Tell us about Umuntu Media, how did the company get started?

“I have always been a media man. My experience in media started in Newspapers. I moved to digital consultancy roles and then headed up the digital division for a large international publisher, looking at all the magazines and their digital strategy. I am originally from Namibia, and whenever I traveled back to Namibia to visit friends or family, I could never find information online. With my entrepreneurial hat and passion for media I saw a huge gap for local content across the continent. I wrote the business plan, sold my house (for startup capital) and secured additional seed funding needed to prove the concept. Umuntu Media was born.”

What is the market opportunity you tap into?

“In the majority of the countries we enter (we are now in the online content and publishing space is still wide open. A few newspapers get it, a few stand-alone vertical players in each country get it, but no one is doing what we are doing on such a large scale across Africa. As you know connectivity and speed is increasing across our continent so more and more people flock online via PC or mobile. The content side is still lagging far far behind. We want to fill that gap. On the revenue side the potential is huge! Marketeers across the continent are not spending on digital yet, as they don’t understand it. We are the educators, the pioneers, and we develop the digital knowledge and awaken the digital spend with major advertisers.”

Operating a number of portals across several African markets, why did the company expand so soon?

“Yes, we currently run 8 portals (two of them we also run in Portuguese) and will launch 4 more in the next two months, to bring the total to 12. Our strategy is simple, to be in the top three local websites in each country we enter, and then with the combined reach on our Pan African network to be one of the biggest publisher networks across the continent. We want to deliver daily, relevant news and information to our readers.”

What makes Umuntu Media unique and how are you different than the alternatives available?

“We compete with various players. Here is a quick summary of our USP. On local level, in each country, we compete with the local newspapers. Mostly they focus on hard-hitting news, either pro or anti government related. We bring the lifestyle elements. We have news, international news, entertainment, jobs, property, What’s on, movie schedules, Music videos of local artists, we have huge and entertaining Facebook communities (in most countries we have the largest Facebook pages in that country). We entertain, educate and relate to our readers on a daily basis. Then we compete with the international news sites. Yes they are brilliant at news, but the local relevance is poor. On a CNN you won’t find the local news story that happened in Lusaka today or be able to buy a house in Zambia.

Then you have the players who report on an African wide model. So this is one website that covers all of Africa. Again, these are not relevant to the guy living in Kafue in Zambia. Then the tourism websites. These are all done for international travelers and local readers find little relevance here. They won’t know that the café around the corner has a special tonight, or give away tickets for a couple to wine and dine in a great local restaurant tonight.

With our new technology that we launched called Mimiboard our readers can engage with us from the ground up via SMS, Android and any J2ME phone. We can report on traffic problems and crime reports. We can enable a fisherman on his boat to connect with the restaurant owner or market in the nearby town. We can enable the Lodge owner to decide this morning he is running a lunch special and he can SMS that and the market will know about it. We can create hyperlocal communication and trade. That is the difference!”

Can you tell us a bit about the business model?

“- Build an engaging audience
- Educate the local markets about digital marketing
- Drive great engaging marketing campaigns on our platforms in-country
- Then we also drive listings revenue and it provides us with great annuity revenue.
- We have partnered with a GPS Mapping company. When someone signs up for a premium listing they even get better coverage on GPS maps!
- Then we have our own virtual currency called Mimibucks.”

Why did you decide to go for venture funding?

“I come from a middle class family, I have big dreams and I needed funding to build this business. I tool everything I had, all my savings, my house, etc… and invested that. I needed some additional funds to get started. Also building a media business across the continent takes time and resources.”

Can you talk a little about the fundraising process, what were the learning points you can share with fellow entrepreneurs?

“I was just at the right time and the right place with a great business plan that addressed the real opportunity of that time. I believe that we sit with massive opportunity in Africa, the eyes of the world are on us. If you have the guts, the experience in your field, a sound business mind and a killer product you should be able to find funding. Just know that it is hard, that you have to be fully committed. Believe in it, never give up and send another 1000 emails!”

Since starting Umuntu Media, how do you see the venture landscape in Africa changing?

“It is really positive to see all the attention that the continent is getting. I am very fortunate to travel a lot and meet amazing people across the continent. From entrepreneurs to VC’s and everyone is certainly positive about the future of Africa and how technology will be used to change things, improve the lives of millions, drive the economy, and create the worlds next billionaires.”

You secured funding from eVentures Africa. Can you tell us about this partnership and why you chose them?

“eVentures Africa Fund (eVA Fund) believed in my vision from day one. They (Brian and Vincent) share the love for Africa and the passion for technology. They became much more than a “bank.” They are involved with strategy, they help us connect, they help drive this company to become THE media company across the continent.”

