Decades ago, a young man left Lagos at 15 with a football scholarship and a clear-eyed conviction: the talent was everywhere he looked, and the systems to develop it were not.
A football scholarship came later. A career in the National Football League (NFL) as a professional athlete confirmed what Lagos had already taught: the talent is not missing. The infrastructure to scout, prepare, and elevate it is. Pro sports built that infrastructure for one industry. Every other industry has not.
A football scholarship came later. A career in the National Football League (NFL) as a professional athlete confirmed what Lagos had already taught: the talent is not missing. The infrastructure to scout, prepare, and elevate it is. Pro sports built that infrastructure for one industry. Every other industry has not.
Everything InnoPower has built since is the answer to that gap. The lessons from Indianapolis Public Schools shaped our approach at Tubman University. The charter schools in Gary and Indianapolis built the muscle we now use for AI Studios in Liberia. The ecosystem we stitched together across Indianapolis — Polk Stables, P30, 16 Tech, Elevate Ventures, and the Indianapolis Chamber — is the framework we are now exporting across Africa.
One pipeline. Two continents. One conviction: build the development system, and the talent will run the play.
What Is an Entrepreneurial
Ecosystem?
An entrepreneurial ecosystem is the web that decides whether a business gets to exist — the people, institutions, capital, mentors, support systems, policies, physical spaces, and cultural cues that move together to help a founder start and scale. It is not a single initiative. It is not a building. It is the way a community organizes itself around the people building inside it.
When the web is connected, the work compounds. Founders find the right mentor at the right moment. Capital meets the company that is ready for it. Policy clears the path instead of blocking it. The result is what economists call “gazelle “firms”—companies that grow revenue by 20% per year for five consecutive years.
When the web is broken—fragmented, missing nodes, no coordination—talent walks past the door of opportunity without ever knowing it was there. That is the work. We connect the web.
Our Ecosystems
InnoPower's Distinctive Approach
Rather than building new programs where strong infrastructure already exists, we identify gaps, align and coordinate partners across the ecosystem, design solutions in collaboration with stakeholders, and host inclusive experiences that build social capital and connections
The InnoPower Difference
Our Commitments
To Our Communities
We do not parachute in. We work with the community leaders, faith institutions, civic organizations, and small business owners who have been doing this work — often without recognition or resources — for decades. Our commitment is to listen first, build with you, and leave the infrastructure in your hands. The community is not the audience. The community is the co-builder.
To Our Partners
Every effort we lead is a partnership before it is a product. From Tubman University in Liberia to LSETF in Lagos to the Indianapolis Chamber, we build joint operating systems that strengthen our partners’ platforms, revenue, and reach — not just ours. We commit to clear roles, shared credit, and the kind of long-haul accountability that turns a one-time collaboration into a permanent capability.
To Our Government Partners
We engage government as a partner in ecosystem building, not just a funder. Our commitment is to connect policy conversations to community outcomes, advocate for regulatory environments that reduce barriers for entrepreneurs, and build the data infrastructure that shows government officials what is working and what is not. Our partnerships with NIDCOM, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the ECOWAS Small Business Coalition, and Indianapolis civic institutions reflect this commitment in practice.
To the Global Innovation Community
Founders, technologists, investors, and operators in our network are not spectators — they are part of the build. We open the playbook, share the data, and create the on-ramps for global talent to bring capital, expertise, and partnership to the communities where it produces the most return. If you are building at the edge of what is possible, there is a seat at this table.
The Faces You’ve Been Waiting For
Meet Our Team
Emil Ekiyor: A Journey of Impact and Transformation
Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Emil's life changed dramatically at age 15 when he left his large family—including seven sisters and two brothers—to pursue educational opportunities in Daytona Beach, Florida. This pivotal transition taught him invaluable lessons about adaptation, perseverance, and the power of opportunity that continue to inform his work today.
Emil's exceptional athletic abilities earned him a full scholarship to the University of Central Florida, where he distinguished himself not just as an athlete but as a leader, serving as team captain of the football team. His talents propelled him to a six-year career in the National Football League, where he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, and Oakland Raiders.
However, Emil's most significant impact began when he transitioned from professional sports to social entrepreneurship. Drawing on the discipline, strategic thinking, and leadership skills honed during his athletic career, Emil founded InnoPower, a Social Enterprise dedicated to accelerating growth in Black communities in Indiana and Sub-Saharan Africa through entrepreneurship, talent development, and social impact initiatives.
His innovative approach to community empowerment includes launching the groundbreaking Indy Biz Pass, a digital ecosystem connecting minority business owners with essential resources, and founding Advancing Equity Through Tech to address critical talent gaps in the technology sector.
Emil's lived experiences—crossing continents, navigating cultural transitions, and excelling in multiple fields—have shaped his unique perspective on identifying opportunities and creating access for invisible talent globally. His work bridges continents, communities, and sectors, creating pathways to success for underrepresented entrepreneurs and professionals.
