Nela Duke Ekpenyong is an accomplished investor, award-winning conservationist, philanthropic advisor, and social entrepreneur with over a decade of experience working with leading institutions dedicated to large-scale growth and sustainable development across Africa.

She is the Co-Founder and CEO of LEGA.C Capital, a multi-family office that supports innovators, entrepreneurs, and high-net-worth families in preserving and growing their wealth. At LEGA.C, she leads Akoda, Africa’s first biomimicry-focused accelerator, investing in ventures that draw inspiration from nature to create innovative, tech-enabled solutions. Through her extensive network of ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNIs), high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), and innovators, Nela has fostered powerful collaborations to address Africa’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.

Previously, Nela served as a Partner at Ingressive Capital, a $50 million Fund II early-stage venture capital firm focused on African startups. She also held a leadership role on the board of Harambeans, where she worked as Chief of Staff and managed a multi-million-dollar fund that fueled the growth of transformative tech companies, including Andela, Flutterwave, and Yoco, through targeted investments and high-level convenings.