Segun Cole: The Visionary Behind EkoCab and Champion for African Entrepreneurs

He is the founder and CEO of EkoCab, an on-demand mobility marketplace that offers high-end ride services.

Cole’s career began as a New Mobility Consultant, advising governments on micromobility policies.

He has played significant roles in various African tech startups and is the President of Startup Huddle Lagos, which supports early-stage startups.

Segun attended Bells University of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on Human Resources and Personnel Administration.

In 2017, Segun founded EkoCab, which quickly became a buzz in Lagos due to its innovative approach to ride-hailing services.

Despite facing significant financial challenges and bootstrapping his business, Segun’s determination led him to delve into the world of venture capital and angel investing.

This experience highlighted the biases and challenges African entrepreneurs face, which fueled his drive to create systemic change in the funding landscape for local startups.

Noticing the disparity in venture capital allocation to African startups, Segun founded Fund the Gap Alliance.

This organization addresses the underrepresentation of local founders in the venture capital ecosystem.

Fund the Gap Alliance has successfully raised capital for startups from 54 African countries and 26 countries globally.

The alliance focuses on educating both startups and investors, leveraging data-driven approaches, and providing mentorship and coaching to help startups succeed.

Segun is a well-known ecosystem builder and currently serves as the President of Startup Huddle Lagos, a community that supports 235 startups from pre-series to Series C stages.

His leadership extends to various roles, including International Partner at the World Business Angel Fund, Venture Partner at Wefunder, Openner.VC, and Zero to One Capital.

He is also a member of the SEC working committee on Angel Investment and Venture Capital in Nigeria (Machinelab Ventures (MLVP)) (AI Summit London 2024).

Throughout his career, Segun has been driven by a passion for mentoring and supporting other entrepreneurs.

His efforts are particularly focused on bridging the gender funding gap and empowering female founders.

He believes that investing in women is not charity but a smart economic strategy that stimulates growth and equality.