What are the major milestones you look to achieve in the coming year?

“We want to be in the top 3 sites in each country we enter(12). We want our Mimiboard technology to be installed in each of our portals and get real hyper local information from the ground up. We want our Mimiboard technology to be used by one other major publisher in 12 markets and reach 5 millions users in 6 months. We want to be profitable. We want to secure a Round B financing.”

What do you think of VC4Africa and do you have a final message for the community?

“Really great initiative! We have the opportunity to be a very strong community on VC4Africa, we should all become a little closer, share ideas, test products, ask advice and connect one another with other businesses. We all share the same goals and vision for our beautiful continent.”

Thank you very much for taking the time to speak to VC4Africa. It is great to hear about your fundraising process, your plans for the future, and progress to date. Local content is essential and a big opportunity indeed.

Source: Venture Capital for Africa, www.vc4africa.biz

Author: Helen Ngoh

iZambia was the first in a series of portals containing up to the minute information about entertainment, property, jobs, accommodation and news specifically relevant to people across Zambia. On the new iZambia you can find:

• Top local, internation, sport and entertainment news
• LIfestyle: Fashion, Food, Gadgets, Gossip, Health, Movies, Music, Relationships, Travel and TV
• What’s on section
• Jobs: Manage your CV online, apply online, setup job alerts
• Property to buy and to rent
• Resturant guide
• Accomodation guide with online bookings
• Business directory
• Games
• Music and videos
• Social platform where you can create events, groups, share photos and video or find the love of your life

Umuntu Media’s iPortal series was born in response to a lack of local information that is immediately relevant to the people of Africa.

Johan Nel, CEO and founder of Umuntu Media says of the relaunch: “The relaunch of iZambia consolidates our position as the fastest growing online publisher in Africa. From the start we saw tremendous growth in uptake of the portal, clearly demonstrating the need to generate comprehensive, updated and locally relevant content to people across Africa.”

Umuntu Media will soon be launching Mimiboard, a social media tool designed in Africa by Africans for Africa. The platform will be launched in alpha version in January 2012.

Johan Nel, CEO and founder of Umuntu Media says of the relaunch: “The relaunch of iZambia consolidates our position as the fastest growing online publisher in Africa. From the start we saw tremendous growth in uptake of the portal, clearly demonstrating the need to generate comprehensive, updated and locally relevant content to people across Africa.”

Brian Hirman, eVentures Africa Fund: “We are delighted with the relaunch of the iZambia lifestyle portal. The success of the portal from a standing start clearly demonstrates the ongoing and growing need to bring locally relevant content to people across Africa.”

Having recently confirmed a $1m investment from eVentures Africa Fund (eVA Fund), the online publisher is adding two new portals to its stable. iZimbabwe.co.zw and iBotswana.co.bw were launched on 18 November 2011. The launch of the local lifestyle portals in Zimbabwe and Botswana will deliver relevant local content focusing on entertainment, property, jobs, news and so much more to users across each country.

At the same time, Umuntu will be relaunching iNamibia.co.na and iZambia.co.zm, which have both seen significant growth since their initial launch in January this year.

Umuntu CEO and founder Johan Nel explains the rationale behind the expansion: “The tremendous growth of iNamibia and iZambia from a standing start in January has taken us to the next evolutionary step, as we now launch iZimbabwe and iBotswana.

“Now is an exciting time for Africa and also for Umuntu, which we can see in the uptake of our local content portals. We are looking forward to the next phase in which we will be aggressively rolling out seven more portals by April 2012.”

The growth of the iPortal model has brought forward significant opportunities for Umuntu. With mobile as a huge force in Africa, Umuntu will soon be launching Mimiboard, a mobile communications platform, created in Africa, for Africa, designed to cater for Africa’s local content needs.

Brian Hirman, from eVA Fund, expresses support for Umuntu Media’s latest releases: “We started the Umuntu Media journey with Johan Nel about a year ago. It is unbelievable to experience what he and his team have achieved since then. With a firm belief in his dream and with tremendous drive and passion, Johan drives this media company towards a bright future. I’m convinced that Umuntu Media will become a major digital media player in Africa, offering African content and solutions for Africans and by Africans.”

This project further reinforces Umuntu’s mission to “think local, captivate the reader and build world class platforms for Africa from within Africa.”

Umuntu Media has proven this concept to work with their extraordinary uptake of iNamibia and iZambia. The success comes down to truly local content: Umuntu Media employs on the ground journalists and encourages citizen journalism to publish world class local and hyper local news on their platforms.

