Fundraising Fox

Brian Waswani Odhiambo

InvestorFounder

Managing Director at Novastar Ventures · Board director at Chowdeck

Nigeria

Writes $100K – $5M checks · typically $1.5M

FoundedChowdeck · YC

About

Partner heading Novastar's Lagos team. A Yale graduate, he helped start e-commerce platform Jumia, co-founded Zamsolar in Zambia and was COO at Livelyhoods before joining Novastar in 2015.

Board director at ChowdeckYC S22

Intro paths

YC

Brian went through Y Combinator (Summer 2022) — any YC alum in your network can reach them through the YC community.

GP

Their group partner at YC was Aaron Epstein, General Partner at Y Combinator — the partner who ran Chowdeck's batch and knows the company first-hand. YC profile ↗

→

In turn, Brian can intro founders to Chowdeck's investors below.

Chowdeck's investors · 8

Brighter CapitalCupertino · $25K – $100K checks · since 2025GFR FundSan Francisco · $100K – $5M checks · since 2025HoaQ$25K – $350K checks · since 2025Novastar VenturesLondon · since 2025Palm Drive CapitalNew York · $500K – $5M checks · since 2025Rocketship.vcSunnyvale · $1M – $5M checks · since 2025Velocity DigitalLagos · since 2025Y CombinatorSan Francisco · $500K checks · since 2022

Co-founders at Chowdeck

FAFemi Aluko
Femi AlukoFounder
OOOlumide Ojo
Olumide OjoFounder
LYLanre Yusuf
Lanre YusufFounder

Experience

  1. Novastar VenturesPartnercurrent2022 — present
  2. Novastar VenturesWest Africa Directorcurrent2020 — present
  3. Novastar VenturesInvestment Director2019 — 2020
  4. Novastar VenturesAssociate Director2017 — 2019
  5. Novastar VenturesInvestment Associate2015 — 2017
  6. Archbishop Tutu Leadership FellowshipFellowcurrent2024 — present
  7. Moniepoint GroupBoard Observercurrent2025 — present
  8. Moniepoint GroupBoard Member & Lead Investor2021 — 2025
  9. ChowdeckBoard Member & Lead Investorcurrent2025 — present
  10. MAX.NGBoard Member & Lead Investorcurrent2019 — present
  11. TradeDepotBoard Member & Investorcurrent2021 — present
  12. MoPhonesBoard Member & Lead Investorcurrent2025 — present
  13. Ignitia ABBoard Member & Investorcurrent2021 — presentStockholm, Stockholm County, Sweden
  14. Solar SisterBoard Membercurrent2022 — presentGreat Falls, Virginia, United States
  15. LivelyHoodsBoard Member2019 — 2024United States
  16. LivelyHoodsDirector, Operations2013 — 2015Nairobi, Kenya
  17. Afrisolar IncorporatedCo-Founder & Director, Operations2012 — 2013Lusaka, Zambia
  18. Jumia NigeriaHead of General Merchandise2012Lagos, Nigeria
  19. Jumia NigeriaBusiness Development Manager2012Lagos, Nigeria

Education

  1. Yale UniversityB.A (Hons), Political Science/African Studies/Economics
  2. Alliance High SchoolHigh School Diploma

Skills & more

Facebook2Microsoft Excel2Entrepreneurship40Start-ups34Startups5Business Development28International Development12Marketing8Business Strategy14Research12Data Analysis7Consulting6
+12 morePolicyMarket ResearchE-commerceBusiness PlanningFinanceSales ProcessProgrammingNon-profitsEmerging MarketsSales OperationsWritingStrategic Planning

Languages English · French · Kiswahili · Luo (Kenya and Tanzania) · Yoruba · Zulu

From Brian's professional profile.

Colleagues at Novastar Ventures

Abel Boreto
Investment Director at Novastar Ventures
Andrew Carruthers
Co-founder & Managing Partner at Novastar Ventures
Dayo Oduleye
Investment Associate at Novastar Ventures
Dieko Ojo
Investment Associate at Novastar Ventures
Dominic Michel
Investment Director at Novastar Ventures
Dot Beck
Director, Social & Environmental Value at Novastar Ventures
Ebube Emodi
Operations at Novastar Ventures
Joss Carruthers
Director, Talent Development at Novastar Ventures

Network3

Abel Boreto
Investment Director at Novastar Ventures
Andrew Carruthers
Co-founder & Managing Partner at Novastar Ventures
Dominic Michel
Investment Director at Novastar Ventures

Investors connected to Brian in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.

Frequently asked questions

Where does Brian Waswani Odhiambo work?
Brian Waswani Odhiambo is Managing Director at Novastar Ventures and Founder at Chowdeck.
What check size does Brian Waswani Odhiambo write?
Brian Waswani Odhiambo typically writes checks of $100K – $5M.
What companies did Brian Waswani Odhiambo found?
Brian Waswani Odhiambo founded Chowdeck.

Same school

Also attended Yale University618

Ann Miura-KoCo-founding Partner at FloodgateDavid SzeAdvisory Partner at GreylockMichael SeibelPartner Emeritus at Y CombinatorZheela QaiserInvestor at Index VenturesAnthony PhilippakisInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)Karthik ArdhanareeswaranInvestor at GV (Google Ventures)

+ 612 more

Also attended Alliance High School4

Dana Goldman SzekelySenior Principal at Greensoil PropTech VenturesJames I MwangiCo-Founder & Chief Executive Officer at Africa Climate VenturesDr. Yoni GoldwasserAngel at Springboard Health AngelsAvia Vayner ChenInvestor at fresh.fund

Shared employers

Also worked at Novastar Ventures14

Dotun OlowoporokuManaging Partner at Ventures PlatformAbel BoretoInvestment Director at Novastar VenturesAndrew CarruthersCo-founder & Managing Partner at Novastar VenturesDayo OduleyeInvestment Associate at Novastar VenturesDieko OjoInvestment Associate at Novastar VenturesDominic MichelInvestment Director at Novastar Ventures

+ 8 more

Also worked at MAX.NG3

Mark NormanManaging Partner at Fraser McCombs CapitalNoor SweidFounder at Global VenturesEric FutoranFounder and CEO at Embrace

Also worked at TradeDepot3

Wale AyeniManaging Partner, Co-head of Helios Digital Ventures at Helios Digital VenturesOlolade OdunsiPortfolio Talent Lead at Founders Factory AfricaFestus OwumiFounder at Bridgecard

Also worked at MoPhones2

Romain DiazCEO at SatganaSjoerd NikkelenVenture Partner | Recommerce at DFF Ventures