TECH STARS (663)
MALhub, a shared workspace in Ilorin, offers budding entrepreneurs and small businesses affordable workspace, training programs, and incubation support. The hub aims to nurture young talent and foster economic growth in the Nigerian city.
Nigeria’s Makers and Leaders Hub (MALhub), an incubator established in 2017, is fostering a supportive and inclusive tech community under the leadership of managing partners Kehinde Kamaldeen and Abubakar Sadiq.
The hub, based in Ilorin, is a gathering place for technologists, social entrepreneurs, government officials, tech companies, impact investors, and local youth. They collaborate to devise innovative solutions to Nigeria’s pressing social issues, with MALhub aiming to be the go-to partner for such initiatives.
MALhub offers training programs to equip its clients with a competitive advantage and provides a well-resourced coworking space for entrepreneurs. Its incubation program offers the necessary advice and resources for entrepreneurs to realize their business aspirations, providing them with valuable insights and practical strategies to navigate challenges, capitalize on opportunities, and ensure sustainable growth.
With a strong commitment to promoting women’s participation in entrepreneurship and technology, MALhub has organized numerous Women in Tech programs, supporting over 200 women to date. The hub boasts a vibrant community of more than 7,000 active members and has facilitated the creation and support of over 50 sustainable jobs and business ventures.
Melchior Koba
Following his medical studies, he spent several years working for a U.S. medical company. Despite his background in medicine, he ventured into the fintech industry, establishing his own business with a focus on a QR code payment solution.
Senegalese doctor and entrepreneur, Ibrahima Kane (photo), is the founder and CEO of Kalpay, a fintech firm aimed at streamlining payment processes across Africa. Established in 2019, Kalpay has developed a quick payment application that utilizes QR code technology.
The platform offers a range of innovative services for users, retailers, and businesses, and is compatible with all operators. It features two main products: Kalpay Wallet and Kalpay Business. Kalpay Wallet is a digital wallet that allows users to make everyday purchases, transfer money, pay bills, and even purchase airtime using their mobile devices. On the other hand, Kalpay Business provides merchants, businesses, and financial institutions with digital solutions for issuing or receiving digital payments. It also helps generate additional revenue through deposit and withdrawal operations, while facilitating better business management.
Kane explained in 2019, "Upon arrival, the customer will scan the QR code (printed on a white sheet of paper). Their phone will then display the merchant's name and photo, allowing them to proceed with the payment."
Kane earned his medical degree from Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez, Morocco, in 2012, and a Master's degree in Public Health from George Washington University in 2015. He also holds a Master's degree in Business Administration from Johns Hopkins University in the USA.
Before founding Kalpay, Kane served as the Executive Vice President in charge of operations and development at Metro Spine PC, a medical services company, from 2012 to 2018.
Melchior Koba
Through its programs and activities, Innovate Durban promotes an ecosystem where innovation drives economic and social progress.
Innovate Durban, a non-profit company established in 2013 by the eThekwini municipality, fosters a vibrant innovation ecosystem in South Africa's coastal city. Its mission is to stimulate entrepreneurship, drive economic growth, and create jobs through initiatives leveraging the potential of the 4th industrial revolution.
The organization initially served as a forum connecting stakeholders - entrepreneurs, businesses, academia, government, and civil society - within the local innovation landscape. Officially registered as a non-profit in 2017, it has since expanded its offerings to provide practical support for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Innovate Durban boasts a range of services, including virtual and coworking spaces equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters, and other specialized machinery. Its flagship program, The Start Up Support Program, guides innovators from concept to commercialization through a 12-month process with business and technical skill development, prototype funding facilitation, and connections to angel investors.
Design thinking workshops and training programs are offered through Innovation Co-Lab, an innovation center designed to empower individuals and communities. Tailored to meet specific company needs, these programs aim to nurture innovative problem-solving skills, foster new business ventures, create jobs, and tackle social challenges.
The organization's success relies on collaboration with key partners like Open Cities Lab, Standard Bank, Ubuntu, Durban University of Technology, the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs, and the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Melchior Koba
Upon graduation, he accumulated experience in software testing over several years with various U.S. and French firms. Recognizing technology’s influence, he established Expert Team Tunisia, an initiative aimed at equipping the youth with digital skills.
