Key Takeaways
- • Eleanya Eke, Risevest founder and CEO, appointed as judge for South East Development Commission's venture capital pitch competition, positioning him among a panel of established entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem leaders evaluating early-stage startups across Nigeria's South-East region.
- • SEDC initiative targets underserved entrepreneurial talent in Nigeria's South-East, connecting promising startups with funding opportunities, mentorship, investor networks, and long-term venture support as part of broader regional economic development strategy.
- • Judging panel comprises five senior ecosystem figures: Eke alongside Ndubuisi Ekekwe (Tekedia Institute), Eliezer Ajah (3MTT), Yemisi Ajeojo (Ideas to Funded), and Nkem Nweke (Lagos Business School/Pan-Atlantic University), representing diverse expertise across venture capital, job creation, and business development.
- • Programme addresses geographic disparity in venture capital access, reflecting growing institutional focus on expanding Africa's startup ecosystem beyond traditional commercial hubs and improving funding distribution across underserved regions.
Summary
The South East Development Commission has appointed Eleanya Eke, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Risevest, as a virtual interview judge for its South East Venture Capital Programme Pitch Competition. The appointment reflects SEDC's broader economic development mandate to identify and support emerging entrepreneurial talent across Nigeria's South-East region while facilitating connections to capital, mentorship, and investor networks.
Eke joins a panel of five judges including Ndubuisi Ekekwe, Lead Faculty at Tekedia Institute; Eliezer Ajah, Head of Job Creation at 3MTT; Yemisi Ajeojo of Ideas to Funded; and Nkem Nweke, Growth Advancement Partner at Lagos Business School/Pan-Atlantic University. The diverse composition reflects SEDC's strategy of assembling stakeholders with complementary expertise across venture investment, talent development, and business acceleration.
The pitch competition initiative addresses a recognized gap in Nigeria's venture ecosystem: geographic concentration of capital and opportunity in traditional commercial centers, particularly Lagos. By establishing a dedicated programme focused on the South-East region, SEDC aims to unlock entrepreneurial potential and improve access to early-stage funding for startups operating outside major urban hubs. Eke's involvement aligns with his established track record in fintech innovation and technology-driven economic participation, having built Risevest as a platform offering dollar-denominated investment opportunities to Nigerian retail investors.
In comments on the initiative, Eke underscored the economic cost of failing to identify and support talent early, stating that "one of the most expensive things a society can do is allow brilliant people to remain undiscovered," and emphasized the abundance of intelligence and ambition within the South-East region. The programme reflects institutional recognition that sustainable economic development in underserved regions requires deliberate investment in founder identification, early-stage capital access, and structured mentorship systems rather than passive market mechanisms alone.
Eke joins a panel of five judges including Ndubuisi Ekekwe, Lead Faculty at Tekedia Institute; Eliezer Ajah, Head of Job Creation at 3MTT; Yemisi Ajeojo of Ideas to Funded; and Nkem Nweke, Growth Advancement Partner at Lagos Business School/Pan-Atlantic University. The diverse composition reflects SEDC's strategy of assembling stakeholders with complementary expertise across venture investment, talent development, and business acceleration.
The pitch competition initiative addresses a recognized gap in Nigeria's venture ecosystem: geographic concentration of capital and opportunity in traditional commercial centers, particularly Lagos. By establishing a dedicated programme focused on the South-East region, SEDC aims to unlock entrepreneurial potential and improve access to early-stage funding for startups operating outside major urban hubs. Eke's involvement aligns with his established track record in fintech innovation and technology-driven economic participation, having built Risevest as a platform offering dollar-denominated investment opportunities to Nigerian retail investors.
In comments on the initiative, Eke underscored the economic cost of failing to identify and support talent early, stating that "one of the most expensive things a society can do is allow brilliant people to remain undiscovered," and emphasized the abundance of intelligence and ambition within the South-East region. The programme reflects institutional recognition that sustainable economic development in underserved regions requires deliberate investment in founder identification, early-stage capital access, and structured mentorship systems rather than passive market mechanisms alone.
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