TECH STARS (663)
Softstart Business and Technology Incubator (Softstart BTI) provides a comprehensive environment for nurturing the growth of innovative digital companies on an international scale. Its support ecosystem goes beyond traditional incubation with its focus on tailored mentoring, expert advice, and robust networking opportunities.
Softstart Business and Technology Incubator (Softstart BTI), established in 2006, has carved a niche for itself as a leading technology business incubator in Johannesburg, South Africa. Born from the merger of Softstart Trust and Bodibeng Technology Incubator, it strives to empower digital entrepreneurs, aiming to become the top provider of incubation services in the region.
Backed by prominent institutions like the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), University of Pretoria (UP), Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), and the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), Softstart BTI fosters innovation and international competitiveness within its portfolio of digital businesses.
Its comprehensive support system features dedicated incubation space, alongside expert consulting and mentoring services. Clustering and networking opportunities further bolster budding firms, enabling them to thrive in a collaborative environment.
It also goes beyond simply providing physical space. Mentorship, coaching, training, and financial management are just a few of the diverse services offered. Access to resources and guidance from like-minded peers within the incubator empowers these startups to reach their full commercial potential.
Over 60 black-owned businesses operate within its physical center, while a network of over 100 off-campus and virtual ventures benefit from its services. Additional support and sponsorship come from the SEDA Technology Program (STP), solidifying its role in fostering South Africa's digital entrepreneurship landscape.
Melchior Koba
With the technology revolution quickly advancing across Africa, there is a growing number of startup support structures fueling that advance. Team@Solutions, a Cameroon-based incubator, is one of those structures.
Cameroon-based incubator Team@Solutions, specializing in new information and communication technologies (NICT), is a product of a partnership between German organization Brücke e.V and the International Association for Development and the Environment in the 21st Century (AIDE21). The organization, led by coordinator Touna Onguene Philippe, supports startups by providing a nurturing environment and professional guidance, aiding entrepreneurs in digitalizing their structures.
Team@Solutions operates in various sectors including trade, services, industry, agriculture, livestock, health, logistics, education, good governance, infrastructure, and renewable energies. It designs and implements IoT, big data, AI, and cloud solutions tailored to the African context. It has also established production and processing units to encourage local production and processing of raw materials, including agricultural products.
The incubator promotes cooperation, exchange, and knowledge sharing, offering coworking spaces, certified training courses in NICT and mechanical engineering technologies, and job opportunities in Germany for IT developers and mechanical engineers.
Supported by the German international development cooperation agency, GIZ, Team@Solutions has assisted several startups such as Health Map, which has established a hospital IT system to facilitate patient care, E-Gadget & IO-Tech, a builder of electronic equipment with AI and IoT capabilities, and Katika, a fintech firm.
Melchior Koba
Confronted with the challenge of high international export costs faced by African firms, Matthew Davey established TUNL as a solution.
South African entrepreneur Matthew Davey (photo), a University of Cape Town Civil Engineering graduate and Oxford University Geography and Environment PhD holder, is the co-founder of startup TUNL. Established in 2020 by Davey and COO Craig Lowman, TUNL aims to address export challenges for African manufacturers, designers, and retailers. The platform provides express courier options with global carriers to nearly all countries and has introduced TUNL Economy, a cost-effective export courier service from Africa.
Davey stated in December 2023 that cross-border shipping in Africa leads to an estimated annual business loss of $50 billion. Despite the presence of major carriers, high-quality products like textiles and camera accessories can be priced out of the market due to steep shipping costs. TUNL partners with these carriers, such as UPS and FedEx, to negotiate favorable rates and offer significant savings to merchants, with SMEs saving up to 50-75%.
In December 2023, TUNL secured $1 million in pre-seed financing from investors including Founders Factory, Digital Africa Ventures, E4E Africa, and Jozi Angels. This funding will facilitate the company's continued expansion in South Africa and preparation for entry into other African and emerging markets.
Before founding TUNL, Davey worked as a civil engineer for Jones & Wagener, a specialist engineering and scientific consultancy in South Africa, between 2013 and 2014. He served as an analyst with Sustainia, a consulting firm for companies and organizations, from January to June 2017. From August of the same year to February 2021, he was the managing director of Vesconite Bearings, a polymer bushings and wear materials manufacturer.
