Key Takeaways
- • Eleanya Urum Eke, Founder and CEO of Risevest, has been appointed as a virtual interview judge for the South East Venture Capital Programme (SEVCP) Pitch Competition, administered by the South East Development Commission (SEDC).
- • The SEVCP initiative represents a structured investment pipeline for early-stage startups across Nigeria's South-East region, with over 1,200 founders applying and 209 advancing to the next phase of evaluation.
- • The pitch competition finals and investment ceremony took place on May 13-14, 2026, with 50 ventures identified as finalists and 30 startups expected to receive funding from the programme.
- • The programme establishes a formal gatekeeping mechanism for regional venture capital deployment, with the pitch competition serving as the primary entry point into SEDC's investment pipeline.
- • The judging panel, which includes Eke alongside other industry figures such as Ndubuisi Ekekwe and Ekene Odum, comprises experienced venture and technology leaders tasked with evaluating startup viability and investment potential.
Summary
Eleanya Urum Eke, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Risevest, a fintech investment platform, has been selected as a virtual interview judge for the South East Venture Capital Programme Pitch Competition. The competition is an initiative of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) designed to identify and support high-potential startups across Nigeria's South-East region. This appointment reflects Eke's standing within the venture and financial technology ecosystem and underscores the caliber of judges assembled for the initiative.
The SEVCP represents a significant institutional effort to channel venture capital into the South-East region's entrepreneurial ecosystem. According to SEDC leadership, the programme attracted over 1,200 founder applications, with 209 advancing to subsequent evaluation phases. The pitch competition finals took place on May 13, 2026, followed by an investment ceremony on May 14, 2026. Fifty ventures emerged as finalists following virtual interviews, and the programme is structured to ultimately select 30 startups for investment funding. This tiered selection process reflects a competitive landscape where approximately 2.5% of initial applicants are expected to receive capital deployment.
The judging panel, assembled to evaluate ventures during the virtual interview phase, includes prominent figures in Nigeria's entrepreneurship and venture capital landscape, including Ndubuisi Ekekwe and Ekene Odum alongside Eke. SEDC's executive director of Finance and chairman of the SEVCP Committee, Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka, positioned the pitch competition as the primary entry point into the fund's broader investment pipeline, establishing a formal institutional mechanism for capital allocation and founder evaluation within the region's startup ecosystem.
The programme demonstrates a strategic approach to regional economic development through venture capital channeling, with the selection criteria and judging process designed to identify ventures with sustainable growth potential. As an established fintech entrepreneur and investor, Eke's participation as judge brings direct operational and investment experience to the evaluation process, enabling the panel to assess both business model viability and market execution capability among applicant companies.
The SEVCP represents a significant institutional effort to channel venture capital into the South-East region's entrepreneurial ecosystem. According to SEDC leadership, the programme attracted over 1,200 founder applications, with 209 advancing to subsequent evaluation phases. The pitch competition finals took place on May 13, 2026, followed by an investment ceremony on May 14, 2026. Fifty ventures emerged as finalists following virtual interviews, and the programme is structured to ultimately select 30 startups for investment funding. This tiered selection process reflects a competitive landscape where approximately 2.5% of initial applicants are expected to receive capital deployment.
The judging panel, assembled to evaluate ventures during the virtual interview phase, includes prominent figures in Nigeria's entrepreneurship and venture capital landscape, including Ndubuisi Ekekwe and Ekene Odum alongside Eke. SEDC's executive director of Finance and chairman of the SEVCP Committee, Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka, positioned the pitch competition as the primary entry point into the fund's broader investment pipeline, establishing a formal institutional mechanism for capital allocation and founder evaluation within the region's startup ecosystem.
The programme demonstrates a strategic approach to regional economic development through venture capital channeling, with the selection criteria and judging process designed to identify ventures with sustainable growth potential. As an established fintech entrepreneur and investor, Eke's participation as judge brings direct operational and investment experience to the evaluation process, enabling the panel to assess both business model viability and market execution capability among applicant companies.
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