Felix Orwa
Who I am: Pilot turned founder. I built a logistics and fintech startup in Africa from zero to $7.2M ARR and $20M GMV over seven years.
How I think: Systems first. I’m strongest when the problem is big. I break it into clean parts, then abstract the complexity so others can move fast. I look at layers, flows, incentives, and constraints; and hunt for the lever that makes change feel inevitable.
How I work: Builder energy, operator discipline. Comfortable starting from zero narrative, recruiting, fundraising. And equally comfortable with the unglamorous work: process, data quality, execution. I'm often the glue across functions, bringing people, tools, and data together to make goals real.
What's next: Lately I've been mapping the AI landscape and building within it. Capturing better signals and evaluating truth, in order to ship trustworthy outcomes.
Education & Certifications
B.S., Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology
Aviation Technology & Management - Valedictorian
Certified Pilot & Flight Instructor - CFI, CFII, MEI
Marketing Certificate, University of California, Berkeley
Work experience
Founder & CEO
• 2018–2024
Sote (“Flexport + Moody’s for Africa”). San Francisco, CA & Kenya.
• Built outbound enterprise sales & partnerships engine (POCs; $50K–$1M ACV). Year 1: $0→$1M ARR; Years 2–3: $1M→$7.2M ARR; 130+ customers; complex sales using MEDDIC / Sandler; managing C‑suite relationships
• Shipped trade‑finance underwriting and enterprise software for Africa; set up bank partnerships with joint P&L; launched RWA collateralization, insurance, automation, and anti‑default risk measures at 24% APR.
• Developed primary data acquisition pipelines with supply chain, freight, and logistics partners. Delivered insured data & analytics to financial institutions and asset managers; (KYC, verification, custody, monitoring). BI, risk, underwriting, ML‑powered credit scoring.
• Built advanced import/export supply‑chain processes for commodities trade: 500+ TEU/month; $20M monthly GMV; launched logistics solutions and fintech platform to enable 50% cost reduction.
• Recruited and led a cross-functional 70+ team: product, engineering, legal, sales and finance. Established clear comms processes and a high‑performance culture.
• Built strategic executive & investor relationships; raised $10M from top Silicon Valley VC firms and managed board of directors.
Head of Business Development, Marketing & Partnerships
• 2015–2017
Mind the Bridge (MTB). San Francisco, CA.
• Led GTM strategy and sales; ideated and delivered SEC2SV summit with the EU Commission, resulting in a multi‑year profitable contract; positioning MTB at the center of the scale-up concept;
• Managed procurement, KPIs, P&L.
• Implemented multi‑geography investor programs for HNWIs/family offices (EURICUS and more)
• Marketing: ran company newsletter and led a distributed team across UK, Italy, and Brussels.
• Owned market research and analysis, formulating a data-backed international expansion plan for Brazil, Korea, and Bahrain
Founder & CEO
• 2013–2014
Plann. Tulsa, OK.
• Universal events search engine
• Sales: Prospecting and lead generation
• Key concept: prosets: infinite date-time-location string combinations (~adwords)
Pilot & Flight Instructor
• 2011–2013
Spartan College of Aeronautics & Technology. Tulsa, OK
• Awards: Pilot of the Year (2011)
• CFI, CFII, MEI
• 1,500 hrs of experience.
• Trained 10+ from zero experience to certified U.S. commercial pilots and flight instructors
Previous
Early service
• Customer Service Agent (Alorica)
• Janitor (Spartan College)
Community service
Partnered with Black Arrow FC to help in the production of the Kadenge na Mpira documentary
In 1958, the same year he burst onto the scene of the Kenyan National team, Joe Kadenge became a devoted Manchester United fan amidst one of football's biggest tragedies, the Munich Air Disaster. Despite having been a fan of the club for over 60 years, Joe had never attended a game or even traveled off the continent of Africa at age 82. To celebrate Joe's lifelong devotion to Kenya and 60 years of unwavering support for Manchester United, Black Arrow decided to help write a new ending to Joe's story and take him on the trip of a lifetime.
• A documentary tribute to a national symbol of love and unity
• Oversaw managing Kadenge, set up press conferences, awards and more.
• Kadenge Na Mpira trailer