TECH STARS (1007)
A passionate advocate for tackling environmental issues in Africa, he leverages his technical expertise to bridge the gap between independent waste collectors and businesses/households.
Martin Tumusiime (photo) is a Ugandan computer scientist and tech entrepreneur, known for founding and serving as the CEO of Yo-Waste, an innovative technology-based waste management company. Established in 2018, Yo-Waste aims to transform waste collection and management in Africa through advanced solutions.
Yo-Waste offers an application that connects residential and commercial clients with local waste collectors, enabling users to quickly find nearby waste services. Once the waste is collected, Yo-Waste partners with a network of collaborators to dispose of, recycle, repurpose, or convert it into energy.
"We had some people who used to collect our garbage, but it would take at least a week. Now with Yo-Waste, it takes only three days. The app's efficiency not only ensures timely waste disposal but also prevents waste from being scattered by wind and vultures, promoting cleaner surroundings," explains Martin Tumusiime.
In addition to Yo-Waste, Tumusiime founded UgTechMag, a technology magazine that provides guides and advice on tech products and services for audiences in Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, and beyond.
Tumusiime holds a degree in computer science from Makerere University, which he obtained in 2020. From 2022 to 2023, he worked as a consultant for the German International Development Cooperation Agency (GIZ), where he managed a team that developed a robust waste collection application for Gulu City in collaboration with the Gulu City Council.
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With a track record at international telecommunications and media companies, she brings a wealth of experience to developing innovative solutions in fintech, financial education, and online learning.
Nancy Matimu is a seasoned entrepreneur and professional in the fintech and business sectors. In 2018, she founded Serrari Group, a company focused on fostering growth and financial freedom in Africa. Since 2023, she has served as the President and CEO, leading the group's innovation and operations.
Serrari Group is a technology platform designed to drive growth in Africa through fintech and edtech. The company develops solutions that empower individuals and professionals to achieve their goals through online education, financial literacy, quality financial planning and management, as well as tools for creating, growing, preserving, and managing wealth and succession.
The mission of Serrari Group is to "create the easiest, simplest, and most versatile online education platform, financial literacy platform, and a super aggregator Digital Financial Services marketplace & payments platform using a network of platforms for the smart investor (individuals, investment groups, SMBs, families, and the diaspora)," as stated on the company's LinkedIn page. Serrari Group operates under the brands Serrari FinEd, Serrari Fintech, Serrari Advisory, and Serrari Media.
Nancy Matimu holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies with a specialization in planning and management, which she obtained in 1998 from Kenyatta University. She earned a postgraduate diploma in marketing in 2009 from The Chartered Institute of Marketing and graduated with a master’s degree in strategic management from Strathmore University in 2011.
Before her current role, Matimu worked at several prominent organizations. From 2008 to 2017, she held various positions at Safaricom, including Director of Safaricom Home and Content, Director of Consumer Products and Services, Director of Internet and Content, and Director of Enterprise Products and Innovation.
In 2018, she was appointed Director of Digital and Marketing at HFC Kenya, a financial services institution. The following year, she became Vice President and Head of Market Development for Sub-Saharan Africa at MasterCard. From 2020 to 2023, she served as Managing Director for Kenya at MultiChoice Africa.
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With over 20 years of experience in the digital industry, he has initiated several investment projects, supported SMEs, and developed online payment solutions.
Eric Ntonfo (photo) is a Cameroonian expert in the digital economy and an entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Kwendoo, an innovative startup in the online payment services sector that spans multiple areas.
Founded in 2014, Kwendoo provides an online crowdfunding platform that allows users to raise funds, contribute to gifts, support family events, and realize various projects. The company has also introduced Kwendoo Tickets, an online event ticketing platform that accepts payments in euros and CFA Francs through credit cards and mobile money. Additionally, Kwendoo Payments is designed for professionals and merchants within the African diaspora, facilitating remote payments for services.
In 2015, Ntonfo established Fiatope, where he currently serves as director. This crowdfunding initiative supports innovative small businesses with significant social impact in West and Central Africa, helping them secure essential funding for their growth. He also founded Fiatope Digital Solutions in 2017, which aids African small and medium-sized enterprises in their digital transformation.
Ntonfo is a board member at the University of the Mountains in Cameroon and serves as president of OrbitAfrica, an organization that promotes diaspora engagement in social and economic initiatives that benefit Africa. OrbitAfrica operates in France, Cameroon, Benin, and Senegal.
