How do you drive socioeconomic change in Africa? If you ask Sangu Delle, he’ll tell you one thing: startups. That’s why he founded Golden Palm Investments (GPI) in 2008. By investing in startups like Stawi—a food-processing company that produces flour and fortified cereals—GPI can offer African consumers more affordable products while supporting local Kenyan farmers in the process. GPI also works to knock down commercial barriers between African countries, which, Delle feels, impedes the continent’s economic progress. For his work, Delle was selected as a 2015 GLG Social Impact Fellow. Delle sits down with GLG to discuss the African economy, impact investing, and what he’s learned from GLG members.
Sangu Delle is the Founder and CEO of Golden Palm Investments. He founded GPI in 2008 with the belief that socioeconomic progress in Africa is best achieved through entrepreneurship. GPI funds promising startups that serve African communities and generate jobs, including, Solo Mobile in Nigeria, mPharma in Ghana, Zambia, and Cote D’Ivoire, and Stawi Foods in Kenya. GPI has also built a portfolio of greenfield companies in healthcare, real estate, and financial services. Delle graduated from Harvard with honors in African Studies and Economics. While at Harvard, he co-founded cleanacwa which works to bring clean water and sanitation to more than 200,000 people across 120 villages in Ghana. In 2014, Delle was named a TEDGlobal Fellow as well as “Young Person of the Year” by the Future Awards Africa. The following year, Forbes selected Delle as one of its “Top 30 Most Promising Entrepreneurs in Africa” and Euromoney declared him as one of “Africa’s Rising Stars”.