TECH STARS (663)
Through FindMe, his digital solution, he simplifies the identification and precise location of homes, company headquarters and points of sale. He has received several awards, including the Forbes Africa "Startup of the Year" prize.
Brandon Wanguep (photo), co-founder and CEO of FindMe, is tackling the challenge of inefficient addressing systems in Africa through a mobile app that generates standardized postal addresses. Born in Cameroon, his solution is currently based in Dakar with plans for expansion across other African capitals.
Established in 2020 by Wanguep, Romaric Takam, Hyacinthe Sambou, and Duplex Eric Kamgang, FindMe was created to address the challenge of locating addresses in Africa. The application aids in identifying and geolocating residences, business headquarters, and sales points.
Wanguep, recounting the experiences that led to the creation of FindMe in January 2024, said, "One of my friends lived through an ordeal during a trip to Congo, spending more than 45 minutes looking for the Cameroonian embassy with Google Maps. I met a friend who lost her father because the ambulance couldn’t find her home in time, despite all the directions provided. I wanted to create an innovative project that would have a major and positive impact on society."
Between 2020 and 2021, Wanguep, an entrepreneur at Schoolab and STATION F, received numerous awards and recognitions for FindMe. He won the Dakar Innovation Days 2023 Hackathon and was listed in Forbes Africa's Top 30 under 30. On December 14, 2023, he was awarded the Forbes Africa "Startup of the Year."
Wanguep holds a Master 1 in Mechanical Design and Structural Calculations from the Ecole Nationale Supérieure Polytechnique de Douala (2017), a Master's degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Mines Paris (2019), and a diploma in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from PSL University in Paris (2021).
He began his professional journey in 2018 as an assistant engineer at the Materials Center of Mines Paris. In 2019, he served as an R&D assistant engineer at GE Renewable Energy in France.
Melchior Koba
i-kiotahub is a key player in the Democratic Republic of Congo's entrepreneurial ecosystem. It provides critical support to high-growth businesses, offering a comprehensive suite of services, including technical assistance, managerial guidance, and access to a collaborative co-working space.
i-kiotahub, a Congolese business incubator linked to the Scientific Research and Expertise Center (CRES), is providing support to companies with high growth potential, aiming to create job opportunities for young people.
Launched in 2022, i-kiotahub offers technical and managerial services to businesses in both low-tech (agriculture, mining, manufacturing) and high-tech (agritech, edtech, fintech) sectors. The incubator helps companies improve market performance and secure financing.
"Our goal is to create job opportunities for young people and contribute to the entrepreneurial ecosystem," said Rekha Kasienene, promoter of the incubator and a civil affairs specialist with the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
i-kiotahub also provides a co-working space equipped with high-speed internet, offices, a meeting room, a library, and a brainstorming area. This space fosters collaboration and networking among entrepreneurs.
The incubator helps companies streamline operations, modernize management, and prepare for investment and expansion. It also aims to unlock access to capital for Congolese companies with innovative and sustainable projects.
Overall, i-kiotahub promotes an open-minded approach to entrepreneurship, peace, and investment in the DRC.
Melchior Koba
Through its incubation program, Standard Chartered Women in Technology promotes the inclusion of African women in entrepreneurship and technological innovation.
Standard Chartered Women in Technology Incubator, based in Kenya, supports women-led startups tackling challenges across the continent. The program champions diversity in technology and entrepreneurship, fostering opportunities for female founders.
Run in collaboration with Strathmore University's iBiz Africa center, the initiative offers comprehensive incubation encompassing immersive learning, mentorship, coaching, seed funding, and business-to-business partnerships. It targets high-potential startups focused on solving critical African issues.
The incubator selects female entrepreneurs developing tech startups or leveraging emerging technologies like IoT, AI, robotics, AR/VR, 3D/4D printing, big data, blockchain, and biometrics. Eligible companies must operate between three months and two years.
