What to expect from this year’s Tech in Ghana Conference: London.
More Speakers to be Announced Soon
Tech in Ghana was first launched in London by the then UK Trade Envoy to Ghana, Adam Afriyie, and has since become an annual event hosted by international law firm Addleshaw Goddard.
Held during London Tech Week, the UK’s largest and most influential tech event, TIG: London Edition is attended by Ghana’s most promising scale-ups, policy makers, global tech giants, and financiers. The event has featured some of the biggest names in Ghanaian tech, such as expressPay, mPedigree, Farmerline, and IPMC, and in 2022 featured the likes of Twitter and the IFC.
With its ability to bring together key players in the industry, TIG: London Edition has become an essential platform for the advancement of Ghanaian tech on a global stage.
Rita Tani Iddi is a Ghanaian politician who was the member of parliament for the Gushiegu constituency from 2005 to 2009. Rita won the Gushiegu seat during the December 2004 general election on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). While in parliament, she doubled as the deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources in charge of Mines.
She is currently the Deputy Ghana High commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Early life and education. Rita was born on 14 September 1949. She attended the University of Cape Coast where she obtained a Diploma, after which she furthered her education at the University of Education, Winneba and obtained her Bachelor of Education in Home Economics.
Rita Tani Iddi is a teacher by profession, she taught in several schools in Ghana, these include Yendi Senior High School and Berekum Training College among others. She was appointed a District Chief Executive of the Gushegu District in the Northern Region of Ghana. She also became a member of parliament of the Fourth Parliament for the Fourth Republic of Ghana representing the Gushegu constituency and served as a Deputy Minister for Lands, Forestry and Mines and took charge of the mines sector during His Excellency the Ex-President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor’s administration.
David is an accomplished Executive Manager with multifaceted experience and proven ability to re-energize and restructure organizations, develop strategic initiatives and capture emerging business opportunities. He is a results-oriented and decisive leader, adept at forging lucrative relationships with key partners, vendors and clients, and recognized for turning around struggling company operations to achieve sustained growth.
He is also adept at identifying potential risks and suggesting recommendations for improvements to achieve business objectives.
Until recently, David served as the Head of Operations at the Ghana Digital Centers Limited (GDCL); Ghana’s foremost Science and Technology Park, which has provided Entrepreneurship and Innovation support to over 200 technology start-ups and SMEs. During his tenure, he led the roll out of the “Digital Skills Development for Youth from disadvantaged backgrounds” initiative and oversaw the on-boarding of over 40 Technology Companies including anchor tenants like Docupro, World Vision, VFS Global, and MTN Ayo Intermediaries.
David also served as the Executive Director of the Ghana Oracle Digital Enterprise Program (GODEP), an initiative focused on mentoring and nurturing startup companies in Technology and Innovation.
He is currently the Director of Innovation of the National Entrepreneurship & Innovation Programme (NEIP) of the Government of Ghana. Here, David supervises the innovation directorate of the NEIP, and is accountable for the leadership, strategic direction and oversight of the operation, management, and delivery of the institution’s innovation function.
David is passionate about technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation, and has facilitated, participated in, and supported the organization of several events and conferences in that space.
Folarin is the Head of Startup Ecosystem for Africa at Google, leading the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa and Black Founders Fund Africa.
Previously, he was the Business Information Specialist of the Tony Elumelu Foundation where he managed all business-related data of over 500,000 entrepreneurs, technology platforms and core pillars of a pan-African entrepreneurship programme. He is a lifetime member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honours Society for business excellence and supports his expertise in information systems, business development, entrepreneurship and strategy with his youth and novelty, to break traditional and conventional models of business.
Milou van Bruggen works for the UN International Trade Centre in Geneva, Switzerland in the Tech Sector Development team working on projects supporting tech start-ups, IT & BPO companies, and their tech ecosystems in Sub Saharan Africa. She mainly takes care of the tech projects in Ghana and Zambia.
She has a Masters degree from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam and a background in digital strategy planning for big corporations and has worked at a video advertising technology start-up as head of account management and strategy planning.
Worlali Senyo is Farmerline’s Country Manager – Ghana and a respected agritech expert in Africa. With 15 years of experience in Agriculture and ICTs, he specializes in creating innovative solutions for farmers in education, climate resilience, financing, and markets. He is a key member of Farmerline’s leadership team, which has reached 1.7 million farmers and partnered with over 3,000 organizations across 48 countries using their Mergdata technology platform. Worlali is committed to sustainability and holds a Master’s degree in ICTs for Development and a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science with a specialization in Economics, which he draws on during his speaking engagements.
Solange Uwimana is the deputy managing editor for Europe and Africa at LinkedIn, leading the editorial teams that cover the news for members in Africa and Europe in English and in the Netherlands in Dutch. At LinkedIn, she manages a team focused on making sure members are able to source and engage with high-quality knowledge content and information that helps them become better and smarter professionals. We also aim to bring the best voices and perspectives onto the platform to share information across industries, topics and skill sets, and ensure that content is put in front of the relevant audiences.
A journalist and editor with more than 15 years experience in political and international news, Solange has covered a wide range of news and issues, from presidential and general elections in South Africa, the US, and Argentina to violent protests, global summits, and human rights issues.
Solange also has vast experience covering Africa-related news and issues, from politics to culture and media – and she continually seeks to elevate African voices that showcase the vast array of views and insights coming from the continent.
I consider myself an impact oriented tech entrepreneur and my goal has aways been to use my knowledge of technology to improve the lives of the people who have nurtured me to become who I am today. My success will be measured by how many people I have impacted and improved upon their livelihood directly or indirectly by using a technology I developed or was a part of.
