Alexandra Fraser is a Director at Viridian, an innovation agency that designs and delivers early-stage entrepreneur and investor programmes, research and strategy. She is also an angel investor, start-up advocate and is passionate about building a vibrant, sustainable high growth entrepreneurial ecosystem and culture across the continent, to drive economic growth and job creation. She is deeply embedded and connected with the entrepreneurial, investment and innovation communities through her involvement with various organizations and as an independent strategic consultant.

 

Alex has over 16 years’ experience in the early-stage investment space and works with a wide variety of tech startups to grow their businesses, raise funding, and access new customers and markets. Alexandra is also a founding member of ABAN (African Business Angels Network); an advisor for SABAN (South African Business Angel Network); served on the Silicon Cape board for 8 years (as Chairperson and in a variety of other capacities); is a regular guest lecturer at universities and business schools; and is a mentor for a number of start-up programs. Alexandra is also a co-founder of Dazzle Angels (www.dazzleangels.com) an early-stage fund focusing on increasing the number of women angel investors in South Africa and also to provide more seed stage funding for women-led businesses. Most recently, she co-founded the African Angel Academy (www.africanangelacademy.com), the first online training programme for African angel investors, delivered by experienced angels.

 

Alex holds a BSc in Molecular Biology and a Post Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship from the University of Cape Town, as well as a Master’s Degree in International Business and Emerging Markets from the University of Edinburgh.