Women in African Investments

About the WAI Group

• Created in November 2017, Women in African Investments is an influential collective of women investment professionals focused on investing in Africa.
• We support women fund managers through networking, knowledge-sharing and awareness-building to catalyse gender-equitable economic growth in Africa.
• Members include senior executives at DFIs, PE/VC funds, Philanthropic funds, FinTech intermediaries, Family Offices and Market development organisations.
• The WAI Group makes women fund managers visible, holds our industry accountable and combats inequalities in access to capital. The WAI Group uses WhatsApp as a platform.
• The WAI Angel Network may be joined by WAI Group members and individuals seeking to support emerging female fund managers in Africa.
• First-time fund managers may present track record-building deals to the WAI Angel Network.

Who is eligible to join the WAI Group?

• The WAI Group is open to women professionals in the African fund management industry.
• Non fund managers whose organisations enable the flow of capital towards women may also apply.
• Membership is selective and prioritises seniority, influence and geo-linguistic diversity.
• We seek out individuals who are committed to walking the talk beyond their “day job”.
• The group is moderated according to a set of rules.

What are the benefits?

• Grow your industry network remotely in a time- and cost-efficient manner.
• Identify women board candidates and job candidates.
• Engage senior executives at major funds and LPs on issues you care about.
• Design your fund, investment strategy or policy based on real market needs.
• Build relationships outside of the LP-GP funding context.
• Reduce feelings of isolation when starting your own fund.
• Find angel investors to co-fund your track record-building deals in club rounds.
• Access resources such as legal templates, PPMs, reports and event promos.
• Deepen your industry knowledge and awareness of issues holding women back.

How much does it cost to join?

Members join in their individual capacity and are required to pay an annual membership fee. Pricing reflects our members’ commitment to support female emerging fund managers. Read the FAQ for payments questions.

Type of Organisation	Amount (Excl. VAT)
Large funds and All Non-fund organisations	€125 per year
Small funds (FUM less than $150mn)	€75 per year
First-time fund managers (pre-close)	€25 per year