TECH STARS (878)
A finance expert, she leverages technology to create solutions tailored to the financial needs of SMEs and rural populations. Her commitment to combating financial exclusion has earned her numerous awards and distinctions.
Ethel Mupambwa (photo) is the founder and CEO of fintech startup MoneyMart Finance. Born in Zimbabwe, she is driven by the ambition to ensure financial inclusion for all her fellow citizens through her startup.
Founded in 2014, MoneyMart Finance is dedicated to fostering universal positive transformation by providing access to digital financial services. The company offers loans tailored to the activities of informal businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It also provides micro-insurance solutions for individuals, including funeral financing plans.
MoneyMart Finance tackles various forms of exclusion that contribute to poverty, including energy exclusion. The company is also a distributor of off-grid solar systems, serving families and small businesses needing reliable, sustainable, and clean energy.
Since its inception, MoneyMart Finance has served over 6,000 microenterprises and disbursed more than $5 million in loans. Additionally, it has financed over 1,300 solar systems. Reflecting a development policy focused on empowering women and youth, 70% of its clients are women and 50% are young people.
Ethel Mupambwa serves on the board of directors of the Zimbabwe Association of Microfinance Institutions (ZAMFI). She is also a founding trustee of the Digital Finance Practitioners Association of Zimbabwe (DFPAZ). She holds a bachelor's degree in finance from the National University of Science and Technology of Zimbabwe, earned in 2008. Her professional career began in 2006 as an intern at EY. From 2009 to 2011, she was the financial director of Rockshade Car Rentals and Tours, a luxury car and coach rental service provider.
In 2020, she won the WIA54 (Women in Africa) award in the fintech category and was named among Africa’s Business Heroes. The following year, she was recognized as Businesswoman of the Year by the Zimbabwe National Business & Leadership Awards. The same year, she received an honorary doctorate in human letters from the Women’s Institute of Philanthropy (WIP) and another in business leadership and entrepreneurship from the International Women’s University (IWU).
Melchior Koba
He wants make healthcare affordable for everyone in The Gambia. To achieve this goal, he offers a comprehensive range of services, including telemedicine, pharmaceutical sales, and healthcare facility management.
Ismail D. Badjie (photo) is a trained pharmacist and Gambian entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Innovarx Global Health (IGH), a company that combines technology and healthcare to provide innovative services to both businesses (B2B) and consumers (B2C).
Founded in 2014, Innovarx Global Health is a healthtech startup that aims to bridge the gap between modern healthcare solutions and their economic accessibility at the local level. This allows all Gambians, and eventually, other West African countries, to benefit from quality healthcare at affordable prices.
"Innovarx Global Health (IGH) was born out of the founder’s vision for a Gambia where access to quality healthcare was not a privilege but a right for all. A Gambia where people continuously invest in their health through regular screening and increased awareness for it is our most valuable form of wealth," the startup explains on its website.
IGH offers a wide selection of services, including medication and therapy management for diseases, on-site testing for non-communicable diseases, telemedicine, medical tourism, physiotherapy, and online pharmaceutical sales. Additionally, it provides consultancy for improving healthcare system processes.
Ismail D. Badjie holds a bachelor's in chemistry from Tennessee State University, obtained in 2008. He also graduated from Purdue University in the United States, earning a Doctor of Pharmacy degree in 2013. Following his doctorate, he worked at Walgreens, a pharmacy, health, and beauty company. Between 2013 and 2019, he held various positions, including staff pharmacist and pharmacy manager.
Melchior Koba
With over 23 years of professional experience, she develops innovative strategies and solutions to help service providers overcome their financial challenges.
Elly Roimen Mathenge (photo) is a trained computer scientist and Kenyan entrepreneur. She is the co-founder and CEO of m-tip, a startup on a mission "to transform the financial landscape for service providers, ensuring they have the tools and resources to thrive in an ever-changing world."
Founded in 2021, m-tip aims to empower service providers by revolutionizing their revenue management. The startup offers accessible financial solutions that ensure financial stability, access to micro-financing, and insurance, paving the way for a better future.
Through its dashboard, users can access their transaction flows in real-time. Additionally, m-tip allows for tipping and cash withdrawals directly on M-Pesa, the mobile money service by Safaricom in Kenya. The m-tip services are accessible on any mobile device via the USSD application by dialing *682#.
Elly Roimen Mathenge also mentors at GERMAN X, an organization helping German businesses and startups to scale globally within dynamic innovation ecosystems. She freelances as a corporate master of ceremonies and serves on the board of Presta, a Kenyan fintech company.
