Tendai Shamu

Principal at First Serve Ventures

Panelist

Tendai Shamu is a British-Zimbabwean investor and the Principal of First Serve Ventures, a single-family office that invests exclusively in world-class venture capital funds. Guided by a deep conviction in specialisation, the firm allocates capital to hyper-sector-focused VC funds in healthcare, robotics/automation, and IT—with the singular aim of co-investing in the standout portfolio companies shaping the future.

Tendai began his career at Barclays Investment Bank and Statoil, and went on to become an early investor in Revolut and Alter, the latter exiting to Google Ventures for $100 million. Today, he operates at the intersection of capital allocation, venture building, and cross-border growth—bridging developed markets and emerging economies.

Beyond his investment work, Tendai is building a media company to raise the standard of entrepreneurship across the African continent. He is also a devoted tennis player (albeit a seriously amateur one) and a voracious reader with an enduring curiosity for ideas that stand the test of time.