He has over 10 years of experience in entrepreneurship coaching and over a decade of professional experience in the tech industry. His ambition is to contribute the expertise acquired to showcase the Gabonese and Central African innovation ecosystem to the world. 

Sylvere Boussamba (photo) is a Gabonese tech entrepreneur and founder of  Start X 241, an incubator, accelerator, and investment fund focused on digital companies and tech firms. Through Start X 241, (founded in 2020), Sylvere wants to “create the largest digital products and services distribution network in Central Africa.” 

To achieve his goal, he develops strategic win-win partnerships between Central African startups and the companies built by his startup studio. “The partnership allows us to ensure collaboration between great Francophone entrepreneurs and great Gabonese peers,” he explains. 

Start X 241 is not the first venture established by this tech enthusiast in the Gabonese innovation ecosystem. In 2013, he launched Ogooué Labs, a co-working space, accelerator, and digital training space. Five years later, he created Ecole 241, a digital training academy founded to support the state and firms in their digital transformation. He also co-founded Digitech Africa, a software company based in Côte d’Ivoire. 

His expertise is the result of an extensive professional career that started in 1996.  He was an application team leader, then business systems support manager for telecom operator Zain. He worked at Airtel Gabon as Service Quality Assurance Manager, IT Manager, and later as Operations Manager and Innovation Manager for Airtel DRC.

He has been certified as a leadership coach, teacher, trainer, and speaker by The John Maxwell Company. Also, since 2015, he is a Tony Elumelu Foundation business mentor.

Melchior Koba