ADAEZE
OKONKWO
Unicorn Lawyer . Investor . Builder & Operator . Advocate
"At the core of all I pursue rests a singular conviction:
To glorify God through purpose, to wield my gifts with mastery,
and to leave every soul and sphere indelibly better than I found them."
MY JOURNEY
I was raised with the belief that excellence is not optional - it is the minimum offering when serving God and others. From an early age, discipline and ambition shaped my path: whether excelling in academics, training in sports as an athlete, or pushing beyond the limits of what seemed possible, I carried an inner conviction that every gift must be maximized for impact.
That conviction and the grace of God guided me through a First Class Law degree and an LL.M in International Business Law in England, and eventually advanced training in Venture Capital and Private Equity at Columbia Business School and Wharton Business School.
I qualified as a Lawyer, called to the Nigerian Bar, but I was never content to stop there. Law gave me structure, tools, and transferrable skills, but I knew my calling extended beyond the courtroom. My spirit was restless, hungry to build, to become, to do, to be a part of something bigger than myself that could create meaningful impact.
The turning point came when I had an opportunity to explore the world of venture capital and I saw firsthand how African founders - brimming with brilliance, talent, creativity and grit were consistently underfunded, underestimated, and overlooked. I saw the power of financial, social and belief capital. I knew then, that capital is also more than money, it is fuel and validation. My mission became clear - to bridge global capital with African ingenuity, innovation and talent, ensuring that the world does not just consume Africa’s potential, but invests in it, scales it, and celebrates it.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly, who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” — Theodore Roosevelt
Our Story
Since that pivot, I have been immersed in the arena of Venture Capital (VC) and Private Equity (PE). I have led private acquisitions, deployed capital as a sector-agnostic investor into high-impact tech-enabled startups at the early-stage of their ventures, and co-invested alongside some of the world’s most respected VC Funds including Greycroft, FirstCheck Africa, Ingressive Capital, Endeavor Catalyst, Magic Fund, Ventures Platform to name a few.
The companies I have supported including Flutterwave, Bamboo, ThriveAgric, Mono, Klasha, Green Africa, Iwosan, Big Cabal, Casava, Affinity Africa, Emtech, Ladder, AltSchool, SmallSmall, Anakle, Adun, Vesti, Inter Lagos, Syndicate Bio, and many more, are now redefining finance, media and entertainment, agriculture, commerce, sports, healthcare, and aviation in Africa and globally. Each investment tells a story of bold founders meeting smart capital, turning ideas once considered impossible into tangible proof points of Africa’s potential, reshaping the continent's trajectory.
From my vantage point in Venture Capital and Private Equity, I have been on both sides of the table. Some of the most important lessons I have learnt is that capital is nothing without people behind it. The best startups succeed because of founders with vision, grit and resilience, ability to ask for help when they need it, and determination to navigate uncertainty when turning ideas into solutions. Financials tell part of the story, but understanding startup culture, data in decision making and operational rhythm is what separates good investments from transformative ones. Strategic support can over time turn small bets into ventures that reshape industries. Relationships, trust, and strong networks are the currency that multiplies impact, while legacy should guide every move, not short-term gains.
In Africa, opportunity rewards those who dare and when capital, purpose and vision converge, investments become catalytic engines of transformation, wealth creation and enduring value.
INVESTOR
BUILDER & OPERATOR
Capital without structure is fragile. Ideas without execution collapse. Beyond investing financial capital, I build, scale, and steer ventures from the ground up - structuring and negotiating acquisitions, leading turnarounds in complex environments, and designing ecosystems where innovation can be disciplined into sustainable enterprises.
As a venture builder and operator, I focus on the architecture that makes growth durable: governance frameworks, operating models, strategies that balance short-term execution with long-term resilience. This means not only allocating capital but embedding the systems, talent, and partnerships required to protect it and multiply it.
I draw on legal intelligence, strategic acumen, and operational grit at the intersection of law, innovation and investment to help build enterprises that anchor critical sectors to Africa's future - finance, infrastructure, technology, creative industries, energy and more - where growth is inseparable from nation building.
To me, venture building is not merely about chasing unicorns, that is a byproduct. It is about creating, acquiring and operating companies with deep roots and wide reach: ventures designed to solve real problems, generate lasting profitability and stand the test of time across economic cycles.
ADVOCATE
Africa cannot rise if its people are excluded. My commitment to youth advocacy, women in business, the girl child, and sustainability are not “side passions” - they are central in my operating thesis as a person.
I believe inclusion is strategy. Empowered women multiply growth, equipped youths accelerate progress, and when sustainability is embedded, ventures are stronger, societies are healthier, and growth is exponential. That is why I support, fund, and advocate, ensuring that the next generation inherits an Africa not defined by lack, but by abundance. Progress, to be authentic and lasting, is realised when equity ensures that no one is left behind or marginalised.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” — African Proverb
HUMAN
For more than a decade, I have pursued health and wellness with the same discipline and focus as my career. As a certified personal trainer through the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA), I started 63 Degrees, a fitness and wellness community, to bring people together around holistic wellbeing.
When I first started training my body, I thought fitness was only about building a better physique. But over time, I realised it was about something much bigger. Every early morning workout taught me discipline. Every tough set taught me endurance and how to do hard things. Every day I showed up, taught me consistency. Those qualities followed me outside the gym into my academics, relationships and my career. It became more than a workout; it became training for life. That is why I believe fitness and wellness forms part of the foundation of strong leadership.
I also founded Ivory Origin, a non-profit reimagining what is possible for Africa's next generation - the continent's greatest resource - through innovative programs that build young leaders, drive transformation, and shape a future defined by limitless possibility.
VISION
Africa is not waiting for validation - it is already the growth engine of tomorrow. But growth must be intentional. It must be rooted in smart capital (especially in the private sector), innovation, visionary founders, resilient structures, authentic priorities and an unwavering belief that our story matters.
My vision:
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To help Africa achieve digital and economic sovereignty at scale, one venture at a time.
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To create equity that multiplies sustainably.
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To contribute strategically, advancing an Africa whose agenda is shaped from within - by its people, not imposed from without.
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To leave a legacy that proves faith, purpose, and excellence can build not only wealth, but nations of real impact and people.
MISSION
All these strands - Unicorn Lawyer, Builder and Operator, Investor, Advocate - converge in Mission 33 Group, the firm I founded to institutionalise this vision.
At the core of all I pursue rests a singular conviction: To glorify God through purpose, to wield my gifts with mastery, and to leave every soul and sphere indelibly better than I found them.
This is the essence of my work and all I do.