Ask PG: Why do you think Africa cannot produce global scale start ups?

130 points

16 years ago

Hi PG. As a Nigerian Internet start up founder, I was quite disheartened to read Leila Janah, post (http://tcrn.ch/aE4UqK) where you were quoted as saying you would "rather fund an incubator for less glamorous businesses, like gas stations and plumbers." than start a Y combinator in Kenya.

A continent with 1 billion people and, 110 million connected online (growing in triple digits) I would like to believe we can produce companies that can have product market fit before deciding to scale up and probably open offices in the west. .e.g US.

When I wrote my blog post "A cure for Nigerian Internet Scams (http://bit.ly/ayCTUX), I counted you as one of the people that we would seek support from to become relevant in the world of startups.

So hearing that you think there is no hope for us, is quite deflating.

So my question is, why do you believe Africa cannot produce global scale startups?

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