Damilola Kolawale

Damilola currently works out of the Acumen West Africa office as an Associate on the Green RISE Africa Accelerator Program, where she works with founders to strengthen their businesses and impact.


Before joining Acumen, she supported founders in various capacities: working with investment funds, angel syndicates, and companies committed to scaling innovation and driving economic growth across Africa. In her prior role as an Investment Associate at Rising Tide Africa, she led the sourcing, screening, and investment in high-growth startups, including exits, and provided post-investment support to founders. She also led the setup of the fund’s operations and played a key role in designing and executing accelerator programs, portfolio construction, and strategic fundraising.


Her career has centered on the startup ecosystem, with a focus on inclusive growth and operational excellence. She’s passionate about the sustainability of high-impact ventures across the continent. She believes businesses are integral to Africa’s development, and that empowering founders with the right tools and knowledge, not just capital, is what unlocks their full potential.


Damilola holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB, Honours) from the University of Ibadan and was called to the Nigerian bar in 2020.  Outside of work, she enjoys reading, listening to music, cooking, and spending time with friends and family.