The South East Development Commission (SEDC) has announced that Eleanya Urum Eke, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Risevest, will serve as one of the virtual interview judges for its South East Venture Capital Programme Pitch Competition. This initiative is part of the Commission's broader economic development strategy aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and innovation across Nigeria's South-East region.
The programme focuses on identifying promising startups and emerging entrepreneurs within the region, connecting them with funding opportunities, mentorship, investor networks, and long-term venture support systems. Eke joins a distinguished panel comprising entrepreneurs, investors, and innovation ecosystem leaders, including Ndubuisi Ekekwe, Lead Faculty at Tekedia Institute; Eliezer Ajah, Head of Job Creation at 3MTT; Yemisi Ajeojo of Ideas to Funded; and Nkem Nweke, Growth Advancement Partner at Lagos Business School/Pan-Atlantic University.
The pitch competition takes place amid growing discussions around expanding Africa's startup ecosystem beyond traditional commercial centres and improving access to venture capital across underserved regions. As founder of Risevest, Eke has become increasingly associated with programmes focused on technology-driven opportunity creation, youth development, and economic participation.
Speaking on the initiative, Eke emphasised the importance of creating systems capable of identifying and supporting entrepreneurial talent at an early stage. He stated, "One of the most expensive things a society can do is allow brilliant people to remain undiscovered. Across the South East, there is no shortage of intelligence or ambition. What has often been missing is access — access to capital, mentorship, networks, and the kind of visibility that allows great ideas to move beyond survival mode."
He added, "If people can build despite constant limitations, imagine what happens when they finally have access to the right environment." According to him, supporting founders at the early stages of their businesses remains critical to sustainable economic growth across Africa. "The future of Africa's economy will be shaped by people building practical solutions to real problems. Programmes like this matter because they create room for innovation to be taken seriously before it is forced to leave the continent to survive," Eke said.
Beyond the technology and investment ecosystem, the Risevest founder has also supported several education and youth-focused initiatives in recent years, including interventions linked to Chess in Slums Africa, the South East Olympiad, and academic infrastructure projects aimed at improving learning and research environments in Nigeria.
