On the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly and Global Citizen Festival, ConcordeApp, the AI-powered human capital platform, concluded The American Exchange: Fire Festival, a high-level B2B summit that issued a decisive mandate on how artificial intelligence, verifiable relationships, and institutional capital are transforming the global future of work.
Co-hosted by Cliqk, the first AI talent agency, and produced by the Semaform Foundation, the hybrid event drew senior executives from JPMorgan Chase (JPMC), Google, M&T Bank, and Palo Alto Networks, alongside policy innovators, artists, and social entrepreneurs.
Moderated by development strategist Faith Kaminus, CMO of ConcordeApp, and creative entrepreneur Ojuego Onyelukachukwu, the Fire Festival was described by participants as “a movement, not just a meeting.” Attendees from around the world joined the “All White & Shades of Fire” experience, a celebration of culture, capital, and connection that blended Afrobeats energy with executive insight.
Fortune 500 Companies and UNGA Set the Policy Mandate
The event opened with video remarks from UNGA President-elect Annalena Baerbock, who called for “global cooperation rooted in shared progress.” That message was amplified by Dr. Temitope Iluyemi, Senior Director and Country Manager for Emerging Markets at a fortune 500 company Speaking on the UN’s 80th anniversary theme, Better Together: 80 Years and More for Peace, Development, and Human Rights, Dr. Iluyemi urged leaders to see Africa as “a hub of innovation ready to lead through governance, integration, and people-centered development.”
The Human + AI Equation for Growth
The first fireside session, moderated by Dr. Letisha A. Malcolm, President of The Collaborative, explored how creativity and technology can evolve together rather than compete.
“AI should not replace the human spirit, it should enhance it,” said Omotola Fawunmi, founder of The Rebirth Hub. She was joined by Ibrahim Ahmed, Outreach Director for the Organization for Advancement of Nigeria, and Pamilerin Adegoke, Founder of Kamili Capital. Together they outlined how AI can close unemployment gaps and enable digital mobility for emerging markets.
Capital, Investment, and Value Creation
Alexa Baranov, Strategic Business Relationship Manager at JPMorgan Chase, underscored the bank’s long-term commitment to community investment. “We don’t just bank communities, we build them,” she said, citing JPMC’s $3.8 million 2025 investment in the San Francisco local economy and diaspora communities.
Power Panel: The Future of Work, Influence, and Investment
Moderated by Bobola Odebiyi of Crosskudi, the power panel featured Richard Ojuri of M&T Bank and Mubarak Olalekan Bakare of Bilarteral. The group examined how financial inclusion, digital literacy, and community-centered innovation can create a more equitable global economy.
“What does influence mean in an economy where visibility is currency?” Odebiyi asked.
“Influence is not about visibility, it’s about value creation,” Bakare responded, echoing the event’s broader theme of authenticity over optics.
ConcordeApp and Cliqk: Proof of Concept
Rohan Gurram, CEO of Cliqk, and Chaste Inegbedion, Founder of ConcordeApp, demonstrated how technology can turn “networking chaos into measurable outcomes.” The partnership between ConcordeApp and Cliqk aims to merge AI-driven relationship intelligence with creator economy infrastructure.
“Cliqk doesn’t just manage creators,” Gurram said. “We amplify their presence and help them become platforms of their own.”
Inegbedion, who serves as Head of Happiness at ConcordeApp and Head of Failure and Social Experiments at the Semaform Foundation, described their mission as “bridging capital and consequence.”
“We’re building systems to transform ambiguous human connections into verifiable, fundable outcomes,” Inegbedion said. “Relationships are the new capital, and AI is the engine that tracks it.”
The Happiness Stack: AI for Human Capital
Inegbedion unveiled The Happiness Stack, ConcordeApp’s two-part AI system designed to convert event networking into actionable growth. The pre-event layer automates brand influence and lead generation, while the Event Intelligence Tool analyzes real-time interactions to identify hidden opportunities and partnerships.
At Semaform Foundation, the same AI technology is used for social impact experiments, helping identify policy gaps, refine talent pipelines, and provide travel scholarships for underrepresented innovators to attend global summits such as the UN General Assembly, World Bank Meetings, Tech Week and COP conferences.
Ignite the Culture Game
Filmmaker Elijah Affi, host of the Venture Valley Podcast, led “Ignite the Culture,” a Hot Ones-inspired challenge that featured Juwon Olorunnipa, Special Adviser on Arts and Culture to the Governor of Kogi State; Captain Aliyu Ahmad Yakubu, Founder of Pyatic Group Limited; and Gbenga Akingbulere, Staff Software Engineer at Palo Alto Networks.
Each shared personal reflections on leadership and resilience. “Creativity without community is empty,” said musician and cultural advocate Jumabee, while Captain Aliyu discussed “the courage it takes to pivot industries.”
Akingbulere highlighted how cybersecurity and AI are shaping Africa’s digital safety frontier. “Innovation means nothing if it doesn’t secure opportunity,” he said.
AI and Grand Challenges: Technology for Good
In a session moderated by Executive Director of System Strategy & Policy Lab (SSPL), Dr. Murtala Adogi Mohammed, leaders from Google and civil society discussed AI’s role in advancing global development.
Aniedi Udo-Obong of Google emphasized inclusion and ethical design: “AI is not just a tool for corporations, it’s a development catalyst. We’re helping local developers and governments use open-source AI models for healthcare, language inclusion, and education.”
Ebaide Omiunu, founder of The Ebaidebheki Initiative, warned that “AI works best when it’s embedded in community structures, not imposed from outside.” She added, “Our biggest risk isn’t technical, it’s trust.”
Prince Ero Ibhafidon, Director of Waterlight Save Initiative, described how AI is supporting Africa’s renewable energy transition. “Tech without empathy will fail,” he said. “AI must help us serve the most vulnerable.”
Rafiu Akinpelu Olaore, representing YEIDIS, noted how AI-driven startups are empowering young entrepreneurs in Nigeria. “Stakeholders must develop frameworks that promote innovation and confidence,” he said. “By leveraging digital tools, safe spaces, and incentives, we can accelerate inclusive growth.”
From Conversation to Global Commitment
In closing remarks, Faith Kaminus of ConcordeApp called for a formal communique to the UNGA: “This conversation must become a commitment,” she said.
Emenyo Segbafia, Director of Business Development at Chenoa Fund CBC Mortgage Agency, followed with a presentation on bridging the housing equity gap in the U.S and for the African Community.
The Fire Festival, Kaminus said, “proved that when relationships are measurable, impact becomes inevitable.”
About The American Exchange: Fire Festival
The American Exchange: Fire Festival is a flagship initiative of ConcordeApp, co-produced with Cliqk and the Semaform Foundation. The event demonstrates ConcordeApp’s mission to accelerate global capital and social impact by applying artificial intelligence to the world’s most valuable but invisible asset, human relationships.
Watch Leveraging AI driven Event Intelligence to Navigate Uncertainty and drive Business Growth on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXI87-3Wrqo
