Last week, I was a judge at the SME pitch organized by FirstFounders and ProvidusBank. Nigerians are building!

FirstFounders and Terra Industries: The $11.75M Venture Studio success story. The pivot of Terra Industries highlights the critical role of early-stage R&D support in Africa’s burgeoning hardware sector. Read the full story: thecondia.com/firstfounders-…

This is the right approach for emerging markets. Real value is created before venture capital arrives—during problem discovery, execution discipline, and early traction. Venture studios like FirstFounders de-risk startups by embedding ops, talent, and capital early, which is exactly what AI-driven companies need to scale faster and smarter in Africa.

FirstFounders, a Nigerian venture studio, operates with one thesis: build startups long before traditional venture capital shows up. The firm embeds itself with founders from ideation through execution, combining operations, talent, and capital to turn early ideas into scalable AI-driven companies.

FirstFounders is betting on the venture-studio model to build sustainable startups in Africa, backing founders early, supplying playbooks, and supporting companies as they scale across the continent. techpoint.africa/feature/fir…

We’re thrilled to announce that David Lanre Messan @lanremessan Entrepreneur and Founding Partner of FirstFounders will be gracing the Games Night with Prosper Light – Big Screen Edition, happening on 12th December 2025 at the British Council, Lagos. 🇳🇬

The countdown is ON! Hear from @lanremessan , Founding Partner @FirstFounders, at the BNI Lagos Mainland 2025 Regional Conference. Oct 31 | GTA Hotel, Ikeja | 10AM Register NOW! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F… #BusinessSupport #EntrepreneurMindset #growthstrategy #InnovationInAction

Through deep focus, positioning, and execution, we continue to strengthen the bridge between African creativity, capital, and scale — one founder, one startup, one milestone at a time. #FirstFounders #BuildBoldly #BuildForTomorow #InvestInAfrica #VentureStudio

African founders are not just building for today — they’re defining the next decade of innovation. And we’re creating the spaces where this future connects. 🔹 FirstFounders African Ecosystem Mixer — bringing together founders, investors, and partners driving real impact 👇

𝗔𝘁 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 : 👉to prove that the venture studio model isn’t just viable in Africa, it’s transformative. Our portfolio startups, Pocket Lawyers, PayAfta, and KorinAI , are leading this evolution. 👇

🏆 Big one for the F2Nation fam! FirstFounders has been named Venture Builder of the Year at the M&A Today Global Awards 2025 by GPMG UK 🎉 From Africa to the world — we keep building ventures that make impact 🌍🚀 @firstfounderscc #FirstFounders #F2Nation #GPMGUK #

Cashflow struggles are the #1 reason businesses fail 
Learn how to track, anticipate, and manage your cashflow with ease. Join our live session with Stephanie Anyamele @steph_anyamele
 Sept 30, 2025 | 7 PM WAT
Register: live.zoho.com/toff-rpw-iyl #BusinessGrowth #FirstFounders

One of our portfolio startups, KorinAI, @usekorinai , founded by @_dev_solo & @Olajidephilips1 , is the first AI music lab in Africa—making music creation cheaper, faster, and more accessible for millions of artists. Full story here:👇 medium.com/@thefirstfounders… #FirstFounders #AI

Join us for an insightful Knowledge Sharing Session hosted by FirstFounders in collaboration with Charles Ardor Company. 👉Topic: How Not to Run Out of Money – The Gospel of Cashflow Facilitator: Stephanie @steph_anyamele Founding Principal, Charles Ardor & Company Perks: 👇

investment strategies, and global comparisons—all through the lens of Nigeria’s ecosystem. You can read more here medium.com/@thefirstfounders… #FirstFounders #BuildBoldly #StartupCommunity #VentureStudios #NigeriaStartups #AfricanInnovation #FirstFounders

Nigeria’s startup ecosystem is full of promise, but also riddled with hurdles — from funding gaps to structural inefficiencies At FirstFounders, we don’t just acknowledge these challenges; we’ve engineered an integrated venture-building model designed to directly counter them👇

Every startup needs a parent — someone to provide care, nurture with the right resources, and support. That’s what FirstFounders does for early-stage founders. With Chief Venture Builder David Lanre Messan leading the way, 👇👇

As Gitex Nigeria comes to an inspiring end, it was thrilling to connect with ambitious founders as they pitch their ideas to the FirstFounders team. During the two days Gitex NigeriaEvent, our Chief Venture Builder, David Lanre Messan,welcomed an incredible number of talented👇

“…FirstFounders is a venture studio ecosystem collective focused on building startups from idea stage. One of our key focuses is to de-risk the venture building process of startups.” – David Lanre Messan, Chief Venture Builder at FirstFounders. 1/3 🧵👇

We spoke with @lanremessan , Chief Venture Builder at @firstfounderscc , one of the key speakers at the AI Preneur. He shared powerful insights on building and investing in startups, and how venture studios like FirstFounders are shaping Africa’s entrepreneurship landscape.