Ham Serunjogi ’16 to Speak at 2023 Grinnell College Commencement Ceremony
Grinnell College is pleased to announce that Ham Serunjogi ’16, the co-founder and CEO of Chipper Cash, will speak at the 2023 Commencement Ceremony on May 22. As CEO, Serunjogi heads Chipper Cash’s Executive Leadership Team and is responsible for leading the company's overall direction and strategy.
Grinnell College students choose the commencement speaker each year through the Commencement Committee, with their choice endorsed by the faculty Executive Council.
After graduating from Grinnell College in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in economics, Serunjogi began his career at Meta (formerly Facebook), where he worked in the Dublin, Ireland, office and was responsible for building partner relationships with some of Facebook’s biggest U.K. advertisers.
In 2018, he and Maijid Moujaled ‘14 launched Chipper Cash. The software enables free and instant cross-border peer-to-peer money transfers and personal investments, as well as solutions for businesses and merchants to process online and in-store payments. It offers mobile-based, P2P payment services, and is present in nine countries: Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Africa, Kenya, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The company has received funding from a broad range of investors including Ribbit Capital, Jeff Bezos, and Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana. In total, Chipper Cash has raised over $300 million, reaching a valuation of over $2 billion. It is widely considered one of the most valuable startups in Africa.
“We eagerly anticipate learning from Ham, whose experience demonstrates how partnerships and entrepreneurship can contribute to the common good,” said President Anne Harris.
Today, Serunjogi also serves on the Grinnell College Board of Trustees, where he serves on the Investment Committee. In November 2022, he was named to the Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list for 2023, and highlighted as the headliner for the Finance list which includes leaders in traditional financial services, fintech, and cryptocurrency & blockchain.
Serunjogi swam competitively for many years and competed in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, representing Uganda. Prior to attaining his degree from Grinnell College, he attended the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa and served as president of its Student Council. Serunjogi currently resides near Chipper's global headquarters in San Francisco, California.
2023 Commencement Ceremony
Grinnell College will host an in-person, outdoor Commencement ceremony on Central Campus at 10 a.m. on May 22, 2023. The ceremony will be available via livestream so all can join in the celebration of our graduates' accomplishments.