The entrepreneur completed her higher education and began her professional career in the United States. She graduated from Metro State University with a bachelor's in business administration. She also holds a master's in information technology administration and management from Capella University. Her professional career began in 2002 at Fairview Health Services, where she was a business analyst.
In 2005, she joined Allina Hospitals & Clinics, where she successively held positions as a senior IT help desk analyst and business analyst. In 2009, she became the program and IT operations manager at the energy company Xcel Energy. In Kenya, she worked for several major companies, including Oracle, where she was responsible for strategic development from 2018 to 2022.
Melchior Koba
At just 19 years old, she launched her first startup and contributed to the fight against unemployment through innovative training programs. Her company has achieved immense success, earning her numerous awards and distinctions.
Matina Razafimahefa (photo) is a renowned entrepreneur in Madagascar's tech industry. She is best known for founding the educational technology startup Sayna, alongside her mother, Nirina Rahoeliarivahy. As CEO, Matina aims to make education accessible to Africans through gamified online training programs.
Founded in 2018, Sayna is an edtech and crowdsourcing platform that allows users to acquire technological skills. Students who complete these courses can then access paid micro-tasks offered by companies, helping to reduce unemployment.
Beyond Sayna, Matina co-founded and co-chairs French Tech Antananarivo, a community launched in 2019. This initiative brings together startup founders, investors, institutions, and other key players in Madagascar's tech ecosystem. French Tech Antananarivo serves as a hub for innovation, technological experimentation, and talent support.
Born in Côte d’Ivoire and raised in Madagascar, Matina pursued her studies at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne in France, where she earned a degree in political science in 2020. Between 2018 and 2019, she was the Head of Solidarity Engagements at Maltem Consulting Group. In 2023, she served on the scientific committee of the Assises de la Transformation Digitale en Afrique.
Matina's achievements have been widely recognized. In 2020, she was a finalist in The Anzisha Prize, which honors the best young entrepreneurs in Africa. In 2022, she was named one of Forbes Africa's 30 under 30 shaping the future of the continent. Additionally, at Vivatech 2022, Sayna won the "Making Work Flexible" challenge organized by ManpowerGroup, a company specializing in recruitment solutions.
Melchior Koba
Founded in 2009, Akendewa aims to invigorate the internet and mobile industry by supporting startups, amateurs, enthusiasts, freelancers, and entrepreneurs. The organization brings together technology enthusiasts and professionals dedicated to advancing information and communication technologies (ICT).
One of Akendewa's notable initiatives is AllDevCamp, an intensive program designed to train prolific application developers. This program provides an ideal framework for the design, development, and distribution of web and mobile applications in Africa.
Jean-Patrick Ehouman is also the co-founder and director of SheIsTheCode, a program launched in 2015 that trains and supports African women in technology and entrepreneurship. This program equips them with computing skills, fosters professional leadership, and helps digitalize businesses, NGOs, and administrations.
Before Akendewa, Jean-Patrick founded AllDenY in 2008, a startup specializing in web and mobile technologies. AllDenY assists businesses in identifying suitable technologies and strategies, developing technological solutions, and providing expert-led training. He served as CEO of the company until 2016.
Jean-Patrick Ehouman holds a university degree in electronic engineering and industrial computing from the University of Poitiers, obtained in 2004. He also has a professional bachelor's degree in computer systems and software from Aix-Marseille University, earned in 2005. In 2014, he completed a business and entrepreneurship program at the University of Texas.
He began his career as a software developer in 2006 and became co-director of Founder Institute, a global startup accelerator, in Côte d'Ivoire in 2015.
In 2013, he won the first UNESCO Prize for Youth Entrepreneurship and Culture of Peace in Africa. In 2014, he was selected among the 500 young leaders of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI).
Melchior Koba
With over a decade of experience across diverse fields, he is passionate about financial inclusion. His goal is to build a world where everyone has equal access to the tools and resources needed for financial empowerment.
Ousmane Seidy Diallo (photo) is an experienced Guinean software developer and tech entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of MuduPay, a company revolutionizing the mobile payments sector in Africa and beyond.
Founded in 2021, MuduPay offers an innovative mobile payment platform that simplifies financial transactions in Africa. The solution allows users to make payments, transfer money, and shop online using their mobile phones, even without a traditional bank account. The goal is to include unbanked populations by providing a simple and secure way to manage their finances. With advanced security protocols, MuduPay ensures reliable transactions.
MuduPay also offers two other solutions to meet its clients' needs. The first, MuduBiz, is a business management solution designed for professionals. It includes features such as inventory management, payment processing, and employee management.
The second, MuduExpress, is designed for diaspora members wishing to send money to Africa. It allows for secure and hassle-free money transfers and is available in several countries, including Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, and Côte d'Ivoire.