The program provides top-performing participants with nine months of post-incubation support for market launch and scaling. Launched in 2018, it has hosted six cohorts and incubated several successful tech companies. Examples include legal tech firm InstructKE, educational technology startup Know Learning Ltd, and Rhea Soil Health Management, aiding small-scale farmers with soil analysis and agricultural services.
Melchior Koba
An Ethiopian refugee in Uganda, he offers his skills to fellow refugees, providing IT and English language training to aid their integration.
Binyam Meles (photo), an Ethiopian entrepreneur and refugee in Uganda, is dedicated to using his IT skills to support his fellow refugees. A graduate of Addis Ababa University with a Bachelor's degree in Software Engineering, Meles founded Aspire Digital Hub in 2022, a center that leverages information technology to empower young people, refugees, and host communities in Uganda.
Aspire Digital Hub provides English and IT courses to help refugees overcome language and technical barriers, to eliminate illiteracy, idleness, and lack of opportunity. The hub also conducts workshops on personal development and mental health to assist refugees in recovering from trauma, addressing negative mindsets, and realizing their full potential.
Meles' professional journey began in 2018 as a web designer and developer for Need Nutritional Products and Services in Ethiopia. He then gained experience as a trainee software engineer at EthERNet and Ethiopian Airlines from 2018 to 2019. In 2020, he joined the German Agency for International Development Cooperation (GIZ) as a mentor for entrepreneurship and web development. Subsequently, in 2021, he worked as a web designer and developer for LeHem Nutrition Counseling. Upon arriving in Uganda in 2022, he took on the role of a digital literacy consultant for FLIP Africa, an organization that connects young people to short-term job opportunities.
As a member of The Amahoro Coalition, an African initiative that unites various players across the region, Meles continues to make significant contributions to the empowerment and development of refugees and young people in Uganda.
Melchior Koba
The tech expert provides ICT expertise to various companies. She holds board positions at multiple African firms and has garnered several awards and recognitions.
Ghanaian entrepreneur Ethel Cofie (photo), founder of Edel Technology Consulting, specializes in IT consulting across West Africa and Europe. She offers advice on technological growth in emerging markets. A graduate of Valley View University in Ghana (2005) with a Bachelor's in Computer Science, Cofie holds an MSc in Distribution Systems from the University of Brighton (2007) and an Executive Diploma in Leadership, Business, and Entrepreneurship from the Yale School of Management (2014).
Her firm, Edel Technology Consulting, offers software development, consulting, and training services. The company has completed projects in Ghana, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Gambia, with an experienced team. Cofie is also the founder of Women in Tech Africa, a group of women in technology across 30 African countries. She serves as the Chairperson of the ICT Sector Skills Council of the Commission for TVET Ghana, the country's skills regulator and promoter.
Cofie sits on the board of several companies, including Old Mutual Ghana, Worldreader, and Partech Technologies. She is a strategic advisor to the CEO of fintech KudiGo and a trustee of STAR Ghana Foundation. She has also received several awards and accolades, including being shortlisted for the United Nations GEM Tech award in 2014, being named as Africa's most influential businesswoman in the ICT sector by CEO Global in 2016, and being recognized as part of the Technology Excellence Award at the Glitz Africa Ghana Women of the Year Awards in 2020.
Melchior Koba
As a start-up incubator, Createam, through its incubation and pre-incubation programs, welcomes and supports entrepreneurs and companies in the fields of ICT, renewable energies, the environment, and agribusiness.
Founded in 2017, Createam is a Malian business incubator that supports and strengthens the performance of startups in various sectors, including information and communication technologies (ICT), renewable energies, the environment, and agribusiness.
Led by Managing Director Souleymane Drave, Createam offers accommodation, consulting, and networking services to help young companies navigate their early stages. It positions itself as a hub for identifying and accelerating promising Malian business talent.
Createam provides a range of programs and services tailored to different stages of a startup's journey. They include pre-incubation, a four-month program that helps project leaders validate their ideas, gather customer feedback, and refine their business models to ensure market fit. There is also an Incubation program that incubates existing companies already generating sales but facing growth challenges for up to three years. During that program, participants receive personalized support, including guidance on accounting, tax management, fundraising, networking, and partnership development. Createam also offers a shared workspace for entrepreneurs to collaborate and network.
