team
“No one is successful in a vacuum; I believe that people working in concert accelerate and amplify the achievement of goals. In building Otundi, I hope to deploy our firm’s collective professional and personal relationships on behalf of the African founders and teams we invest in. I hope to put the focus squarely on teamwork and community, “walking the talk” myself by building Otundi from the ground up as a high-performing team that supports high-performing teams.”
Nnena
lives in Nairobi and spends a significant amount of her time travelling across the African continent, connecting with entrepreneurs and supporting portfolio companies’ management teams
oversees Otundi’s investment strategy, funding activities, and portfolio construction/management
mentors startups and is an active contributor to Africa’s emerging entrepreneurial and investing ecosystems
has over 15 years of experience in identifying, building, and capturing value for corporations and funds in Africa
spent four years at Digital Growth Africa (DiGAME), one of Africa’s earliest, institutional venture capital investing vehicles, which she helped found in 2016
invested two to ten million dollars in the Series A/B rounds of high-growth, entrepreneurial, tech-enabled businesses including: Getsmarter (exited to 2U, Inc.), SWVL, 10X Investments, and Rhino Safaris Africa
is a Kauffman Fellow (Class 23)
holds a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University
“I love working with creative people. While many entrepreneurs don’t think of themselves as ‘creatives,’ they are some of the most creative people I meet — building something out of nothing is not easy. I think entrepreneurs need people-oriented support in addition to the capital-driven support they are used to asking for and receiving. It takes a bit more effort, but I love being part of a team that offers that magic.”
Lanre
lives in Lagos but operates across Africa, identifying, investing, and supporting early-stage entrepreneurial teams
works with teams to understand and strengthen the theses behind their propositions
leads Otundi’s due diligence process for potential investments
developed strategic and operational insights for growth-focused C-suite leaders over 9 years as a management consultant in Africa
advanced Japan’s emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem by selecting, mentoring, and accelerating the growth of Japanese entrepreneurs through Endeavor Japan
holds a Master of Public Health degree in Health Management and a Bachelor of Arts from Yale University
“Otundi’s mission resonates strongly with my personal and professional values to make global and local markets more equitable. Professionally, this translates into a desire to move capital into the hands and lands that have been historically underrepresented or disadvantaged. History has codified who has access to institutional capital and who does not. I take great joy in challenging that script and even more pleasure in having a vehicle through which I can institutionalize such change with Otundi Ventures!”
Elena
leads Otundi’s investor relations activities
cultivates relationships with limited partners from around the world to facilitate and strengthen their participation in Africa’s private market investing ecosystem
formed and managed relationships with investors to fund new product offerings as a member of the client relations team at the IFC Asset Management Company, a subsidiary of the World Bank Group, and as a member of the Carlyle Group’s legal team
holds a dual Master of Public Administration degree in International Finance (from Columbia University) and Economic Policy (from the London School of Economics), and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Smith College
“Technology has the power to transform — digital innovation is driving fundamental improvements across Africa. I joined Otundi because I am motivated by technology’s potential to create opportunity and improve livelihoods. In my day-to-day role, I am energized by connecting with and supporting entrepreneurs; I love seeing the creative ways they use technology to tackle complex issues and achieve life-changing results.”
Gizem
connects with entrepreneurs across Africa to source, screen, and manage Otundi’s pipeline of investment opportunities
participates in due diligence and deal execution activities for prospective investments
developed innovative financing solutions for African companies, multilateral institutions, development agencies, and foundations (e.g., the World Bank, the Gates Foundation) within the advisory team at Lion’s Head Global Partners
holds a Master of Science in Development Economics from SOAS (University of London) and a Bachelor of Science in Management from HEC Lausanne