Ousmane Seidy Diallo holds a degree in network security obtained in 2012 from the American training center Training SOL. After working for three years as a freelance software engineer, he joined the startup eHealth Africa in 2014 as a software developer. In 2018, he became the lead engineer at Ocean Nexus, a software development company.
In 2019, he worked as a consultant at Andela and a software developer at Venzee Technologies, a Canadian company specializing in commerce solutions. He then joined Easer Solar, a company providing renewable energy in West Africa, as chief technology officer.
Melchior Koba
As a technological center, its objective is to make digital skills accessible to everyone. Located in northern Benin, the center has already trained thousands of people.
Guerra Tech Hub, an innovative digital center located in Parakou, northern Benin, was founded in 2018 and is led by Vidjinnangni Grégory Thoto, a Beninese entrepreneur and project innovation manager who serves as its president. The hub is dedicated to creating environments that act as catalysts for building the Africa of tomorrow: disruptive, collaborative, and inclusive.
The hub boasts a community of passionate individuals, including developers, designers, and entrepreneurs. It emphasizes practical skill enhancement, collaboration, and problem-solving. Over six years, Guerra Tech Hub has designed and developed several programs, with its flagship initiative being Hack Her_. This program targets unemployed women aged 18 to 30, introducing them to digital professions, technological culture, and coding basics in cohorts of 30.
Other notable programs include Guerra Impulse, Keoubougou Pi, and ImpalaEdTech – Parakou. Guerra Impulse supports entrepreneurs in the creation and development of their business projects. This 12-month program targets early-stage entrepreneurs, selecting five startups or projects per cohort to participate.
Keoubougou Pi aims to inspire young schoolchildren in northern Benin by familiarizing them with computer science, preparing them to become digital citizens. ImpalaEdTech – Parakou seeks to cover all aspects of information and communication technologies (ICT) in education in the long term. The center promotes the teaching and use of ICT in schools and creates job opportunities for young people, especially girls, in the ICT field.
To date, Guerra Tech Hub has trained over 120 young women, more than 500 tech educators, and over 15,000 individuals in northern Benin through its programs. It has also invested over $175,000 in the Beninese tech ecosystem.
Melchior Koba
On a mission to revolutionize how organizations access talent, he leverages his expertise in artificial intelligence (AI) and technology to transform the talent acquisition landscape fundamentally.
Amine Khayatei Houssaini (photo) is a Moroccan tech entrepreneur, founder, and CEO of Kwiks. He aims to establish Africa's first marketplace for independent headhunters.
Founded in Morocco in 2014, Kwiks initially focused on providing quick CV delivery to French companies. Today, Kwiks has evolved into a digital recruitment platform dedicated to businesses, supported by a community of independent recruitment experts across Africa. Leveraging artificial intelligence, the platform offers an efficient recruitment process with real-time performance visibility.
Kwiks' mission is to democratize access to headhunting services for SMEs worldwide. The platform reduces recruitment costs and optimizes post-integration talent tracking. To date, Kwiks boasts over 450 specialized recruiters in various fields.
Beyond his work at Kwiks, Amine Khayatei Houssaini is also the founder and managing partner of Pronatlas. Launched in France during Euro 2016, Pronatlas offers companies an online platform for sports betting among colleagues. As a freelance NoCode consultant, he uses his skills to implement automated processes using NoCode tools.
Amine holds an engineering degree in MIAGE (computer methods applied to business management), with a specialization in information systems audit, obtained in 2008 from the University of Bordeaux. His professional career began that same year at ALTEN, an IT company, where he served as a project manager.
In 2011, he joined the consulting firm AdWay Conseil, working until 2013 in roles ranging from management consultant to business manager. In 2018, he became a member of the start-up commission of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM).
In 2019, Amine was appointed business partner for the Moroccan branch of BABEL, a Spanish technology multinational. Between 2020 and 2022, he served on the board of the Moroccan Federation of Information Technology, Telecommunications, and Offshoring (Apebi).
Melchior Koba
A seasoned financial analyst, he honed his skills at investment banks and technology firms. Now, as an entrepreneur, he's leveraging technology to disrupt the financial landscape in Egypt, making investment opportunities more accessible for the everyday Egyptian.
Ahmad Hammouda (photo) is an Egyptian entrepreneur specializing in financial technology. He is one of the co-founders and the CEO of Thndr, a digital investment platform designed to simplify investing in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region.
Founded in 2020, Thndr aims to democratize access to the tools and resources needed to achieve financial freedom. With a brokerage license from the Egyptian Financial Regulatory Authority (FRA), the company offers securities brokerage services.
