Latest news with #NaturalCapital
CNBC
10-07-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Space startup Varda raises $187 million in funding to make drugs in orbit
Space startup Varda announced on Thursday that it has raised $187 million in Series C funding, led by venture capital firms Natural Capital and Shrug Capital, to continue advancing drug manufacturing in space. The latest round included participation from Peter Thiel, Lux Capital, Khosla Ventures and Caffeinated Capital. It brought the total capital Varda's raised to $329 million. "By expanding, we can support work on more complex molecules and ultimately increase cadence to achieve the turnaround times the pharmaceutical industry expects," Chief Science Officer Adrian Radocea said in a press release Thursday. Varda's main mission is to launch and return drugs made in space. The startup has said the medicines crystallize differently in orbit due to the gravity differences, which would allow it to complete drugs that are currently difficult to manufacture. In 2024, the space startup's W-Series 1 capsule received FAA approval to return after successfully creating the drug Ritonavir the previous year. So far, Varda said the company has been able to complete three space launches. Now, a fourth is in orbit, and the company expects to launch a fifth by the end of the year. Varda's system uses Rocket Lab's Photon spacecraft for its operation and adds its manufacturing module and a heatshield-protected capsule. "With this capital, Varda will continue to increase our flight cadence and build out the pharmaceutical lab that will deliver the world's first microgravity-enabled drug formulation," said Varda CEO Will Bruey. Varda Space Industries is the first company to process materials outside the International Space Station. Recently, the space company has also operated a testbed for the U.S. government to use the W-series reentry vehicles to advance technology. Varda said it has expanded into Huntsville, Alaska, and opened a laboratory in El Segundo, California, to begin work to crystallize more drugs. "Our new lab space is an investment in our belief that in-space pharmaceutical manufacturing will drive the foundation of the orbital economy," Radocea said.
Zawya
23-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
President Ruto, Samaila Zubairu and Africa's Top Chief Executive Officer's (CEO) to Headline The Africa Debate in London
Invest Africa ( is pleased to announce Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) as Headline Partner for the 11th edition of The Africa Debate, taking place on Wednesday, 2 July 2025 at the Guildhall, in the heart of the City of London. This year's theme — "Harnessing Natural Capital for Growth" — seeks to interrogate how Africa can transform the scale and structure of investment around its most enduring assets: from its critical minerals and fertile land to its human ingenuity and demographic dynamism. Now firmly established as the UK's premier forum for Africa-focused investment dialogue, The Africa Debate will convene over 700 senior decision-makers from across government, finance, and industry for a full day of high-level exchanges. Through keynote addresses, ministerial dialogues, and curated sector debates, the programme will explore how to turn extractive advantage into structural transformation — mobilising green industrialisation, digital infrastructure, intra-African trade, and new financial instruments to drive inclusive, climate-smart growth. This year's speaker line-up reflects the extraordinary breadth of voices shaping Africa's next chapter, from heads of state to the stewards of global capital. Highlights include: H.E. William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya; H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia; Board Chair, TradeMark Africa; H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General, African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat; Benedict Oramah, President, Afreximbank; Samaila Zubairu, President&CEO, Africa Finance Corporation; Abebe Aemro Selassie, Director, African Department, International Monetary Fund; Solomon Quaynor, Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure&Industrialisation, African Development Bank; Strive Masiyiwa, Founder&Chair, Econet Wireless; Duncan Wanblad, CEO, Anglo American; Wale Tinubu, CEO, Oando Plc; Monique Gieskes, CEO, PHC; Marie-Chantal Kaninda, President, Glencore DRC; and more. The full programme is now available to view here ( with detailed sessions on value chain transformation, blended finance, regional infrastructure, and Africa's positioning in a multipolar global economy. Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of Africa Finance Corporation, commented: 'Natural capital is only as valuable as the systems that refine, protect, and elevate it. At AFC, we believe that infrastructure is the bridge between Africa's resource richness and the continent's ability to rapidly industrialise and take its rightful place on the global stage. Our partnership with Invest Africa and The Africa Debate underscores the need for thoughtful, long-term capital — deployed strategically — to unlock the continent's full economic potential. We are proud to support a platform that challenges assumptions and catalyses bold, bankable solutions.' Chantelé Carrington, CEO of Invest Africa, added: 'Africa's path to prosperity must be built not on extraction, but on transformation. This year's theme compels us to ask harder questions about how we steward the continent's assets — human, natural, and institutional — in a world shaped by climate change, technological disruption, and shifting geopolitical priorities. With AFC's visionary leadership, we are honoured to convene a dialogue that is ambitious in scope, rigorous in thought, and focused on meaningful outcomes.' Confirmed Sponsors of The Africa Debate Include: Africa Finance Corporation (Headline Partner), Absa Group, Afreximbank, FirstBank UK Limited, Invest KZN, Standard Chartered, Standard Bank Group, Plantations et Huileries du Congo, Lagos Free Zone (Tolaram), Octopus Energy, ServiceNow, Stellar Developments, Spiro, Safaricom, Premier Invest, Remittances Hub, S-RM, DLA Piper, and London Stock Exchange Group. To register as a delegate for The Africa Debate, please visit: Places are limited and advance registration is essential. