AI Governance · Venture Capital · Innovation Policy · Africa

Dr Carl Adams
Kopati Gbali

I research how venture capital and innovation policy
reshape emerging economies — especially in Africa.

Lead Researcher, SOAS University of London · PhD, GRIPS Tokyo · Former ITU Vice-Rapporteur

Policy analyst and researcher at the intersection of AI, innovation ecosystems, and technology governance — with 13+ years of experience spanning national regulatory institutions, international organisations, and applied research across Africa and Asia.

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Carl Adams Kopati Gbali
13+
Years of experience
60
Startups interviewed
30+
Investors engaged
20+
Policymakers interviewed

Affiliated with & consulted for

SOAS
University of London
GRIPS
Tokyo
ITU
Vice-Rapporteur
Sumitomo
Corporation
SoftBank
Technology
ARCEP
CAR Regulator
01

About

Researcher. Policy analyst. International expert.

PhD-holder in International Development & Innovation Policy (GRIPS, Tokyo), currently leading a multi-country research programme at SOAS University of London examining how AI and emerging technologies are reshaping innovation ecosystems, digital markets, and governance frameworks across Africa's four largest economies.

His work examines how artificial intelligence, digital platforms, and emerging technologies interact with intellectual property systems, innovation policy, and institutional governance frameworks — with particular focus on how regulatory and IP regimes shape technology diffusion, market structure, and innovation capability in emerging economies.

Former Vice-Rapporteur at ITU-D Study Group on Consumer Protection and Regulatory Frameworks (2014–2018). Deep expertise in regulatory and licensing frameworks governing technology deployment. Bilingual in English and French; Central African Republic national.

Applies both quantitative (Python, network modelling, regression analysis, statistical analysis) and qualitative (fieldwork, thematic coding, interviews, case studies) research methods to generate rigorous, policy-relevant insights.

Research conducted across: Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, United Kingdom and Japan — engaging 60+ startups, 30+ investors, and 20+ policymakers and regulators across 5 African countries.

60+
Startups interviewed
30+
Investors engaged
20+
Policymakers & regulators
7
Countries researched

Research geographies

🇷🇼 Rwanda 🇰🇪 Kenya 🇳🇬 Nigeria 🇿🇦 South Africa 🇪🇬 Egypt 🇬🇧 United Kingdom 🇯🇵 Japan

Core competencies

AI & Innovation Ecosystem Analysis
Technology Governance & IP Policy
Digital Market Regulation
Intergovernmental Policy Processes (ITU)
Python · Network Modelling · Mixed Methods
Telecom Regulation & Spectrum Governance
Policy Briefs & Executive Guidance
English (professional) · French (native)
Quantitative & Qualitative Research Methods
Research Countries: Rwanda · Kenya · Nigeria · South Africa · Egypt · UK · Japan
02

Professional experience

From national regulators to international research institutions.

2024 – Present
Lead Researcher — AI, Innovation Ecosystems & Technology Governance
SOAS University of London / CSST
London, UK · Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt
  • Leading system-level policy analysis at the intersection of AI, IP governance, innovation ecosystems, and digital market regulation across Africa's four largest economies.
  • Producing analytical briefs, policy papers, and methodological frameworks for policymakers, DFIs, and international stakeholders.
  • Designing and leading cross-sector policy dialogues convening 100+ investors, regulators, and technology stakeholders on AI governance and digital infrastructure.
  • Applying Python-based network modelling, regression analysis, and qualitative fieldwork to generate system-oriented insights on AI's implications for innovation markets.
Nov 2023 – Jan 2024
Innovation & Market Strategy Consultant
Sumitomo Corporation
Japan · Mozambique & Tanzania
  • Led regulatory, market, and policy analysis for a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) feasibility assessment for a $4B opportunity across Mozambique and Tanzania.
  • Produced analytical briefs translating complex regulatory cost structures into guidance informing executive go/no-go decisions.
Oct 2022 – Jun 2024
PhD Researcher — Innovation & Development Policy
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)
Tokyo, Japan
  • Doctoral research on national policies governing inter-firm technology partnerships and innovation capability across emerging economies (Rwanda & Japan).
  • Authored peer-reviewed and working paper research on AI governance, fintech innovation ecosystems, and startup value creation.
Oct 2019 – Jun 2021
Senior Strategy & Stakeholder Insights Analyst
ARCEP — Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques
Bangui, Central African Republic
  • Advised executive leadership on technology licensing, spectrum governance, and regulatory compliance frameworks.
  • Led high-stakes multi-stakeholder negotiations with mobile network operators and government bodies, resolving interconnection disputes.
Jan 2016 – Aug 2017
Head of Market Insights
ARCEP
Bangui, Central African Republic
  • Directed ecosystem intelligence and market conduct monitoring, producing policy outputs on technology market dynamics, competition, and regulatory risk.
Jan 2015 – Jan 2016
Head of Technical Standards & Compliance
ARCEP
Bangui, Central African Republic
Mar 2009 – Jan 2015
Regulatory Programme Analyst
ARCEP
Bangui, Central African Republic
  • Supported national regulatory operations. Prepared 50+ analytical reports and regulatory briefs informing national policy decisions.