Tunisian entrepreneur and computer engineer, Salah El Amami (photo), an alumnus of the National Engineering School of Sfax (ENIS) in Tunisia, is the founder of Expert Team Tunisie (ETT), a center for continuing education and professional certification.
Established in 2010, ETT provides a variety of high-quality training courses in information technology and business management. The startup aims to enhance the careers of young individuals and secure their future employment. It currently offers more than 180 themes across eight training areas. To date, it has certified 3,660 learners, conducted 352 training sessions, satisfied 3,956 customers, and delivered 8,448 hours of training.
ETT has also launched an online revision platform, Expertest, for professionals seeking certification and skill assessment. Expertest offers a range of mock exams and corrected exercises, available in packs for each level.
In addition to ETT, El Amami founded Improve Software in 2016, a startup specializing in software testing. Based in France, it provides training services in software testing, both in-person and remotely.
Before his entrepreneurial ventures, El Amami served as a qualification manager at Orange (2011-2012). He has also held the position of test manager at several companies, including QuickPlay Media, an American technology firm, Solocal Group, a French digital marketing company, and SeLoger, a French real estate listing platform.
Melchior Koba
Benin's government has established a dedicated center to combat cybercrime, bolstering its efforts to tackle online threats in the West African nation. The new unit aims to improve investigations and prosecutions of cyber-related offenses, a growing concern across the continent.
Beninese computer scientist Ouanilo Medegan Fagla (photo) was appointed head of the newly established National Center for Digital Investigations (CNIN) on Wednesday, January 24, in a bid to bolster the country's fight against cybercrime.
Fagla, a veteran cybersecurity expert and former Director of Digital Security at Benin's Agency for Information and Digital Systems Agency (ASIN), will now lead the CNIN, aiming to enhance investigations and prosecutions of online offenses.
The Beninese government established the CNIN on November 29, 2023, to continue the fight against cybercrime. The center assumes the responsibilities of the Office central de répression de la cybercriminalité (OCRC) and will take over the cybercrime-related missions of the ASIN.
Before his appointment, Fagla served as ASIN's Director of Digital Security. He is an ISACA-certified information security manager and holds a General Academic Studies Degree (DEUG) in applied mathematics and computer science from the University of Orléans (2004), and a master's degree in computer science from Epitech (2007).
Fagla began his professional career in 2005 at Epitech as an assistant professor. He later became a research expert in reverse engineering at Neuf Telecom, a French ISP, in 2006. In 2008, he joined Bizanga Labs, an email and messaging security company, as a software engineer, a position he also held at Cloudmark, a cybersecurity firm.
Fagla, a former pedagogical director at Epitech (2011-2016), co-founded iNNERSHiP in 2015, a company offering customized development programs for businesses. He served as the Director General of the National Agency for Information Systems Security (ANSSI) from 2019 to 2023.
In 2021, the President of the Republic appointed Fagla as an Officer of the National Order of Benin.
Melchior Koba
With climate change disrupting water resources, soil fertility, and crop health across Africa, agricultural entrepreneur Tafadzwa Chikwereti is turning to digital tools to empower farmers and boost their resilience.
Tafadzwa Chikwereti (photo), a young entrepreneur and graduate of the National University of Science and Technology, is the founder of agritech firm Murimi Electronic Agriculture (eAgro), established in 2020.
eAgro’s mission is to bolster farmers’ resilience to climate change, offering a suite of digital tools for climate-smart farming, including data analysis, artificial intelligence (AI), satellite imagery, and an intelligent agronomy tool, Cropfix. The company also provides a credit rating system through Credfarm, facilitating access to affordable financial services for farmers and agribusinesses.
Credfarm assists financial institutions in developing loans tailored to the needs of small-scale farmers by providing an agriculture-specific, data-driven credit risk assessment model.
eAgro’s smart farming platform, Cropfix, uses AI, satellite imagery, and natural language processing to deliver personalized agronomic advice to farmers via text, USSD, and WhatsApp, helping them detect and manage pests and diseases.