“The idea for Thndr began in 2016 while I was advising on the sale of a bank. I realized how inaccessible financial products were to the general population. That's when I decided to make investing accessible to everyone my life's mission,” said Ahmad Hammouda in 2020.
To support its over 3 million users, the company launched Thndr Learn, an educational platform that teaches everything one needs to know about money management. Thndr also offers Thndr Claps, a daily newsletter that delivers easy-to-understand financial news to users' inboxes.
Ahmad Hammouda graduated from the American University in Cairo in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in finance and economics. He also holds a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation, obtained in 2011 from the CFA Institute.
His career began in 2009 at Ernst & Young Egypt, an audit, advisory, tax, and legal services firm, where he was an intern. He then became a consultant at The Advisors, a financial and management consulting firm. In 2012, he joined Pharos Holding for Financial Investments as an investment banking analyst.
In 2013, he became vice president at CI Capital Financial Group. In 2017, he was hired by Uber in Egypt, where he held successive roles as Director of Operations and Logistics and General Manager.
Melchior Koba
She aims to assist businesses and financial institutions in achieving their goals. She offers smart, data-driven solutions to support them in their decision-making processes.
Tebogo Mokwena (photo) is a South African entrepreneur and technology enthusiast. Co-founder of Akiba Digital in 2018, she has led the startup since 2020, helping financial institutions make better decisions.
Akiba Digital is a financial platform that leverages artificial intelligence and data to democratize access to financial opportunities. The company enables small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as consumers, to achieve their financial goals.
The company aims to "credit more accessible to customers who have been previously excluded by the credit bureaus and credit invisible for a long time, including small business & customers who are either unbanked or underbanked," explained Tebogo Mokwena in 2023.
As a data aggregator, Akiba Digital helps financial institutions create unique profiles of their clients to enhance decision-making. With advanced data analysis and risk assessment tools, the company automates client verification processes. This allows financial service providers to detect and mitigate fraudulent activities, protecting both their operations and their clients.
Before Akiba Digital, Tebogo Mokwena founded Pach-it in 2014, a women-led web and mobile development startup. Their first product, Funda Nathi, is an educational app aimed at helping disadvantaged South African students achieve their academic potential.
The entrepreneur is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she earned a bachelor's degree in genetics in 2014. In 2015, she received a bachelor's degree in computer science, genetics, and biochemistry after three years of study at the University of Cape Town. She also holds a master's degree in machine learning, obtained in 2019 from the University of Lugano.
Between 2014 and 2017, Tebogo Mokwena served as president of World Merit, a community for global change-makers. In 2015, she was associated with iXperience, a South African tech company, and in 2016, she worked as a software developer at Allan Gray Proprietary, a private investment management firm. From 2016 to 2017, she worked as a digital consultant for McKinsey & Company.
Melchior Koba
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Access to detailed employment data enables targeted interventions to address critical issues such as high youth unemployment, poverty, and limited economic diversification.The initiative aligns with Africa's broader goals of leveraging technology and education to foster inclusive growth.
World Data Lab, in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, launched the Africa Youth Employment Clock in Ghana, World data lab announced on June 12. This innovative tool offers real-time data on job growth, providing critical insights into employment trends and opportunities for Africa's youth.
“The Africa Youth Employment Clock is a first of its kind providing consistent, comparable labour market statistics forecasting till 2030 for youth employment in Africa. Our aim is to ensure that decision makers are equipped with the right information to effect change for the youngest workforce in the world. We are proud to be partnering with the Mastercard Foundation to shape a better understanding of youth employment.” said Vice President Strategic Engagements, World Data Lab Dr. Reshma Sheoraj.
Since its inception, the Africa Youth Employment Clock has been pivotal in fostering discussions and actions to empower Africa's youth. Offering comprehensive data for all 54 African states and detailed sub-national data for Ghana, Kenya, and Rwanda, it serves policymakers, stakeholders, and advocates focused on youth empowerment and economic development. More than a data tool, it provides actionable insights, enabling informed decisions and impactful strategies to address unemployment, poverty, and economic diversification challenges.
Mastercard highlights a significant gap between the number of young people seeking employment and the limited opportunities available. In sub-Saharan Africa, 18 million jobs need to be created annually to absorb new labor market entrants, yet only 3 million formal jobs are currently being generated, as revealed by the African-Europe Foundation in its 2022 report on Migration and Mobility.
To address this, the Mastercard Foundation aims to help 30 million young Africans secure dignified work by 2030. This goal aligns with initiatives like the Africa Youth Employment Clock, which democratizes data and informs decisions in public and private sectors. Additionally, the foundation supports the Youth Forward Initiative, connecting youth to jobs in construction and agriculture, and the Youth Think Tank, which involves young people in researching and documenting community challenges and aspirations.
