Africa House, in collaboration with Platform Capital Group, is set to invest in ten enterprises with a total of $1 million in funding, technical and business assistance, and in-kind benefits, propelling them to the pinnacle of entrepreneurial success.
The Platform Capital and Eshirya Africa partnership, which was recently launched in Plano, Texas and commissioned by Bishop TD Jakes, Senior Pastor of Potters House in Dallas, Texas, connects investors with and provides a support ecosystem for entrepreneurs and innovators of African descent, including African-Americans, to actualize their business ambitions and play their role in the global curating of the Afric Its Africa House Fund Pitch Contest aims to provide startups with global access to offices, networks, mentorship, training, events, funding, and resources that will keep them competitive without the usual stumbling blocks. Inductees join an exclusive group of individuals and organizations who are passionate about Africa, which is increasingly becoming a preferred destination for global investments.
The two-day event included an official ribbon-cutting, masterclasses, and highly engaging pitch sessions, from which a 9-man panel of judges – including Eric Taylor, Founder, and CEO of Trident Capital; Osh Agabi, Founder and CEO of Koniku Inc.; Rodney Williams, Co-Founder and Chairman of Solo Funds; and Dr. Banji Awosika, MD of West Orange Nephrology – announced selections. The pitch session was preceded by an insightful group plenary titled ‘Powering Africa: Unlocking the Potential and Opportunities for Entrepreneurship.’
“Our goal is not simply to assist people in making money. Rather, it is to instill gratitude in society through ideas that are single-mindedly focused on solving demonstrable human problems all over the world, with a significant impact on GDP, Per Capita Income, and Per Capita GNP figures anywhere in the world, particularly the African continent,” said Olakunle Soriyan, futurist/global thought leader and CEO of Africa House.
Entrepreneurs who participated in the inaugural Pitch Contest include George Brownell, SOPE; Morgan White, Back2SchoolLA; Olusola Amusan, Vesti Official; Izin Akioya, SAG Logistics; Michael Akindele, Surplus Farms; Nneka Oka, LuxeButta; Dr. Ololade Okubena, Blazing Ideas Ltd; Vanessa Samu-Adijuah, Ment4Her; Damilare Kujembola, Am The entrepreneurs were accepted into the 2021 Plano, Texas Cohort of the Africa House Unicorn Incubation Programme.
The 6-month program is supported by Platform Capital Group, a leading growth markets investor, and Eshirya Africa, a US 501c3 Exempt non-profit. The program will provide tailored support from experienced mentors, and each entrepreneur will receive $100,000 in technical and business assistance, funding, and in-kind benefits.
Dr. Akintoye Akindele, investor, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and chairman of Atlantic and DuPort Midstream, Platform Capital, and Africa House remarked, “Humans are people of intentions.” The assumption that ideas, given the right support and resources, can bring about socioeconomic change at any level is more than correct. It is an essential component of who we are.”
In the next five years, Africa House hopes to provide similar technical and financial support to 1,000 entrepreneurs, who will then impact 10,000 families and one million people on a large scale.
