Founders Connect

In this exclusive interview, Dr. Abasi Ene-Obong shares his journey from his love for science to founding 54gene, a company that set out to revolutionize Africa’s genomics industry. He opens up about the company’s mission, key milestones, impact during COVID-19, and the shocking truth behind the hostile takeover that led to its downfall. Now, he’s building again with Syndicate Bio. This is a found...

In this Ask Me Anything (AMA) session, Iyin Aboyeji takes on some of the most pressing questions from attendees at the Builders Summit in Lagos. He dives into topics like navigating government policies, balancing a 9-5 job while building a startup, key considerations when choosing a co-founder, and much more. This session is filled with valuable insights you won't want to miss. If you enjoy the vi...

In this #FoundersConnect Live in London segment with Olugbeminiyi Idowu, Founder and Managing Director of Talking Drum Communications, talks to us about the importance of effective storytelling for your brand. Olugbeminiyi is a technology PR and comms specialist, with vast experience in leading and delivering successful media campaigns for a wide range of companies - from established global player...

In this power-packed panel session, Bunmi Akinyemiju of Greenhouse Capital Africa and Lexi Novitske of Norrsken22, share insights on everything founders need to know about securing funding, pitching with confidence, and avoiding costly mistakes. They shared key factors investors look for before writing that check, the red flags that instantly turn investors away (and how to avoid them), strategies...

In this episode, we sit down with Caleb Maru, the visionary founder of Tech Safari, to uncover how he transformed his media startup into a thriving company generating $49,000 in monthly revenue in just 18months. Caleb shares some of the strategies that fueled Tech Safari's rapid growth. Don’t miss this inspiring story of innovation and determination! Read more about Tech Safari here: https://www.t...

In this episode, Oiza Sadiq shares her inspiring corporate career journey, detailing how she progressed from a local role to a regional position and ultimately a global role at Google, all within just four years. Oiza walks us through the exact steps she took, the strategies that helped her stand out, and the critical skills she had to learn to succeed at each stage. Whether you're early in your c...

In this latest Founders Connect episode, we dive into the inspiring journey of Jessica Hope, the "Queen of African Tech." In this engaging conversation, Jessica shares her personal and professional experiences, from her upbringing in the UK to her entrepreneurial journey with Wimbart. Discover how she transitioned from a temporary role at the Natural History Museum in the UK to leading PR efforts...

In this episode, Nimmy Mathews (Head of EMEA Sales, Startups at AWS) and Yvonne Bajela (Partner at LocalGlobe and Latitude) discuss investing in African startups and supporting black female founders and underrepresented founders. They share insights on funding challenges and their vision for improving the ecosystem. Mathews has led diverse organizations at Amazon, focusing on helping startups and...

In this Founders Connect episode, we sit down with Tommie Edwards, the CEO and Co-founder of Tech1M, a cutting-edge tech company dedicated to bridging the gap between businesses and top-tier tech talent. Tommie shares her inspiring journey, from her early days in Nigeria to dropping out of the University of Lagos and making a bold move to the UK. Here, she shares how she navigated her early days i...

In this Founders Connect episode, we sit down with the team behind Norrsken Foundation and Norrsken 22: Niklas Adalberth, Hans Otterling, and Lexi Novitske. Niklas opens up about his upbringing and shares why he decided to leave Klarna, offering a unique perspective on the balance between money and happiness. Hans reflects on his own early years and provides his vision for the African tech ecosyst...

id you know Chowdeck, the green and yellow app everyone's using these days, started with a frustrating late-night craving? Chowdeck is an on-demand food delivery service and marketplace where people can purchase their favourite meals from a wide range of restaurants. Whether local or continental, customers can buy food in a few short steps and have it delivered to their doorstep in under 30 minute...

In this video, Adia Sowho, Chief Marketing Officer at MTN Nigeria, delivers a keynote address titled, "So You Want to Be a Great Operator?" live at The Builders Summit by Founders Connect. With a career spanning roles at Etisalat, MTN Nigeria, Thrive Agric and more, Adia brings a wealth of experience in telecommunications, marketing, and technology. She has a proven track record of driving growth...

