VBAN syndicates local and international investor capital into seed stage investments in startups in East Africa

VBAN’s membership is currently at 40+ members

ViKtoria Business Angels Network (VBAN) was launched in Nairobi in September 2017 to bridges the gap between startups and angel investors by building trust relationships and providing the necessary infrastructure to facilitate investment flow.

VBAN has already made investments in 10 local startups. ViKtoria Ventures is the portfolio manager of VBAN

The Network has been structured favorably for:

Formal and semi-formal investment groups already investing in East Africa.

Individuals interested in early stage investing but lack the expertise or time to source and manage deals.

Our team is comprised of experienced people

Co-Founder

Stephen Gugu

Stephen had over 6 years of experience in the financial services sector before jumping into entrepreneurship in 2011.

Stephen had over 6 years of experience in the financial services sector before jumping into entrepreneurship in 2011. He has tertiary education qualifications in Law, Accounting and Finance and completed an International MBA with an emphasis on Entrepreneurship at Vlerick Management School in Belgium in 2011. As a part-time Lecturer at Strathmore University, he gives courses in Entrepreneurial finance and as a training partner of the East Africa Venture Capital Association on matters relating to finance and investment.
Community Manager| Marketing Associate

Janet Mukami

Janet is the Marketing Associate at ViKtoria Ventures where she is in-charge of leading and coordinating Community Engagement strategies with a focus on Angel engagement.

Janet currently serves as the Marketing Associate at ViKtoria Ventures, where she spearheads the development and execution of Community Engagement strategies. Her primary focus lies in fostering Angel engagement, forging collaborations with ecosystem builders, and supporting entrepreneurs in their growth journey.
With a comprehensive background in the startup industry and a Business Information Technology degree from Strathmore University, Janet also brings expertise in various aspects of community relations, marketing, and communications for VBAN.
Janet's outstanding credentials include certification as a Marketer from the esteemed Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and her proficiency as a Data Science Associate, which provides her with analytical capabilities and a strategic outlook to drive innovative solutions to yield measurable outcomes.
Janet has worked in the startup industry prior to her role and is committed to driving impactful change within the ecosystem.
Co-Founder

Yaron Cohen

Yaron’s interest in the Nairobi tech ecosystem dates back to soon after his arrival in Kenya in early 2009.

Yaron’s interest in the Nairobi tech ecosystem dates back to soon after his arrival in Kenya in early 2009. Following several advisory engagements with startups in subsequent years, Yaron formalised this interest in 2012 by co-founding Viktoria to play a catalytic role in generating entrepreneurial success stories that will transform the Nairobi tech ecosystem from nascent to booming. Yaron focuses on connecting international investors with opportunities to co-invest alongside locally based funds and angels in ICT and clean-tech startups' early-stage funding rounds. He holds an MBA from IE Business School in Madrid.
Analyst

Kelvin Kipkorir

Kelvin is responsible for deal sourcing, due diligence, and portfolio management for Viktoria Business Angels Network.

Kelvin is an analyst with over three years experience of financial analysis and communicating with data. Kelvin holds a degree in Actuarial Science and has developed a deep understanding of risk management and financial modelling. He is committed to helping clients achieve their financial goals through his expertise in financial analysis and his passion for investment.
Investor Relations and Partnerships lead

Michael Karaimu

Michael is the Investor Relations and Partnerships lead at Viktoria Ventures.

Michael is a Strategy, Investment and Impact Professional with over 6 years experience spread across Strategy, Innovation, Impact Investments and Capital Raising with a Bachelor of Economics and Statistics Degree from the University of Nairobi and ACCA Qualification from Strathmore University. He has been involved in Transaction Advisory covering Private Equity and Venture Capital, Trade Finance instruments, Debt Advisory, Go to Market Strategy, Venture Building, Investment Advisory and Portfolio Management within the following verticals: Financial Services, FinTech, Agriculture value chains, Blockchain, Renewable Energy and with a keen interest on Healthcare, Sustainability and Climate Tech.