Nilmi Senaratna

Nilmi Senaratna is a strategic board advisor and serial entrepreneur based in London, UK. She previously co-founded Oolu, a West African off-grid solar energy company backed by Y Combinator, alongside Dan Rosa in 2015 after initially working in rural Senegal to understand local energy poverty. Serving as both Chief Executive Officer and Chief Business Development Officer, Senaratna bootstrapped the Dakar-based startup and directed its early-stage fundraising, regional country expansion, and comprehensive human capital strategy. Under her operational leadership, the firm successfully secured over $14 million in institutional financing and expanded its workforce from zero to more than 230 full-time employees. Outside of her corporate executive roles, she is also noted as a competitive Muay Thai fighter. Her current focus remains on advising early-stage companies, scaling renewable energy ventures, and executing strategic partnerships across emerging markets.