N I N A K U O N A
"I see you" — Swahili
Culture Capital Technology
Our Position
NINAKUONA names the central principle of our strategic advisory and investment platform, positioned at the intersection of culture, capital, and technology. Our firm is grounded in the view that Africa's markets, communities, and cultural actors are already whole and fully developed.
The African continent’s value does not require discovery or fixing — only recognition and meaningful engagement.
An Architecture Built for Trusted Exchange
NINAKUONA sources and structures strategic opportunities across sovereign environments, financing, and market entry. Through long-standing relationships across government, finance, and industry, the firm brings together capital structuring, technology, and cultural intelligence to support execution across Africa, the United States, and the markets connecting both.
We leverage global capital to advance the continent and strengthen relationships.
How We Operate
When NINAKUONA is engaged, four elements operate simultaneously.
01
Capital Formation
Capital structured with continental ownership embedded from the outset.02
Sovereign Navigation
Fluency within sovereign and regulatory environments on both sides of the Atlantic.03
Cultural Authorship
Cultural intelligence that shapes how trust is built over time.04
Digital Sovereignty
Infrastructure designed to keep intelligence and value within markets.Our Team
Don Graves
Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce and three-decade veteran of American economic and national security policy, having advised Presidents Obama and Biden while leading landmark recovery efforts in Detroit and Puerto Rico totaling over $440 billion in federal investment. He authored the first-ever Department of Commerce Africa strategy, oversaw the President's Advisory Committee on Doing Business In Africa (PAC-DBIA) and created the first ever Commerce Africa Strategy to focus on two-way trade and investment partnerships between the U.S. and African nations.
Co-Founder
Mike Mpanya
Pan-African AI strategist and entrepreneur who leads Nubi Group and Cisco's Africa digital acceleration program, building inclusive technology solutions across healthcare, education, and governance while advising governments and global institutions on responsible AI adoption. Recognized by CNN, Time Magazine, and the Clinton Global Initiative, he also serves as Senior Vice-President of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation's Now Generation Network and has mentored over 400 emerging leaders across the continent.
Co-Founder
Lauren Beck
Oscar-Nominated Producer on Manchester by the Sea (six-time nominee), Emmy-nominated Through a Lens Darkly, Opposite Field, Suspiria... Shaped narratives for leading global companies as an advertising executive, building a collective across emerging technology, content, influencer engagement, and design. Photographed Public Enemy globally. In Fine Art, she produces and supports work shown at the Venice Biennale, Frieze, Smithsonian, supported by Ford Foundation and National Trust for Scotland and acquired by Brooklyn Museum. Adjunct professor at Yale University and board member of 1862 Africa.
Co-Founder
Ruben Mpanya
Africa-focused investment and strategy leader who chairs ABC Ventures and drives early-stage investment at Innovation Edge, with a track record spanning $300M+ in cross-border transactions across banking, private equity, and real-economy ventures. A Fellow of Secha Capital's Junior Operator Investor Network, he brings a genuinely pan-African perspective shaped by work across financial services, corporate strategy, and early-stage venture building from Johannesburg to Lagos.
Co-Founder
Sophia Sokolowski
Former White House and U.S. Trade Representative senior official who brings experience across trade, technology, and international affairs. Also a Partner at Highland Creek Advisors, she helps guide NINAKUONA's operations, drawing on a career spanning three U.S. presidential administrations and extensive work with government, business, and global stakeholders.
Chief of Staff