Raindolf Owusu is a Software developer and technology entrepreneur. Dubbed the “Mark Zuckerberg” of Accra by Forbes Africa magazine in 2012, he has received various awards such as the Mandela Washington Fellow for Young African Leaders. He was also listed in Forbes Africa under 30 Africa’s most promising entrepreneurs in 2015 and a New African Magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential Africans in 2015. In 2016, he won the International Telecommunications Union Young Innovator Award. He has consulted for the World Food Program’s Innovation Accelerator, IBM, and ThoughtWorks, a global technology consultancy.
He founded Bisa, which means ask in the Ghanaian language twi, Bisa is a mobile application that allows users with a mobile device to interact with medical practitioners, and also to receive verifiable healthcare information without being physically present at the hospital. Bisa allows all patients (but especially vulnerable groups like those with critical illnesses such as covid-19, HIV/AIDs, pregnant women, children, and the elderly) to interact with doctors at any time about their health conditions from the comfort of their own homes, reducing the need for long and expensive trips to hospitals, which is especially important for those who live in rural and poor areas. The French version of the Bisa Health Application was launched in Senegal in collaboration with the country’s Ministry of Health in July, 2019. During the COVID-19 pandemic Bisa collaborated with the Ghana Health Service and GIZ to provide up to date information on the disease through the Bisa Health app and also Covid-19 educational and safety protocol voice messages were sent to over 5000 cocoa farmers via an interactive voice response system. In 2021, Bisa was selected as a United Nations Digital Public Good project.
Emmanuel Adegboye is the Head of Madica, a structured investment program for pre-seed stage companies in Africa. Launched in 2022, Madica empowers underrepresented and underfunded mission-driven founders on the continent.
Before joining Madica, Emmanuel oversaw Africa strategy for Utopia, a platform for Urbantech entrepreneurs in emerging cities. As Managing Partner of Utopia Lagos, he designed and launched the Lagos Urban Innovation Challenge and Utopia’s virtual accelerator program.
Emmanuel has a comprehensive understanding of the entrepreneurial and political landscape of Africa. He has extensive experience building and leading large-scale technology projects and initiatives in emerging markets. His prior roles include designing and managing Andela’s entrepreneurship center and managing special projects and programs at Venture Garden Group.
He was also a 2021 Mo Ibrahim Foundation Academy Fellow with the Africa Program at Chatham House. He continues to engage policymakers on creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurs through his contributions to Chatham House’s policy research, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group’s Digital Economy Policy Commission and the Nigeria Startup Act.
Emmanuel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics, an Executive MBA, and further postgraduate degrees in Space Applications and Environmental Management. He is also a certified Project Management Professional.
Emmanuel believes entrepreneurs will build Africa’s future and he’s dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs who are solving Africa’s biggest challenges.
Gideon is a tech enthusiast with focus on supporting early stage start-ups, marginalised women and children. He is CEO and Co-founder for hapaSpace Innovation Hub located at Danyame, Kumasi in Ghana. HapaSpace provides co-working spaces, business development services and project implementation for corporate institutions. He also Co-founded Hapaweb Solutions where he heads operations on Google Cloud Platform.
Gideon is an ecosystem builder. He is a founding member of the Ghana Hubs Network and the immediate past Chairman of the association. During his tenure as the Chairman, he led a team that organised a 25 Days Tour around Ghana to organise policy hackathons to collate grassroots feedback on the then draft entrepreneurship policy by the Ministry of Business Development. The ensuing document became the source document for the Draft Ghana Start-up Act. He also worked with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation to gather over 200 ESOs and start-ups in Ghana for the first German Africa Entrepreneurs Summit.
Gideon is an active member of AfriLabs. He is also a member of the AfriconEU which is sponsored by the European Commission under its Horizon 2020 project. The project seeks to create the first Transcontinental Networking Academy for Digital Innovation Hubs in Africa and Europe.
Gideon is a business development trainer, mentor and coach. Under the Digital Jobs Africa project sponsored by Rockefeller Foundation, he trained over 250 marginalised youth in employability skills. He was also a lead trainer on British Council’s Jobs for Youth program that trained over 1000 youth and returnee migrants. In 2017, he co-trained over 1000 professors on Intercultural Fluency in China.
Gideon has spoken at a number workshops and conferences including Tech in Ghana Conference in Ghana and London.
Having had my first degree in English and philosophy I presently have a masters in Technology, Media and communications law from Queen Mary University of London. I also have a CIPM certification from the International Association of Privacy Professionals.
Professionally I have cofounded two technology companies but presently involved in just one which is Npontu technologies. I have had the opportunity to work with various international brands in the provision of technology services, these brands include: Unilever, GIZ, Total, Standard Chartered Bank and many more. Whilst I am deeply involved in maintaining operational efficiency within the company, I also protect the company’s revenue interest with its customers and partners and translate customer request into product deliverables for the development team.
Due to broader interest, I am currently the champion for privacy related activities within the organisation; protecting consumer interest and maintaining relevant compliance activities internally.
Ebenezer has spent over a decade in the Digital Marketing industry and has experience across European agencies. As Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, Ebenezer is the glue that has kept Menufinder Africa agile, adaptable, and efficient. His firm but poised leadership style has proven indispensable as Menufinder Africa navigates the turbulent seas of start-up Entrepreneurship.
Ebenezer also has a passion and natural gift for mentorship and youth development. As a former Project Leader for a Mentoring Charity, Ebenezer supports the younger generation through career advice and mentorship.
Babs Ogundeyi is the Group CEO and co-founder of Kuda Technologies, a fintech company on a mission to make financial services more affordable, accessible and rewarding for every African.
Kuda’s money app for Africans is giving more than 5.5 million people access to personal and business banking, free transfers, investments, remittance, smart budgeting and instant credit.
Before starting Kuda, Babs advised some of Africa’s biggest banks whilst at PricewaterhouseCoopers and was a Special Adviser on Finance in the Nigerian government. He is also a founder of two other companies.
Foster Awintiti Akugri is a computer scientist and process engineer by education, an entrepreneur by training, and a volunteer by passion. His 9+ years of experience spans several fields including technology, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, innovation and policy design, community building, financial inclusion, business development, marketing, leadership, and more.
