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Gbemi Akande

Helping Companies Innovate And Scale.

Gbemi Akande is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in innovation, venture capital, and technology acceleration. He is currently a Sloan Fellow at Stanford University Graduate School of Business.2 Previously, he served as the Director of Innovation at Elevate from January 2021 to June 2023, where he built Canada's first Ecommerce Accelerator and launched the country's first NFT Residency Program.2

Akande's career highlights include:

  • Partner at Pacer Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund investing across Africa2
  • Program Manager at The DMZ, where he ran the DMZ Accelerator Program and managed the Black Innovation Fellowship2
  • Innovation Manager at Emirates NBD, leading fintech engagements and internal innovation initiatives2
  • Innovation Strategy Consultant at Innovation 360 (now called The Cribb)2

He has played a crucial role in designing and implementing successful venture studios and startup accelerator programs across Canada.1 Recently, in June 2024, Akande joined the Board of Directors of Optimus AI Labs, a technology company focused on AI solutions.1

Akande holds a B.Eng (Hons.) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Ilorin2 and has several certifications, including Google Certified Associate Cloud Engineer and Project Management Professional.2

Highlights

Jun 6 · optimusai.ai
Gbemi Akande Joins Optimus AI Labs Board of Directors
Jun 23 · dmz.torontomu.ca
DMZ to expand programming for Black entrepreneurs

Related Questions

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Location

Toronto, Ontario, Canada