Createam has supported several Malian startups, including e-commerce platform Sani-fere.com, online bus ticket booking platform Nextbus, web agency Cat Digital, and Suruku, a website offering discount vouchers to consumers.
The incubator’s mission is backed by several partners, including Orange Mali, Allianz Mali Assurances, Agence française de développement (AFD), Total Mali, Institut des hautes études en management (IHEM), Entreprendre Mali, Mercy Corps, and Diop Fall Associés.
Melchior Koba
In partnership with local and international players, Factory 619 offers a dynamic ecosystem and tailor-made programs to support entrepreneurs in Tunisia.
Factory 619, a global innovation and technology center based in Tunis, has been fostering entrepreneurship and technological advancement since its inception in 2017. The center’s mission is to establish and co-develop enterprises specializing in e-health, gaming, blockchain, and digital transformation.
Led by founders Mehdi Nakouri and Hédi Michau, it offers a broad spectrum of activities and programs, such as hackathons, challenges, networking events, and workshops. The center operates through four divisions: The Studio, The Foundry, The Forge, and The Garage.
The Studio, the center’s inaugural division, champions technological innovation by validating business concepts and transforming them into scalable tech start-ups. To date, The Studio has successfully launched seven startups, including 4Labs, a Software as a Service (SaaS) sales support solution for the pharmaceutical sector.
The Foundry division serves as a launchpad for entrepreneurs to establish startups and grow businesses. It aids CEOs by overseeing the product development process and bolstering commercial endeavors. Additionally, it provides strategic support to the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the company’s growth and market entry.
The Forge division provides entrepreneurs with bespoke services in technology, product creation, and innovation programs. The Garage division, on the other hand, cultivates a conducive entrepreneurial environment and fortifies start-ups through pre-incubation and pre-acceleration programs and events.
Factory 619 has forged several strategic partnerships to provide its entrepreneurs with optimal conditions for success. Partners include Tunisian radio station Express FM, the Mediterranean Development Initiative, Nextera, and the Athens Lifelong Learning Institute.
Melchior Koba
The Algerian entrepreneur initiated a platform designed to tackle the escalating issue of illegal parking. This platform aims to link drivers with vacant parking spots.
Algerian entrepreneur Oudda Abbes, a civil engineering graduate from the University of Science and Technology of Oran Mohamed Boudiaf (USTOMB), heads Garini, a mobile app for parking reservations.
Founded in 2017, Garini partners with property developers, private parking lots, and hotels to optimize their parking space usage. It aims to become a key player in the sharing economy through its parking solutions.
The startup has gained recognition in Algeria, winning first place at the 2020 Tunisian Hackathon and the logistics category at the 2021 Startup Challenge Algeria. In 2022, it was the Algerian winner of the Emerging Mediterranean Bootcamp and placed second at the GEC + Africa Regional Pitch Event. Additionally, it received the "Sustainable Cities" award from the Algerian Ministry of Knowledge Economy in 2023.
Abbes currently manages Oran's large parking lot and real estate company Oudda Isjane Immobilier. Before founding Garini, he worked as an inspection engineer at the National Technical Control of Construction Centre (CTC) from 2010 and later joined Ace Architecture as Senior Manager in 2016.
Melchior Koba
Through its activities, events, and partnerships, Founders Factory Africa helps stimulate innovation and economic growth in Africa. It helps solve the social and economic problems facing many countries.
Founders Factory Africa, a startup accelerator and investor, is reshaping the startup landscape in Africa. Established in 2018 by Roo Rogers, Alina Truhina, and Sam Sturm, and headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, the firm is dedicated to fostering and scaling innovative startups, channeling fresh capital into the African continent, and generating systemic impact.
It aims to equip founders with the necessary funding, knowledge, and hands-on support to achieve commercial success. The firm cultivates and grows businesses in Africa across four sectors: healthcare, energy, fintech, and education, with an emphasis on scalability, technology, and impact.