Foster currently serves as Head of Innovation at Old Mutual Ltd working closely with other business partners and players in the ecosystem to create new business models and commercial opportunities for Old Mutual.
Prior to Old Mutual, he was the Head of Youth Banking & Stanbic Business Incubator, at Stanbic Bank Ghana, driving financial inclusion for the youth and advising startups and SMEs to become sustainable.
In 2015 he founded the Hacklab Foundation, an international nonprofit organization headquartered in Ghana with a focus on preparing the youth for future digital jobs through technology education and skills development.Hacklab has also designed and implemented hackathons across 11 countries (Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, South Africa, Cameroon, Madagascar, Uganda, Kenya, Mali, Malawi, and Ethiopia). The Foundation has directly impacted over 12,000 people.
He holds a BSc in Computer Science, MBA in Business Process Management and an MBA in Decision Making, Analytics & Innovation from ESMT Berlin.
Patrick holds a Masters Degree in Healthcare Administration from the CASS – EUROPE UNIVERSITY and also a combined Honours Degree in Law and International Business from the Middlesex University- London.
He is currently a Healthcare Administrative Manager and Operations Manager (part-time) with Albeway Technologies Ltd.
He has previously worked as a Pizza Hut Restaurant Manager – London for 7yrs and acquired a lot of experience in Customer Services Relationship.
Patrick also worked as a Paralegal cum Office Manager at OJN Solicitors (Enfield- London) and Waran and Co. Solicitors (Tottenham-London) for 2 consecutive years and acquired a lot of legal knowledge. He volunteered for Oxfam UK for a year and was made Deputy Manager at their Enfield Retail Store, recruiting and training recruits for the organization.
He has had extensive exposure both in the UK and in the Ghanaian managerial field; hence taken on the challenge of Operations Manager at Abelway Technologies Ltd. where he ensures that all the needed logistics for the execution of projects are available for the Teams.
Dominic Llewellyn is a social entrepreneur and strategic advisor, specializing in establishing social enterprises, political work, and innovative finance. Over the last 15 years, he has developed impactful, revenue-generating partnerships worth over $1bn, driving city and national transformations in the UK and abroad.
He is the co-founder and CEO of Accelerayt.
Accelerayt is a UK-Ghana tech startup focused on unleashing African tech potential. It connects outstanding African developers with UK and US businesses, and trains the upcoming generation. With an AI-enabled platform, Accelerayt aims to create 10 million tech and AI jobs in Africa over the next decade. Additionally, 10% of net profits fund education through the non-profit Accelerayt.org.
In his personal life, Dominic is a husband, father, and enjoys reading autobiographies, socializing, and watching sports like football and Formula One.
Paul Kwesi Damalie is the co-founder of Appruve, which makes it easy for financial services to verify individuals and businesses all over Africa. Appruve recently got acquired by Smile Identity, and Paul now leads International Expansion for Smile.
As a Fintech industry influencer in Accra, Ghana and the African sub-region and Untapt’s Top 23 fintech influencers to follow on Twitter (@pauldamalie), Paul is the Chapter Lead of Next Money in Accra, the global thought leader community for stakeholders within the financial services and technology ecosystem. He organizes events (meetups & conferences) that create an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss current trends, explore opportunities through networking and influence policy in the financial services ecosystem.
Paul has experience consulting for fintech startups and new market entrants into West Africa and works closely with fintech innovation programmes, accelerators and investors, as well as financial inclusion research institutions due to his extensive network within the industry.
Mark is the Co-founder and CEO of Smile Identity.
Mark has 15 years alternating between Silicon Valley and a range of emerging markets, connecting passionate people and ideas to capital.
He was a venture investor for a decade, backing over 20 companies in ad tech, payments, healthcare, and energy in places ranging from the US to China, India & Sub-Saharan Africa.
In 2016 he co-founded Khosla Impact, where he pioneered early investments in African fintech, including Kopo Kopo, Branch, and Flutterwave. He is passionate about expanding access to opportunity through technology and entrepreneurship.
On Point Ltd. is an international software company, specialising in three specific areas, Accounting software, Reporting software and Task Management software. All three areas are interlinked, ensuring that numbers are recorded in the proper accounting system, reviewed and prepared in a timely manner to be ultimately reported ensuring the right level of checks and automation is in place. We are present in six international offices with multicultural employees yet still collaborating as one team. We believe in the future of innovative business software solutions, which we customize to fit the needs of our clients.
Starting off from humble beginnings, On Point has come a long way to internationalise its vision and express a culture across cultures. Defying distance and barriers, the one thing which brings the On Point team together is the human spirit. Through its engaging work ethic, diversity is not only cherished but also considered an indispensable strength. With over twenty years of experience, On Point prides itself on the extensive industry background that its employees have, thus ensuring a level of discussion with their clients leading them towards the best-fitting solutions for their needs. Partnering with tech leaders across the globe, below are a few of the solutions offered by On Point.
Finance:
Reporting:
Teams:
Through such solutions, we believe that enterprises can manage their business more efficiently. Apart from understanding which products best suit our clients, we believe support throughout the deployment stages is imperative. We also provide training to the employees using the software and remain in close contact to tend to queries.
Beverley Okoye is a focused, creative, delivery minded individual, with over twenty years’ experience delivering UK foreign policy.
Her career began with the UK Department for Trade and Investment (DTI) where she was responsible for developing business support instruments for UK companies across the UK. Her role took her as far as Finland and Singapore to collaborate and develop best practise with her counterparts.
Beverley holds a BA Hons Degree in Law and Accountancy and a Master’s degree in International Relations. Her thesis examined how Caribbean Islands such as Barbados could utilise their role of hosting the Cricket World Cup to stimulate sustainable economic development. Her recommendations were subsequently incorporated into DTI’s regional strategy for the Caribbean.