Melchior Koba
With a goal to democratize investment in Africa, an innovative entrepreneur has integrated finance and technology to ease access to African markets.
Cameroonian tech entrepreneur Boum III Jr (photo), co-founder and CEO of fintech startup Daba, is on a mission to democratize investment in Africa. A graduate of Southern Polytechnic State University with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, Boum III Jr earned an MBA from HEC Paris and an entrepreneurship-focused MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business in 2021.
Daba, established in 2021 by Boum III Jr and Anthony Miclet, provides a unified investment platform aimed at facilitating high-quality investments in Africa for individuals and companies. With offices in the USA and Côte d’Ivoire, the company offers a more transparent, accessible, and efficient investment process.
In a 2022 interview, Boum III Jr outlined Daba’s ambitions, stating, “In the next five years, I envision Daba being the premier destination for any investor, whether an individual or an institutional investor when they want to start or manage their investments on the African continent.” He expressed a desire for Daba to have a significant presence in key African markets such as Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa, as well as emerging economies like Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal.
In addition to Daba, Boum III Jr founded Mbo’Wam in Atlanta in 2017, a platform offering hotel-style accommodations in apartments and private residences, primarily for business travellers. In 2020, He also co-founded Afrika Startup Lab, a non-profit organization supporting potential entrepreneurs.
Boum III Jr worked as a software engineer at Nasdaq eVestment, a Nasdaq division providing institutional investment data, analysis, and information on public and private markets, from 2015 to 2019. In 2022, he won the AFRICON pitch competition, earning a $10,000 prize.
Melchior Koba
Kenya's ambitious Konza Technopolis project seeks to establish the East African nation as a leader in technology and innovation across the continent.
Kenya's Konza Technopolis, a sprawling project aiming to transform into a smart city, is betting on information technology (ICT) and innovation to propel the country to the forefront of Africa's tech scene.
Launched in 2012, the project has become a cornerstone of Kenya's Vision 2030 national development plan, with the government backing its development in partnership with the World Bank's International Finance Corporation.
It is led by John Paul Okwiri, a seasoned procurement and supply chain executive, through the Konza Technopolis Development Authority (KoTDA).
The project envisions a world-class city powered by a thriving ICT sector, robust infrastructure, and investor-friendly policies. It aims to attract businesses in outsourcing, software development, data centers, disaster recovery, call centers, manufacturing, and light assembly.
Konza Technopolis also fosters innovation through initiatives like the Jitume program, which equips young people with digital skills and access to services to leverage technology for job creation. In 2024, it will host the 41st world conference of IASP, a global network of innovation ecosystems.
The project has already generated 17,000 jobs and hosted events like the 2020 Africa Digital Influencer Awards (ADIA20). It was also recognized for excellence in smart city development at the 2023 Africa Public Sector Conference and Awards (APSCA).
Melchior Koba
An impact entrepreneur, he has developed an application offering goods and services on credit, as part of his broader efforts to design technological solutions that simplify life for his compatriots.
Rwandan social impact entrepreneur Ignace Turatsinze, co-founder and co-CEO of PayingTone, has developed a marketplace that offers credit for products and services. A business administration graduate from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Turatsinze launched PayingTone with Brenda Munezero in 2021 to facilitate retail access across Africa.
“We provide up to 200,000 RWF [approximately 143 euros], but only up to a third of the user’s income. Once the credit is in the PayingTone wallet, it can be spent with any of our network of merchants. We charge five percent interest,” Turatsinze explained in 2022.
In addition to PayingTone, in 2018, Turatsinze founded Netot Lab, a startup providing an electronic device for monitoring and managing LPGs, payment assistance for services, and a microcredit service.
Turatsinze’s career began in 2016 at New Media Communications of Rwanda as a marketing and public relations specialist. He later joined Women for Women International as a monitoring and evaluation consultant in 2017 and became the project coordinator of LEAPR Labs in 2018. In 2020, he was hired by i4SD as a program manager, and in 2021, he joined Spenn Technology as Head of Spenn Connect.
