Episode 160 with Luni Libes, a serial entrepreneur, investor, and impact-driven venture builder. Luni is the founder and CEO of Africa Eats, an innovative investment company tackling food insecurity and poverty across Africa by scaling profitable, for-profit agribusinesses. He also leads SEMX, a groundbreaking initiative unlocking public capital markets for African SMEs.
Africa Eats invests in and supports early-stage, fast-growing food and agriculture companies that are solving critical supply chain inefficiencies, reducing post-harvest losses, and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers. Through its long-term, equity-holding model, the company has helped businesses grow 50%+ annually, transforming subsistence farmers into sustainable entrepreneurs while delivering strong returns for investors.
Luni shares his philosophy on impact-driven capitalism, why traditional venture capital isn’t the right model for African SMEs, and how SEMX is pioneering a new segment on the Stock Exchange of Mauritius to connect fast growing African enterprises with global investors. His mission is clear: build a thriving ecosystem where African agribusinesses don’t just survive but scale, creating lasting economic transformation across the continent.
What We Discuss With Luni
- Lessons from founding multiple businesses and investment ventures that have shaped the approach to building and growing Africa Eats.
- How Africa Eats’ long-term equity investment model differs from traditional VC funding and the reasons behind this approach.
- The benefits of Africa Eats’ "Forever" equity model for both investors and entrepreneurs compared to traditional venture capital.
- The key factors driving the impressive growth of Africa Eats’ portfolio companies, scaling from tens of thousands to millions in revenue.
- How the SEMX initiative is bridging the capital gap for African SMEs by leveraging access to public markets.
Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss Incubation and Innovation: Shaping Gambia’s Business Landscape by Nurturing Young Innovators? Make sure to check it out!
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Connect with Terser:
LinkedIn - Terser Adamu
Instagram - unlockingafrica
Twitter (X) - @TerserAdamu
Connect with Luni:
LinkedIn - 'Luni' Libes
Twitter (X) - @lunarmobiscuit
Many of the businesses unlocking opportunities in Africa don’t do it alone. If you’d like strategic support on entering or expanding across African markets, reach out to our partners ETK Group:
www.etkgroup.co.uk
info@etkgroup.co.uk