Chikwereti has received several accolades for his work. He was a finalist for the Anzisha Prize in 2021, won the Startupper of the Year award from Total Energies in 2022, and was a finalist for the Global Student Prize in 2023. He was also named one of the 12 finalists in the GoGettaz Agripreneur Competition organized by the Africa Food Systems Summit in Tanzania.
Melchior Koba
Technipole Sup Valor is a dynamic hub for entrepreneurial innovation. Focused on socio-economic development, this incubator distinguishes itself by identifying and supporting innovative project leaders.
Technipole Sup Valor is a business incubator founded in 2010 by the National Advanced School of Engineering of Yaounde (NASEY) in Cameroon. Its main mission is "to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country, through the identification and support of young holders of innovative economic projects or those with high growth potential," as stated on its website.
The incubator provides comprehensive support to startups, encompassing entrepreneurship training, consulting and coaching services, financing, and workspace. Incubated companies benefit from dedicated office space, a meeting room, a computer lab with internet access, and access to qualified experts for training and guidance. Technipole Sup Valor also organizes networking events and market research activities to empower founders.
Further bolstering its commitment to entrepreneurial development, the incubator created Technipedia, a dedicated website offering project ideas and valuable information to aspiring entrepreneurs.
Companies receive up to two years of tailored support, including three months within the physical incubator and a maximum of 21 months with ongoing online and remote guidance. While Technipole Sup Valor has a primary focus on the digital sector, its expertise extends to supporting ventures in other fields as well. Its successes include notable Cameroonian startups like Arthur Zang's Himore Medical, Alain Nteff's GiftedMom, and Arielle Kitio's Caysti.
Melchior Koba
Dr. Ifriky Tadadjeu is carving a pioneering path in the nascent space industry of Cameroon. As founder and CEO of Nanosatellite Missions Design (NMD), he translates his visionary ideas into practical solutions, designing innovative space missions and systems that contribute to the country's technological advancement.
Dr. Ifriky Tadadjeu (photo) is leading the way in developing Cameroon's space program through his company, Nanosatellite Missions Design (NMD). Founded in 2021, NMD specializes in designing innovative space missions and systems using nanosatellites and miniature satellites offering cost-effective platforms for research and data collection.
NMD's mission goes beyond technological advancements. The company also plays a crucial role in building a sustainable space ecosystem in Cameroon. Its team of experts, boasting over 20 years of experience in fields like project management, robotics, and artificial intelligence, provides training and consultancy services across various sectors.
These sectors include agriculture, environmental management, civil administration, defense, finance, education, and research. NMD's courses cater to different expertise levels, empowering individuals to acquire skills for future roles in space agencies and missions.
Dr. Tadadjeu's entrepreneurial spirit extends beyond NMD. He is also the owner of Ifriky Ltd, established in 2014. This company houses projects like TellMee, a customer evaluation platform, and MyLogz, providing identity cards and digital logbooks.
Dr. Tadadjeu holds a bachelor's degree in physics (2007) from the University of Buea, a master's degree in satellite systems engineering (2012) from ESIEE Paris and a PhD in electrical engineering (2016) from Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
Before venturing into entrepreneurship, Dr. Tadadjeu gained valuable experience through various positions. He served as the national point of contact for the Space Generation Advisory Council (2013-2015), supporting the UN Programme on Space Applications. He then transitioned to post-doctoral research at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (2016) and later joined the Centre Spatial Universitaire de Montpellier as a Space Mission Analyst (2018-2020).
Melchior Koba
To help entrepreneurs grow their startups into successful, scalable businesses, Ennovate Ventures offers incubation programs, a venture studio, and financing opportunities.
Ennovate Ventures is a pan-African venture capital firm and micro-fund that supports and finances African innovators. Based in Tanzania, it helps emerging technology companies integrate disruptive innovation and sustainability into their business operations.
Launched in 2018, Ennovate Ventures was founded by Francis Omorojie, an entrepreneur and petroleum engineer who is a venture capital partner. It aims to help its customers achieve optimal business performance.
Ennovate Ventures' mission goes beyond mere financial backing. Through its venture-building arm, Ennovate Hub, the company cultivates a pipeline of promising startups through incubation programs. These programs emphasize market-driven, data-centric business models that prioritize scalability and value creation.
