Cecil Adjalo

The time is getting closer for Foundervine Spaces to open and I am excited about what we are going to bring into the ecosystem. It feels a bit unreal still but I am overwhelmed with joy that it's all starting to become a reality. These next few weeks will be big ones. 🤞

You’re not building something real until it looks like this. Over the past couple of years, Foundervine Spaces has gone from drawings on paper… to designs… to something that, at times, has just looked like open floor plates, exposed pipes and hanging wires. There were moments where I genuinely had to step back and question whether we should be doing this at all. But the reason hasn’t changed. We’re building a space where founders can come together, collaborate, and push each other forward. A place where ambition compounds through proximity and the ecosystem is brought into one environment and properly nurtured. What this process has really taught me is patience. Building things virtually is one thing. Building something physical is different. Slower. Heavier. Less forgiving. It’s stretched me more than I expected. I’ve had to step into a world that’s completely outside of what I’m used to — construction, layouts, legals — and learn to stay in it, even when it’s uncomfortable. We’re close now. Not there yet, but close. If you’re in the middle of building something and it feels messy, that might just mean you’re in the part that actually matters. Opening soon. #LongGame #InnovationEcosystem #Founders

Returning to my alma mater, King’s College London, to speak about the future of talent and opportunity was a special moment. It took me straight back to graduating in 2009 and wondering what the future might look like. Today, through the work we’ve done at Foundervine, I’ve had the privilege of seeing incredible founders emerge from across the African diaspora and from the continent itself. By 2050, one in four people in the world will be African. The scale of talent and entrepreneurial potential is enormous. What excites me most is that access to the internet, and now powerful AI tools, is opening doors for people who historically lacked the infrastructure to compete on the global stage. The conversation needs to move away from charity and towards opportunity. The next generation of builders and leaders will come from places the world has historically underestimated. Thank you to Gillian for the invitation and for bringing together such a thoughtful audience of students and alumni. #KingsCollegeLondon #Founders #AfricanTalent #Entrepreneurship #Opportunity

2025 required more audacity than I expected. Leaps of faith that didn’t always make sense on paper. Decisions made without perfect information. Moments where backing people, building systems, and trusting the process mattered more than moving fast. There were highs worth celebrating — and lows that came with them. Things that worked. Things that didn’t. All part of the same journey. Foundervine continued to grow this year not because everything was smooth, but because the people around us showed up, and because the foundations underneath the work were strong enough to hold the pressure. I’m proud of what we built in 2025. Not just the outcomes, but the resilience, learning, and honesty it took to get there. Grateful for the people who took the leap with us — and for everything the year gave us, both the good and the hard.

Absolutely surreal to be part of closing the London Stock Exchange last week 🌩️📈 Imagine how it must feel to list... The LSE has always felt like a world away for early-stage founders. But that’s starting to shift. Through @foundervine , we brought founders into that space — not to talk IPOs, but everything before that: grants, bootstrapping, loans, wellbeing, and growth. Honest founder stories. Cross-party political support. Big names like @barclaysuk , @natwest @britishbusinessbank , @weareinnovateuk all in the room. Yes it was about finance but most importantly it was about access. #InclusiveFinance #DiverseFounders #EntrepreneurLife #SMEs #LondonStockExchange #StartupCommunity #AccessToFinance

🚀 Still basking in the glory of the incredible event that was @foundervine 's Founderfest 2025! ✨ Thank you to everyone who joined us for such an unforgettable celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship. From inspiring keynotes to meaningful connections, this year's event truly embodied our mission of making innovation accessible to anyone, anywhere. 🙏 Huge gratitude to our amazing sponsors and ecosystem partners: • @britishbusinessbank • @lloydsbankbusiness • @dell for Startups • CMS • London Stock Exchange • And all our other incredible supporters The energy, passion, and bold ideas shared by founders, partners, and experts reminded us why we do what we do - transforming society one venture at a time. Already excited for next year! 💪 #Founderfest2025 #StartupEcosystem #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #FounderCommunity #StartupAccelerator #UKStartups #Foundervine

Today’s the day – #Founderfest 2025 is here! This morning, @foundervine welcomes over 500 incredible founders, innovators, investors, and change-makers to Convene, Liverpool Street for a full day of connection, conversation, and opportunity. Are you joining us? Founderfest is built to be more than just a conference – it celebrates diverse talent and bold ideas shaping the future of business. From early-stage founders to scaling businesses, today is about learning, sharing and building real relationships that drive impact. Huge thanks to our sponsors, speakers, and community for making this happen. I know today will be a day to remember. See you there. #Founderfest2025 #Founderfest #Startups #DiversityInBusiness #Entrepreneurship #InclusiveInnovation #Foundervine @foundervine

On the way back from a photoshoot, stopping for a coffee, 'outblanking' @blankstreet

You can’t be afraid to look stupid. How many of us don’t do something we dream of doing, don’t start that project or business, or never dare to be different because we are afraid to look stupid? Scared of what people will think. Cecil reminds us that we can’t be afraid to look stupid. We just need to start, practice, execute. Everyone starts somewhere and if you’ve started, you’re already ahead of most. #podcasts #motivation #empowerment #leadership #success #successquotes #founder #mindset #mindsetofgreatness

Rejection will not kill you, but why does it feel like it will? Cecil reminds us that humans are programmed to fear rejection, but that fear is outdated. Rather than protecting our life, which used to be at risk when we were shunned by our tribe, this fear is now preventing us from success, the ability to stand out and be a change makers. Remind yourself that rejection is okay and it will not kill you! Listen to full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. #podcasts #leadership #motivation #success #successquotes #leadershipdevelopment #rejection

This year is about audacity—big moves, bold decisions, and meaningful impact. The truth is, growth rarely feels comfortable. But if we’re not moving forward as a business, we’re falling behind. Right now, what @foundervine represents to so many people is far too important for us to slow down. So here we go—time to expand.

Cecil Adjalo, Co-founder and COO of Foundervine, one of Europe’s leading start up hubs on a mission to make innovation accessible to everyone. Cecil’s wisdom as a founder as well as a leader who is shaping the start-up ecosystem is boundless. His passion, determination and discipline, has always inspired me and so I had to bring him on and share it with you. Giving you a peak behind the curtain of what it is like to be the COO of a growing startup from someone who was listed by the Financial Times as one of the top 100 most influential BAME (Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic) Leaders in the UK Tech sector. #podcasts #leadership #motivation #success #successquotes #leadershipdevelopment #founder #startup #business