Betty Uchendu

Nigerian venture capitalist catalyzing Africa's tech ecosystem through female-led startups

Betty Uchendu (b. 1981) is a Nigerian investment pioneer who launched Lionesses of Africa, a network supporting over 500 female entrepreneurs across 25 African countries. As managing partner of Ventures Platform, she's invested $12 million in tech startups addressing regional challenges like healthcare access and financial inclusion. Her signature initiative, the Africa GirlGeek Summit, has trained 3,000+ women in coding and entrepreneurship since 2016. Uchendu's work directly contributed to a 27% increase in women-led tech ventures in Nigeria between 2018-2022. She co-authored the The Future is Female: Tech Leadership in Africa, a guide for emerging entrepreneurs. Her Forbes Africa column 'Disruptive Leadership' analyzes gender dynamics in tech investment. Uchendu's impact extends globally through her advisory role with the World Economic Forum's Gender Parity Task Force, shaping policies for inclusive tech ecosystems.