Turatsinze’s PayingTone participated in CcHub’s fintech incubation program and won second prize at the HangaPitch Fest in December 2022.
Melchior Koba
Through its training courses, activities, and programs, Bamako Incubateur supports young entrepreneurs in realizing innovative projects and creating diversified services in various digital sectors.
Bamako Incubateur, a startup incubator and accelerator project for young innovative companies, was launched in 2016 as an initiative of the Mali@venir community created by the NGO Groupe Eureka. The incubator aims to foster entrepreneurship and generate youth-led solutions to Mali’s challenges, providing a unique ecosystem of resources, inspiration, and collaborative opportunities for creative young Malians.
The activities of Bamako Incubateur encompass several areas. It promotes digital technology among children, women, and young people in urban and rural areas, as well as among the diaspora and migrants. It also facilitates the integration of digital technology in developing sectors, identifies and simplifies the creation of digital solutions, promotes youth employability, and offers financing opportunities for digital start-ups.
Bamako Incubateur provides training in JAVA programming technologies for young people, with the goal of training 10,000 developers over a decade. One of its notable programs, “GENESIS Startups MALI”, launched in 2017, equips young graduates with practical skills to significantly enhance their employability and success in the job market in the growth sectors of science, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
In 2018, the incubator launched a program, SENECIS, to support digital entrepreneurship, innovation, and the competitiveness of incubators and start-ups in Mali. This eight-month program teaches young students who have graduated or are about to graduate the fundamentals of entrepreneurship in the digital economy.
Bamako Incubateur has incubated several startups, including So-Dôkôtôrô, a Malian platform specializing in homecare services; BioBanque, a biotech start-up offering a computerized blood management system from donation to patient transfusion; and AgroMaliMarket, a web and mobile platform that connects agricultural producers with buyers.
Melchior Koba
In the realm of online advertising, visibility is easily achieved, yet the cost can be a barrier for many. Abdou C. Dieng is offering an alternative solution that aims to be accessible to all Africans.
Senegalese entrepreneur Abdou C. Dieng (photo), co-founder and CEO of Adafri, is offering a solution to the challenge of prepaid card restrictions on the Google Ads platform. Dieng, an alumnus of the University of Rouen Normandie, launched the startup in 2020 with Ibrahima Touré.
In 2018, Google Ads ceased accepting prepaid cards, posing a significant hurdle for African advertisers seeking to launch digital campaigns. "To address this issue, we've integrated payment methods that align with the African context, specifically mobile money," Dieng said in 2021.
Adafri, an automated advertising platform, caters to small and medium-sized businesses aiming to enhance their online visibility. The platform allows users to initiate Google ads from a single location and monitor performance and budget in real-time.
The startup has seen swift success, boasting over 600 active advertisers and facilitating more than 10,000 campaigns. Currently operational in several countries, including Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, and Mali, Adafri plans to expand across French-speaking West Africa.
Since 2019, Dieng has served as the President of Sen Startup, a Senegalese startup association. The organization aims to represent, unite, and empower startups, fostering a conducive environment for their growth. The entrepreneur began his digital journey at online retailer Jumia, where he gained comprehensive digital knowledge. He served as the managing director for Jumia Car from 2014 to 2015. In 2016, he established Comparez.co, a price comparison service in nine African countries. He is now a recognized serial entrepreneur in the African tech scene.
Melchior Koba
Through its programs, activities, and events, IncuBooster helps entrepreneurs and project leaders turn their business ideas into successful projects.
Launched in 2022 by entrepreneurs including Khnata El Kadiri, IncuBooster acts as a launchpad for startups in Morocco's bustling Fez region. This incubator and "gas pedal" is dedicated to nurturing the growth and success of young businesses in a competitive market.
At IncuBooster's core are comprehensive programs designed to empower startups. These programs, encompassing learning, skill development, and hands-on sessions, aim to take each venture to a higher level of maturity. The incubator's focus extends beyond individual startups, raising awareness of entrepreneurship, incubation, and the value of coaching and mentorship.
