Join three alumnae of the VC Unlocked: Silicon Valley program for a conversation on building and scaling venture funds in emerging startup ecosystems. In this session, VC Unlocked alumnae Ozlem Tumer Eke (General Partner, Arya Ventures), Kenza Lahlou (Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Outlierz Ventures), and Elya Chiechienieva (Partner, D3 Ventures) will share how they launched their VC careers and navigated the challenges of raising capital beyond Fund I.
Moderated by Bedy Yang, Global Managing Partner at 500 Global, the discussion will explore fundraising strategies, regional ecosystem insights from Turkey, Africa, and Ukraine, and how female fund managers are shaping the next generation of venture capital. The session will conclude with reflections on the long-term impact these investors hope to have on their local startup ecosystems.
Özlem Tümer Eke is a venture capitalist and General Partner with over 25 years of experience in investment banking, capital markets, and venture investing. Throughout her career, she has led fundraising initiatives, M&A transactions, and investment strategies across international markets. Based in Istanbul, she is currently focused on early-stage technology investments and actively works with founders to support scaling, market expansion, and strategic growth. Özlem was selected as a scholarship recipient for the VC Unlocked: Silicon Valley program by 500 Global last year and found it to be a highly valuable experience, providing deep insights into the Silicon Valley venture ecosystem and creating meaningful connections with global investors and operators.
Kenza Lahlou is the co-Founder and Managing Partner of Outlierz Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on Africa and MENA. The firm invests at the Seed and Pre-Series A stages to back outstanding founders leveraging technology and the power of AI to transform key sectors of the economy, with a focus on fintech and AI-native B2B platforms across key markets in North, Sub-Saharan Africa and the GCC.
Kenza is a pioneering VC investor and ecosystem builder in Africa, with a background spanning technology, investment, and entrepreneurship. Her international experience includes living and working across Africa, Europe, Asia, and the United States, in fields ranging from computer science, management consulting, private equity, to market expansion for tech companies.
She began her career in machine learning in France before transitioning into Private Equity in Africa, following a Master’s in Strategy and International Business in Singapore. Before founding Outlierz Ventures, Kenza joined a boutique advisory firm in Silicon Valley, where she supported tech startups and scale-ups from emerging markets seeking to expand into the U.S. market. This experience was transformative and inspired her to return to Morocco to play a key role in building the tech ecosystem. She first co-founded StartupYourLife in 2013, one of the country’s first ecosystem builders and startup community for tech entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors. In 2018, after working closely with tech founders and witnessing the early-stage financing gap in African, she launched Outlierz Ventures, one of the first early-stage VC funds focused on Africa, with the mission of backing the “outlier” founders of the continent, building category-defining companies and transforming African economies.
Kenza holds a BS and MSc in Computer Science from INSA in France and a Master’s in Strategy and International Business from ESSEC Business School (Singapore). She completed a Leadership Executive Program at Harvard Kennedy School in 2016, and is a 500 Global & Stanford University VC Unlocked Alumni and a Kauffman Fellow (Class 25) - the world’s premier fellowship and global network of leading venture capital professionals.
Elina Chiechienieva is a Partner at D3, an early-stage venture capital fund investing in defense and dual-use technologies across Ukraine and NATO countries. The fund’s portfolio includes 21 companies focused on mission-critical innovations shaping the future of security.
Previously, as Principal at TA Ventures, led early-stage investments across fintech, mobility, digital health, and consumer technology in Europe and the US — contributing to a portfolio of 200+ companies over more than five years.
Broader career background includes corporate finance and e-commerce roles at a global FMCG company, providing a strong commercial foundation across international markets.
Bedy Yang oversees 500’s ecosystem development programs including investor education courses, has helped launch strategic partnerships and accelerator programs across the globe, and leads 500’s corporate startup innovation and consultancy. Bedy joined 500 Global in 2011 becoming General Partner of its Global Flagship Funds I, II, III and IV. Among her investments are Talkdesk, MURAL, Pipefy, Viva Real which sold to OLX, and Cinepapaya, acquired by Fandango.
Prior to 500 Global, she worked as a management consultant specializing in distribution and go-to-market strategies for Fortune 500 companies in Brazil. She founded Brazil Innovators, an organization that became the premier hub for Brazilian tech founders, with a network of over 5,000 members.
Bedy is a member of the Society of Kauffman Fellows, Class ’17, a Guest Lecturer at Stanford Center for Professional Development, INSEADa and Berkeley, and a Forbes Contributor. She holds a BA from Fundação Getúlio Vargas, an MLA from the University of Pennsylvania, and is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.
VC Unlocked: Silicon Valley is an educational program offered in collaboration with the Stanford Center for Global & Online Education. This exclusive, in-person, venture capital education program is tailor-made for emerging leaders eager to shape the future of the venture capital industry.
Experience a transformative 2-week program taught by the best in the industry. Engage with Stanford University faculty and 500 Global leaders in live, interactive sessions. This immersive approach ensures a dynamic learning environment that goes beyond theory, providing actionable strategies for real-world success.
Location: Stanford University
Dates: August 24 - September 4, 2026