Umuntu means ‘person’ in Ndebele and people are the core of the strategy. “We want to be the one stop content and information shop for our readers. So far we’ve established a news and entertainment section, offer the largest database of accommodation establishments in Namibia and Zambia, showcase the latest music and events and have integrated a property and job board. All this information is locally produced to create relevance, as we believe it’s the local content that counts.” explained Johan Nel.

Brian Hirman of eVA Fund: “Quality local content is still a gap in the market in Africa. It is a massive challenge, but we have the vision, we have the team and we have the guts to make this happen. We have great confident in Johan Nel and his team. That is why we are happy to invest a second round in Umuntu Media today and will continue to invest and actively support the team in the future.”

For our new office in Nairobi, Kenya we are looking for a FUND MANAGER

ABOUT EVA FUND

eVentures Africa Fund (eVA Fund) is launched in January 2010 by Vincent Kouwenhoven and Brian Hirman. Both founders form the board of directors of eVA Fund and combine years of experience in  business development, management consulting, online business, digital marketing and venture capital.

The ultimate goal of eVA Fund is investing capital and knowledge to strengthen small and medium sized internet related enterprises thus securing and creating jobs and income for large African communities and with that, generating attractive financial returns for investors.

Currently eVA Fund has invested in companies like ExplainerDC (Ghana), Umuntu Media (SA), Pesapal (Kenya) and Jumuika (Kenya). More investments are expected on short term. Please check out the eVA Fund  website for more information: www.eva-fund.com.

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Representation of eVA Fund in sub-Saharan Africa
• Manage the portfolio of investments of eVA Fund
• Report results and management issues of the investments to the board of directors of eVA Fund
• First intake of potential digital media companies to invest in
• Generate new leads (potential digital media companies to invest in)
• Legal Compliance – Ensure compliance with all local law

PROFILE

• Young ambitious professional with academic level / degree
• Digital and mobile savvy
• Good organizational and leadership skills
• Good marketing / communication skills
• Financial management experience
• Proactive and entrepreneurial personality
• Good social and presentation skills
• Excellent written and spoken English
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
• Excellent computer skills including Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Available as from Q4, 2011

WHAT WE OFFER
An inspiring working atmosphere in an international environment where rapid digital developments, entrepreneurship, professionalism and innovation are combined. We offer a challenging job with a lot of room for individual initiative and development.

INTERESTED?
E-mail your CV and motivation letter to Brian Hirman before 1 August 2011: brian@eva-fund.com.

This was the performance of inamibia.co.na in Q1 of this year after the 15 January launch. The strong growth has continued into Q2 with iNamibia now being the third biggest site in Namibia already.

iNamibia’s aim is simple. Create a world-class online portal for Namibia; make information and access to all kinds of information easier, concise and cool.

iNamibia is a central aggregation point or portal where every Namibian or any other visitor interested in the country and its people and the events that make waves there can find what they want.

Anything from the latest breaking news to listening to the latest release by their favourite Namibian artists. We are creating the one digital destination where every Namibian should go daily.

This is really a site by Namibians for Namibians about Namibia; our editorial angle is fresh, fun but accurate – and we really have a very diversified audience in terms of demographics. If you are into Namibia, iNamibia is for you.

Peter Mietzner, the editorial powerhouse behind iNamibia’s success states: We are really blown away by the uptake and success. The best reward is when we get those emails, letters and pats on the back from our readers who compliment us on our initiative.

When asked how this growth is possible with a small really team and limited budget, Johan Nel, CEO and founder of Umuntu Media, the holding company for iNamibia, just smiled and said: “It’s actually easy and great fun doing it. There are three main pillars to this and when your focus on those and ensure they are spot-on, you start seeing results.

Number 1: Believe in your vision, see the end result and work towards that and never stop imagining.
Number 2: Get the best people you can, create a fun and creative working environment for them and the magic starts to happen.
Number 3: Never forget who and what this is about; this is for the Namibian people, so build and create and tweak constantly to keep the information relevant and your readers engaged, informed and entertained.

We are certainly excited about the digital revolution in Namibia and look forward to even more exciting times ahead.

Visit www.inamibia.co.na and our very own Facebook fan page and become part of the digital revolution in Namibia.

Umuntu Media is an entrepreneurial start-up founded and funded by Johan Nel and eVentures Africa Fund (eVA Fund).Umuntu Media has reserved numerous other icountry portals across Africa and will be rolling them out during 2011. For instance, www.izambia.co.zm is also live already and showing exactly the same brilliant growth as its sister iNamibia.

(source: BizCommunity.com – 22 June 2011)