See How Handshake Impact Engine Is Connecting Nonprofits to Funding Opportunities

See How Handshake Impact Engine Is Connecting Nonprofits to Funding Opportunities

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A high-impact convening at the intersection of technology, capital, and global development has arrived in the nation’s capital. The Handshake Summit & Awards, a spinoff of the influential 70th annual Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations (CSW70) gathering in New York, presented by Open Gov Hub, BudgIT, Semaform Foundation and ConcordeApp, took place at the Open Gov Hub during the World Bank and IMF Spring Meetings. This expansion marks a milestone in bringing together founders, investors, diplomats, and policymakers who are shaping the future of global prosperity.The summit drew direct inspiration from the World Bank Group’s flagship global initiative, Water Forward, which was launched during the same Spring Meetings. That program aims to reposition water systems from basic social utilities into catalysts for industrialisation, job creation, and large-scale economic growth across emerging and developing economies. As World Bank President Ajay Banga said,

Water is foundational to how economies function. When water systems work, farmers produce, businesses operate, and cities attract investment. Our task now is to align reform, financing, and partnerships to deliver reliable water services at scale. Nigerian business leader Aliko Dangote, who delivered a keynote at the Water Forward launch, underscored the critical role of private sector investment and infrastructure in unlocking economic value. UN Secretary General António Guterres added, Water is life, and no strategy for sustainable development can succeed without it.
Carrying that same philosophy of turning essential infrastructure into growth engines, the Handshake Summit centred on advancing relationship capital, “the art of transforming human connections into measurable economic outcomes”. The theme for spring was “The Offline Survival Kit: Building and Monetising Impactful Communities”. In an era of digital saturation, the theme challenged leaders to prioritise human-centred engagement and tangible results over vanity metrics.

The summit opened with a keynote address from Oluseun Onigbinde, founder of BudgIT and chair of the Handshake Summit & Awards. Onigbinde, whose work has redefined public accountability across Africa, spoke directly to the complex relationship between Africa and the United States.

Accountability is not a buzzword. It is the difference between a signed agreement and a fulfilled promise, Onigbinde said. For too long, African-American relations have been heavy on grand declarations and light on follow-through. Transparency is the missing link. When citizens cannot track how aid is spent or whether trade deals actually benefit local communities, trust erodes. Our theme, The Offline Survival Kit, is a direct response to that problem. We are building systems where every handshake comes with a receipt. Where commitment is not just spoken but measured. Where communities on both sides of the Atlantic can hold leaders accountable long after the cameras leave.

He challenged the audience to move beyond performative partnership.

“Real collaboration means opening the books. It means sharing data. It means creating feedback loops that catch broken promises before they become betrayals. That is what we do at BudgIT. That is what Handshake must do for transatlantic cooperation.

Following the keynote, the summit shifted into the “Hot Suya” Green Carpet Studio, a media activation produced by Afroglobal Radio and Tribe Kitchen. In a format reminiscent of Hollywood’s most candid interviews, guests answered spicy questions on global risk while sampling West African suya and zobo drink. The lighthearted but pointed conversations set the tone for a day that balanced hard negotiation with cultural warmth.The heart of the program was the “Beyond the Hype” panel, a cross-sector conversation structured for real-deal flow. Moderated by Chaste Inegbedion, the session brought together a powerhouse lineup of leaders. Each panellist offered a raw, unfiltered take on what it takes to move from hype to execution.

Bobola Odebiyi of CrossKudi said, “We have too many conferences where people collect business cards and never speak again. Real partnership means building shared infrastructure, not just shared photo ops.”Nadjad Nikabou Salifou of UNA NCA added, “Diplomacy without delivery is just theatre. The communities we serve do not need another resolution. They need reliable water, electricity, and digital access. That is where relationship capital must flow.”Dr Oluseun D. Ojo of Centerbility noted, “I have watched too many well-intentioned programmes fail because no one trusted the person next to them. Trust is not soft. Trust is the hardest currency we have.”Jay Adewole of POV Consulting said, “Every deal I have ever closed started with someone being willing to be vulnerable first. You cannot automate that. You have to sit in the room and listen.”
Bosede Akinbosulere of BOFAK shared, “Risk is not a bad word. The problem is that we often take risks on the wrong things. We need to take risks on people, not just on PowerPoints.”Kome Igbogidi of ServiceNow and Tribes Kitchen said, “AI will not save your broken relationships.” ” Technology is a tool. The human decision to show up again and again, that is what actually moves the needle.”Dr Femi Salami of MinePro concluded, ‘Mining and extraction industries are often seen as purely transactional. But the most successful projects I have worked on succeeded because we built a community of trust first, then the capital followed.”

After the panel, the summit transitioned into a cultural celebration. Guest artiste Gwen Diva performed a soulful tribute to the workforce with Donna Summer’s “She Works Hard for the Money”, followed by an uplifting rendition of “Hypnotise”. Then came one of the most anticipated moments of the day: the Guided Wellness Session.
Mental health coach Lola Oguntade, who was also recognised as a Spring Honoree, led attendees through a practice she calls “Stepping Into Your Power.” Her words landed with uncommon weight.