Looking for expert research, policy advisory, or a keynote speaker on AI governance and venture capital in Africa?

View services Get in touch
03

Education

A foundation built across four countries on three continents.

2020 – 2024
PhD — International Development & Innovation Policy
National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS)
Tokyo, Japan
2017 – 2019
MBA — International Management & IT / Operations
International University of Japan
Niigata, Japan
2012 – 2013
MSc — ICT Regulation & Management
École Supérieure Multinationale des Télécommunications (ESMT)
Dakar, Senegal
2004 – 2007
HND — Electrical & Electronic Engineering
Accra Technical University
Accra, Ghana
04

Research programs

Three interconnected lines of inquiry shaping my work.

I

Venture Capital & Innovation Systems in Africa

How venture capital reshapes innovation ecosystems, market structures, and governance frameworks across Africa's emerging economies. Examining co-investment networks, platform dynamics, and the structural conditions that determine whether VC drives genuine transformation or reinforces dependency.

Countries: Nigeria · Kenya · South Africa · Egypt  |  Methods: Network modelling · Regression analysis · Qualitative fieldwork

Key findings — based on 60+ startups & 30+ investors across 5 African countries

  • VC co-investment networks in Africa show high structural concentration at early stages
  • AI-enabled platform startups reshape IP and governance frameworks, not just markets
  • Board composition is an underestimated determinant of startup value creation
Venture CapitalInnovation EcosystemsAfricaPlatform Governance
II

AI Governance & Digital Infrastructure

How artificial intelligence interacts with intellectual property systems, data governance frameworks, and regulatory institutions — with particular focus on how these dynamics shape technology diffusion, digital market concentration, and innovation capability in developing countries.

Countries: Nigeria · Kenya · South Africa · Egypt  |  Methods: Mixed methods · Thematic coding · Statistical analysis

Key findings

  • AI risks creating new digital divides in Africa through cloud dependency and data lock-in
  • Weak IP and data governance frameworks accelerate structural dependency on foreign platforms
  • Regulatory design choices at national level have outsized effects on AI adoption trajectories
AI GovernanceData SovereigntyDigital MarketsIP Policy
III

Innovation Policy & Regulatory Strategy

How national policy frameworks and regulatory institutions govern inter-firm technology partnerships, shape innovation incentives, and determine technology adoption trajectories — drawing on comparative analysis across Rwanda, Japan, and Central Africa.

Countries: Rwanda · Japan · UK  |  Methods: Comparative case study · Qualitative fieldwork · Thematic coding

Key findings — based on 20+ policymakers & regulators interviewed across Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria, Japan & CAR

  • National policies actively catalyse foreign-domestic tech partnerships in Rwanda
  • Regulatory licensing frameworks are key determinants of technology deployment at scale
  • Spectrum and numbering governance shape digital infrastructure access more than investment alone
Innovation PolicyRegulationRwandaJapanCAR
05

Publications

Selected publications and working papers, 2024–2026.

Accepted · 2026 Journal of Global Health Economics and Policy
Artificial Intelligence in Global Health: Preventing a new digital divide in Africa
→ AI risks reinforcing infrastructure dependency in Africa's health systems through cloud reliance and weak data governance — creating structural lock-in that disadvantages emerging economies.
AI Governance Data Sovereignty Africa Health Policy
Under Review African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development · Taylor & Francis
National policies as drivers for innovation between foreign firms and domestic tech startups in developing countries — Evidence from Rwanda
→ National policy frameworks can actively catalyse foreign-domestic tech partnerships — Rwanda's case shows how targeted incentives reshape innovation capability at the firm level.
Innovation Policy Rwanda Foreign Investment Startups
Working Paper · 2026
Venture Capital as a Catalyst for Innovation
→ VC-backed AI platform startups don't just disrupt markets — they reshape governance and IP frameworks, raising critical questions about who controls digital infrastructure in Africa.
Venture Capital AI Platforms IP Governance Market Structure
Working Paper · 2026
Boards, Strategy, and Startup Value
→ Governance structures and board composition are underestimated drivers of startup value — institutional design matters as much as funding in determining technology venture outcomes.
Corporate Governance Startup Value Institutional Design
Working Paper · 2026
Mapping Venture Capital Co-investment Across Funding Stages in Africa
→ Africa's VC co-investment networks reveal structural concentration risks — a small number of investors dominate early-stage capital, creating systemic fragility in the innovation ecosystem.
Venture Capital Africa Co-investment Network Analysis
06

