Harry ‘Tomi Davies (TD) is Collaborator-in-Chief (CiC)’ at TVC Labs, an entrepreneurship support organisation working with technology-enabled innovation in Lagos, Nigeria which he founded. TD is the founding President of the African Business Angel Network (ABAN) and board member of the Global Business Angel Network (GBAN). As an active stakeholder in the African startup ecosystem he values intellect, innovation, independence, collaboration and integrity in all our relationships
TD believes that humans are using technology to build a better life for humankind and innovative African startup founders are using technology to build a better Africa. He also firmly believes that supporting innovative startups creates economic value and social impact and that innovation hubs and business angels are a critical local resource to founder and startup growth. He asserts that locally led international support accelerates the development of the African startup ecosystems.
After graduating from the University of Miami in 1982, TD led innovative technology-enabled transformation initiatives for influential global brands such as Elf Aquitaine, Marks & Spencer, Ernst & Young and Sapient across Europe, the United States and Southeast Asia.
In 2000, his focus shifted to Africa where he worked on various technology-led innovation initiatives in Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and Kenya using his goal-oriented approach to project delivery which inspired his 2014 book “The African Project Manager”. In December 2021, TD was named as one of the “100 Most Influential Africans of 2021” by New African Magazine.
TD is Chairman of Powerstove (Renewables) and Non-Executive Director at MBO Capital (Private Equity) and sits on the boards of Big Cabal Media (Media & Entertainment) and Laptops4Learning (L4L) Nigeria (Edutech NGO). He also Chairs the Innovation Committee of the Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council (LASRIC).
As an angel investor with insights gained from a growing portfolio of tech-enabled startup ventures originating from Africa, his personal goal is to ”Find, Fund & Follow”, African founders that are using technology-enabled innovation to create economic value and social impact on the continent that “builds Africa’s future together”. These founders are the inspiration and target of his 2023 book “Investment Worthy Startup” which lays out his POEM Framework as a tool for building tech-enabled startups on the continent and their investors.
