Why did you apply to Oxford Saïd?
I applied to Oxford Saïd because I was looking for a business school that offered something specific: a space where, after a decade of operating and scaling startups, I could explore a pivot in my career with the right support. I wanted to be part of an institution that fostered a global perspective, had a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship and venture capital, and was deeply connected to a prestigious, historic university like Oxford.
At the time, I was an operator exploring a pivot into venture capital or potentially starting a venture of my own. The Oxford MBA seemed like the perfect fit to help me achieve these goals, particularly with the Oxford Seed Fund playing a pivotal role in that transition.
What made the biggest impact on you during your time on the Oxford MBA?
The biggest impact came from a combination of classmates, professors, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem within Oxford. If I had to pick, I'd say it's the Oxford Seed Fund.
I was the Managing Director at the Oxford Seed Fund during my MBA – and this is a student led fund, I believe now Europe’s largest. This was quite impactful, as it helped my transition from experienced operator, to early stage investor and provided access into the entrepreneurial networks and Venture Capital.
Where has your career taken you since graduating from the MBA?
After completing my Oxford MBA, I spent some time as one of two GPs who built Octopus Ventures’ first pre-seed fund, the Octopus First Cheque Fund, a £10 million fund investing in pan-European startups at the pre-seed stage.
Following this, I founded Openseed VC, an early-stage, operator-led and focused venture capital fund. We are first investors of up to $150,000 in experienced operators starting their technology companies and we invest across Europe and Africa.
The strategic knowledge and network I built during my time at Oxford, along with my role as Managing Director of the Oxford Seed Fund during my MBA, have been instrumental in scaling my career and impact within the venture capital space. I truly believe I wouldn't have been able to achieve all I have so far without that experience.
Is there anything from your time on the MBA that still influences you or that you still refer to?
Absolutely. The concept of purpose-driven leadership that was emphasized throughout the Oxford MBA still influences me daily. Oxford is known for having an impact-driven ethos, and I believe that impact can be achieved in many ways. While economic viability and commercial success are important, I also believe we have a responsibility to make the world better than we found it, and this philosophy guides every decision I make at OpenSeed VC.
The relationships I formed with my classmates are also still a source of inspiration and collaboration. We continue to share ideas, opportunities, and support each other in our ventures, and some of them are even investors in OpenSeed VC.
Finally, how would you sum up the overall impact that the MBA has had on you, and how has it enabled you to increase your own impact on your organisation and beyond?
Oxford Saïd has been transformational for me. It had a profound impact on both my personal and professional growth. It broadened my perspective, expanded my network, and provided the platform for me to pivot into venture capital in a way that would have been much more challenging otherwise. More importantly, it reinforced my belief that businesses can be both commercially successful and a vessel for achieving purpose and leaving a lasting impact on the world. These two goals aren’t mutually exclusive.
This belief continues to guide OpenSeed VC, where we focus not only on financial returns but also on supporting experienced operators from day zero—those who are building solutions to real-world problems using transformational technology. The MBA contributed significantly to my confidence and credibility in scaling this mission, and in turn, has allowed me to increase my impact on the entrepreneurial ecosystem and support the most ambitious, talented and diverse founders across Europe, Africa, and beyond.
