Samata Capital

Samata Capital is an investment firm dedicated to making private sector investments in early-stage, scalable businesses across emerging markets, with a strong focus on East and West Africa. The firm employs a gender-lens approach, aiming to advance opportunities for women and promote gender diversity and inclusion within the entrepreneurial ecosystems it supports. Samata Capital provides both financial capital and strategic support, including access to business service networks, governance expertise, coaching, and advisory assistance, to help its portfolio companies achieve sustainable growth and amplify their impact.

Founded in 2017 by Lisa G. Thomas, Samata Capital was established with the core principle of driving equitable and inclusive economic growth. The firm's name, "Samata," is a Bangla word meaning equality, reflecting its mission to ensure equal opportunities for both men and women to succeed. Lisa G. Thomas, the Founder and Managing Director, brings extensive experience in venture capital and private equity investing, particularly in emerging markets across Africa, Asia, and the Caucasus.

Samata Capital targets high-growth industry segments including agribusiness, consumer products, financial services, healthcare, and technology. The firm's portfolio includes companies such as Neopenda, which arms health workers with life-saving technology in Kenya, and Uncover, a company revolutionizing women's self-care in Africa. Other portfolio interests include innovating needs-based medical technologies, manufacturing and distributing healthy snack foods in Nigeria, and driving the adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy in Ghana.

The team at Samata Capital, led by Lisa G. Thomas, includes professionals like Tochi Okoronkwo (Senior Associate Fellow) and Kiendel Burritt (Venture Partner), along with an advisory board. The firm is committed to integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations into its business model and works with its portfolio companies to implement best practices, contributing to Sustainable Development Goals such as Gender Equality, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Reduced Inequalities.