In November 2012 Beverley was posted by the UK Foreign Office to Lagos Nigeria as a Trade Diplomat. Her role involved promoting and supporting UK companies to navigate and secure business opportunities.
Beverley’s efforts supported a number of business wins for companies including Rolls Royce, Vodafone, Hamleys and TM Lewin.
Key to Beverley’s success is her unique ability, quickly grasp the client’s ambition, develop and execute fresh, innovative market entry strategies that complement the client’s company’s values and aligns with the country’s cultural norms.
2018 Beverley held the role of the UK’s Liaison Officer for Nigeria during the high-profile Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London. She provided the frontline interface between Nigeria’s then Head of State President Mohammadu Buhari, his Foreign Secretary, Mr Onyeama and the UK government. As a result, she was able to build invaluable strategic relationships at the highest levels.
2019, Beverley took on the role of the United Kingdom’s Climate Attaché to Ghana. Her role involves supporting Ghana to achieve her climate ambitions particularly in the run up to COP26. In addition to this role, Beverley also leads the science, tech and Innovation team with the key role of developing and strengthening impactful UK-Ghana Partnerships.
2018 – Present
Co-founder and CEO, Dext Technology Limited.
Led the development of the science set at Dext Technology. In 2018 the science set was named as the most innovative education solution in Africa by the African Union Commission for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation.
I am a member, African Union CESA STEM Education Cluster
Speaker and Representative of All African Youth Entrepreneurs, UK-Africa Investment Summit, London. – 2020
Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize Alumni
American Society of Mechanical Engineers Ishow Alumni
MTN Heroes of Change Ghana 2019
Recipient of the 2018 Engineering Excellence award from Ghana Institute of Engineers
Honey Ogundeyi is a serial technology entrepreneur passionate about using technology to uplift Africa. She is CEO and founder of Edukoya, an education technology company building the largest online learning platform in Africa.
Prior to Edukoya, she served as the Country Director UK- Nigeria Tech Hub for the Department of Digital, Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS) where she drove partnerships and investment between the UK and Nigerian tech ecosystems.
She was the Founding CMO at Kuda, Nigeria’s first service digital bank and Founder and CEO of Fashpa.com, Nigeria’s first fashion ecommerce platform. Honey started her career at Mckinsey & Co, and went to work for Ericsson and Google in Europe and Africa
Ogundeyi was listed in Forbes (2014) and the World Economic Forum (2016) as one of the Top 10 women emerging entrepreneurs to watch in Africa and as one of the top 10 innovators in Africa. She enjoys contributing to the growth of the tech community as an investor and advisor. She is a mentor at Founders Institute, a board member at Netherlands International School Lagos and an active angel investor in tech enabled companies.
James Mercer is the CEO and founder of tayp, a voicenote social media platform. James has over 12 years of experience in the social media industry, and he is passionate about social media for good.
James was born in London, England, and attended Keele University, where he studied Sociology and Education. After graduating, James began his career in the social media industry, working for a number of major brands, including Marks and Spencer, Jeep, B&Q and PayPal.
In 2022, James founded tayp. The platform was inspired by James’ own experiences with social media. He noticed that traditional social media platforms were often used to compare ourselves to others, potentially leading to low self-esteem and mental health problems. James wanted to create a platform that would help people connect with each other in a more authentic and meaningful way.
James has a Ghanaian background, schooling in Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast in 2003. He is also a One Young World Ambassador, attending the Johannesburg summit in 2013.
Being a passionate advocate for social media for good. He believes that social media can be a powerful tool for positive change, and he is committed to using tayp to address the polarisation that social media has created.
Mandy Nyarko MBE is an investor in the intersection of climate change solutions and underrepresented groups. She is Co- founder of ESG innovation consultancy Startup Discovery School who design incubators, accelerators and open innovation programmes for public and private sector organisations in the U.K. and Africa who are focused on building startups addressing environmental and social sustainability issues. She also leads Sustainable women network, a community focused on Women innovators and investors tackling the climate change emergency.
She is an advisor on the SME action board to the UK Government’s Department of Business and Trade, and part of the G20 business forums Start-up steering committee and Sustainability Taskforce.
Alumni of Cambridge University Institute of Sustainability Leadership with a background in Sustainable finance and Business sustainability Management.
Lauren is a Partner in Addleshaw Goddard’s Commercial Disputes team, based in London.
Lauren has a wide client base, acting for corporates, public bodies, financial institutions and high net worth individuals on a broad range of their business disputes. She routinely advises clients on issues such as contract termination, breaches of warranty and indemnity, shareholder disputes, completion disputes, professional negligence and disputes with subcontractors and suppliers.
Lauren has particular expertise and experience on technology related disputes, regularly advising clients on issues arising with their IT and technology estates, IT supply contracts and transformation projects.
Lauren is skilled at helping clients resolve disputes without the need for formal proceedings through mediation or other forms of alternative dispute resolution, whilst also having extensive experience of bringing and defending claims through litigation in the English Courts and in arbitrations under the major arbitral rules (e.g. LCIA, ICC, ICSID). Lauren’s experience also includes conducting tax cases in tribunal (both first tier and upper) for clients against HMRC.
Henry Bonsu is a British Ghanaian journalist and broadcaster. He presents the nightly 7-10pm show on Times Radio, focusing on politics, popular culture, international affairs and sport. He also appears as a commentator for BBC News, ITV, Channel 5, MSNBC, TRT and Al Jazeera. Henry studied Modern Languages (German and French) at Oxford University, then worked for the BBC as a producer and a presenter. He has written columns for The Times, The Guardian, The Voice, Daily Express and Mail on Sunday on everything from Westminster politics to policing, from race and sport. These days Henry is in demand as an international moderator for several multilateral organisations, ranging from the AU, UNDP, TICAD, WHO (Africa), UNFCCC, FAO, UNHCR. He has also hosted summits on diversity and sustainability for AfrAsia Bank, Maersk, Danone, KPMG, and Cartier.
