In this episode of The First Close, we interview Chinedu Enekwe, General Partner of Aux21 Capital. Chinedu refers to himself as a venture nomad, a phrase that summarizes his global experiences. Based in Washington D.C., Chinedu has spent his career focused on rising tech hubs around the world. At the start of 2020, Chinedu and his partner Mark Fleming launched Aux21, a seed stage venture firm, investing in companies creating market access for the next generation of global internet users.
Before launching Aux21, Chinedu was a Principal with seed firm Exponential Creativity Ventures and managed AffinitiVC, an early stage venture network. He spent the early years of his career in roles that gave him a range of perspectives on finance and global markets. Chinedu held roles as a fund formation lawyer, an emerging market investment manager at Xcellon Capital, at the World Bank and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation formerly known as OPIC.
In this episode, we cover:
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Chinedu’s experiences as an investment banker and lawyer that inspired his investing career
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His decision to prioritize diverse founders when founding Aux21 with his co-founder, Mark Fleming
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His focus on global markets, including the African continent, India, and China
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Why he believes that prioritizing relationships early on is essential
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His belief that borderless markets are the future of investing
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The most important lessons he learned before he decided to launch his own fund
Listen to our interview with Chinedu by streaming The First Close on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.