Page 45 - Future Leaders Magazine

THE TOP 10
to change is if we have black venture 1

ADAOBI ADIBE,
20

School University of Manchester
Course Electrical and Electronic
Engineering (BEng)
Year First
Grade average 2:1

he reason why I am interested in
‘Ttechnology is because I think it is
going to change everything that we do. And
the reason why I’m speci cally interested
in venture capital is because less than one
per cent of technological entrepreneurs
are black and the only way this is going

capitalists, who are able to invest in them.’
Adaobi is passionate about change, and is actively
working hard to plot a strategic path to ensure that it
comes about in such a critical and complex area. The
world is already at full throttle in the digital revolution,
but where does the African and African Caribbean
community t in, not just as participants but with a
seat at the main table? Adaobi Adibe has made it to the
number one spot on this year’s list because she has not
only asked the question. She is equipping herself and
others to be part of the solution.
Her dream to see more black venture capitalists led
to her applying and being selected as a student VC at
Campus Capital, a rm that partners with some of the
UK’s leading universities to build early stage, high growth
investment funds for B2B businesses in the technology
sector. It is one of the rst on-campus student venture
capital groups in the UK and Adaobi was chosen to take
part after a tough selection process.
In fact, she made so much of an impression, she was events and sessions, including workshops to teach
appointed as team leader of the University of Manchester cohort, young girls coding, self-con dence and time management, while
overseeing 17 other students who meet with investors, interview another event titled: ‘Black Women in Venture Capital’ was a
founders and do due diligence etc. Under the supervision of panel discussion featuring notable movers and shakers in the
the Campus Capital board, the student VCs are responsible global VC world, such as Gary Stewart (Director of Wayra UK
for handling a live £2million fund, which focuses on pre-seed and previous associate professor at IE business school), David
to series start ups, investing sums of £50,000 to £200,000 to Fogel (co-founder and investment lead of venture capital rm
burgeoning tech rms in the Manchester city regions. Adaobi is Accelerated Digital Ventures) and Paris Petgrave (founder and
also in charge of the recruitment process for the company and CEO of Welovework and founder of Rare Seed Capital).
provides a sense of direction for the team in terms of investment Adaobi was selected out of over 1,000 applications for one
decisions and structure. of 360 places on the Merit 360 program, a high pro le and
Her passion for technology and tackling the lack of BME signi cant youth programme which brings together 360 young
participation in this eld is something that has fuelled a lot of the leaders from around the globe to tackle the UN’s 17 Sustainable
extracurricular work she does, Following a summer internship, Development Goals. For this project she is a member of one of 16
she now has a freelance role at Accelerated Digital Ventures, a teams, CAREforseven, a group of 14 young energy professionals
reputable sustainable investment engine, designed to source, from 11 countries who have come together via their common
support and supercharge the best global technology businesses. interest in bringing a ordable and clean energy to communities
Here, she is responsible for going over pitch decks, assisting to that lack it. In September 2017, the team pitched their project to
set up o ce hours, attending and contributing to work meetings a prestigious audience at the Houses of Parliament, during this
and providing any other input where necessary. year’s WorldMerit360 event.
Not content to just be a key part of these major organisations, During her rst year, Adaobi was chief editor of her school
Adaobi has also started her own initiative. In December 2016, she (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) magazine The Orb.
co-founded The Sisterhood Movement, a network for BME women
to develop extracurricular skills, by receiving encouragement in Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
career and personal development, particularly concerning the With my own venture capitalist fund and aiding the rst black
world of tech. The organisation has held a series of powerful woman to become the founder and CEO of a unicorn company.

2017-18 | FUTURE LEADERS 43