Founders Factory Africa boasts a portfolio of over 55 companies, including Lipa Later and Asaak, spread across 11 countries in East, West, North, and Southern Africa. In August 2023, the accelerator raised $114 million to broaden its model to better cater to founders in the African tech ecosystem. Its hybrid investment approach merges company building, business engagement, and strategic investment to deliver large-scale solutions to consumers in sub-Saharan Africa.
The accelerator team, under the leadership of CEO Bongani Sithole, is entirely African, supplemented by key members from around the globe. It also benefits from the backing of corporate partners such as Standard Bank, Small Foundation, Netcare Group, and Mastercard Foundation.
Melchior Koba
With a background in economics, he has served as an investment analyst for global corporations. Currently, he leads a firm that provides financial support for the acquisition of solar energy equipment to underserved communities.
South African entrepreneur Michael Heyink (photo), a University of Cape Town Economics graduate, co-founded and now leads Yellow, a startup focused on distributing and financing affordable solar home systems for low-income rural households.
Established in 2018 by Heyink and Maya Stewart, Yellow offers a solar system package that includes a panel, battery, four lamps, a cell phone charger, and a radio. The company also markets smartphones and larger solar systems.
Yellow has developed Ofeefee, a comprehensive sales force network solution for last-mile delivery. This platform automates recruitment and training, offers engaging incentives, and includes an e-commerce and task management engine to streamline informal processes. It facilitates digital inventory, delivery, and warranty service management, and provides real-time credit scoring and portfolio management services.
With its headquarters in South Africa, Yellow operates in Malawi, Rwanda, Madagascar, Uganda, and Zambia. The company employs over 1,000 agents and serves more than 480,000 customers across Africa. In June 2023, Yellow secured $14 million in Series B funding to bolster its presence in existing markets.
Before founding Yellow, Heyink worked as a strategy consultant at Monitor Group from 2012 to 2014. He later joined Agis Investment as an investment analyst in 2015, and subsequently worked as a private equity analyst at Metier, a private equity fund manager.
Melchior Koba
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Through its programs, the KivuTech incubator aims to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation, contributing to the technological and economic development of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
KivuTech, a business incubator in eastern Congo, champions young entrepreneurs and emerging businesses, fostering a vibrant tech ecosystem and driving economic growth. Founded by social entrepreneur Benjamin Cinamula and other young Congolese, KivuTech caters to a diverse audience, including entrepreneurs, students, researchers, and startups.
Its mission revolves around fostering technological innovation and economic development. The incubator provides a supportive environment, offering training, mentorship, financing, and collaborative workspaces to nurture promising ventures. Its diverse programs empower entrepreneurs with the skills and resources needed to thrive, contributing to Congo's technological advancement and economic diversification.
The incubator actively promotes education, particularly in tech and computer skills, to equip future generations with the necessary tools for success. It also champions initiatives focused on socio-economic reintegration, gender equality, and unemployment reduction, contributing to broader societal development in the region. Its work has yielded impressive results. With over 40 expert mentors and a robust network of partners, the incubator has supported more than 200 projects, boasting over 100 success stories. Notable initiatives include "l'or dans nos poubelles," a UNDP-backed project that upcycles plastic waste, showcasing KivuTech's commitment to sustainable development.
KivuTech's Kivu Digital Summit, organized in collaboration with young entrepreneurs' organizations, is a testament to its commitment to fostering connections and collaboration within the Congolese tech ecosystem. The event brought together hundreds of young innovators, government officials, academics, and business leaders, fostering dialogue and driving innovation forward.
Melchior Koba
He is an award-winning technology entrepreneur in Africa. Specializing in educational technologies, he aims to stimulate the continent's development through education and knowledge sharing.
Edouard Claude Oussou (photo), a Gabonese strategic leader and entrepreneur, is the founder and CEO of Scientia Africa, an educational technology startup established in 2017. The company, which operates in Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Comoros, aims to ensure 100% academic success for all students through its web, mobile, and SMS/USSD applications.
