Maurizio Caio

Founder & Managing Partner at TLcom Capital · Joined 1999

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Biography

Maurizio Caio spent 15 years advising CEOs of European and Silicon Valley telecommunications companies at Bain & Company and McKinsey before founding TLcom Capital in 1999, betting early that technology entrepreneurs would prove critical to transforming both established and emerging industries. That conviction eventually crystallized into one of the longest-running Africa-focused technology venture platforms, anchored by the 2017 launch of the TIDE Africa Fund. Caio was an early backer of Andela three years before it became one of Africa's few non-fintech unicorns, and he now represents TLcom on the boards of Twiga Foods, Pula, Shara, Ajua, and Littlefish. He co-chairs the venture capital committee at the Africa Venture Capital Association, teaches business strategy at universities across the continent, and remains one of the most publicly outspoken voices arguing that African tech needs to shift its focus from headline valuations toward real, realized returns.

Education

Previous Experience

Notable Investments

AndelaTwiga FoodsPulalittlefishSwypex

Board Seats

Career Timeline

1999
Founds TLcom Capital after 15 years advising telecom and technology CEOs at Bain & Company and McKinsey.
2017
Launches the TIDE Africa Fund with $71 million, backing Andela, Twiga Foods, and Kobo360.
2021
Andela, one of TLcom's earliest African bets, reaches a $1.5 billion valuation, becoming the continent's only non-fintech unicorn at the time.
2023
Nears the final close of a second fund targeting $150 million.

Sources & References

TLcom Capital - Maurizio Caio ↗TechCrunch ↗