Moolu

Exciting times at GITEX Nigeria!
Our Managing Partner, Prince Ogbonna, alongside some team members from Moolu Venture Capital LP and Moolu Venture Lab, joined ecosystem leaders and policymakers to engage in bold conversations on the future of AI in Nigeria during the Government Leadership & AI Summit at GITEX Nigeria – The Largest Tech & Startup Event in West Africa.

At Moolu, we believed the impact of AI is still understated, and its potential for Nigeria is far under-estimated. Constructive engagement across stakeholders is urgent to ensure AI adoption is ethical, inclusive, and locally relevant. Earlier this year, Prince authored the National Generative AI Policy for Inclusive Innovation: Nigeria 2025-2030, a policy framework proposition for safe and impactful GenAI adoption in startups and public services. Find here: https://lnkd.in/dSp9-dDz

We deeply appreciated all stakeholders pushing this dialogue forward, and it was a delight reconnecting with:
Lavina Ramkissoon (AU Ambassador on Innovation)
Massimo De Luca (European Commission)
Marléna Hager (Business Sweden)
Olapeju Ibekwe (CEO, Sterling One Foundation)
Abraham Durosawo (VP, Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority)
Victória Becker (U.S. Trade and Development Agency - USTDA)
Elsie Attafuah (Resident Representative, UNDP)
Fredrik Åhsberg (Embassy of Sweden)
Victoria Fabunmi (ACS, ACSI National Coordinator, ONDI Nigeria)
Obi Asika (DG, National Council for Arts and Culture - NCAC)
Iffat Mahmud (Regional Rep at Innovision Consulting)
Abel Ovenseri, Ph.D. (LAPO Microfinance)

Together, we must scale AI’s impact across sectors, from policy to practice, to unlock Nigeria’s true potential. Much appreciation to Jonathan Paulson of Dubai World Trade Centre Authority (DWTC) and Gbite Oduneye of ODBA for supporting this initiative.

What an exhilarating day it was at the Research to Commercialization Workshop hosted by Impact Investors Foundation (IIF), funded by The RISA Fund, and brilliantly facilitated by Moolu Venture Lab under the visionary leadership of our CEO, Mr. Prince Ogbonna!

With 76 dynamic participants (42 in-person, 35 online), the energy was electric, the insights transformative, and the connections unforgettable. From groundbreaking discussions to hands-on activities, the day was a testament to the power of collaboration in driving innovation for economic growth.

Highlights of the Day:
• Opening Address by Dr. Patrick Oghuma, representing the Honourable Minister of Climate Justice Africa Magazine, set the tone for a future where research meets market impact.
• Session 1: Understanding Research Commercialization ignited conversations on bridging academia, industry, and government, complete with a self-assessment exercise to ground theory in action.
• Session 2: IP, Market Fit & Business Models sparked inspiration in a Fireside Chat, while participants mapped IP strategies and crafted Lean Canvases.
• Session 3: Investment Readiness turned up the heat with mock pitches and expert feedback, proving that great ideas shine in 60 seconds!
• Session 4: Commercialization Roadmaps closed the day with actionable blueprints, peer reviews, and a clear path to market. A fireside chat with Itoro Emembolu, Ph.D., Research Lead for ecosystems at AfriLabs.

A heartfelt thank you to the incredible IIF team; CEO Etemore Glover (MBA), COO Chizoba Ada Emmanuel-Awakessien, MCIPMN, CFO, and the unstoppable Program Manager NIIRIC Kingsley Godwin FIMC, CMC, for their hands-on guidance and dedication to the success of the workshop.

To the participants: Your passion, innovative spirit, and hunger for impact left us in awe. The feedback spoke volumes; life-changing, practical, transformative. From baseline and need assessments to BMC models to 5-group commercialization strategy roadmaps from each group of 7, your commitments turned concepts into clarity.

Together, we proved that when research meets strategy, collaboration, and heart, commercialization isn’t just possible, it’s unstoppable. Let’s keep building bridges from labs to markets!

We are thrilled to announce that Moolu Venture Lab joined the AfricArena Lagos Summit 2025 as an official ecosystem partner!

On April 30th, 2025, a gathering of Africa's most innovative minds, investors, and startup ecosystem builders took place at the prestigious Eko Hotels in Lagos for a day of impactful connections and conversations. AfricArena continues to be at the forefront of showcasing Africa's tech talent and innovation potential to the world, and we were honored to play a role in this mission.

As an ecosystem partner, we are committed to:
• Supporting early-stage founders navigating their growth journey
• Facilitating meaningful connections between startups and investors
• Contributing to conversations that drive innovation across the continent.

This partnership aligned perfectly with our mission to empower Africa's next generation of tech leaders and build a more collaborative innovation ecosystem.

Strengthening Africa-Europe Startup Synergies!
The Pilot Soft-Landing Program for Market Access between Nigerian and Portuguese startups was a powerful step forward in the AU-EU cooperation through the SEADE Initiative. Five startups were onboarded across both continents.

Through this pilot, we facilitated knowledge exchange, mutual market understanding, and built a bridge for startup expansion between Africa and Europe via a strategic collaboration between Moolu Venture Lab and Instituto Politécnico Nacional Portugal—an institution with 25+ years of experience in innovation commercialization. This initiative was designed to facilitate market access between scaleups in Portugal (Europe) and Nigeria (Africa), providing:
• Soft-Landing & Market Expansion Support
• Financial Access & Government Subsidies
• Pathways to Securing Permanent Residency
• Business Integration & Investment Opportunities
This effort aligned with the AU-EU cooperation and SEADE initiatives, fostering deeper Africa-Europe business collaborations.

A big thank you to our incredible partners at Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) Portugal and the team at Moolu Venture Lab, Nigeria, for championing this collaboration. Together, we are:
• Appreciating market entry barriers
• Co-developing soft-landing strategies
• Fostering innovation-led ecosystems on both continents
As we continue to build this transcontinental link, we are confident that this initiative would set the tone for even greater cross-border startup cooperation and investment.