David van Dijk

Team Lead at Boost Africa

Panellist

David leads the Boost Africa Technical Assistance (TA) program, which supports African VC funds and portfolio companies backed by the European Investment Bank's Boost Africa fund-of-funds. He is also a founding partner of the African Angel Academy (AAA), an initiative focused on training angel investors across Africa. As a private investor, David participates in Rally Cap, an angel syndicate and fund that backs fintech and climate tech founders in emerging markets.

David co-founded the African Business Angel Network (ABAN) and served as its first executive director. He has also worked with organizations such as Venture Capital for Africa (VC4A), the Dutch NGO Spark, and the Ignite Foundation, all of which focus on fostering entrepreneurship across the continent.

Before moving into the world of impact investing and entrepreneurship support, David had a career in the corporate sector, launching and managing companies in diverse markets including West Africa, Egypt, Russia, India, and the USA. He holds degrees in Economics, Business Administration, and International Relations from the University of Oregon, Nyenrode Business University, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, and Clingendael, the Netherlands Institute of International Relations.