Maya Horgan Famodu Biography

Maya Horgan Famodu is a venture capital investor, Nigerian-American entrepreneur, and 2x Forbes 30 under 30 entrepreneur. She is the founder of Ingressive Capital, a $10 million VC Fund I and $50 million II focused on investing in early Africa-based technology companies.

The young entrepreneur is also the founder of Ingressive, an advisory firm providing market entry/market opertions services and tech research for corporates and investors. Ingressive LLC has worked with over 50 venture firms and tech companies seeking to enter and operate in Sub-Saharan Africa. Past clients include Y combinator, 500 startups, New Relic, USAID, GitHub and Techstars. Clients have made over 70 investments into Africa-based tech, and several have started numerous joint ventures through Ingressive market entry services.

Ingressive seeded some of Africa’s fastest-growing businesses, including Paystack, Bamboo, Carry1st, Mono, Tizeti, Lenco, Jetstream, 54gene and OZE among many others.

Ingressive LLC has worked with over 50 venture firms and tech companies seeking to enter and operate in Sub-Saharan Africa. Past clients include Y combinator, 500 startups, New Relic, USAID, GitHub and Techstars. Clients have made over 70 investments into Africa-based tech, and several have started numerous joint ventures through Ingressive market entry services.

Maya is also a co-founder at Ingressive for Good (I4G), a nonprofit initiative whose mission is to increase the earning power of tech talents in Africa by training 1,000,000 youths and connecting 5,000 to jobs in the next five years.

Half-Nigerian and half-Minnesotan, Maya grew up in Minnesota, She completed her degree in Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Environmental Science, English Minor at Pomona College. She then went on to Cornell University’s Prelaw Program, and briefly worked in finance at JPMorgan in New York.

Maya, before she started ingressive, conducted emerging market economic research in Southern Africa and LatAm, taking students with her to explore keys to sustainable economic development. She also worked in private equity research, consulting with businesses looking to enter the West African market.

Maya, born 24 March 1991 founded Ingressive in 2014, Ingressive Venture Capital firm in 2017 and co- founded (with Sean Burrowes) Ingressive for Good in January, 2020.

Ingressive Venture Capital did not start without hurdles to cross as Maya had to pitch about 375 investors. Besides, before she finally launched the venture capital in 2017, she tried to launch a fund at 23 with a year of work experience but nobody committed. It was then she knew she needed to device another means to reach her end goal. This led her to start Ingressive Advisory with the aim of showing her deal flow to potential investors without taking the funds upfront. In her words, “I basically pitched to global investors: ‘Africa is booming, and I know the great opportunities. Come with me to Nigeria, and I’ll show you the best deals. Then you choose whether you want to invest and do your deals directly.’” Well, it worked and a lot of people invested.

According to her, “Half of our investors backed us because they learned over time that I could see something years ahead. The other half backed us believing I’m the most headstrong and persistent person they know and will never give up until I hit my target. I used to be offended when people called me “persistent,” but it’s actually a differentiator that has contributed majorly to my success.”

In her leisure, Maya loves to exercise, ride her motorcycle, and travel. She also dances, choreographs, gardens, and cooks for the people she loves.

Social Handles

Instagram - Mayanator

Twitter - Maya Horgan Famodu

Facebook - Maya Horgan Famodu

LinkedIn - Maya Horgan Famodu