His extraordinary contributions have earned him recognition as one of Indiana's 250 Most Influential Leaders for two consecutive years in 2023 and 2024. He is also the recipient of the 2023 Indiana Civil Rights Commission Governor's Reception Award for Achievements in Education and the 2024 Indianapolis Office of Minority and Women Business Development Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Impact Award.
Beyond these accolades, Emil is known as an unsung hero who has devoted himself tirelessly to the advancement of all Hoosiers, working across boundaries to create a more inclusive, innovative, and prosperous future.
Remy Chukwunyere is a Nigerian entrepreneur, policy strategist, and ecosystem builder with over two decades of experience working at the intersection of youth development, public policy, and entrepreneurship across Africa.
He currently serves as Director for Africa at InnoPower Africa Foundation, where he leads initiatives focused on democratizing AI literacy, expanding job creation, and supporting early-stage entrepreneurs across the continent.
Between 2019 and 2025, he was the Executive Director of the Ugwumba Leadership Center, where he supported the creation of over 7,000 SMEs in Nigeria and built a pan-African community of more than 30,000 young changemakers.
His career spans government, civil society, and the private sector, with advisory roles in job creation, governance reform, and youth empowerment. Previously, he served as Director General of the Imo State Directorate for Employment and as Executive Director of the African Youth Development Foundation.
Remy holds an Executive MBA from the Quantic School of Business and Technology (USA), an MSc in Public Governance and Leadership from the University of Abuja, and a B.Tech in Industrial Biochemistry from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
As a published author and global visibility strategist, he is widely recognized for building entrepreneurial ecosystems and advancing evidence-based policy solutions for Africa’s development.
Andrea Ekiyor is a seasoned community development leader with over 15 years of experience spanning federal, state, and local government. She has led and supported initiatives that strengthen communities, foster cross-sector partnerships, and deliver measurable outcomes for underserved populations.
Her expertise includes program design, stakeholder engagement, data analysis, and regulatory compliance skills she has consistently applied to implement effective, equity-driven solutions. Andrea is known for translating complex challenges into strategic, place-based initiatives that create lasting impact.
As a Director at High School to the Pros, she contributes to advancing the organization’s mission of equipping students with the tools, exposure, and support needed to successfully transition from high school to professional pathways. Her leadership helps ensure that programs are both impactful and accessible to the communities that need them most.
Andrea is also the author of The Other Side of the Whistle: What Moms Need to Know, a guided reflection for mothers of student-athletes. She is the founder of TravelNPurpose.com, a platform that promotes intentional travel and global engagement.
Her work is grounded in a commitment to equity, opportunity, and building stronger pathways for the next generation.
Chris Daily is Managing Director of InnoPower LLC, a human-centered AI education company, and a Certified AI Master Trainer with more than thirty years of technology leadership experience. He previously held senior roles at Angie's List, Experian, Fidelity National Financial and served as CTO of Stratice Healthcare.
At InnoPower, Chris leads training and AI tool development across a global portfolio of programs—including the Hoosier AI 1000 (Indiana), the ECOWAS SME AI Accelerator (West Africa), a partnership with Tubman University in Liberia, and the ContractFinder / Winning Indiana initiative for Indiana small businesses. His proprietary V.I.B.E. learning framework (Vision, Intuition, Bricolage, Exploration) anchors the curriculum, and his core message anchors the mission: AI isn't replacing you. It's amplifying you.
Chris is also a partner at Agile Meridian, advising enterprise clients on SAFe and scaled agile practices. He holds CSM, PSM III, PSPO, and Management 3.0 Trainer certifications. He earned a B.S. in Computer Science from Ball State University and an MBA from the University of Indianapolis and lives in Indianapolis.
Morenike Akinsande supports InnoPower's Africa operations, contributing to the partnerships across our ecosystem.
Victor Ikenna Williams supports InnoPower's media / social operations, contributing to the platforms across our ecosystem.
Blessing Uguru supports InnoPower's content, contributing to the platforms across our ecosystem.
Bolanle Oladiran supports InnoPower's Africa operations, contributing to the training systems across our ecosystem.
Olorunlogbon Oladotun Olulanke supports InnoPower's social operations, contributing to the platforms across our ecosystem. As Social Media Manager, she craft engaging content, build our online community, and drive our digital brand presence forward.
Abdulazeez Muhammed supports InnoPower's operations, contributing to the platforms across our ecosystem. As Lead Web Developer, he oversees the technical architecture, build scalable web infrastructure, and lead the development team to deliver high-performing digital experiences.
John Amos supports InnoPower's content operations across our ecosystem.
Daniel Christopher supports InnoPower's media operations, contributing to the platform across our ecosystem.
