'It's not as simple as flying down, writing a cheque and going home': How Lightrock and Norrsken de-risked impact investing in Africa
14 apr. 2026
18:33
Despite enormous potential for outsized impact and returns, European impact investors often shy away from the African market.
We spoke to perhaps two of the most notable exceptions, Lightrock and Norrsken22, to dig deep into their Africa investment strategies.
We cover:
→ How impact investing in Africa differs from Europe
→ What the opportunities look like
→ Where the real risks are – and where they're overstated
We spoke to perhaps two of the most notable exceptions, Lightrock and Norrsken22, to dig deep into their Africa investment strategies.
We cover:
→ How impact investing in Africa differs from Europe
→ What the opportunities look like
→ Where the real risks are – and where they're overstated
Africa accounts for 18% of the global population and 5% of global GDP. In 2024, it attracted just 0.6% of global venture capital – signalling, a significant missed opportunity for European impact investment.
Africa has a young, fast-growing, and increasingly tech-savvy population. It also has big problems, requiring big solutions – and the potential for technology to have outsized impact and returns.