He aims to democratize access to financial services in Africa. To achieve that goal, he leverages technology to offer innovative solutions that simplify financial transactions for the population. 

Barry Abdoulaye (photo) is a Guinean computer scientist and entrepreneur dedicated to the digital transformation of Africa. He is the founder and CEO of YMO, a startup building technological solutions to address financial inclusion challenges in Africa.

"In 2022, 1.3 billion Africans are still excluded from the traditional financial system. We believe that it is possible to have an account, receive money, and send money without handling cash. That is what we offer," Barry Abdoulaye stated in 2022.

Launched in 2019, YMO aims to revolutionize payments in Africa and for the African diaspora. The company develops accessible digital solutions that allow African citizens to perform instant financial transactions, both within the continent and internationally. For the diaspora, YMO provides simple and affordable ways to send money and invest in the continent.

YMO's ultimate ambition is to become the first pan-African neobank, open to everyone. To achieve this, the startup partners with credit institutions to facilitate access to credit via mobile phones. Based in France, YMO already boasts over 500,000 users across more than 30 countries in Europe and Africa.

Before embarking on the YMO venture, Barry Abdoulaye had already proven himself as an entrepreneur. In 2017, he founded Yitoo Technology, a firm specializing in software architecture and development, which he led until 2020.

A trained computer engineer with a master’s degree obtained in 2010, Barry Abdoulaye has also pursued advanced supplementary training. In 2018, he earned the Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) certification, demonstrating his expertise in agile methodologies. In 2020, he undertook a course on blockchain technologies at the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management.

His professional journey is equally rich, with experiences in renowned companies such as the communication agency Isobar, the media company TF1, telecom operator SFR Business, AXA Tech, and Prisma Media, where he held various developer positions.

Melchior Koba