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Invest Africa. For more information or media enquiries, please contact: Pippa van Breda Marketing&Communications Manager Invest Africa T: +44 2037 305 035 E: About The Africa Debate: The Africa Debate is London's premier investment forum dedicated to shaping the future of African trade, investment, and economic transformation. Now in its 11th year, the event serves as a critical platform for global businesses, investors, policymakers, and thought leaders to engage in high-level discussions on Africa's evolving role in the global economy. About Invest Africa: Invest Africa is a leading pan-African business platform that promotes trade and investment across the continent. With a 60-year heritage and a network of over 400 global members, Invest Africa provides trusted intelligence, strategic connections, and high-level convenings to support business success across African markets. About Africa Finance Corporation: Africa Finance Corporation is Africa's leading multilateral finance institution, focused on bridging the continent's infrastructure gap through innovative, commercially viable, and sustainable investments.
Zawya
08-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Invest Africa and United Kingdom (UK) Government Announce Strategic Partnership for The Africa Debate
Invest Africa ( the leading platform for promoting trade and investment across the African continent, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with the UK Government for the 11th edition of The Africa Debate, taking place on Wednesday, 2 July 2025 at the historic Guildhall in the City of London. As the UK's leading forum for high-level dialogue on Africa's economic trajectory, The Africa Debate 2025 will convene over 500 senior leaders from government, finance, and industry to explore this year's theme: 'Harnessing Natural Capital for Growth'. The agenda will examine how African nations can leverage their abundant resources – from critical minerals and biodiversity to human capital – to build globally competitive industries, enhance intra-African value chains, and deliver inclusive, sustainable development. The event comes at a strategically important moment: just over one year into the new UK Government, as it sets out a renewed international agenda focused on trade, investment, and strategic partnership with Africa. The Rt Hon. the Lord Collins of Highbury, Minister for Africa, commented: 'The UK recognises the critical role Africa plays in the global economy and in shaping a sustainable, inclusive future. We are proud to support The Africa Debate as a strategic platform to deepen trade and investment ties with African partners and boost mutual economic growth between our countries. Our ambition in our new approach to Africa is to support the scale-up of transformative green growth across the continent – and the UK stands ready to be a long-term, trusted partner in that journey.' Chantelé Carrington, Chief Executive Officer of Invest Africa, added: 'Our collaboration with the UK Government is a major milestone for The Africa Debate. With a new administration in place, this is a crucial opportunity to shape a modern and meaningful UK-Africa relationship centred on mutual benefit. As African economies focus on industrialisation, value addition, and sustainable investment, we are proud to offer a platform that connects the UK's financial expertise and private sector strength with Africa's vast economic potential.' The Africa Debate 2025 will feature head of state and ministerial keynotes, alongside high-level plenaries and curated side events that convene senior leaders from across Africa and the global investment community. This year's agenda will examine how the continent can harness its natural capital – through the lenses of finance, industrialisation, and digital innovation – to drive long-term value creation and sustainable development. Our strategic partnership reflects the UK's commitment to forging deeper, future-oriented relationships with African partners – focused on mobilising investment at scale, promoting inclusive economic growth, and co-creating resilient solutions to shared global challenges. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Invest Africa. Media Contact: Invest Africa Email: Websites: Invest Africa ( The Africa Debate ( About The Africa Debate: The Africa Debate is London's premier investment forum dedicated to shaping the future of African trade, investment, and economic transformation. Now in its 11th year, the event serves as a critical platform for global businesses, investors, policymakers, and thought leaders to engage in high-level discussions on Africa's evolving role in the global economy. About Invest Africa: Invest Africa is a leading pan-African business and investment platform, that drives trade and investment across the continent. With over sixty years' experience in Africa, we provide our network with trusted market insights, tailored business support, and platforms for meaningful engagement. Our network includes more than 400 multinational corporations, investors, policy makers, and entrepreneurs, united by a shared commitment to building sustainable opportunity across Africa.
