Venture Stack returned for its fourth edition on Saturday, December 20th, bringing together creators, tech entrepreneurs, and business leaders to explore “Culture as Capital: How Creativity Shapes Economies, Movements and Markets.”
Hosted at Ecobank Pan African Center Lagos in partnership with Afrobeat Rebellion, the event formed part of The Community Collective’s (TCCo) Community Fusion lineup, positioning culture as both identity marker and economic infrastructure.
Industry leaders address ownership and systems
The opening panel, moderated by Bolaji Junaid, Founder of WhyFinite, featured Godwin Tom, Managing Director of Sony Music Publishing West Africa, and Seun Alli, Lead Art Curator of Afrobeat Rebellion.
Tom delivered pointed remarks on the music industry’s power structures: “Music is run by businessmen, not creatives,” underscoring the critical need for creator protection systems. He challenged popular categorization of Afrobeat, arguing it transcends genre classification. “Afrobeat is not a genre, it is a representation of who we are as a people – our culture, our language, and our identity.”
Warning against misalignment between creative output and business infrastructure, Tom added: “If the business is not where the music is, we will lose it.”
Alli emphasized the patient capital required for cultural investment. “Art is a very slow business. It takes years. If you are not ready for the long haul, there’s no business investing in it.” She noted that Afrobeat Rebellion’s non-selling exhibition model has successfully built cultural equity while increasing long-term value and visibility for participating artists.
Storytelling as systemic infrastructure
The second session, a one-on-one chat with Chude Jideonwo, Co-founder of RED For Africa, moderated by Immanuel Imogie, Founder of The Community Collective, reframed narrative as fundamental infrastructure. “There is nothing more powerful than storytelling. Afrobeat itself was built by storytelling,” Jideonwo stated.
Addressing a common tension in creative ecosystems, he argued: “Vibes and structure are not enemies. They must work hand in hand.”
Jideonwo called for institutional accountability and private-sector leadership to support cultural sustainability: “If the government will not do the work, visionary business leaders must step in.” He urged creatives to build legacy systems capable of outlasting their founders.
Looking forward
Venture Stack 4.0 concluded with a guided exhibition tour exploring Fela Anikulapo-Kuti’s legacy and Afrobeat’s evolution as culture, resistance, and global influence. The event reinforced its mission to bridge creativity and commerce within Africa’s expanding creative economy, emphasizing structure, ownership, and long-term strategic thinking as essential to transforming cultural capital into sustainable economic power.
About The Community Collective| TCCo.
Speaking about The Community Collective (TCCo.) Imogie Immanuel highlighted, “we are focused on building a culture where entrepreneurship in Africa thrives through collaboration. We believe that creators and founders can do better when they’re connected, when they can share lessons, ask questions, and grow side by side with others on the same path.
Our vision is a thriving, inclusive ecosystem where African entrepreneurs are equipped not just with tools, but with people who genuinely want to see them win. With Venture Stack, we bridge the gap between industry leaders and the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders, with the simple goal to help early-stage founders avoid isolation, build smarter, and scale stronger as a collective.”
Social Media: Instagram @Venturestack_
YouTube: @the community collective | TCCo.
Website: www.tcco.co