One of IncuBooster's key initiatives is the FEZ STARTUP CHALLENGE, a competition igniting entrepreneurial spirit among young people from the Office of Vocational Training and Work Promotion (OFPPT). The first edition, culminating in April 2023, saw 12 projects compete, several of which have now flourished with the incubator's support.
IncuBooster's commitment to fostering a diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem extends to events like SHE'S A BOSS, empowering women in business, and After Work sessions facilitating discussions on various topics. The incubator's portfolio also includes programs like MRE Business, Innova Green, Social Business Boost, Innov Summet Camp, and Women Positive Impact.
Beyond its programs, IncuBooster provides a dedicated workspace for project teams, training workshops, personalized coaching, networking opportunities, and access to financing options.
Melchior Koba
With over three decades of experience in IT project management in France and Tunisia, he leads several tech firms, including Keeplyna. This company develops healthtech solutions aimed at promoting medical inclusion in Africa.
Imed Elabed (photo), a Tunisian computer scientist and a graduate of Télécom Paris, is the founder and CEO of Keeplyna, a startup specializing in the creation and development of medical technology solutions. Keeplyna, established in 2018, is the creator of the digital health and remote medical consultation platform Tobba.tn which connects patients worldwide with Tunisian doctors via video calls. The platform handles digital prescription issuance and allows for the secure exchange of documents such as test results and X-rays. It features a private space for managing digital medical records and offers home and office medical analysis. It also hosts a medical social network where patients can post publications and questions and interact with a community. Through its SantéLyna health space, users can access a wealth of health information.
In addition to Keeplyna, Elabed founded in 2008 the startup Weentime, which provides companies with a solution for managing employee leave and activity, including late arrivals, absences, and departures.
Currently, Elabed serves as the Managing Director of IT SERV, a digital group active in software engineering and consulting. He is also the President of INFOTICA, the official representative body for digital service companies in Tunisia, and of Get’IT, an economic interest grouping (EIG) in the digital sector in Africa.
His professional career began in 1989 at the technology company Capgemini, where he served as a project manager. He joined the IT company ST2i in 1994 as an IT project manager and was promoted to Associate Director in 1997. From 2009 to 2011, he served as Deputy Secretary General of ATUGE (Association des Tunisiens des grandes écoles), a network of over 4,000 individuals.
Melchior Koba
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Through its programs, ideiaLab offers valuable support to entrepreneurs and contributes to economic growth in Mozambique. It has received several awards and distinctions, proving its impact in Africa.
Established in 2010, ideiaLab is a Mozambican firm dedicated to inspiring entrepreneurs, fostering startups, accelerating small and medium-sized enterprises, and promoting entrepreneurship and innovation. Co-founders Sara Fakir (photo, left) and Tatiana Pereira (photo, right) established the company to harness entrepreneurship for inclusive growth and development. Tatiana Alves Pereira currently serves as its CEO.
ideiaLab operates as an innovative platform that nurtures high-impact ideas, empowers entrepreneurs, and bolsters businesses. It provides entrepreneurs with access to a vibrant community of peers, resources, and support to realize their visions.
The company offers a range of programs to assist entrepreneurs at all stages of their journey. These include Academia Boost, an academy focused on executive training to enhance management and leadership skills and stimulate the growth of executives, entrepreneurs, teams, and companies. Other notable programs include Acredita Emprega, aimed at boosting the productivity and income of young Mozambicans, and Agora Emprega, a national competition for business plans.
ideiaLab has also implemented specific programs to support women entrepreneurs, such as “FemTech”, a business acceleration program for women over 25. Additionally, the company has launched “iCreate”, a business-strengthening program designed to assist SME teams during challenging phases.
Since its inception, ideiaLab has trained 13,500 entrepreneurs, including 3,829 women, strengthened 8,129 business ideas, and supported 4,923 active companies. In recognition of its exceptional work, ideiaLab was awarded Best Workplace and Best Organizational Culture in 2019. It also received the award for Best Acceleration and Incubation Program at the inaugural Innovation Awards in 2022, underscoring ideiaLab’s significant impact on Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Melchior Koba
After several years in the fashion retail industry, she founded a company empowering South Africans to resell their unused clothing.
