ATG Samata accelerates equal access to capital and opportunity for talented entrepreneurs in emerging markets.
About ATG Samata
We're on the leading edge of gender lens investing in Africa.
ATG Samata disrupts the accepted business paradigm by investing in scalable, sustainable businesses that advance opportunities for women and promote diversity, equity and inclusion. We aim to catalyze positive transformation for business success, inspiring a new set of generational trailblazers.
Our Industry Focus
ATG Samata places a strong emphasis on identifying rapidly expanding sectors where there is significant potential for women to thrive in various capacities throughout the value chain
Our Geographic Focus
We currently concentrate on countries in Anglophone sub-Saharan Africa with an emphasis on Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique and Zambia.
Our Team
Lelemba Phiri
Co-Founder and Partner
Lelemba Phiri, PhD(c) is an award winning educator, author, keynote speaker and gender-lens investor. Before joining efforts with Samata Capital, Lelemba founded and was the Principal at Africa Trust Group, the fund managers for the USD 10m Enygma Ventures gender-lens fund focused on women entrepreneurs in SADC; and the Empress Fund, an angel syndicate pilot fund that utilised innovative financing instruments to invest at the nexus of gender and climate. Lelemba is also a director and shareholder for Zoona, an African mobile payments business that enables community entrepreneurs to provide much needed financial services in their communities and Pranary, a practical business school that fast tracks entrepreneurs to launch their business and access investors. She is passionate about women leadership and entrepreneurship development in Africa and has committed her life’s work to advancing equality and empowerment for women.
Lisa G. Thomas
Co-Founder and Partner
Lisa G. Thomas has 18 years of experience, the majority of which has been spent in venture capital and private equity investing, governance and operations in emerging markets. Before combining efforts with Africa Trust Group, Lisa founded and was the Managing Director of Samata Capital, a fund management company dedicated to making private sector investments in small and growing businesses in sub-Saharan Africa that advance opportunities for women and promote gender diversity. An impact investor and seasoned consultant, Lisa brings robust emerging market experience in early stage and growth investing having worked with companies in more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia and the Caucasus. She is passionate about emerging markets investing with significant expertise in financial services including fintech as well as experience in agribusiness, consumer products, energy services and online marketplaces.