Foster Awintiti Akugri is a trade and technology strategist with over 9 years of experience at the intersection of innovation, digital transformation, and market development across Africa and the global diaspora. He is the Founder and Managing Partner of APEX Advisory Services LLC, a U.S.-based consultancy enabling organizations to navigate market entry, policy environments, and trade expansion across Africa, North America, and the Middle East.

Foster currently serves as Lead for Africa at Innovation Village, where he leads the expansion and sustainability of one of Africa’s largest innovation ecosystems into 17 new markets. He also oversees Partnerships & Government Relations (Africa & U.S.) at the Africa FinTech Summit, fostering fintech diplomacy and cross-border collaboration.

He is a contributor to the Canadian Centre for African Affairs and Policy Research (CCAAPR) and leads a research project evaluating Canada's development finance strategy in Africa. Foster is also the Founder of Hacklab Foundation, a nonprofit that has empowered over 17,000 youth through digital skills and innovation programs across 11 African countries.

Previously, he served as Head of Innovation at Old Mutual Ltd, and led Youth Banking and SME development at Stanbic Bank Ghana, supporting over 35,000 youth and 7,000 SMEs.

Foster was the youngest participant at the World Economic Forum in Davos (2018) and is an Atlantic Dialogues Emerging Leader, 3x TEDx speaker, and advisor to multiple public-private initiatives on the continent.