Ms Korley is a qualified and chartered accountant by profession with over 15 years working experience in the UK and Ghana across telecom and financial service industry. A member of the association of Chartered Accountants (ACCA-UK), the institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG). Holds a bachelor of commerce degree from the university of Cape coast. Passionate about driving customer solutions that solves needs and optimizes business value with technology as a key enabler.
James is a transactional lawyer with over 20 years’ experience advising on high profile complex deals across a number of sectors.
James is based in our Edinburgh office with a particular focus on private equity and trade M&A. James brings a great deal of experience, financial understanding and commitment to delivering the best outcomes for his clients having worked with a wide variety of large corporates, family businesses, private equity houses and management teams. James is accustomed to delivering complex group restructurings, demergers and implementing tax step plans whether as part of an M&A process or on a stand-alone basis.
Rita Tani Iddi is a Ghanaian politician who was the member of parliament for the Gushiegu constituency from 2005 to 2009. Rita won the Gushiegu seat during the December 2004 general election on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). While in parliament, she doubled as the deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources in charge of Mines.
She is currently the Deputy Ghana High commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Early life and education. Rita was born on 14 September 1949. She attended the University of Cape Coast where she obtained a Diploma, after which she furthered her education at the University of Education, Winneba and obtained her Bachelor of Education in Home Economics.
Rita Tani Iddi is a teacher by profession, she taught in several schools in Ghana, these include Yendi Senior High School and Berekum Training College among others. She was appointed a District Chief Executive of the Gushegu District in the Northern Region of Ghana. She also became a member of parliament of the Fourth Parliament for the Fourth Republic of Ghana representing the Gushegu constituency and served as a Deputy Minister for Lands, Forestry and Mines and took charge of the mines sector during His Excellency the Ex-President of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor’s administration.
David is an accomplished Executive Manager with multifaceted experience and proven ability to re-energize and restructure organizations, develop strategic initiatives and capture emerging business opportunities. He is a results-oriented and decisive leader, adept at forging lucrative relationships with key partners, vendors and clients, and recognized for turning around struggling company operations to achieve sustained growth.
He is also adept at identifying potential risks and suggesting recommendations for improvements to achieve business objectives.
Until recently, David served as the Head of Operations at the Ghana Digital Centers Limited (GDCL); Ghana’s foremost Science and Technology Park, which has provided Entrepreneurship and Innovation support to over 200 technology start-ups and SMEs. During his tenure, he led the roll out of the “Digital Skills Development for Youth from disadvantaged backgrounds” initiative and oversaw the on-boarding of over 40 Technology Companies including anchor tenants like Docupro, World Vision, VFS Global, and MTN Ayo Intermediaries.
David also served as the Executive Director of the Ghana Oracle Digital Enterprise Program (GODEP), an initiative focused on mentoring and nurturing startup companies in Technology and Innovation.
He is currently the Director of Innovation of the National Entrepreneurship & Innovation Programme (NEIP) of the Government of Ghana. Here, David supervises the innovation directorate of the NEIP, and is accountable for the leadership, strategic direction and oversight of the operation, management, and delivery of the institution’s innovation function.
David is passionate about technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation, and has facilitated, participated in, and supported the organization of several events and conferences in that space.
Folarin is the Head of Startup Ecosystem for Africa at Google, leading the Google for Startups Accelerator Africa and Black Founders Fund Africa.
Previously, he was the Business Information Specialist of the Tony Elumelu Foundation where he managed all business-related data of over 500,000 entrepreneurs, technology platforms and core pillars of a pan-African entrepreneurship programme. He is a lifetime member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honours Society for business excellence and supports his expertise in information systems, business development, entrepreneurship and strategy with his youth and novelty, to break traditional and conventional models of business.
Milou van Bruggen works for the UN International Trade Centre in Geneva, Switzerland in the Tech Sector Development team working on projects supporting tech start-ups, IT & BPO companies, and their tech ecosystems in Sub Saharan Africa. She mainly takes care of the tech projects in Ghana and Zambia.
She has a Masters degree from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam and a background in digital strategy planning for big corporations and has worked at a video advertising technology start-up as head of account management and strategy planning.
Worlali Senyo is Farmerline’s Country Manager – Ghana and a respected agritech expert in Africa. With 15 years of experience in Agriculture and ICTs, he specializes in creating innovative solutions for farmers in education, climate resilience, financing, and markets. He is a key member of Farmerline’s leadership team, which has reached 1.7 million farmers and partnered with over 3,000 organizations across 48 countries using their Mergdata technology platform. Worlali is committed to sustainability and holds a Master’s degree in ICTs for Development and a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science with a specialization in Economics, which he draws on during his speaking engagements.
Solange Uwimana is the deputy managing editor for Europe and Africa at LinkedIn, leading the editorial teams that cover the news for members in Africa and Europe in English and in the Netherlands in Dutch. At LinkedIn, she manages a team focused on making sure members are able to source and engage with high-quality knowledge content and information that helps them become better and smarter professionals. We also aim to bring the best voices and perspectives onto the platform to share information across industries, topics and skill sets, and ensure that content is put in front of the relevant audiences.
A journalist and editor with more than 15 years experience in political and international news, Solange has covered a wide range of news and issues, from presidential and general elections in South Africa, the US, and Argentina to violent protests, global summits, and human rights issues.
Solange also has vast experience covering Africa-related news and issues, from politics to culture and media – and she continually seeks to elevate African voices that showcase the vast array of views and insights coming from the continent.
Raindolf Owusu is a Software developer and technology entrepreneur. Dubbed the “Mark Zuckerberg” of Accra by Forbes Africa magazine in 2012, he has received various awards such as the Mandela Washington Fellow for Young African Leaders. He was also listed in Forbes Africa under 30 Africa’s most promising entrepreneurs in 2015 and a New African Magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential Africans in 2015. In 2016, he won the International Telecommunications Union Young Innovator Award. He has consulted for the World Food Program’s Innovation Accelerator, IBM, and ThoughtWorks, a global technology consultancy.
