Fika with OneTech’s boss Emma Obanye: ”It has never been easier to start something in tech”

For those who haven’t heard of One Tech, what’s your elevator pitch?

"We connect underserved British communities to opportunities and startups, giving them the confidence, network and skills to succeed and thrive. Most of our work is with entrepreneurship, helping people to start and to scale and build sustainable businesses. We also connect people to paid internships and startups."

Where are you right now?

"I actually live in Barcelona. My partner is Spanish. We first left the UK eight years ago before our kids were born, and tried the whole digital nomad experience – we went to Thailand for three months, then went back to London, then came here – and just didn’t really leave! I’ve got two little twin boys who are three, and whilst they are young, it makes things a bit easier. In our neighbourhood we have literally everything in one place. My little office is five to ten minutes walk, the school is five minutes. The quality of life is great."

So what does a typical day look like for you as Managing Director, especially one managing a team in the UK remotely?

"I’m in meetings most of the day, coordinating with different team members. We always start the day with a 'stand-up' [a short meeting to assess progress and obstacles]. Then I do a lot of marketing to prospective founders, and deliver coaching to founders."

There is a lot of doom and gloom in the world right now. What are you most excited about in 2025?

"I know this is a really cliche answer, but I always feel like whenever there's doom and gloom, there's opportunity. For founders, all the developments in AI mean it has never been easier to start something in tech. You can for example have a 'developer' that's helping you out, which is actually an AI bot. One of the biggest barriers to entry in our sphere used to be the tech cofounder. Now you can buy that as a service."

What is the biggest challenge facing founders and tech workers right now?

"The flipside of it being easier to start a business, means you could be cannibalised very quickly. I think it's going to be all about marketers and salespeople in future – these are going to be the most important part of businesses moving forward. Then there are obviously all the political changes going on around the world – certainly in America, with a shift to the right and diversity roles being cut."

Yes, Google is one of OneTech’s partners, how do you feel about the company scrapping its own diversity based hiring targets?

"I think we have to wait and see. They have done a lot of work on diversity in the past. I think with a lot of big companies, we will be able to understand through their actions over the next couple of years, whether they really were passionate about inclusion or whether they were just paying lip service to something that was 'cool' a few years ago."

As Impact Loop has reported recently, there’s a new VC fund in Cambridge and fresh public funding designed to help impact companies in the Oxford-Cambridge region of the UK. What’s your take on this?

"It’s a bit of a tricky one. The UK government is trying to grow the economy, which is important, but at the same time, we have to make sure that everybody's pulled up, not just the already rich areas or prestigious institutions."

You’re clearly a busy woman. Do you believe founders can have work-life balance?

"I think you can, but I think it's very hard. When you have an idea, it's hard to not jump up from whatever else you're doing [in your free time] to focus on that. You might also get FOMO that your competitor is doing more than you, or that kind of thing. It's something that I struggle with, but I make sure I have quality time with my family as well."

What else is on your mind right now?

"Last year was a tough year – funding has been drying up in the UK. So we are wondering how we can continue to make the impact that we want to. Just recognising that it's a changing world, and being able to adapt is I guess the biggest thing on my mind at the moment."

What is your favourite fika?

"In Spain, the classic afternoon snack is churros and chocolate, which I enjoy but I don’t have that often to be honest. I sometimes go to a cafe on the corner of my road to have a Spanish omelette - they do an incredible aubergine one and great coffee. At home, I also drink British tea, but the tea they serve in Spanish cafes is never strong enough for me!"