Hikmatu Bilali
His goal is to boost the efficiency of companies' field sales teams. He offers mobile technologies that help them achieve their objectives.
Sam Clarke (photo) is the co-founder and CEO of Skynamo. Hailing from South Africa, he leverages technology to support the country's sales teams, providing them with the information, analytics, and freedom necessary to meet and exceed their companies' goals.
Founded in 2012, Skynamo offers a mobile sales app designed for manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors employing field representatives. This app automates repetitive administrative tasks that slow down and bore salespeople, allowing them to save time, strengthen customer relationships, and increase sales.
Skynamo also provides business owners and sales managers with better control and greater transparency. With a real-time dashboard, they can monitor all field sales activities and analyze the results. The Skynamo app integrates with various ERP and accounting software, enabling sales representatives to access up-to-date information on prices, customers, and inventory even when they are on the road. The company manages nearly 500,000 client visits, 3 million customer relationships, 2 million products, and has recorded 130,000 orders worth over $70 million for its clients.
In addition to his role at Skynamo, Sam Clarke is an active philanthropist. He sits on the board of the Anna Foundation, an organization that supports underprivileged schools and communities by providing educational, social, and environmental support, as well as essential skills for children.
Clarke holds a master's degree in Computational Electromagnetics from Stellenbosch University, obtained in 2002, and a master's degree in Entrepreneurship from the University of Cape Town, earned in 2007. He has accumulated extensive professional experience working for various South African tech companies. From 2008 to 2012, he was the Managing Director of Magus, the first company he co-founded. Between 2015 and 2019, he served as a Non-Executive Director of Sazo Labs, specializing in virtual and augmented reality software development, and Alchemy-A, a business accelerator in the software and electronics sectors.
Melchior Koba
Alain Ekambi (photo) is a Cameroonian computer scientist and tech entrepreneur. As the co-founder and director of Dikalo, he designs technologies that enable people to connect with friends and family, find communities, and grow their businesses.
Founded in 2017 by Alain Ekambi, Daniel Agnéro, Bitoa Pedenkil, and Kate Awanka, Dikalo is a social network with a mission to become Africa's best. Its priority is to connect people while protecting their privacy. Dikalo also aims to stimulate business growth, create jobs, and strengthen the local economy. Through Hoka, its integrated mobile payment feature, Dikalo enables instant bankless money transfers and receptions.
"Dikalo focuses on Africa with features and services tailored to the continent and its people (stickers, Afro emojis, money transfers, e-commerce, etc.). We are authentically African, something WhatsApp will never be. We need our own communication tools because our revolution is more ideological than technological," said Alain Ekambi in 2019.
In 2014, Ekambi founded Ahomé Innovation Technologies with Togolese entrepreneur Elom Amouh. This consulting firm is based in Germany.
Alain Ekambi holds a degree in computer science, obtained in 2010 from Wilhem Büchner University. After his studies, he worked as a software architect at jambit, a German software services provider. Between 2010 and 2014, he was a software engineer at NTT Data Germany, an innovator in business and technology services.
A seasoned serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in technology, he leads an incubator that helps young Congolese become successful tech entrepreneurs.
Jean-François (Max) Bonbhel (photo) is a Congolese entrepreneur. As the founder and CEO of Yekolab, he provides startup incubation services and supports young Congolese tech entrepreneurs.
Founded in 2014, Yekolab is both a startup incubator and a center of excellence for training in new technologies and emerging professions. By leveraging the power of ICT, it promotes innovation, entrepreneurship, and job creation in Congo and across Africa.
In addition to incubation, Yekolab selects and mentors promising tech entrepreneurs, enhancing their technical and managerial skills. The incubator also offers acceleration services to local and regional SMEs, focusing on technology to help them increase their market share and become leaders in their respective fields.
Max Bonbhel is also the founder and president of Africa Java User Groups, a coordination network for Java programming language user groups in Africa. Furthermore, he founded and leads JCertif International, an organization established in 2009 that provides free training materials and speakers, and fosters collaboration among technology user groups on the African continent.
Since 2011, Max Bonbhel has worked as a freelance technical writer for Oracle. He is also a co-founder and the CTO of Access EMI, a U.S.-based company established in 2014 that connects tech businesses with tech communities.
An alumnus of Evry Paris-Saclay University, where he studied from 2000 to 2002, Bonbhel worked for several years at Fujitsu Canada. From 2004 to 2014, he served as a Java consultant, trainer, and project manager.
Melchior Koba