Meet the writers contributing to The Africa Brief
Laura Davis is the co-founder and co-CEO of Renew Capital, with more than 20 years of experience in investing and business development across Africa. She has backed more than 40 startups and mobilized a global network of more than 200 investors to fuel the continent’s entrepreneurial growth. At Renew Capital, Ms. Davis leads startup ecosystem activation in 13 countries, working with cross-border teams to build strong investment pipelines and forge strategic partnerships with public and private sector leaders. She also oversees investor relations and capital mobilization to ensure the firm’s sustained growth. A seasoned marketing and public relations expert, Ms. Davis provides hands-on strategic guidance to portfolio companies. Ms. Davis holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in business and journalism from the University of Minnesota. She has lived in Africa for more than 13 years and currently splits her time between Ethiopia and Rwanda.
The Africa Brief keeps you connected to the continent’s most important stories in 10 minutes or less. Each week, Renew Capital curates key developments in investing, startup funding, policy and market trends to help you make sense of where Africa is headed. Perfect for founders, investors and Africa watchers who want sharp insights without the noise.
Shaynerose Magabi is a junior marketing analyst at Renew Capital. She is responsible for supporting the development of evergreen social media content, utilizing Google Analytics for data-driven insights and reviewing the website for SEO improvement to enhance brand visibility and drive engagement. She also supports the marketing team with administrative tasks, newsletter content and blogs. Prior to joining Renew Capital, she worked as a blog and content writer at Opera News Hub. Shaynerose holds a Bachelor’s degree in linguistics, media and communication from Moi University, Kenya
Ruth Ayalew is a junior research analyst at Renew Capital, supporting a diverse portfolio of projects, including research. She also supports project managers with project planning, coordinating logistics, and ensuring project deliverables meet customer expectations. Before joining Renew Capital, she worked as a project intern at iCog, where her main duties included startup acceleration and training, as well as actively participating in Toastmasters International and Rotary International. Ruth Ayalew holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Unity University and is working on her Master of Science in Economics from Addis Ababa University.