Ennovate Hub spearheads initiatives like the Ennovate UniSpark Project, a week-long design sprint that brings together university innovators to collaborate on projects. Additionally, programs like Girls TechSpire and Digify-Tech empower young women and Tanzanian youth with digital skills and access to online work opportunities.
Ennovate Ventures also has a Venture Studio, which offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to co-found and run high-growth technology startups. It also offers a digital platform to accelerate investment transactions between startups and investors. Called VentureRoom, the latter does all the initial work of identifying the most promising startups, carrying out due diligence, and listing startups according to sector, stage of maturity, location, and funding round.
Since its inception, the company has supported over 1,000 digital entrepreneurs and invested $100,000 in early-stage startups in East Africa. With over 20 partners, it has made 11 investments in high-growth technologies. Notable portfolio companies include Farm Noksi, an agricultural e-commerce platform, Gigs Afrika, a pan-African gig economy marketplace, and Kikundi, a fintech app for savings, loans, and investment management.
Melchior Koba
Through its training programs, advice, and technological solutions, Innovations Hub Liberia helps individuals achieve their goals and enables businesses to take the next step in their development process.
Innovations Hub Liberia (iHub Liberia) is a company dedicated to providing first-class training and services to help individuals and institutions thrive in the digital age. Founded in 2019, it is led by computer scientist Philip Bargin, who serves as its executive director.
The company is a social entrepreneurship training and consulting company that aims to improve the digital landscape in Liberia and Africa. To achieve its goals, the company offers corporate and vocational training, enabling individuals to acquire the skills they need to launch their careers in high-growth fields such as information technology and data collection.
"As we tend to ensure that participants have a simple and full learning community where they can share thoughts, ask questions, and challenge themselves with new tools learned within the training, we use WhatsApp as a platform for interactions and then other meeting platforms like Google Meets, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams for live classes and sessions," reads the company's website.
Innovations Hub Liberia often offers dedicated events to raise awareness of the business benefits of technology and connect students with industry experts... It organizes corporate seminars, boot camps, and information and communication technology (ICT) consulting.
In addition, iHub Liberia provides graphic design, branding, website design and redesign, computer networking, database development, and IT support services.
Melchior Koba
More...
A serial entrepreneur known for heading multiple businesses, he is the founder of A-Trader, a platform that aims to democratize investment by simplifying access to African markets and promoting savings for Tanzanian individuals.
Tanzanian entrepreneur and computer scientist Andrew Tesha (photo), who holds a Bachelor's degree in Information Technology from Southern Cross University (2008), is the CEO of A-Trader Tanzania. This startup, established in 2016, digitizes African capital markets, facilitating the trading of shares on African stock exchanges for investors of all levels.
A-Trader's AI-powered platform, accessible via any mobile device, offers savings and investment services, including automated investment advice. The company's mission is to foster a culture of savings and investment in Tanzania and throughout Africa, enabling the middle class to achieve their financial goals.
In recognition of its impact, A-Trader was awarded the prize for best young startup at the seventh AfricArena Grand Summit in December 2023.
Tesha, a serial entrepreneur, also co-founded (in 2018) and directs Place Listed, a platform that aids in the discovery of dining, lodging, and travel locations for both local and international users. In 2008, he established The Green Thumb Initiative, a company that provides farmers with the resources to produce organic crops, access the value chain, and significantly increase their household income and regional agricultural productivity.
In 2010, Tesha co-founded Mpakasi, a portal for African entrepreneurs and managers. Six years later, in 2016, he also founded Andrea Consulting, a consultancy that develops business strategies and markets for startups specializing in innovative technology, mobile solutions, and agribusiness.
Melchior Koba
At the head of a neobank, he helps entrepreneurs develop their businesses by providing access to collateral-free commercial loans and several innovative payment methods.
Nigerian innovator and entrepreneur, Samuel Eze (photo), is the CEO and founder of OurPass Business Banking, a global neobank offering comprehensive banking, payment, and business management tools for businesses of all sizes. Initially launched in 2021 as a one-click payment platform to address the issue of abandoned shopping carts in online businesses, OurPass has evolved into a company providing end-to-end solutions that foster business growth. The company, backed by investors such as Techstars, Tekedia Capital, Berrywood Capital, and Volition Capital, aims to create a world without borders for successful businesses.