He founded Bisa, which means ask in the Ghanaian language twi, Bisa is a mobile application that allows users with a mobile device to interact with medical practitioners, and also to receive verifiable healthcare information without being physically present at the hospital. Bisa allows all patients (but especially vulnerable groups like those with critical illnesses such as covid-19, HIV/AIDs, pregnant women, children, and the elderly) to interact with doctors at any time about their health conditions from the comfort of their own homes, reducing the need for long and expensive trips to hospitals, which is especially important for those who live in rural and poor areas. The French version of the Bisa Health Application was launched in Senegal in collaboration with the country’s Ministry of Health in July, 2019. During the COVID-19 pandemic Bisa collaborated with the Ghana Health Service and GIZ to provide up to date information on the disease through the Bisa Health app and also Covid-19 educational and safety protocol voice messages were sent to over 5000 cocoa farmers via an interactive voice response system. In 2021, Bisa was selected as a United Nations Digital Public Good project.
I consider myself an impact oriented tech entrepreneur and my goal has aways been to use my knowledge of technology to improve the lives of the people who have nurtured me to become who I am today. My success will be measured by how many people I have impacted and improved upon their livelihood directly or indirectly by using a technology I developed or was a part of.
Gideon is a tech enthusiast with focus on supporting early stage start-ups, marginalised women and children. He is CEO and Co-founder for hapaSpace Innovation Hub located at Danyame, Kumasi in Ghana. HapaSpace provides co-working spaces, business development services and project implementation for corporate institutions. He also Co-founded Hapaweb Solutions where he heads operations on Google Cloud Platform.
Gideon is an ecosystem builder. He is a founding member of the Ghana Hubs Network and the immediate past Chairman of the association. During his tenure as the Chairman, he led a team that organised a 25 Days Tour around Ghana to organise policy hackathons to collate grassroots feedback on the then draft entrepreneurship policy by the Ministry of Business Development. The ensuing document became the source document for the Draft Ghana Start-up Act. He also worked with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation to gather over 200 ESOs and start-ups in Ghana for the first German Africa Entrepreneurs Summit.
Gideon is an active member of AfriLabs. He is also a member of the AfriconEU which is sponsored by the European Commission under its Horizon 2020 project. The project seeks to create the first Transcontinental Networking Academy for Digital Innovation Hubs in Africa and Europe.
Gideon is a business development trainer, mentor and coach. Under the Digital Jobs Africa project sponsored by Rockefeller Foundation, he trained over 250 marginalised youth in employability skills. He was also a lead trainer on British Council’s Jobs for Youth program that trained over 1000 youth and returnee migrants. In 2017, he co-trained over 1000 professors on Intercultural Fluency in China.
Gideon has spoken at a number workshops and conferences including Tech in Ghana Conference in Ghana and London.
Having had my first degree in English and philosophy I presently have a masters in Technology, Media and communications law from Queen Mary University of London. I also have a CIPM certification from the International Association of Privacy Professionals.
Professionally I have cofounded two technology companies but presently involved in just one which is Npontu technologies. I have had the opportunity to work with various international brands in the provision of technology services, these brands include: Unilever, GIZ, Total, Standard Chartered Bank and many more. Whilst I am deeply involved in maintaining operational efficiency within the company, I also protect the company’s revenue interest with its customers and partners and translate customer request into product deliverables for the development team.
Due to broader interest, I am currently the champion for privacy related activities within the organisation; protecting consumer interest and maintaining relevant compliance activities internally.
Emmanuel Adegboye is the Head of Madica, a structured investment program for pre-seed stage companies in Africa. Launched in 2022, Madica empowers underrepresented and underfunded mission-driven founders on the continent.
Before joining Madica, Emmanuel oversaw Africa strategy for Utopia, a platform for Urbantech entrepreneurs in emerging cities. As Managing Partner of Utopia Lagos, he designed and launched the Lagos Urban Innovation Challenge and Utopia’s virtual accelerator program.
Emmanuel has a comprehensive understanding of the entrepreneurial and political landscape of Africa. He has extensive experience building and leading large-scale technology projects and initiatives in emerging markets. His prior roles include designing and managing Andela’s entrepreneurship center and managing special projects and programs at Venture Garden Group.
He was also a 2021 Mo Ibrahim Foundation Academy Fellow with the Africa Program at Chatham House. He continues to engage policymakers on creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurs through his contributions to Chatham House’s policy research, the Nigerian Economic Summit Group’s Digital Economy Policy Commission and the Nigeria Startup Act.
Emmanuel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics, an Executive MBA, and further postgraduate degrees in Space Applications and Environmental Management. He is also a certified Project Management Professional.
Emmanuel believes entrepreneurs will build Africa’s future and he’s dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs who are solving Africa’s biggest challenges.
Ebenezer has spent over a decade in the Digital Marketing industry and has experience across European agencies. As Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer, Ebenezer is the glue that has kept Menufinder Africa agile, adaptable, and efficient. His firm but poised leadership style has proven indispensable as Menufinder Africa navigates the turbulent seas of start-up Entrepreneurship.
Ebenezer also has a passion and natural gift for mentorship and youth development. As a former Project Leader for a Mentoring Charity, Ebenezer supports the younger generation through career advice and mentorship.
Foster Awintiti Akugri is a computer scientist and process engineer by education, an entrepreneur by training, and a volunteer by passion. His 9+ years of experience spans several fields including technology, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, innovation and policy design, community building, financial inclusion, business development, marketing, leadership, and more.
Foster currently serves as Head of Innovation at Old Mutual Ltd working closely with other business partners and players in the ecosystem to create new business models and commercial opportunities for Old Mutual.
