Nigerian-born tech billionaire and entrepreneur Tope Awotona, emerged as one of the wealthiest Nigerians in the diaspora, with a net worth reportedly the same as Femi Otedola, one of Africa’s 20 wealthiest persons. Tope Awotona owns three companies, which propelled him into billionaire status in the diaspora, and made him very popular in the tech industry with his creative solutions and deep knowledge of the ever-changing digital landscape.
He succeeded via the launch of Calendly, a $3 billion software firm which simplifies business communications for team scheduling, preparation, and following up on external meetings. Then, Awotona grew Calendly into a $3 billion company Awotona’s tech journey began during his days as a business administration student at the University of Georgia, which led him to receive the 2021 Atlanta Business Chronicle Most Admired CEO Award, and the 2019 Comparably Best CEOs award. Awotona launched into e-commerce with a dating website, a projector sales firm, and a garden tools firm, which did not survive. Over 10 years, he invested hislife savings of $200,000 into Calendly, with the inefficient and timeconsuming process of organizing meetings. Calendly eventually transformed into success and became profitable in 2016. The company received $350 million in a recent funding round, raising the company’s valuation to $3 billion. Awotona’s majority stake in Calendly is worth $1.4 billion. He not only stands out for his tech prowess but also for his commitment to diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. Awotona owns stakes in three companies, with substantial investment directly and indirectly.
Calendly
Awotona’s Calendly was founded in 2013, and he started the company to address the challenges he faced with time-consuming email exchanges required for meeting schedules, having previously worked as a salesman for tech firms like EMC (now Dell
EMC), and emerged with a mission to change the scheduling landscape by eliminating the stress of back-and-forth emails. For years, Awotona selffunded Calendly before successfully securing a significant $350 million investment in 2021. The
company has evolved into a leading software company, offering a business communications platform that facilitates scheduling, preparation, and follow-up for external meetings and caters to the needs of teams worldwide. As of January 2021, Calendly has achieved a valuation of $3 billion, solidifying its status as a tech unicorn.
Vonza
The Nigerian billionaire’s investment in Vonza, shows his commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and creators globally. Vonza is an all-in-on business platform and has rapidly gained prominence since its launch, attracting over 5000 customers from more than 40 countries in less than two years. The company launched into beta in February 2024, streamlining the entrepreneurial journey by providing a comprehensive suite of tools and
eliminating the need for multiple platforms. The company launched into beta in February 2024, streamlining the entrepreneurial journey by providing a comprehensive suite of tools and eliminating the need for multiple platforms.
Givebutter
The tech billionaire’s involvement in the company shows his commitment to driving positive societal change. Awotona provided the initial seed investment for Givebuttter, which fueled its growth. Givebutter has attracted about $300 million in donations over the last six years, showing its importance and impact on digital fundraising. Thus, Tope Awotona, the 42-year-old Nigerian-born entrepreneur, has risen to become the richest immigrant and Nigerian American residing in the United States, with a total net worth of $1.2 billion. So, the majority of his wealth, comes from the software he created. Calendly also, has the feature of monetizing appointment booking. Awotona’s majority state in Calendly is worth $1.4 billion. He not only stands out for his tech prowess but also for his commitment to diversity and inclusion in the tech industry.
