Ben White

Harnessing entrepreneurship as a force for human progress. 

Ben White – VC4A Founder
Twitter: @zia505 

With 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship, venture building, private equity, and venture capital, my career began with the launch of AfricaNews.com, a pioneering pan-African news website. Since then, I have been deeply involved in Africa's technology and media sectors, expanding my work to Latin America and other emerging markets, where I’ve played a role in shaping the digital landscape and fostering investment for early-stage startups.

In 2007, I founded VC4A, a global network dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs building high-growth, high-impact ventures across emerging markets. Under my leadership, VC4A has launched key initiatives such as the Africa Early Stage Investor Summit (#AESIS), an annual gathering for the early-stage investment community, and the Venture Showcase, an award-winning investment readiness program that has helped high-growth ventures collectively raise over $850 million in venture capital.

I’m also a co-founder of AfriLabs, a network of African innovation hubs, and serve on the board of ActivSpaces, an incubator based in Cameroon. As a partner at Sanaga Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on early-stage ventures, and a co-founder of the African Business Angels Network (ABAN), I work to support and invest in promising entrepreneurs. Additionally, I am a permanent member of the management team for Investing in Young Businesses in Africa (IYBA), a €4.3 billion mandate under the Team Europe Initiative.

Career Highlights:

- VC4A has 250,000 members in 179 countries supporting the efforts of 28,000 high growth high impact ventures;
- ActivSpaces now has four locations across Cameroon as the leading innovation community in the country;
- African Business Angels Network (ABAN) now connects 2000 angel investors and 72 angel investing networks focused on Africa; 
- AfriLabs has more than 500 members representing independent innovation hubs in 52 African countries;
- The Africa Early Stage Investor Summit #AESIS is now a 10 year old event connecting the early stage investment community.

Originally from the deserts of New Mexico, I have spent over two decades living and working across Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Africa. I’m driven by the entrepreneurial journey and the immense untapped potential of emerging markets to foster positive change. With new projects always on the horizon, I remain committed to leveraging entrepreneurship as a force for meaningful impact and transformation.