Center Intern Update: Olufemi Odukoya

Read Olufemi's first blog post here.

Much of my work for this summer was done in anticipation of the Investment Expo that will happen at the end of August. This is the first time that the Business Development Center is hosting an Angel Investment expo. Angel investors will be coming from all around the US to potentially partner with local business owners. Each day of the expo, business owners will have the opportunity to present their business with the hopes of retaining investments. Many of these business owners do not have accessibility to capital and therefore have been generally limited in their growth and expansion. The right investment at the right time can be the difference maker Rwanda business men and women.

The many inherent risks for individuals wanting to invest economically and socially in developing countries can be mitigated. A side car fund is when a lead investor decides to pull in other investors together so as to limit some of these risks. It is a pooled investment vehicle that invests alongside an angel group. A side car fund allows for better diversification of resources as well as for more overall impact. The legal work I did focused on creating the incorporating documents to be used for the fund. The legal complexity of setting up the side car fund in the US in order invest in an emerging market was explored using both securities and corporate law. Local and small businesses in Rwanda will have an unprecedented influx of investments to transform entire regions of east Africa. The bottom down effective of an investment into a local business can be truly inspiring.

Twenty Days of Interns: Olufemi Odukoya

This summer, 20 Center for Global Justice, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law interns are spread across four states and ten countries, going not only with the Gospel, but also with legal training and a passion to see the Lord’s justice carried out on a fallen earth.

Olufemi interned with the Business Development Center through Regent University school of Business and Leadership. The Business Development Center is a non-profit organization based in Rwanda that focuses on preparing and nurturing entrepreneurs to start and grow business with ethical values. It combines world-class entrepreneurial training with a comprehensive package to support and advise local business. 

Olufemi drafted term sheets that are both small business and investor friendly for the first venture capitalist expo event held through the BDC. Olufemi also assisted in the development of an investment fund where multiple investors and venture capitalists can join. "Having the opportunity to engage in legal work that will help to empower local business in disenfranchised regions of the world is truly a dream come true."

Whether fighting sex trafficking in India and Indonesia, advocating against partial-birth abortion in Europe, advancing the rule of law in Uganda, or securing religious freedom in Bulgaria and South Africa, our interns are making a difference.

See where all of our interns are working here >

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