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’s three target sectors demonstrated impressive compounded growth over the last decade with the expectation of significant continued expansion.
Chosen sectors match high growth with a high impact on women within the value chain and will ensure equitable access to basic goods and services as well as position Africa to be globally competitive.
Our Geographic Focus
We currently concentrate on countries in East and Southern Africa with an emphasis on Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.
Our Partners
DR. Lelemba Phiri
Co-Founder and Partner
Dr. Lelemba Phiri, PhD, is an award winning educator, author, keynote speaker and gender-lens investor. Before joining efforts with Samata Capital, Dr. 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. Dr. 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.
Our Investment Committee
Robert W. van Zwieten
Robert van Zwieten’s four decades of experience spans global finance, emerging markets, development finance, climate finance, and corporate governance. He has served on ATF Samata’s Investment Committee since 2018. He is the CEO of The Serendra Group, a global emerging markets advisory firm.
Prior to this, he was the President & CEO of EMPEA, the global industry association for private capital in emerging markets, and served as the Director, Private Sector Capital Markets Division at Asian Development Bank. This followed more than two decades in senior executive positions in global financial markets in Europe, the United States, and Asia.
Micheline Ntiru
Micheline Ntiru is a global impact and venture capital leader with over 20 years of experience across five continents. She combines innovative finance expertise with hands-on venture and private-sector experience to help startups scale and investors deploy catalytic capital. Micheline is an Advisor to EHA Impact Ventures and serves on the investment committee for Kenya Climate Ventures, investing in startups and SMEs in sub-Saharan Africa.
Micheline is also a non-executive director at I&M Bank Uganda, eHealth Africa, and LEAP Africa, and an executive coach and entrepreneur committed to advancing women’s economic empowerment and impactful venture ecosystems. She speaks nine languages.
Our Portfolio
A neobank providing digital loans, facilitating payments and investments across Africa.
Innovating needs-based medical technologies for emerging markets.
Manufacturer and distributor of branded healthy snack foods based in Nigeria.
Driving the adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy in Ghana.
Cutting edge skincare and wellness company serving the news of women in Africa.