Adebisi Borokinni
May 16, 2026 2026-05-16 11:15Adebisi Borokinni
Student spotlight
Adebisi Borokinni
Co-founder & Product Lead, Keble - M.Sc Innovation, Intrapreneurship & Entrepreneurship · James Hope University
30,000+
₦5,000
Dubai
THE INTERVIEW
What first sparked your interest in solving property ownership challenges for Africans, and when did you realize this vision could grow into a platform like Keble?
Keble started from a simple conversation among students who were curious about why property ownership felt so far away for young people like us. During my undergraduate degree I first noticed how I approached problem-solving while leading a group presentation — I introduced a more structured way for the team to practice, and that experience stayed with me.
Although I studied accounting, I knew I did not want to follow the traditional path. I explored product management and technology, and my co-founder invited me to join him in building a real estate startup. We tested different ideas, visited real estate offices, pitched concepts, and failed a few times. Eventually we built the first version of Keble.
“We wanted to make buying real estate as easy as buying a bottle of Coke.”
How has your experience at James Hope University contributed to your growth as a leader, product strategist, and entrepreneur?
I wanted to pursue a master's degree in Nigeria while gaining knowledge that would remain valuable anywhere in the world. My co-founder told me about James Hope University and said, "Adebisi, you would love it." He was absolutely right.
From my very first class, I realized the journey would stretch me. Dr. Ayodotun Ibidunni gave us an assignment on Indigenous Entrepreneurial Systems in Nigeria — it immediately exposed me to traditional entrepreneurial systems within our own environment that I had never really paid attention to. JHU expanded my thinking beyond just building a startup. It taught me to think differently about leadership, strategy, scale, and the kind of long-term impact I want to create.
What is one key skill or lesson from JHU that has helped you effectively lead teams and scale Keble?
One major lesson came from Dr. Utulu's class introducing the Bottom of the Pyramid concept by C.K. Prahalad. An example about a food seller strategically positioning within an ecosystem completely changed how I thought about products and business opportunities. It taught me that building a successful company is not just about having a product — it is about understanding people, systems, behaviour, and value creation at a deeper level.
Dr. John Nsikan's class on scaling ideas into new markets then taught me how businesses can export ideas beyond their original market and adapt them for different regions. Both lessons directly shape how we build Keble today, especially as we prepare to open up global real estate opportunities in Dubai.
Were there lecturers, mentors, or members of the JHU community whose guidance significantly influenced your journey as a founder?
Many of my lecturers played mentoring roles. What stood out was how accessible they were — they encouraged questions, shared their contact information, and genuinely kept an open-door policy. Lecturers like Dr. Jude Ememe, Dr. Hezekiah Ajagbe, Professor Abiola Babajide, and Dr. Ayodotun Ibidunni all influenced my thinking through their classes and interactions.
Dr. Ibidunni's Startup Launch course challenged us with difficult questions that forced me to rethink assumptions and improve our co-ownership model. That report I submitted has grown into over 100 property slots sold.
“Think bigger and expand your market by reaching different groups of people.” — Dr. Ibidunni
Keble has now served over 30,000 investors across continents. What would you describe as the company's first major breakthrough?
One of our earliest defining moments was being backed by institutions like ARM and Techstars — strong validation that what we were building had real potential. Another major breakthrough was launching our co-ownership model, which allows multiple people to own shares in a property just like shares in a company.
That model completely changed the scale of what was possible. It brought faster adoption and a deeper connection between our product and everyday people who previously thought real estate ownership was out of reach.
Can you share an early challenge you faced while building Keble and how you navigated it?
Structure, funding, and hiring were all major early challenges. We started building almost immediately after graduating. Raising capital was difficult — we pitched constantly to friends, family, and anyone willing to listen, and over time we became better storytellers. Professor Abiola Babajide's Entrepreneurial Finance course helped me understand startup finance more formally.
“Being a founder means learning on the job every single day.”
How important has customer feedback been in shaping Keble's services over the years?
Customer feedback has been extremely important to us because it helps prevent wasted time and resources. At Keble we have built a culture of constantly speaking with customers — and even as a co-founder, I still personally call customers and listen to their experiences. A lot of the improvements we have made have come directly from listening carefully and responding quickly.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to a JHU student looking to build a business or launch a product before graduation?
Being a student at James Hope University is already an unfair advantage. You are exposed to knowledge, ideas, lecturers, and people who can help you build meaningful things. Do not just sit with the knowledge from class — try to build something with it, put your knowledge to the test. Building a business will require sacrifice, less sleep, more discipline, and working harder than most people around you. But ideas must leave your head and enter the real world.
“Fear and uncertainty are normal parts of building anything meaningful. Hey global talent, launch that idea.”