He holds an engineering degree in Internet and Telecommunications, which he obtained in 2001 from the National School of Engineering of Caen. Additionally, he earned an MBA in 2007 from the IAE School of Management in Poitiers and a master's degree in digital economy in 2013 from Telecom Paris.
Ntonfo began his professional career in 2002 at Orange, where he held various positions, including research and development engineer, head of the research, anticipation, and performance evaluation department for 3G/4G, national director of innovation in France, and product director.
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A robotics enthusiast and inventor, he has created a popular game robot and developed a tech platform that streamlines data collection for scientists.
Silas Adekunle (photo) is a prominent Nigerian inventor and tech entrepreneur specializing in robotics. He is the co-founder and CEO of Reach Industries, a company focused on assisting scientists and improving laboratory efficiency to address global challenges swiftly.
Founded in 2020 and based in the UK, Reach Industries offers advanced technological services to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) companies. One of the startup's key innovations is Lumi, an intelligent platform that employs computer vision, voice recognition, and machine learning to capture and analyze operational data.
Lumi serves as a comprehensive assistant throughout the life sciences development process, from research to production. It automates data collection from experiments, observations, and equipment usage, among other functions. This automation saves valuable time, allowing scientists to concentrate on more significant issues while enhancing the reproducibility of their results.
In addition to his work at Reach Industries, Silas Adekunle founded Awarri, a company that leverages artificial intelligence and robotics to provide educational tools and develop sustainable technological solutions for Africa. Awarri aims to create an ecosystem that prepares young people for the future workforce.
Before these ventures, Adekunle co-founded Reach Robotics in 2013, which gained recognition for inventing MekaMon, a gaming robot integrated with a STEM education platform. In 2017, Apple signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Reach Robotics, impressed by the product.
Silas Adekunle earned a bachelor's degree in robotics technology from the University of the West of England in 2014. During his studies from 2012 to 2014, he designed and launched extracurricular robotics sessions.
To gain experience in robotics, he began as a volunteer intern at RustySquid, a robotics company, in 2011. He then served as a verification engineering intern at Infineon Technologies, a semiconductor manufacturer, in 2012, followed by a software internship at GE Aerospace in 2013.
In 2018, Silas Adekunle was recognized on the Financial Times list of the top 100 minority ethnic leaders in technology in the UK. That same year, he was selected for Forbes' 30 Under 30 Europe in the technology category.
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As a financial analyst, he leads an innovative company that uses technology to promote financial inclusion in Egypt. His company facilitates access to credit for consumers by working directly with merchants.
Amr Sultan (photo), an Egyptian finance expert and entrepreneur, is the co-founder and CEO of Blnk, a fintech company dedicated to enabling financial inclusion through point-of-sale financing.
Founded in 2021, Blnk specializes in providing consumer credit to underserved populations. The company allows consumers to instantly obtain credit from their favorite merchants and pay in installments over a period of up to 36 months. The credit purchase process through Blnk requires only a national ID card.
Prior to co-founding Blnk, Amr Sultan co-founded Akanar Partners in 2009. As the managing director until 2016, he led this corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions advisory firm, providing services in corporate finance, M&A advisory, fundraising, and structured finance. Akanar Partners was subsequently acquired by Arqaam Capital, an institutional investment bank.
Amr Sultan holds a bachelor's degree in business administration, earned in 1998 from the American University in Cairo. He also became a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) in 2001, certified by the CFA Institute.
Sultan began his professional career in 2000 at HC Securities & Investment, an investment bank, as an equity research associate. From 2003 to 2009, he served as co-head of investment banking at Beltone Financial, a financial services provider.
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His mission is to empower the next generation by equipping them with the technological skills they need to thrive in the modern world. He accomplishes this by designing educational programs for schools, ensuring children receive this training in an innovative and impactful way.
Yaakoub Benarab (photo) is an Algerian tech entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Snai3i, a company dedicated to transforming education in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
Founded in 2019, Snai3i develops educational programs aimed at simplifying advanced technologies for children. The company offers schools courses in mobile programming, artificial intelligence, Python, 3D modeling, and mechatronics, all tailored specifically for young learners. It provides schools with immediately usable programs and trains teachers in effective pedagogical methods and course design. Additionally, the platform enables experts to create and publish their own courses. To date, the startup has successfully trained 872 students.
Beyond his role at Snai3i, Benarab serves as an information technology instructor at the Higher Institute of Sciences (HIS), a multidisciplinary private university in Algeria recognized by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. He is also an ambassador for One Young World, a global community of young leaders.
