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Nael Hailemariam
CEO/ Co-founder

Nael Hailemariam

📍 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

I believe Africa’s next economic leap will be powered by payment infrastructure that allows local currencies to interact seamlessly with the global economy.

Chapa has processed over $500M in transactions, powering millions of daily transactions across critical sectors such as government, aviation, entertainment, and financial services.

I am the Co-Founder and CEO of Chapa, an online payment gateway enabling businesses to accept digital payments seamlessly from both local and global customers.

Before founding Chapa, I conducted research at Tencent on game design and payment systems across the Middle East and Africa, which shaped my understanding of digital economies in emerging markets.

I hold a Master’s degree in Data Science and Information Technology from Tsinghua University, where I also led the Design + Space Lab and co-organized the residency program.

My experience spans building across continents from China to Africa while combining technology, market insight, and execution to solve real-world problems at scale.

Operating at the intersection of fintech, regulation, and large-scale payment systems in emerging markets.

Open to partnerships in payments, fintech infrastructure, and cross-border expansion.