Prior to Old Mutual, he was the Head of Youth Banking & Stanbic Business Incubator, at Stanbic Bank Ghana, driving financial inclusion for the youth and advising startups and SMEs to become sustainable.
In 2015 he founded the Hacklab Foundation, an international nonprofit organization headquartered in Ghana with a focus on preparing the youth for future digital jobs through technology education and skills development.Hacklab has also designed and implemented hackathons across 11 countries (Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, South Africa, Cameroon, Madagascar, Uganda, Kenya, Mali, Malawi, and Ethiopia). The Foundation has directly impacted over 12,000 people.
He holds a BSc in Computer Science, MBA in Business Process Management and an MBA in Decision Making, Analytics & Innovation from ESMT Berlin.
Patrick holds a Masters Degree in Healthcare Administration from the CASS – EUROPE UNIVERSITY and also a combined Honours Degree in Law and International Business from the Middlesex University- London.
He is currently a Healthcare Administrative Manager and Operations Manager (part-time) with Albeway Technologies Ltd.
He has previously worked as a Pizza Hut Restaurant Manager – London for 7yrs and acquired a lot of experience in Customer Services Relationship.
Patrick also worked as a Paralegal cum Office Manager at OJN Solicitors (Enfield- London) and Waran and Co. Solicitors (Tottenham-London) for 2 consecutive years and acquired a lot of legal knowledge. He volunteered for Oxfam UK for a year and was made Deputy Manager at their Enfield Retail Store, recruiting and training recruits for the organization.
He has had extensive exposure both in the UK and in the Ghanaian managerial field; hence taken on the challenge of Operations Manager at Abelway Technologies Ltd. where he ensures that all the needed logistics for the execution of projects are available for the Teams.
Dominic Llewellyn is a social entrepreneur and strategic advisor, specializing in establishing social enterprises, political work, and innovative finance. Over the last 15 years, he has developed impactful, revenue-generating partnerships worth over $1bn, driving city and national transformations in the UK and abroad.
He is the co-founder and CEO of Accelerayt.
Accelerayt is a UK-Ghana tech startup focused on unleashing African tech potential. It connects outstanding African developers with UK and US businesses, and trains the upcoming generation. With an AI-enabled platform, Accelerayt aims to create 10 million tech and AI jobs in Africa over the next decade. Additionally, 10% of net profits fund education through the non-profit Accelerayt.org.
In his personal life, Dominic is a husband, father, and enjoys reading autobiographies, socializing, and watching sports like football and Formula One.
Paul Kwesi Damalie is the co-founder of Appruve, which makes it easy for financial services to verify individuals and businesses all over Africa. Appruve recently got acquired by Smile Identity, and Paul now leads International Expansion for Smile.
As a Fintech industry influencer in Accra, Ghana and the African sub-region and Untapt’s Top 23 fintech influencers to follow on Twitter (@pauldamalie), Paul is the Chapter Lead of Next Money in Accra, the global thought leader community for stakeholders within the financial services and technology ecosystem. He organizes events (meetups & conferences) that create an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss current trends, explore opportunities through networking and influence policy in the financial services ecosystem.
Paul has experience consulting for fintech startups and new market entrants into West Africa and works closely with fintech innovation programmes, accelerators and investors, as well as financial inclusion research institutions due to his extensive network within the industry.
On Point Ltd. is an international software company, specialising in three specific areas, Accounting software, Reporting software and Task Management software. All three areas are interlinked, ensuring that numbers are recorded in the proper accounting system, reviewed and prepared in a timely manner to be ultimately reported ensuring the right level of checks and automation is in place. We are present in six international offices with multicultural employees yet still collaborating as one team. We believe in the future of innovative business software solutions, which we customize to fit the needs of our clients.
Starting off from humble beginnings, On Point has come a long way to internationalise its vision and express a culture across cultures. Defying distance and barriers, the one thing which brings the On Point team together is the human spirit. Through its engaging work ethic, diversity is not only cherished but also considered an indispensable strength. With over twenty years of experience, On Point prides itself on the extensive industry background that its employees have, thus ensuring a level of discussion with their clients leading them towards the best-fitting solutions for their needs. Partnering with tech leaders across the globe, below are a few of the solutions offered by On Point.
Finance:
Reporting:
Teams:
Through such solutions, we believe that enterprises can manage their business more efficiently. Apart from understanding which products best suit our clients, we believe support throughout the deployment stages is imperative. We also provide training to the employees using the software and remain in close contact to tend to queries.
Beverley Okoye is a focused, creative, delivery minded individual, with over twenty years’ experience delivering UK foreign policy.
Her career began with the UK Department for Trade and Investment (DTI) where she was responsible for developing business support instruments for UK companies across the UK. Her role took her as far as Finland and Singapore to collaborate and develop best practise with her counterparts.
Beverley holds a BA Hons Degree in Law and Accountancy and a Master’s degree in International Relations. Her thesis examined how Caribbean Islands such as Barbados could utilise their role of hosting the Cricket World Cup to stimulate sustainable economic development. Her recommendations were subsequently incorporated into DTI’s regional strategy for the Caribbean.
In November 2012 Beverley was posted by the UK Foreign Office to Lagos Nigeria as a Trade Diplomat. Her role involved promoting and supporting UK companies to navigate and secure business opportunities.
Beverley’s efforts supported a number of business wins for companies including Rolls Royce, Vodafone, Hamleys and TM Lewin.
Key to Beverley’s success is her unique ability, quickly grasp the client’s ambition, develop and execute fresh, innovative market entry strategies that complement the client’s company’s values and aligns with the country’s cultural norms.
2018 Beverley held the role of the UK’s Liaison Officer for Nigeria during the high-profile Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London. She provided the frontline interface between Nigeria’s then Head of State President Mohammadu Buhari, his Foreign Secretary, Mr Onyeama and the UK government. As a result, she was able to build invaluable strategic relationships at the highest levels.
