For Emmanuel Eshemokhai Etsu, his entrepreneurial spirit sprouted early. Back in Nigeria, he founded Leaf Force Construction, a venture built on the belief that "scarcity has no place in construction." Leaf Force skillfully sourced resources and funds, and streamlined the allocation and transportation of building materials in response to the need to make everyone's lives easier. That first taste of innovation left Etsu hungry for more.

Now, as a Supply Chain Management student at the prestigious Robert H. Smith School of Business, Etsu is honing his skills, fueling his vision, and leading his passion. Participating in the Mid-Atlantic Hub of I-Corps at the University of Maryland was a game-changer. Those two venture internship rounds were a boot camp for his ideas, pushing him to test, tweak, and validate solutions in the real world.

Etsu envisions a future where all producers, resource custodians, and the backbone of communities have the power to reach broader markets and unlock their full potential. His vision is to build bridges, not walls, in the supply chain. He wants to create intelligent systems that connect local producers with the resources they need, from transportation and logistics to marketing, analytics, and customer collaboration.

“I own my expertise, my experience, and my voice,” said Etsu. “I'm unafraid to challenge the status quo or break down outdated systems. My confidence isn't arrogance; it's the unshakeable belief in my ability to make a difference. And while I strive for excellence, I know the journey is just as important as the destination. Laughter, friendship, and mindful moments are the secret ingredients to my success. I'm not just a student. I'm a young black innovator in the I-Corps program and I'm prepared to make a big difference. I'm not just a supply chain whiz; I'm a bridge builder. I connect dreams to markets, community to resources, and solutions to problems, and this fuels my fire.”