Rising Tide Africa

Decisions are made collectively by the network’s members rather than by a dedicated investment committee. Co-founder Yemi Keri and a board of directors — including Chairman Evelyn Oputu and board members Bolaji Akinboro, Ivana Osagie, and Eghosa Omoigui — provide governance and deal-quality oversight, but individual members choose which opportunities to fund from the pipeline presented at pitch events.

Deal flow originates through member networks, ecosystem partnerships, and a public call for pitches ahead of its periodic Deals Days. The network then screens submissions and selects a shortlist — six companies pitched at the inaugural 2018 event, for example — before members conduct their own diligence and decide individually whether to invest.

The network targets early-stage companies, spanning seed and startup phases through to growth equity. Confirmed portfolio entries such as Bankly (FinTech) and Shuttlers (Mobility) sit at various points on this early-stage continuum, with the network's pitch-day format optimized for businesses seeking initial or follow-on institutional capital.

Rising Tide Africa operates as the African chapter of The Rising Tide Program, a global movement that establishes women-led angel networks. While the network shares the parent program's educational and community-building DNA, it makes independent investment decisions and maintains its own governance structure headquartered in Lagos.