Turns out that the Starlink software, built for managing the movement of vast amounts of data through space and to the ground, is also very well suited to training super intelligence
It takes one person to believe in you.
For me, one of those people in my life was @HansMorrisSF ๐
2017 - moved back to Tanzania on a one-way ticket to build a company at 24. pivots begin.
2018 - spinning my wheels. building things that didn't pick up.
2019 - we finally got into @ycombinator on my sixth attempt. One week before Demo Day, my co-founder quit. I had to tell all our investors before they wired that i'd be building this company without a co-founder. (back then, this massively concerning)
Hans was the first institutional VC (David Sica had connected us via an intro from @dfsventures - @mrstephendeng@JakeKendall5 who gave us our first check ever)
We met at a small coffee shop in San Francisco. He told me he believed I'd figure something out, and he wanted to take the bet. Hans then invested $500K into nala.
2020. COVID hit, we received cease and decease letter from the largest mobile operator in Tanzania, the whole business pivoted (yet again). Hans was patient and supportive.
2021. We pivoted again. Hans would jump on the phone with me as i was telling him about wanting to get into cross-border payments.
he worked through scenarios, our financial design and the model with us, even when things were really really hard.
2022. Our cross-border payments business started growing fast, and Hans invested in our $10M round.
2024. He invested again in our $40M Series A. Led by @AcrewCapital and the incredible team there!
He's one of the few investors who has visited us in multiple cities and offices. Today, he came to spend time with me in London, to go over the business, financials, and share, as always, a lot of helpful advice.
Hans stood by us through some not-so-(stable)coin times.
Yesterday, one of the largest global cross-border businesses signed a contract to be our customer for global stablecoin payouts.
Thank you, Hans, and thank you, @nyca partners for believing in NALA and our team.
One believer in our ambition can change a company's whole direction. we are still a long way to go for where we want to be, we have big big plans. I wanted to give a cheers to people like Hans Morris ๐๐ฝ
The Universe tests its creations in a perilous labyrinth: only by overcoming hundreds of deadly obstacles and rising to the level of a galactic civilization does an intelligent being attain the Universeโs generosity - the capacity for eternal flourishing.
Rafiki Yangu jana amenunua Samaki Mbili apikie msichana alikuwa anaimport from Kisumu. The Tilapia Babe didnโt show up, tumeamkia samaki mamae na wine kama wayahudi ๐
Yunge, we welcome you warmly into our family, just as we are delighted to become part of yours. May your home be filled with laughter, your hearts with peace and your years together with happiness and fulfilment.
In 2008, my late mzee summoned me, akanitemea mate then gave me his safari boots and a hero jet bicycle as a blessing to take care of my 12 siblings. Nimestruggle with these disciples but finally, wa mwisho anagraduate this year. A win for me. I know mzee will be proud๐ช
Dogo katoka shule, kanikuta nimekaa nje hapa Kabla hata hajashusha begi wala kunisalimia swali lake la kwanza likawa, "Kaka, vipi TAL ameshinda kesi?"
Nimemjibu amehukumiwa miaka 4 jela. Amehuzunika sana, mpaka sasa amekataa kula, anasema hana njaa. ๐