2019, Beverley took on the role of the United Kingdom’s Climate Attaché to Ghana. Her role involves supporting Ghana to achieve her climate ambitions particularly in the run up to COP26. In addition to this role, Beverley also leads the science, tech and Innovation team with the key role of developing and strengthening impactful UK-Ghana Partnerships.
2018 – Present
Co-founder and CEO, Dext Technology Limited.
Led the development of the science set at Dext Technology. In 2018 the science set was named as the most innovative education solution in Africa by the African Union Commission for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation.
I am a member, African Union CESA STEM Education Cluster
Speaker and Representative of All African Youth Entrepreneurs, UK-Africa Investment Summit, London. – 2020
Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize Alumni
American Society of Mechanical Engineers Ishow Alumni
MTN Heroes of Change Ghana 2019
Recipient of the 2018 Engineering Excellence award from Ghana Institute of Engineers
Honey Ogundeyi is a serial technology entrepreneur passionate about using technology to uplift Africa. She is CEO and founder of Edukoya, an education technology company building the largest online learning platform in Africa.
Prior to Edukoya, she served as the Country Director UK- Nigeria Tech Hub for the Department of Digital, Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS) where she drove partnerships and investment between the UK and Nigerian tech ecosystems.
She was the Founding CMO at Kuda, Nigeria’s first service digital bank and Founder and CEO of Fashpa.com, Nigeria’s first fashion ecommerce platform. Honey started her career at Mckinsey & Co, and went to work for Ericsson and Google in Europe and Africa
Ogundeyi was listed in Forbes (2014) and the World Economic Forum (2016) as one of the Top 10 women emerging entrepreneurs to watch in Africa and as one of the top 10 innovators in Africa. She enjoys contributing to the growth of the tech community as an investor and advisor. She is a mentor at Founders Institute, a board member at Netherlands International School Lagos and an active angel investor in tech enabled companies.
James Mercer is the CEO and founder of tayp, a voicenote social media platform. James has over 12 years of experience in the social media industry, and he is passionate about social media for good.
James was born in London, England, and attended Keele University, where he studied Sociology and Education. After graduating, James began his career in the social media industry, working for a number of major brands, including Marks and Spencer, Jeep, B&Q and PayPal.
In 2022, James founded tayp. The platform was inspired by James’ own experiences with social media. He noticed that traditional social media platforms were often used to compare ourselves to others, potentially leading to low self-esteem and mental health problems. James wanted to create a platform that would help people connect with each other in a more authentic and meaningful way.
James has a Ghanaian background, schooling in Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast in 2003. He is also a One Young World Ambassador, attending the Johannesburg summit in 2013.
Being a passionate advocate for social media for good. He believes that social media can be a powerful tool for positive change, and he is committed to using tayp to address the polarisation that social media has created.
Mandy Nyarko MBE is an investor in the intersection of climate change solutions and underrepresented groups. She is Co- founder of ESG innovation consultancy Startup Discovery School who design incubators, accelerators and open innovation programmes for public and private sector organisations in the U.K. and Africa who are focused on building startups addressing environmental and social sustainability issues. She also leads Sustainable women network, a community focused on Women innovators and investors tackling the climate change emergency.
She is an advisor on the SME action board to the UK Government’s Department of Business and Trade, and part of the G20 business forums Start-up steering committee and Sustainability Taskforce.
Alumni of Cambridge University Institute of Sustainability Leadership with a background in Sustainable finance and Business sustainability Management.
Lauren is a Partner in Addleshaw Goddard’s Commercial Disputes team, based in London.
Lauren has a wide client base, acting for corporates, public bodies, financial institutions and high net worth individuals on a broad range of their business disputes. She routinely advises clients on issues such as contract termination, breaches of warranty and indemnity, shareholder disputes, completion disputes, professional negligence and disputes with subcontractors and suppliers.
Lauren has particular expertise and experience on technology related disputes, regularly advising clients on issues arising with their IT and technology estates, IT supply contracts and transformation projects.
Lauren is skilled at helping clients resolve disputes without the need for formal proceedings through mediation or other forms of alternative dispute resolution, whilst also having extensive experience of bringing and defending claims through litigation in the English Courts and in arbitrations under the major arbitral rules (e.g. LCIA, ICC, ICSID). Lauren’s experience also includes conducting tax cases in tribunal (both first tier and upper) for clients against HMRC.
Henry Bonsu is a British Ghanaian journalist and broadcaster. He presents the nightly 7-10pm show on Times Radio, focusing on politics, popular culture, international affairs and sport. He also appears as a commentator for BBC News, ITV, Channel 5, MSNBC, TRT and Al Jazeera. Henry studied Modern Languages (German and French) at Oxford University, then worked for the BBC as a producer and a presenter. He has written columns for The Times, The Guardian, The Voice, Daily Express and Mail on Sunday on everything from Westminster politics to policing, from race and sport. These days Henry is in demand as an international moderator for several multilateral organisations, ranging from the AU, UNDP, TICAD, WHO (Africa), UNFCCC, FAO, UNHCR. He has also hosted summits on diversity and sustainability for AfrAsia Bank, Maersk, Danone, KPMG, and Cartier.
Ms Korley is a qualified and chartered accountant by profession with over 15 years working experience in the UK and Ghana across telecom and financial service industry. A member of the association of Chartered Accountants (ACCA-UK), the institute of Chartered Accountants Ghana (ICAG). Holds a bachelor of commerce degree from the university of Cape coast. Passionate about driving customer solutions that solves needs and optimizes business value with technology as a key enabler.
James is a transactional lawyer with over 20 years’ experience advising on high profile complex deals across a number of sectors.
James is based in our Edinburgh office with a particular focus on private equity and trade M&A. James brings a great deal of experience, financial understanding and commitment to delivering the best outcomes for his clients having worked with a wide variety of large corporates, family businesses, private equity houses and management teams. James is accustomed to delivering complex group restructurings, demergers and implementing tax step plans whether as part of an M&A process or on a stand-alone basis.