OurPass Business Banking, licensed as a microfinance bank by the Central Bank of Nigeria, offers businesses access to collateral-free commercial loans. It provides merchants with the ability to generate payment links via email and SMS for instant payment, and also offers offline payment collection through point-of-sale terminals.
Eze, a graduate of the University of Ilorin in Nigeria with a bachelor’s degree in electrical and electronic engineering, completed an innovation course at Leeds University in London in 2019. He is also the founder of Parkcrowdy, a parking app, where he served as CEO from 2019 to 2020.
He began his career in 2015 as an IT engineering trainee at Acti-Tech Ltd. He later worked as an IT trainee at Huawei West Africa in 2016 and served as a Key Account Manager at consumer goods company Procter & Gamble from 2017 to 2018.
In 2019, Eze and his parking app, Parkcrowdy, won several awards and competitions, including the Digital Africa Conference and Exhibition by Digital Africa and the Wennovation Hub Demo Day. Parkcrowdy was also recognized as one of the top 10 best African mobility start-ups at the Bosch Demo Day organized by Founders Factory Africa.
Melchior Koba
Dz Hadina Tech is a key player in the field of innovation in Algeria and Africa. Through its programs and its support for startups, it contributes to the economic recovery of its country and the promotion of digital entrepreneurship.
Dz Hadina Tech, a digital incubator based in Algeria, fosters innovation across various fields by empowering young entrepreneurs with the tools and guidance to launch and grow their startups.
Founded by Chaouche Adlane, Benamar Abdelfatah, and Abdelkarim Chelali, the incubator currently sees Chelali serve as its managing director. Chelali, a graduate of the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales de Koléa specializing in finance and accounting, brings additional experience as a co-founder and finance and communications manager of AFPESS, an Algerian foundation that promotes entrepreneurship.
Dz Hadina Tech's comprehensive support system equips budding businesses with technical assistance, training sessions, expert advice, and dedicated mentors who help navigate potential pitfalls. The incubator's key initiatives include the Dz Excellence Camp and the Open Innovation Program.
Dz Excellence Camp serves as a national platform for young entrepreneurs, developers, and designers to hone their skills in innovation, creativity, and originality across diverse sectors within Algeria.
The Open Innovation Program facilitates collaboration and business partnerships between innovators, emerging companies, and established corporations. Utilizing challenge-based projects, the program provides vital support and guidance for innovative ventures, ultimately accelerating research and development efforts for participating companies.
Available statistics point to the incubator's impact, with over 300 startup applications received, more than 8 successful launches, over 20 professional opportunities created, and a current cohort of 15 incubated companies. These achievements illustrate Dz Hadina Tech's significant contribution to fostering innovation both within Algeria and across the African continent.
Melchior Koba
A serial entrepreneur, she is behind a startup that helps organizations design, launch, and manage innovative initiatives such as hackathons and creative competitions.
Sabrine Assem, a seasoned Egyptian entrepreneur with a passion for fostering innovation in Africa and smaller organizations, leads Untap, a platform democratizing access to talent and innovative solutions.
After graduating in 2010 with a Bachelor's degree in Innovation Management and Information Systems from the German University in Cairo, Assem further strengthened her expertise with a Master's in Information Systems and Digital Innovation from Warwick Business School in 2018, some two years after founding Untap.
Untap, founded by Assem in 2016, empowers organizations to manage diverse initiatives like innovation platforms, citizen engagement projects, open innovation challenges, hackathons, startup programs, creative competitions, and even scholarship and student competitions. Its core mission lies in uncovering valuable solutions, ideas, and talent.
"We created [a] software that enables organizations to easily and quickly plan, launch, and manage online innovation challenges, creative contests, hackathons, grants, scholarships, and anything that requires application handling," explained Assem in a 2022 interview.
Before Untap, Assem co-founded and led SolverMine (2011-2015), an online platform focused on open innovation in the Middle East. Her career journey began in 2010 as a teaching assistant at the German University in Cairo, followed by stints at Nutty Scientists (2013) as a management consultant and eSpace (2013) as a business development manager. From 2014 to 2016, she honed her entrepreneurial skills as a consultant and researcher at the German-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Egypt).
Melchior Koba