Since its inception, the company has been dedicated to aiding young entrepreneurs and project leaders in transforming their concepts into profitable businesses. Over the course of seven years, it has provided training and support to more than 500 young individuals.

Kinstartup Academy, a Congolese training academy and startup incubator, has been dedicated to discovering, training, and promoting startups or project bearers wishing to establish their own businesses since its inception in 2017. The academy, founded by President and CEO Shola Deen, provides entrepreneurs with essential resources for their start-ups.

“The academy equips participants with essential information and concepts, everything an aspiring entrepreneur needs to launch into entrepreneurship and develop their business in a concrete and effective way,” Dean explains.

In addition to its training programs, Kinstartup Academy hosts a televised competition for young Congolese entrepreneurs and project leaders. The competition, which has already run for four seasons, offers training and coaching from expert trainers and experienced business leaders. The jury comprises professionals from financial institutions and business management educators.

The academy also organizes several conferences in fields such as edtech and healthtech and has established the Kinshasa Innovation Forum, a major forum dedicated to promoting innovation. Through its Face the Leopards platform, it connects investors with the entrepreneurs it has trained and supported.

To date, Kinstartup Academy has raised awareness among over 50,000 young people, identified over 2,000 project leaders, trained and supported over 500 young people, and created over 1,000 jobs. Beneficiaries of the Academy’s programs include Cedric Onaya, founder of Ebushafu, a digital waste management platform in the DRC, and Josè Rodriguez, founder of Uzuri RDC, an online shopping mall and digital marketplace offering products and services for professional sellers and individual customers.

Melchior Koba