Kola Aina Steps Down as Ventures Platform Foundation’s Executive Director. Mimshach Obioha Named in His Stead

Founder and Executive Director, Ventures Platform Foundation, Kola Aina, has stepped down from his role in the company. He will be succeeded by Mimshach Obioha, former Director of Partnerships. According to an announcement made available to Technext this morning, the replacements will be effective from August 1, 2019.

The company has also appointed Nkechi Oguchi as Chief Executive Officer, Ventures Park and Lamide Johnson Director of Partnerships, Ventures Platform Foundation.

Kola Aina will move to the board as he continues to provide leadership to the overarching goals of Ventures Platform Hub while leading VP Fund’s investment efforts. Mimshach Obioha will lead the next phase of growth in the organisation’s mission to build the future of Africa by supporting innovators and entrepreneurs at the Abuja headquartered hub.

Nkechi Oguchi is currently the General Manager of VPHub’s coworking operation. She will take over as Chief Executive Officer of Ventures Park to drive and expand their mission of creating enabling communities for entrepreneurs, innovators, and change-makers.

Kola Aina steps down following a period that has seen over 40,000 people and 300 startups impacted through various programs with a thriving co-working community.

Speaking on the changes, Kola said; “I am really proud to see that a little over 3 years from when we began the VP journey we have internal leaders emerge through what was a competitive process, to scale up the work that began from a simple mission to provide hassle-free capital that would enable bold and young Africans to build a better future. Today, these changes will ensure that we can better deliver on our expanded theory of change – spanning access to capital, capacity, and community.”

Ventures Platform is a leading source of capital, capacity building, support and advocacy for under-served entrepreneurs, communities and institutions, enabling them to enhance the creation of wealth and development in Africa.

It runs a 4-month incubation programme in Nigeria’s capital that offers accepted startups funding of up to $20,000. It has an investment portfolio which includes; Paystack, PiggyVest, Thrive Agric, MDaaS Global, Reliance HMO, Tizeti, and crowdForce.