According to the World Bank, Gabon has the highest school failure rate globally, primarily due to inadequate infrastructure and poor quality school supervision. “Since we can’t replace the state in terms of building schools, we’ve positioned ourselves in terms of school follow-up,” Oussou stated in 2020.
Scientia Africa offers a school tracking application, providing students, parents, teachers, and school administrators with real-time access to essential information for monitoring students’ education. The application analyzes and processes data to evaluate pedagogy, course quality, student assimilation, potential shortcomings, and educational progress.
In addition to his role at Scientia Africa, Oussou serves as the Head of Strategy, Research, and Development at Société équatoriale des mines (SEM) in Gabon. He holds a diploma in computer administration and management from the Institut Supérieur de Technologie in Libreville, obtained in 2003, and a certification in business and entrepreneurship from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in the USA.
Oussou also founded Routedusucces.com, an educational platform where he served as CEO from 2016 to 2020. His professional career began in 2003 at CRN, a marketing company, where he was a Multimedia Manager. In 2018, he interned in business development at Microsoft.
Oussou and his company, Scientia Africa, have received several awards and distinctions. In 2017, the African Startup Forum voted Scientia Africa as the best African startup in the education category. Positive Youth’s Africa named Oussou as one of the 100 most inspiring young Africans. In 2019, the African Union Commission recognized him as one of Africa’s top education innovators. In 2021, he won the Moov Africa Gabon Télécom Startup Challenge.
Melchior Koba
Financial hurdles can hinder start-up growth. To equip aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools and guidance needed to secure funding, 250 STARTUPS offers customized incubation, acceleration, and mentorship programs in Rwanda.
250STARTUPS, a Rwandan incubation and acceleration center led by Managing Director Charles Shyaka, provides technology startups with the resources to develop a proof of concept and become investment-ready through a customized program. The center accelerates startups for six months per cohort, offering financial, legal, technical, and mentoring support to help them transition from incubation to expansion.
The center also runs a capacity-building program for young graduates in information and communication technology (ICT), finance, and law, who collaborate closely with entrepreneurs under expert guidance. Each month, the center hosts Capital Talks, where incubatees showcase their progress to potential partners, investors, and other startups. The center currently supports 160 beneficiaries, 40 companies, and 80 associates.
Among the startups backed by 250 STARTUPS are Nyereka Tech, an e-commerce platform selling IoT sensors and experiential learning tools, and AFIA Pharma, a pharmaceutical e-commerce platform. Another notable startup is Safe Sana, which has developed a safety device that detects gas leaks, automatically shuts down the gas cylinder, triggers an alarm, and sends SMS alerts and calls to a mobile phone.
Melchior Koba
An agricultural technology entrepreneur, she created a crop and soil management tool aimed at enhancing farmers' productivity and mitigating crop pests. Her innovation has earned her numerous accolades and distinctions.
Maryanne Gichanga (photo), a Kenyan tech entrepreneur and law student at Mount Kenya University, is the co-founder and CEO of AgriTech Analytics. The company, established in 2018, is committed to eradicating hunger and poverty by assisting small-scale farmers in rural Africa to increase crop yields and secure food supplies.
AgriTech Analytics employs various data types, including satellite imagery and data from its solar IoT crop and soil sensors. The device sends alerts or reports to farmers via mobile phones with over 97% accuracy, enabling early pest detection to prevent crop damage and harvest loss.
The company currently serves 2,880 small-scale farmers across the Rift Valley, Central, and Eastern Kenya, with plans to enroll 15,000 farmers by 2024. "There are 33 million farmers in Africa and approximately 4.5 million small-scale farmers in Kenya. Our target market is 2.5% of this demographic in Kenya which translates to 112,500 farmers by 2027," Gichanga stated in 2023.
Gichanga, a former data analyst at Standard Chartered Bank (2013-2020), received several awards and honors in 2023. She was included in Business Daily Africa's 40 under 40 women list and won the 2023 Agritech of the Year award on behalf of her company from Guzakuza, a women leaders in agribusiness support organization, and the German Agency for International Development Cooperation (GIZ).
Melchior Koba