Insights

Perspectives on AI, venture capital, and innovation in Africa.

Venture Capital

Why VC in Africa is Structurally Different

Africa's venture capital ecosystem doesn't follow the Silicon Valley playbook. Thin LP markets, regulatory fragmentation, and infrastructure gaps mean that VC here operates more like a macro-economic actor than a financial intermediary — with implications for how we measure success.

Read on blog →
AI Governance

The Myth of AI-Driven Development in Africa

The narrative that AI will leapfrog Africa's development gaps ignores a structural reality: without sovereign data infrastructure, robust IP frameworks, and regulatory capacity, AI adoption risks deepening dependency rather than enabling transformation.

Read on blog →
Innovation Policy

What Rwanda Gets Right About Tech Partnerships

Rwanda's deliberate policy design — combining targeted incentives, regulatory clarity, and institutional support — has created conditions for genuine foreign-domestic tech collaboration. The lesson for other African nations is about institutional architecture, not just investment attraction.

Read on blog →
View all insights on blog →
07

Conferences

Speaking engagements and policy dialogues.

SOAS University of London / CSST Jan 2026

Venturing into Africa's Future: What Works, What Doesn't, and the Role of Venture Capital in the Structural Transformation of Tech Startups

Carl presenting at SOAS/CSST conference Group photo at CSST conference
IIT Bombay & INET-YSI · Mumbai, India Feb 2024

Young Minds in Economic Conference — Analysis of the Impact of International Collaboration on the Innovation Capability of a Tech Company in Africa

Presented the article "Analysis of the Impact of International Collaboration on the Innovation Capability of a Tech Company in Africa – Evidence from Japanese Firms' Collaboration with an African Tech Company in Rwanda" at the Conference of Young Scholars Initiative, organized by the Department of Economics at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay in collaboration with INET-YSI.

Carl receiving certificate of participation at IIT Bombay — Meeting of Young Minds
Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation · Kerala, India Oct 2023

20th Globelics International Conference 2023 — Innovation-driven Knowledge Economies and Transformation in the Global South

Presented research in the session on "Economic and Social Upgrading for Sustainable Catchup: Trade Policies, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Value Chains, and Innovation Networks in a Knowledge-Driven Economy."

Carl presenting at Globelics International Conference 2023, Kerala, India
Bangkok, Thailand 2023

Advancing Industrial Policy in the Era of Competition

Presented the article "Analysis of the Impact of National Policy on Private Partnership between Foreign Firms and Domestic Tech Startups in Developing Countries – Evidence from Startups in Rwanda" at this international conference.

Carl presenting at Advancing Industrial Policy in the Era of Competition — Bangkok, Thailand
GRIPS · GIST · SciREX · Japan Oct 2023

SciREX Summer Camp 2023 — Certificate of Planning Team Award

Team "DX and future industry EN" received the Certificate of Planning Team Award for outstanding performance in issue identification, proposal development, policy proposal, addressing uncertainty, and teamwork.

Certificate of Planning Team Award — SciREX Summer Camp 2023 DX and future industry EN Team at SciREX Summer Camp 2023, Japan
Tampere, Finland Aug 2022

Globelics Academy 2022

Participated in the Globelics Academy held in Tampere, Finland from 15th to 26th August 2022.

Carl with fellow participants at Globelics Academy 2022, Tampere, Finland
08

Past Consultations

Organisations I have advised and consulted for.

