TEAM
HOLOCENE

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Team Holocene

Josh Romisher, CFA
General Partner

Reformed investment banker with extensive startup experience across USA, Europe & Africa. Responsible for over $250+M USD of funds raised for African climate tech startups.

Dedicated to leaving a healthy earth for his two beautiful children.

Achievements

Closed over $400M of total revenue at Credit Suisse from 2002 - 2013, earning a Director title before the age of 30 and being the youngest member of the bank’s hiring committee.
Founder and Partner of a NYC based startup that closed over $50M of revenue with 80+% EBITDA margins in less than 12-months during the financial crisis.
Served as a C-team member of Africa’s fastest growing PAYG solar startup serving over 800,000 customers across 6 markets while hiring a person a day for two-years.
Secured $200+M of investment for African PAYG solar companies across 15+ transactions including debt, equity, grants, market expansion and acquisitions.
Lead Stellenbosch University LaunchLab to EBITDA profitability while doubling the size of the team and earning enough cash to make 8 investments off our own balance sheet.

josh@holocene.africa

What are you currently reading?

So many books! "Why We Sleep," "Eat & Run," "Humour, Seriously," "Encounters with the Archdruid." Generally, I'm reading 5-6 different types of books at any time.

Where have you lived or visited that most shifted your perspective?

India. Such an epic mix of sounds, colours, smells, experiences. There are thousands of years of humanity all bubbling together within a beautiful setting amongst wonderful, interesting people. It can also be a very difficult place to live with tough problems to solve. I love it more every time I visit.

What was your most
painful learning about
entrepreneurship?

You must be absolutely obsessed with the
problem you want to solve. If not then you’ll never have the grit necessary to keep putting one foot in front of the other when times get tough. A deep mix of passion and perseverance is critical for success (and fun).

Abby Stern
Head of Portfolio

A global food industry innovation, health and sustainability expert, helping companies grow in scale and impact.

Passionate about unlocking true human potential through empathy, connection and purpose to build a more vibrant world.

Achievements

Former VP of Sales for one of the world’s leading FoodTech companies, leading an eleven-person global team responsible for $34M in annual revenue.
Managed a $750M P&L for a top Fortune 50 retail company.
Created company-wide health, sustainability, and social impact programs for two multinational corporations, impacting operations across four continents and over 80,000 employees.
Built a social impact food incubation program which grew and scaled 30 diverse South African food businesses, contributing to local job creation and significant revenue growth.
Consulted for six prominent South African food, agriculture and retail brands, developing and operationalizing product development, sales, go-to-market and investment strategies.
Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Stanford Graduate School of Business, 2015.

abby@holocene.africa

What is your “happy place?"

Lake Tahoe, California. It made me fall in love with nature and seeded my obsession with the mountains. The smell of pine mixed with dry Sierra dirt is still my favourite scent in the world.

What one piece of advice
has most resonated with you throughout your career?

I’m going to give you two. The first was from the earliest manager of my career who told me to never present a problem without also providing a solution. The second is more of a life and career mantra: “go confidently in the direction of your dreams.” Always taking a step towards what I believe in has resulted in amazing work, an inspiring community, and a wonderful family.

What is one thing you love that most other people may not?

Eating vegetables for breakfast- I crave them in the morning! In many cultures it’s totally normal but I’ve been the recipient of many curious looks when I down a huge bowl of salad or some butternut lentil soup as my first meal.

Duval van Zijl, CFA
Head of Investments

Experienced startup advisor and early-stage climate investor. Previously a corporate finance advisor across M&A, fundraising and public listings.

Climate and nature enthusiast that spends his off days freediving and trail running in and around South Africa’s beautiful mountains and oceans.

Achievements

Acted as a corporate finance advisor on $300m+ deals across M&A, stock exchange listings, and private market fundraising.
Invested in 10+ early-stage venture capital startups (equity and debt) with a cumulated transaction value exceeding $15m.
Advised, accelerated and coached over 30 African startups.
Qualified Chartered Accountant (CA(SA)) and Chartered
Financial Analyst (CFA).
Terra.do Climate Alumni (2022 Cohort).

duval@holocene.africa

What is the best book,
article, or podcast you’ve
come across recently?

Chris Sacca podcast on 20VC. It’s a great podcast about how to tackle climate change, ensure your kids don’t grow up as idiots, and swear at B-teamers (not that we do that at Holocene - note from HR).

What are you currently
nerding out on?

Fertilizers. Might not sound too interesting at first, but tracing the origins of modern fertilizers back to WW2 (Haber–Bosch Process), and understanding their impact on agriculture and climate change is quite the rabbit hole. Better yet is when you start
looking into alternatives - i.e. fertilizers from clean air (think lightning) …

What has been your most
epic outdoor adventure and what will be your next?

Too many to choose! Most recent: freediving at Cape Point with (small) sharks and seals. My next epic outdoor adventure is a 60km run (3000m elevation) in the Cederberg.

Update: Duval survived the Cederberg Traverse!

Craig Kirsten, CFA
Innovative Finance Associate

Transitioned into finance from a background in professional sport and developed a passion for investing in and supporting high-growth companies led by founders intent on making a difference.

Craig is driven to make a positive impact, and leverages a robust career in finance to build solutions that will preserve our natural world.

Achievements

Played cricket for South Africa at u19 level

Involved in 20+ successful deals supporting high growth companies with raising capital and/or M&A activity

craig@holocene.africa

What are you most proud of?

My family.

In this day and age, it’s rare to find a close-knit family and I’m proud that we’re in this together through thick and thin.

Jess Kapadia
Executive in Residence

A seasoned expert in strategy and business development, who has led high-impact, cross-functional, and cross-border initiatives within global organizations. Her unique international perspective has been instrumental in driving growth across a range of companies—from startups to leading corporates.

Passionate about building businesses in emerging markets, she defines success by the measurable impact on both the bottom line and broader society.

jess@holocene.africa

Matthew Dave
Portfolio Analyst

A driven analyst passionate about ventures that align business success with environmental and social outcomes. His work at Holocene focuses on supporting early-stage climate tech founders who are reshaping Africa's sustainable future, bringing precision and curiosity to portfolio analysis and impact-driven investment.

Matt is committed to understanding how purpose and capital intersect to create meaningful change, always asking thoughtful questions and seeking to grow as a well-rounded professional with a strong appreciation for the outdoors.

matthew@holocene.africa