David Lanre Messan, popularly known as DLM, is a man of many titles and accomplishments. He can best be described as a Nigerian serial entrepreneur, idea strategist, and startup builder, among other titles. Messan as an untiring curious and versatile creative is yet undone with business strategies. He was recently selected as an academic visitor to the James Currey Society in cooperation with University of Oxford’s African Studies Center, a quest to hone a passionate career in creative writing, but this time, telling African Stories in the African way and manner.
In the course of his career so far, DLM has worn many hats which could perhaps be one of the many reasons he is internationally recognized. Originally an idea strategist, he evolved over time, consolidating his expertise in various business spheres, such as startup building, angel investing, business growth, fundraising, and public speaking.
DLM’s drive for impact and success has been burning since his youth and this led him to make his first million at just 23 years old through his Infinite Impact Company and Green Yaggy. He is a graduate of the Lagos State Polytechnic where he studied Mass Communication. He also studied Disruptive Strategy in Harvard Business School, entrepreneurship and innovation in Scalabl, and earned a Diploma in Marketing Strategy from Nexford University.
Green Yaggy, a project under Infinite Impact, was founded in 2007 to help democratize the process of accessing technology opportunities and starting a business. With the business, DLM directly impacted the lives of over 250 youths and over 5000 indirectly, earning him a seat at the African Business Leaders Forum (ABLF) 101 Young African Leaders in 2007. Around this time, he also won the LEAP Africa Top 10 Youth Leadership Award and made other impressive achievements.
Internationally, DLM serves as a community organizer for Harvard Business School Online. The school has published on its official website, an article on some of his works, recognizing his expertise as a strategist. His other international achievements include serving as a Scalabl Global Ambassador for Africa and International Partner and Senator for Nigeria with the World Business Angels Investors Forum. In 2011, David was selected as a pioneer global shaper of the World Economic Forum (WEF), where he served for five years and went on to become the community’s curator in Lagos and a member of the WEF on collaborations.
Through FirstFounders Inc, his most recent venture, he’s helping companies operating with traditional business models to take advantage of technology and establish a digital footprint. FirstFounders is also one of the fast-rising venture studios in Africa and is committed to building out the ideas of tech startups into investable MVPs. David Lanre Messan believes that being a small part of a big thing is often more rewarding than being a big part of a small thing.
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