POD: Carrier Neutrality—Rob Bergman on Unicorn Factory's vision for digital infrastructure investment
Dutch investor Rob Bergman and his partners at Unicorn Factory are driving a carrier-neutral strategy to deploy capital and scale digital infrastructure across Africa.
Africa’s digital transformation hinges on robust, future-proof infrastructure, but sustainable investment strategies remain a major challenge. Enter Rob Bergman, a seasoned Dutch investor and chief investment officer at Unicorn Factory—a family office and permanent capital vehicle founded by Edward Lawrence taking a carrier-neutral approach to expanding connectivity across the continent.
Episode overview:
In this conversation with Andile Masuku, Bergman shares Unicorn Factory’s vision for long-term digital infrastructure investment, reflecting on his transition from traditional M&A in Europe and tapping insights from his +12-year journey in African investment.
He unpacks his group's strategic intent to combine operational expertise with strategic advisory and deal brokering services to accelerate digital infrastructure development across the continent.
Key topics:
- Carrier-neutral infrastructure development
- Ecosystem-driven investment strategies
- Digital infrastructure value chain dynamics
- Market liberalisation and regulatory frameworks
- Infrastructure financing models
- Sustainable profitability versus charitable approaches
Notable points:
- The strategic importance of carrier-neutral infrastructure in African markets
- Unicorn Factory's unique two-pillar business model combining operations and advisory
- The catalytic role of WorkOnline as an IP transit provider
- Current advisory mandates approaching $900 million for continental infrastructure
- South Africa as a case study for successful market liberalisation
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Editorial Note: This podcast conversation was recorded at the fringes of NOVACOM Africa 1-to-1 Telco Summit 2024 in Franschhoek, South Africa, where African Tech Roundup's executive producer Andile Masuku attended as an independent media guest. African Tech Roundup maintains complete editorial oversight and is not affiliated with the event organisers.