Benarab graduated from the National Polytechnic School in 2019 with a master's degree in control systems. He also holds a master's degree in learning design and technologies from Arizona State University, which he obtained in May 2024.
In June 2019, he represented The European Wergeland Centre, a European research organization focused on education for intercultural understanding, human rights, and democratic citizenship. By October 2019, he had taken on the role of director at KnowLab, a coworking space. In 2020, he worked as a technology and innovation specialist at the Africa Crisis Hub, which provides public health advisory services.
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A veteran of the technology sector with over 10 years of experience, he has also spent more than 8 years specifically within the gaming industry. Currently, he leads one of Africa's biggest video game development companies.
Thomas Shiva (photo) is a Rwandan serial entrepreneur active in the video game industry. He is the founder and CEO of Digital Realm Entertainment, a technology company specializing in interactive entertainment software.
Founded in 2019, Digital Realm Entertainment publishes interactive entertainment software, providing Africans with easy access to video games that reflect the continent's cultural identity, heritage, and interests. The company offers games in education, health, and culture, delivering immersive and personalized solutions to meet its clients' specific needs.
In addition to his role at Digital Realm Entertainment, Thomas Shiva holds several other positions. Since 2019, he has been the founder and executive director of the Rwanda Game Developers Association, an organization that raises awareness among Rwandan gaming and development communities about the gaming industry. The association participates in and organizes various industry events worldwide.
Since 2020, Thomas Shiva has also been the CEO of Neo-Troniks Systems, a company aiming to provide Africa with local access to the latest cutting-edge technologies. In May 2024, he became the local lead for Rwanda for the NASA International Space Apps Challenge, an international space exploration competition held over 48 hours in different cities worldwide.
Additionally, he is the regional organizer for The Global Game Jam in Rwanda, an international video game creation competition. In 2015, he founded the Open Source Collective Association, and in 2020, he launched Neo-Realm Aerospace, a space technology startup in Rwanda.
Thomas Shiva holds a software engineering degree from the University of the People, an online university based in California, USA. He is also a graduate of the SAE Institute Germany, where he earned a bachelor's degree in game design and interactive media.
An international speaker and pioneer in developing local African technology ecosystems, Thomas Shiva has participated in numerous conferences and events. Since 2021, he has been a mentor at the International Game Developers Association, and in 2022, he served as a judge for various Global Startup Awards competitions.
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He aims to reduce wait times for patients seeking medical attenetion. To achieve that goal, he developed a WhatsApp chatbot designed to connect healthcare providers directly with patients.
Blessing Museki (photo), a renowned Zimbabwean computer scientist and entrepreneur, is the founder of Cloomi, an innovative tech startup that connects people to healthcare providers. Launched in 2023, Cloomi offers a WhatsApp chatbot that anonymously links Zimbabweans with various healthcare providers, including pharmacies, medical laboratories, and diagnostic imaging centers. Through this app, patients can check the availability of services and compare prices. They also receive the physical address of providers, a location map, and the WhatsApp number of the selected business.
"We have made over 10,000 successful matches since launch, with users receiving responses within minutes during the day on regular working days," stated Blessing Museki in July 2024. The platform currently features more than 230 pharmacies, over 20 medical laboratories and diagnostic imaging centers, and a database of more than 700 registered healthcare practitioners across Zimbabwe.
Blessing Museki is also a chatbot developer for BNP Paribas. Before founding Cloomi, he co-founded Joblock in 2019, a platform that enables job seekers to manage and share their professional references securely. In 2020, he co-founded SwiftLog and Freshslate.app. SwiftLog is a platform that facilitates the recording of water and electricity meter readings via smartphone, while Freshslate.app allows users to store and share their COVID-19 test results.
Blessing Museki graduated from the University of Zimbabwe in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in mathematics and computer science. He also holds a master's degree in financial markets with information systems, obtained in 2007 from London Metropolitan University. He gained experience by working for several years as a developer for companies such as Econet Wireless, London Stock Exchange Group, Transport for London, and M&G Investments.
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He aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises manage their accounting more efficiently. To achieve this goal, he has developed an innovative technological solution that automates financial management.
Fabrice Koffi, an Ivorian accountant and entrepreneur, is the co-founder and CEO of Keiwa, a startup that supports African entrepreneurs by providing management tools tailored to their needs.
Launched in 2018 by Koffi, Bertrand Dago, and Terrence Kondou, Keiwa is a simplified accounting application that promotes financial inclusion for businesses. It offers financial and inventory management services suitable for all types of activities, addressing the needs of daily operations tracking.
