Chinwe Okoli is an expert in building innovation ecosystems and integrating the academia on the concept of triple helix model. Her experience spans business incubation/acceleration, angel investor networks, research commercialization and setting up innovation hubs and science parks. She is the Founder of Grand Africa Initiative, a pan-African organisation that grooms, empowers and mentors (GEM) the youth to explore their unique talents in education, entrepreneurship and innovation with special attention to girls and youths in the rural communities.
As a professional Economist and Public Policy Analyst, she understands the importance of promoting innovation among the youth as a catalyst for sustainable development in the era of 4th industrial revolution. She has been actively involved in building a vibrant innovation ecosystem in Africa through her work. She was the Manager of Roar Nigeria and the Pioneer Manager of Lion Science Park, the first university-embedded innovation hub and Science Park in West Africa respectively. She is actively involved in innovation networks in Nigeria and Africa.
Following her experience in building innovation ecosystems in Africa, she has participated in many international innovation events such as the Startup Summit by Facebook; F8 2019 by Facebook at the Silicon Valley, USA; IASP World Conferences in Europe and Middle East; and African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Business Summit. She has also contributed to global high level policy influencing discussions on innovation and entrepreneurship as a Guest speaker in Nigeria, France, United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Senegal and Kenya.
A Coach and an Author of two books-The Ladder to Academic Excellence and A Daunting Odyssey. Chinwe holds a B.Sc. in Economics from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria; M.Sc. in Public Policy and Management from the University of London, United Kingdom, and a Diploma in Management of Higher Education from Galilee International Management Institute, Galilee, Israel. She is also certified on business incubation, business acceleration and fundamentals of Science Park.