When Eunice Ajim touched down in Louisiana in 2012, she arrived with a suitcase of dreams and a fervent desire to turn her life around. Hailing from Cameroon and set to study Mathematics and Statistics, Ajim faced the daunting challenge of navigating a new country with minimal support. Undeterred, she tapped into her entrepreneurial spirit by starting a hairstyling business to cover her expenses. This early experience in business would foreshadow a twisting journey through the worlds of technology and venture capital.
After graduating and landing a role as a product specialist at Apple, many would have been content to settle into a corporate career at such a prestigious company. Yet, Ajim’s ambition drove her to leave the comfort of the corporate world. Less than 18 months later, she embarked on her own entrepreneurial path, setting the stage for a career that would redefine her impact on the tech industry and the African startup ecosystem.
Ajim’s journey as the Founding Partner of Ajim Capital, she spearheads an early-stage fund and angel community dedicated to fueling the growth of startups across Africa. Ajim Capital provides critical funding for startups from Pre-seed to Seed stages, with check sizes ranging from $25,000 to $150,000. This initiative reflects Ajim’s commitment to bridging the gap between African startups and necessary resources, facilitating their ascent to billion-dollar enterprises.
Ajim’s entrepreneurial pedigree is impressive. She co-founded DataGig, an online marketplace connecting enterprises with data experts, and OpenTeams, a platform for open-source service providers. Her ventures faced numerous hurdles, from homelessness to financial struggles, but Ajim’s indomitable spirit saw her through. Her experiences with these startups, coupled with a pivotal moment during the 2020 pandemic, where she recognized the potential of African tech talent, culminated in the creation of Ajim Capital.
The pandemic highlighted significant challenges and opportunities in the African tech ecosystem. Ajim’s decision to employ software engineers from Africa during this period spotlighted the continent’s growing significance in the global tech landscape. These challenges, however, also illuminated the need for better support and funding structures for African startups. This realization became the driving force behind Ajim Capital.
In January 2022, Ajim Capital launched its inaugural $10 million fund aimed at supporting 40 to 50 early-stage companies across Africa over two years. Ajim’s mission extends beyond merely providing capital; she is dedicated to educating African investors about venture capital—a relatively new concept in many parts of the continent. Many Africans traditionally invest in real estate or the stock market, and Ajim sees a crucial role in shifting this mindset toward the promising realm of venture capital.
Ajim’s vision reached a celebratory milestone in November 2023 when Ajim Capital hosted the first-ever AWS Startups Women’s Demo Day in Lagos, Nigeria. This event, held at the Zone Tech Park, celebrated and empowered women-led startups across Africa.
