Abu Bakr Cassim, an old hand in the African startup ecosystem, has joined Netherlands-based VC4A (Venture Capital for Africa) as acceleration team lead.

The company announced the appointment Tuesday 7 March, saying Cassim will oversee all acceleration support services within VC4A.

VC4A is a startup acceleration firm, based in Amsterdam, that collaborates with a network of partners, entrepreneurs, mentors, and investors to build up Africa's start-up community.

Since 2017, VC4A has showcased growth-stage start-ups as part of the annual Africa early-stage Investor Summit, resulting in a number of series A deals totalling over $100 million.

Announcing Cassim’s appointment, it said, he is widely recognised in the African startup ecosystem, ‘having gained numerous notable accomplishments throughout his 20+ year professional career’.

Prior to joining VC4A, Cassim, a South African national, worked as a founder of Additiv Capital and Jozi Angels – one of the most active early-stage investor networks on the African continent.

VC4A says Cassim is also a board member of the African Business Angel Network and was recently voted as one of Africa’s 500 most influential people by Tropics lifestyle magazine.

“Highly regarded thought-leader in the South African startup ecosystem, it is without doubt that Abu's experience and reputation for excellence will contribute to the continued growth of the company.”

Vincent Hoogduijn, VC4A CEO, comments: "We are very grateful to welcome Abu to our team. His reputation precedes him, and his leadership and expertise will be invaluable as we continue to grow and innovate. There’s a lot we can learn from Abu, where he’ll be adding a lot of complementary skills and knowledge to the team."

Cassim says: "I am thrilled to be joining the incredible team at VC4A. Over the years, VC4A has built a fantastic foundation for supporting innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa and beyond. I am honoured to be a part of this dynamic organisation that is making a real difference in the world."