across the world. Through its work with founders, venture capital firms, development finance institutions, family offices, and investors across 27 countries, including the US and Canada, the organization has developed unique insights into the realities of raising capital and building investment-ready businesses. The BOSS Program extends these insights to founders, helping them better understand the operational, governance, financial, and compliance standards that investors increasingly expect during diligence and capital deployment.
The inaugural session, themed “Founders, Funders, and Fundraising: Insights and Learnings,” will take place on:
11 June 2026
5:00 PM EAT | 3:00 PM WAT | 7:00 AM PST
Guest Speaker:
Lavanya Anand, Investor at AfricInvest
Lavanya will share perspectives from the investor side of the table, including insights on fundraising, startup growth, founder-investor relationships, and the factors investors consider when evaluating investment opportunities.
Hosts:
Dami Thompson, Managing Partner of Diligence Global and Diligence Africa
Angela Koki, Regional Partner at Diligence Africa
The session is particularly relevant for founders preparing to raise capital, entrepreneurs seeking a better understanding of investor expectations, and ecosystem stakeholders interested in strengthening startups’ fundraising capabilities across Africa and beyond.
Participants can expect a practical conversation on building investor-ready businesses, preparing for fundraising conversations, understanding due diligence processes, avoiding common fundraising pitfalls, and developing effective strategies for long-term growth and capital raising.
The BOSS Program represents an important opportunity to foster meaningful engagement between founders and investors while supporting the development of stronger, more resilient businesses. I encourage founders, startup leaders, investors, and ecosystem stakeholders to join this conversation and share it within their networks.
Registration Link: https://luma.com/zi5vaz9c
