Irungu Nyakera Appointed To The Board Of Global Venture Firm

Farmers Party of Kenya, Leader IrunguNyakera has been appointed an advisor to the board of the global firm, Factore Venture.

Working across the globe,Factore Venture brings disruptive innovation to the world’s fastest-growing markets. 

At the same time the organisation serves as a conduit between philanthropic and commercial investors who are like-minded in their pursuit ofsustainable development through market-driven forces.

“I am happy to be appointed an advisor to the board of Factore Venture, a $35mn new venture studio that aims to increase incomes and tackle climate change in Africa by building and investing in technology ventures,” Nyakera announced on his tweeter hold.

Mr. Nyakera brings a wealth of experience to Factore Venture board. Besides being the Leader of Kenya’s only political party whose ideology is premised on the empowerment of farmers through sustainable practices and environmental conservation, he has contributed immensely in reforming the agriculture sector in Kenya.

Nyakera holds a bachelor’s degree in management science and engineering (majoring in finance analysis and decision engineering) from Stanford University.

He started off his career at Citigroup Investment Bank in the UK before relocating to Kenya after the global economic turmoil in 2008. He joined the NIC capital where he rose to the Managing Director rank at 28 years.

He went back to London where he worked with Frontier Markets Fund Managers and in 2014, he came back to Kenya and joined Equity Group Holdings as the Managing Director of Equity Investment Bank.

In 2015, at the age of 33, Nyakera was appointed the PS in the ministry of Transport and Infrastructure where he oversaw the construction of the Nairobi Mombasa SGR and the upgrading of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

He was later relocated to the ministry of devolution and planning where he spearheaded the development of the National Economic Development Plan commonly referred to as Vision 2030 and the development of the County Development Plans among others.

In 2020, he was appointed the chairman of Kenya Tea lobby sector which ignited the debate on reforms in the tea and coffee sub-sectors demanding better prices for the farmers.

Factore Ventures strengthens its commitment to transform the African start-up ecosystem with the launch of Delta40, a new venture studio that aims to increase incomes and tackle climate change in Africa by building and investing in technology ventures.

US ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman spoke at the launch event, highlighting the pioneering mix of talent, technology, capital, and hands-on support the Delta40 team will provide African founders and startups innovating to solve the biggest problems.           

Delta40 focuses on technology-driven energy, agriculture, and mobility ventures led by diverse, experienced founders. 

In addition to capital, Delta40 acts as a co-founder, providing fast, iterative product testing, technology brokering, early-stage commercialisation, and working side-by-side to increase the speed of venture building.

Delta40 secured early funding and strategic support from Autodesk Foundation and the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), a collective action platform partnered with The Rockefeller Foundation, IKEA Foundation, and Bezos Earth Fund, leading climate tech law firm Wilson Sonisi, as well as government, private sector, and finance institutions.

Led by Lyndsay Holley Handler, who brings two decades of leadership, operations and startup experience growing ventures in 15 countries across the continent, the Delta40 team has a deep understanding of how to navigate challenges and succeed in Africa’s booming tech scene.

“We are launching the Delta40 Venture Studio to connect African and female founders with the technology, talent, capital and leadership support they need to build successful companies and thrive,” said Delta40 Co-Founder and Managing Partner Lyndsay Holley Handler.

With decades of combined experience supporting ventures in emerging markets, Factore Venture is obsessively focused on providing companies with the tools and resources they need to scale their businesses and impact globally.

They too advocate for non-dilutive grant funding where appropriate, and help companies become investment-ready for the next rounds of equity funding by helping them build a “ventureable package.”