4DX Ventures, a leading pan-Africa venture capital firm investing primarily in early-stage technology companies, has announced that Mimi Alemayehou and Kurankye Sekyi-Otu have joined the firm as Senior Advisors to help scale its platform and deepen its impact across the continent.
Since its Managing Partners made their first investment in Africa in 2013, 4DX has raised three institutionally backed funds, and the firm has approximately $200 million in assets under management.
In 2024, International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, became a 4DX investor with a $10.5M capital commitment, demonstrating the firm’s ability to partner with best-in-class global institutions across multiple investor segments, including endowments, private equity firms, family offices and foundations.
The firm has built a reputation for backing bold, visionary entrepreneurs and supporting them with a high-touch, value-added approach to company building.
With investments spanning a range of industries, including FinTech, E-commerce, Embedded Finance, Creative Industries, Marketplaces, Climate and Edtech, 4DX focuses on companies that are shaping Africa’s digital future.
The portfolio includes category-defining companies such as Flutterwave, Andela, Autochek, Breadfast, MaxAB, Wasoko, mPharma, Thndr and Yoco.
Its portfolio companies operate in 22 African countries, with regional offices in Accra, Cairo and Nairobi, and an active presence in South Africa and Francophone Africa.
Alemayehou and Sekyi-Otu will support 4DX’s leadership team and portfolio founders, strengthening the firm’s global network and providing strategic counsel and mentorship.
Mimi Alemayehou brings deep experience from both the private and public sectors. She has held global executive roles at Mastercard, as well as managing director of the Black Rhino Group and Chair of Blackstone Africa Infrastructure LP.
A recognized leader in development finance, she served as Executive Vice President of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. government’s development finance agency.
She also served as the U.S. representative on the Board of the African Development Bank and on the President’s Advisory Council on Africa Diaspora Engagement in the United States. She held multiple Board positions, including at Twitter, U.S. African Development Foundation and FinDev Canada.
Kurankye Sekyi-Otu is an experienced leader in the alternative investment industry. He is the Founder & CEO of Capoeira Partners, a strategic advisory firm working with founder-led asset management firms, and previously served as Chief Strategy Officer at Polar Asset Management Partners, one of Canada’s largest hedge funds.
He also held senior roles at Mackenzie Investments and CIBC Capital Markets, with extensive experience in capital formation, business development, and institutional partnerships.
“The appointment of Mimi and Kurankye comes at a pivotal time for 4DX and our portfolio,” said Walter Baddoo, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of 4DX Ventures. “As more African technology companies scale globally, we’re excited to bring on world-class advisors with truly global perspectives and deep operational and investment expertise. Both Mimi and Kurankye are known for their roll-up-your-sleeves approach and will be instrumental in supporting our founders, deepening our global institutional relationships, and contributing to our long-term strategy.”
Speaking of her new role, Mimi Alemayehou said:
“I’m thrilled to join 4DX and support the impactful work Walter, Peter, and the team are driving across the continent. This role is an exciting new chapter in my dedication to championing growth and development across Africa and emerging markets. 4DX has played a catalytic role in the African tech ecosystem, and I’m energised to bring my experience in development finance, technology and policy to help scale innovation, build strategic partnerships and deepen engagement with key stakeholders across sectors.”
Kurankye Sekyi-Otu added,
“4DX has built an impressive track record of investing in founders who create category-defining companies, tackle local challenges, and uplift their communities. Our immediate focus is to deliver deep operational insight that drives meaningful execution as 4DX scales and deepens its partnerships with world-class global institutions. I’m committed to activating a global network of operators, partners, and domain experts to support the firm’s continued growth and strategic evolution.”
4DX’s unique value creation model is institutionalized through 4DX Labs, its value creation arm designed to help portfolio companies succeed by providing hands-on support across product, marketing, data science, engineering, sales, business development, corporate development and fundraising.
This model has supported multiple strategic transactions, including Swarm Technologies’ acquisition by SpaceX, Tactyc’s acquisition by Carta, and the landmark merger of MaxAB and Wasoko — the largest tech merger in Africa to date.
As the firm looks ahead, 4DX is also exploring growth-stage investments and promising new categories such as the creative economy, where its regional expertise and network provide a strong competitive edge. Alemayehou and Sekyi-Otu will play a key role in advising 4DX and extending the firm’s influence in global capital markets.