“You cannot negotiate from an empty cup,” Oguntade said. “We spend so much time chasing deals that we forget to breathe. Today I want you to take three deep breaths before you walk into any room. That small pause changes everything. It changes how you listen, how you speak, and how you close.”

The wellness session was followed by a Policy House fireside chat hosted by Victor Akangbe, Chief Impact Officer and CEO of Viktonia Strategies. Akangbe, whose work focuses on nonprofit management, impact investing, and sustainable development, guided a conversation featuring Joy Ferdinand, a Criminal Justice PhD candidate, and diaspora strategist Adetola Omooba.Akangbe reflected after the session,

“Policy is not just legislation. Policy is the daily choice of where we put our money, our attention, and our networks. The diaspora has enormous financial power, but we lack coordination. Today I saw people who are ready to coordinate.”

The evening concluded with a Technology Showcase featuring ConcordeApp, Semaform Foundation, Utiva, and CrossKudi. Then came the awards ceremony. Oluseun Onigbinde was joined on stage by Babatunde Rosanwo, Advisor at the African Union, to present the honours to the Spring 2026 recipients, known as the Super Seven. Rosanwo added a reflection before the ceremony.

“Partnerships that produce results, not just resolutions, are the only ones that matter,” Rosanwo said. “What I have seen at this summit is a blueprint for how the private sector, civil society, and governments can work as one. These honorees represent the best of that spirit.”

Together, Onigbinde and Rosanwo handed each of the Super Seven their awards as dignitaries, including Chukwuka Onyekwena, Executive Director at Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa; Godbless Otubure, Global President of ReadyToLead Africa; Abayomi Adepoju of i‑fitness centre; Charles Ojei, Chairman SPCTA Industrial; Dr Tagbo Azubike, Board Adviser, Africa Data Foundation and Dr Chuwuka Monye of Ciuci Consulting looked on. Each honoree offered a brief statement.

Tope Esan, Co‑Founder of MIPAD, said, “Recognition is not the goal. The goal is to open doors for the next person. When I receive this award, after several years of being the one who gives the award for the Nigeria Entertainment Award and MIPAD, it means even more. Now I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of gratitude.”

Oswald Osaretin Guobadia, Managing Partner of DigitA and former Senior Special Assistant on Digital Transformation to the President of Nigeria, said,

“My advice is simple. Do not wait for permission. Build the coalition, then show the policy makers what already works.”

Sheryl Estrada, Senior Writer at Fortune and co‑chair of the Fortune CFO Collaborative, said,

“Finance has never been more dynamic. I write about its transformation, through AI, blockchain, and the people driving more creative, inclusive leadership.”

Lola Oguntade, Founder of New Spring Consult, said,

“I have sat in too many boardrooms where everyone is burned out. My work is not extra. It is essential. Thank you for honoring the people who keep the humans in human capital.”

Stephen Oguntoyinbo, Founder of Afroglobal Radio, said,

“Media is memory. If we do not tell our own stories, someone else will tell them for us. This award belongs to every African voice that refuses to be silenced.”

Kome Igbogidi, AI Product Leader at ServiceNow and Founder of Tribes Kitchen, said,

“I build AI systems by day and cook for my community by night. Both are acts of love. Both require precision. Do not let anyone tell you that you have to choose.”

Dr. Oluseun D. Ojo, Executive Director of Centerbility of Maryland, said,

“Equity is not a slogan. It is a daily grind of showing up for people who have been ignored. I am grateful to be seen, but more grateful to keep working.”

The final moment of the evening was not a speech but a gesture. As the program closed, organisers invited all honorees, panellists, and attendees onto the floor for a symbolic handshake. No microphones. No cameras, except a few phones held up by friends. One by one, pairs of leaders from different sectors, different continents, different generations reached out and shook hands. Some held on longer than usual. A few laughed. More than a few nodded with the quiet satisfaction of people who had just made a real connection.
A young entrepreneur from Lagos shook hands with a policy advisor from Washington. A journalist from New York shook hands with a miner from Abuja. For a few minutes, the room became what the summit had promised all along. An offline space where relationship capital stopped being a buzzword and started being real.
Master of Ceremony James Ladi Williams, Founder of Akada, described the D.C. expansion as “the beginning of a new era of Relationship ROI.

” Watching the handshake circle close, he added, “You can measure a lot of things. But you know a real handshake when you feel it.”

The Handshake Summit returns in July 2026, this time in New York, riding the energy of UN High Level Political Forum(HLPF). Think post-Cannes Lions creative heat, community builders, nonprofit professionals, and UN delegates all in one room, gathered around a theme that says exactly what it means: Old Money Moves. D.C. was the handshake. New York is the deal.
For more highlights and future events, visit the website or stay connected to Chaste Inegbedion on LinkedIn. For media inquiries or sponsorship opportunities, please get in touch with hello@concordeapp.com
See how the event went on YouTube 

Photo Credit: Kojo Kissisemaformfoundation.orgconcordeapp.com

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