Sumitomo Corporation
Japan
Led integrated regulatory, market, and policy analysis for a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) feasibility assessment across Mozambique and Tanzania — informing executive go/no-go decisions for a $4B opportunity.
Market Strategy & Regulatory Analysis
SoftBank Technology Corp
Japan
Conducted feasibility analysis of mobile payment adoption across six CEMAC countries, assessing regulatory, technical, and infrastructure barriers to digital financial services deployment.
Digital Payments & Market Intelligence
SORA Technology
Japan
Strategic advisory and consulting services on technology market entry and innovation policy in emerging markets.
Technology Advisory
DAIKI Holdings
Japan
Developed strategic market-entry roadmaps and policy risk assessments for technology and services expansion across Central Africa, advising leadership on governance constraints and market sustainability.
Business Development & Strategy

Interested in working together? View my consulting services or get in touch.

09

International engagements

Intergovernmental processes and multi-stakeholder international dialogue.

Vice-Rapporteur, ITU-D Study Group 1 — Consumer Protection & Regulatory Frameworks
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
2014 – 2018
Telecommunications Experts Meeting — Infrastructure Governance Model Validation
ECCAS (CEEAC), Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
May 2014
Capacity Building Workshop on Regulatory Audit & Cost Modelling in Sub-Saharan Africa
Dakar, Senegal
May 2013
CEMAC ICT Monitoring & Evaluation Indicators Software Validation Workshop
Yaoundé, Cameroon
Jan 2011
10

Research & Consulting Services

Available for research commissions, advisory roles, and expert presentations.

With over 13 years of experience spanning national regulatory institutions, international organisations, and applied research, I offer tailored research and consulting services to governments, development finance institutions, think tanks, private firms, and academic institutions.

01

Commissioned Research

Independent research studies on AI governance, innovation ecosystems, technology policy, and digital market regulation — tailored to your organisation's specific questions and delivered as policy briefs, working papers, or full research reports. Applying both quantitative (network modelling, regression, Python) and qualitative (fieldwork, interviews, thematic coding) methods.

  • AI & emerging technology governance
  • Innovation ecosystem mapping
  • Digital market & platform regulation
  • Technology diffusion in emerging economies
02

Policy Advisory

Strategic policy guidance for governments, regulators, and international organisations navigating complex technology governance challenges — from regulatory design to implementation frameworks.

  • Regulatory framework design
  • Technology licensing & spectrum governance
  • IP policy & innovation incentives
  • Digital infrastructure strategy
03

Expert Presentations & Keynotes

Engaging, evidence-based presentations for conferences, workshops, and institutional events on AI governance, venture capital in Africa, innovation policy, and technology transformation in the Global South.

  • Conference keynotes & panel discussions
  • Executive briefings & workshops
  • Academic seminars & lectures
  • Policy dialogue facilitation
04

Market & Feasibility Studies

Data-driven market intelligence and feasibility assessments for organisations entering or operating in African and Asian technology markets — combining regulatory analysis with investment landscape mapping.

  • Market entry & feasibility analysis
  • Regulatory risk assessment
  • Investment landscape mapping
  • Stakeholder & ecosystem analysis
05

Capacity Building & Training

Targeted training programmes and workshops for policy analysts, regulators, and researchers on innovation policy, AI governance frameworks, and data-driven research methods.

  • Innovation policy training
  • AI governance workshops
  • Research methods & data analysis
  • Policy brief writing & communication
06

Institutional Partnerships

Long-term research collaborations with universities, think tanks, and development organisations — co-authoring research, contributing to multi-country programmes, and building joint analytical frameworks.

  • Joint research programmes
  • Co-authorship & peer review
  • Multi-country research design
  • Grant proposal development

Interested in working together? Describe your project or enquiry using the contact form below.

Get in touch
11

Certifications

Professional development & technical training.

edX
AI for Everyone: Master the Basics
Jul 2025 ID: f6ad245d996a4a6abf82f10a314d7b7e
Verified Certificate
edX
Software Engineering Basics for Everyone
Nov 2022 ID: bc163a6fbe954e1caf4932af54bee32f
Verified Certificate
edX
Python for AI Project Development
2026
edX
Python Essentials
Nov 2023
edX
Git and GitHub Essentials
Jun 2023
edX
Linux Commands & Shell Scripting
Feb 2023
edX
Agile Development and Scrum Fundamentals
Jan 2023
edX
DevOps Essentials
Dec 2022
edX
Cloud Computing Core
Dec 2022
12

Contact

Open to research collaborations, advisory engagements, policy dialogue, and consulting opportunities across AI governance, innovation policy, and technology regulation.

Based in London, UK · Available from September 2026

LinkedIncarl-adams-kopati-gbali-ph-d
Blogkopatigbaliblog.wordpress.com

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