Waltersam Technologies Founder Says Investors Fund Execution, Not Ideas

By Akemini Udoh, Iman Aiyeola and Philip Oyekanmi

The founder of WalterSam Technologies, Samuel Johnson, popularly known as WalterSam told students and young entrepreneurs at TEDx UNILAG 2.0 that investors are more interested in proven execution than promising ideas.

Speaking at the second edition of the program, held on June 27, 2026 under the theme “Can’t Hold Us,” Samuel reflected on the journey that led to securing a ₦50 million grant for his technology startup and urged students to focus on building solutions before seeking financial backing.

“Idea does not rule the world,” he said.

“It’s implemented idea that rules the world.”

Samuel said he had already built several smaller products before launching the platform that attracted the grant.

He noted that the products includes, Computer-Based Test (CBT)software and past-question platforms for students.

He said those earlier projects gave investors confidence that he could execute larger ideas.

Reflecting on his university experience, Samuel said UNILAG provided three advantages that shaped his success: resources, exposure and a valuable network.

What UNILAG Give Its Students

Samuel’s remarks came during a panel session built around the question: What did UNILAG give you that you only recognised as an advantage later?

For alumnus Olutosin, the answer was the University of Lagos (UNILAG) brand.

He recalled attending a meeting in London where several strangers discovered they all graduated from UNILAG.

“So just because I finished from UNILAG alone, that brand is a big thing,” he said.

A law student, Chioma Obiegbu, said patience became her greatest advantage after spending three years rewriting the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examination, with the COVID-19 pandemic extending the delay.

“There’s nothing like feeling like you’re behind in life,” she said.

Looking back, she described the period as one that helped her discover strengths she may never have developed otherwise.

“It was in that moment that I would say that I discovered so many parts of myself that I wouldn’t have if I had not slowed down,” she said.

A final-year Philosophy student, Praise Paul credited the university community for many of his achievements.

“I would say every milestone of my life right now is based on the relationships I made in this school,” he said.

Another student known as Mayowa Philip, identified confidence, resilience and adaptability as lessons gained from studying at UNILAG.

“If you can navigate through the hostels of UNILAG, go through the traffic of Lagos, and all the complexities of the lecturers, you can scale through anywhere,” he said.