Phumi Körber (photo), holder of a Higher National Diploma in Somatology from the University of Johannesburg and a Diploma in Communication Management and Brand Communication from the Vega School of Branding, is the founder of the e-commerce platform WiSi-Oi Resell Fashion App. Launched in 2020, WiSi-Oi is a video-based social platform for second-hand clothing resale, providing sellers with real-time analytics to manage their online stores and earn extra income.
WiSi-Oi, an acronym for WEAR IT. SELL IT. OWN IT, offers customers secure and reliable payment systems to purchase their favorite brands at discounted prices. The platform aims to reduce fashion waste by extending the lifespan of garments and promoting sustainable circular fashion. “The aim is to extend the life of clothes that are already in circulation and reduce the need to buy new clothes all the time. The business also offers an empowerment factor, where sellers can generate an income just by selling clothes that are hanging in their closets,” Körber told Disrupt Africa in 2022.
Before founding WiSi-Oi, Körber worked as a category manager for hair care at health, beauty, and wellness retailer Clicks in 2014. She later joined The Foschini Group, a fashion retailer, as an e-commerce and marketing manager in 2018. In 2023, AfricArena accelerator recognized Körber’s startup as the best femtech startup.
Melchior Koba
Beehive Incubator & Coworking is a key player in Cameroon's entrepreneurial ecosystem. It offers incubation and coworking opportunities to startups, entrepreneurs, and freelancers.
Established in 2019, Beehive Incubator & Coworking is a Cameroonian incubator and workspace for startups and entrepreneurs across Africa. Led by Solange Majolaine Tchato, the organization is committed to fostering startups and freelancers by providing an environment that encourages innovation and growth.
It offers a variety of services designed to meet the needs of startups. Its incubation program assists project leaders throughout their development journey, from conducting market studies to formulating their business models. The organization also provides strategic and practical training courses on key topics such as startup management, marketing, communication, finance, accounting, law, and business intelligence.
As an incubator, Beehive helps entrepreneurs validate their concepts by acquiring their first paying customers. It hosts events, including the StartUp MeetUp, which is dedicated to founders of Cameroonian and African startups. The incubator also provides open spaces and private offices, along with domiciliation and secretarial services for companies.
Understanding that funding is often the primary challenge for startups, Beehive Incubator & Coworking also aids entrepreneurs in their quest for financing at every stage of their project. It assists startups in their international expansion strategies by identifying potential partners.
The incubator is making a significant impact on Africa's tech landscape, currently incubating a range of startups. These include Light, a company specializing in connected devices and intelligent solutions, Beauty House, an online home hairdressing service, and Med-sync, a fully online medical secretarial service.
Melchior Koba
Through its incubation and acceleration programs, it stimulates innovation and supports entrepreneurs across the continent. It has supported over 1,000 startups and created thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
xHub Addis, an incubation and acceleration center founded in 2014 by entrepreneur Tewodros Tadesse, is a hub for IT entrepreneurs, innovators, technologists, investors, technology companies, and coders in Ethiopia.
Based in Addis Ababa, the center offers a range of services for startups, including custom software development, IT management services, training, IT strategy consulting, and web development. It aids in the development of businesses and services across various sectors, including information technology, agribusiness, communications, health, transport, engineering, art, design, and education.
xHub Addis has established various incubation and acceleration programs, workshops, events, and networking opportunities to foster leadership and entrepreneurship across a wide range of industries. These efforts aim to cultivate successful innovators.
Among its programs is the Waka Tech Project, a 3 to 5-month initiative that invites companies specializing in technology, education, climate, sustainable solutions, fintech, and more. The center also served as a consultant to the Tifter Ethiopia program of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology and the UNDP, designed to find and support innovators creating solutions to prevent, detect, and control COVID-19.
In terms of impact, xHub Addis has incubated 1,500 companies and graduated 1,200 startups, creating 5,000 indirect jobs and 300 direct jobs. It is supported by several institutions, including UNDP, Mastercard, the British Council, Rotary International, Amref Health Africa, and Reach for Change.
Melchior Koba