In this episode, Sim Shagaya, one of Nigeria’s leading entrepreneurs, takes us through his remarkable journey in building some of Africa’s most recognized businesses across multiple industries. From his decision to leave the U.S. and move back to Nigeria, to founding groundbreaking ventures like E-Motion, Konga, uLesson and many others, Sim shares invaluable insights from each stage of his entrepr...

Adeola Ayoola is on a mission to transform healthcare in Africa. Through Famasi Africa, she’s making healthcare more accessible, affordable, and efficient for Africans everywhere. In this episode, she share how Famasi Africa is simplifying how people access essential health services, from prescription refills to medical consultations. With Famasi Africa, Adeola has created a platform that brings h...

Bayo 'Lion' Adedeji is the current Group CEO of Wakanow, Africa's one-stop shop for cheap flights, hotel reservations and airport pickups. Before Wakanow, Bayo was a Senior Finance Manager at Amazon, in charge of fulfilment supporting product teams in 16 countries. During his segment at #FoundersConnect Live in London, Bayo shared his insights on the excellent execution, and doing thin...

Tosin Eniolorunda is a leading innovator in the African Fintech space. He is the founder and CEO of Moniepoint Inc, a global, all-in-one, digital financial services provider with operations in Nigeria and an ongoing expansion into other emerging markets. Since 2019, Moniepoint Inc. has powered over a million businesses, offering payment, banking, credit, and business management tools. In this epis...

“My own rule to networking is to give. You gain when you’re a giver” In this episode of Founders Connect, Damilare Ogunleye, founder of Foodlama, shared his insights during his Keynote session in London about the importance of networking for growth especially as an entrepreneur. Tune in!

In this Founders Connect episode, our host, Peace Itimi, sits down with the incredible Femi Iromini, the brain behind the YC-backed Moni Africa. Get ready for a candid conversation that goes beyond the boardroom! What's on the agenda? - Femi's backstory - Overcoming lending challenges in Africa - From Geology to Crowdfunding: Femi's fundraising journey - Top Entrepreneurial lessons learned And muc...

Obi Emetarom is a serial tech entrepreneur who has focused his entire career on the Fintech space in Africa. For his first venture in 2004 he co-founded Parkway Projects to provide fintech solutions for commercial Banks in Nigeria. After exiting, he cofounded Appzone in 2008 and since then has created several innovative startups within Appzone. In November 2022, Appzone rebranded to Zone, a regula...

Tosin Eniolorunda is the co-founder and CEO of Moniepoint (previously TeamApt), a global, all-in-one, digital financial services provider with operations in Nigeria and an ongoing expansion into other emerging markets. Since 2019, Moniepoint Group’s technology has powered over a million businesses, offering all the payment, banking, credit, and business management tools they need to succeed. In th...

Eloho Omame is the co-founder of First Check, a Venture Capital firm giving women-led companies their first seed investments. Before First Check, she was the MD and CEO of Endeavor, a company dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs to scale. In this Founders Connect interview, Eloho shares her unique journey and all the varied facets that have contributed to her current phase. She talks to us about...

Born in Togo, and raised in Ireland, Joe Kinvi, the founding partner of HoaQ club, has lived a bold and audacious life. In this episode of Founders Connect, he walks us through the many changes and decisions he made that have pushed him to success. From learning english to working at E&Y, starting Touchtech (acquired by Stripe) and founding HoaQ. This episode is supported by IRL, an original podca...

For over a decade, Fola Olatunji David has been immersed in the Tech and Business world. He has worked in so many different industries, from IT and consulting to e-commerce and education. He has also contributed immensely to the business scene in Africa through his work in VC. In this episode, Fola shares his experience working at Amazon Web Services, Google, etc. and we get to learn a little bit...

Damilare is a top technology and digital marketing professional who lives in the UK. He is the founder of Foodlama, a browser Extension that helps you easily find food that matches your preferences when shopping for groceries online. Before Foodlama, he co-founded Hazina, a company that delivered product samples from fast-moving consumer goods (FCMG) brands to consumers for feedback. In this episo...

Softcom is a thinking company that gives companies the tools to help them grow by giving them access to better banking, helping them sell and receive payments seamlessly, learn and grow. In this Tell-All interview, Yomi Adedeji, Softcom’s CEO and Co-founder, shares his story. Growing up in a Nigerian family with parents who gave him a level of independence, he learned how to think, attended Covena...