Who we are
We are holistic early stage gender-lens investors committed to investing in Africa’s Women entrepreneurs.
Our mission is to drive economic growth and development on the African continent through investing in entrepreneurship development with the hope of contributing to the economic transformation of individuals, communities and regional economies.

What We Do
Our unique capabilities are highlighted in a 3-pronged approach:
- Early stage gender-lens funding
- Entrepreneur development and acceleration
- Business research and advisory

Early-stage gender lens funding
Research has shown that the biggest obstacle women face when starting and growing any business is access to funding and ability to raise capital. The IFC reports an approximate $320 billion dollar gap in financing for women and that women-owned businesses appear restricted in their growth paths and are therefore skewed towards smaller firms. This is in spite of the fact that it has been found that female-owned businesses consistently out-survive male-owned businesses in many industries.
Africa trust group are the fund managers for:
- The ZAR100m Enygma Ventures Fund focused on investing in majority women owned businesses in SADC
- The ZAR20m Shift Fund focused on investing in entrepreneurs and innovators in Africa creating solutions that will help redefine our post-pandemic world
- The Empress Fund : An angel syndicate fund focused on innovative financing solutions for women-owned and women-enabling businesses in SADC

Entrepreneur development and acceleration
Leaders set the tone, pace and culture of an organisation. Therefore, ensuring that the entrepreneur is developing both their personal leadership capacity and business skills is cardinal to creating a growing enterprise that can scale and remain relevant in dynamic market environments.
Our online platform Startupcircles.ai helps entrepreneurs to build commercially viable businesses and provides them guidance and access to a network of like-minded entrepreneurs and investors. The platform makes the startup journey more enjoyable and less lonely for entrepreneurs.
- Visit our online Startup School here: StartupCircles.ai
Business research and advisory
In this information economy it is easy for investors, policy makers and other key stakeholders looking to invest in entrepreneurship in Africa to get lost in the multitude of information and data. ATG provides research and advisory services in the following areas:
- Gender-lens investing
- Funds development and management
- Entrepreneurship eco-system development ATG has served clients across Africa, Europe and North America. Projects have included strategy development for gender-lens VC funds, debt funds, gender bonds and eco-system development in various parts of the continent.
- Download a copy of latest Gender-lens investing project ATG worked on in collaboration with MEDA covering South, East, West and North Africa research here: Download Report

Meet our team

Lelemba Phiri - Principal

Fabian Cazares - Chief Financial Officer

Kaleo Maoka - Portfolio Manager

Sandras Phiri - Leadership Development

Webber Wentzel - Legal Counsel

SVW Communications - Public Relations

Yolanda Mabuto - Enterprise Development

Jabulile Ngwenya - Marketing

Uys & Kie - Accounting

Karen Coetzee - Process Optimization

Danai Musandu - Adviser

Keith Davies - Adviser
Enygma Portfolio
View the portfolio: Enygma Fund
Shift Portfolio
View the portfolio: Shift Fund
Empress Portfolio
View the portfolio: Empress Fund
Our Stories
Contact Us
11th Floor Touchstone House
7 Bree Street
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