Keiwa enables users to create quotes and invoices, automatically record sales and expenses, manage inventory and credits, and access real-time financial reports. The application also facilitates the archiving of supporting documents and important records, making them easy to retrieve. Keiwa is currently available in Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire.
The application is a project of Dathan Group, a company founded in 2015 to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in managing their activities. Thanks to Keiwa, Dathan Group was awarded the jury's favorite prize at the "L'Arbre à Palabres" hackathon organized by Société Générale's Lab Innovation Afrique in 2017.
Fabrice Koffi graduated from Sup'Management University in Morocco with a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance in 2017. In 2013, he worked as an accountant at Société d'expertise comptable et de conseil (SECC) in Côte d'Ivoire. In 2015, he became a partner and co-manager at Cabinet UTC, a consultancy firm supporting SME development. In 2016, he became the head of accounting at AgriTecno, a company manufacturing biostimulants and plant nutrients.
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Driven by a commitment to empowering small African farmers, he has developed a technological platform that connects them to agricultural markets and financing opportunities. The platform aims to address their challenges with innovative solutions.
Francis Obirikorang, a Ghanaian entrepreneur, is the co-founder and CEO of AgroCenta Technologies, a fintech company dedicated to the financial inclusion of rural communities in Africa.
Founded in 2015 by Obirikorang and Michael Ocansey, AgroCenta Technologies aims to improve market access and financial services for smallholder farmers across the continent. The company offers digital payments, loans, insurance, and pensions for these farmers.
To achieve its objectives, the startup developed Velociti, a platform that leverages big data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. Velociti constructs alternative data to enable small rural farmers to access financial services such as microloans, mobile payments, insurance, savings, and pensions. It also provides a digital identity for stakeholders in Africa's agricultural value chain.
In addition to AgroCenta Technologies, Obirikorang co-founded Swappaholics Holdings Ltd in 2015, where he served as CEO until 2016. This company developed an online platform allowing individuals and businesses to exchange products, skills, and services without using money.
Obirikorang graduated from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in materials engineering. Before venturing into entrepreneurship, he worked from 2008 to 2013 as a technical writer for tech companies Esoko and Corenett, and from 2013 to 2015 as a business analyst at TXT Ghana, a wireless application service provider.
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An IT engineer, he provides digital solutions to improve business operations. He also assists brands in increasing their visibility.
Edwin Bruno, a Tanzanian serial entrepreneur, is the founder and CEO of Smart Codes, a digital transformation company. The startup's mission is to address African challenges through technology.
Founded in 2010, Smart Codes provides digital solutions to tackle issues in Africa. The company specializes in advertising, social media, and the creation of websites and mobile applications. Among its flagship products are M-Paper, a digital newspaper app, and Kwanza, a platform that aggregates bloggers and websites to streamline the purchase of local media.
Smart Codes is part of the Smart Africa Group (SAG), where Edwin Bruno also serves as CEO. SAG is an innovation and digital consulting company aimed at creating integrated platforms that connect people and organizations to unlock limitless possibilities in Africa and beyond. SAG has four other subsidiaries: Smart Foundry focuses on innovation and product development, Smart Lab connects startups and businesses, Smartnology specializes in the development and management of cutting-edge technologies, and Smart Studio handles the production of innovative content.
Edwin Bruno is a member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Tanzania and the business leaders’ forum CEO Roundtable of Tanzania. Since 2020, he has also been part of the advisory committee of the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation, an organization promoting the social and economic development of Tanzania's private sector.
Before founding Smart Codes, Edwin Bruno established Popote Media in 2011, a social media and digital marketing agency, where he served as CEO until 2015. He holds a degree in computer science and engineering from St. Joseph University in Tanzania, earned in 2011.
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In 2018, his brother passed away due to uncontrolled hypertension. Since then, he has been using his technical skills to combat heart disease and reduce health inequities.
Peter Njongwe (photo), a South African software engineer, product manager, and entrepreneur, is the founder and CEO of Oben Health, a startup focused on improving healthcare access for people of color in the United States. Founded in 2020, Oben Health, previously known as Lapis Health, aims to enhance the quality of care, improve the quality of life, and reduce sudden deaths related to heart disease in communities of color. The startup has developed an AI-based platform that delivers healthcare services in barbershops and beauty salons.
The Oben Health platform seamlessly integrates clinical screenings, social determinants of health (SDOH), health coaching, and treatments. It fosters team-based care, coordination, and population health management through interoperability and data analytics. The inspiration to start this company came after the loss of Njongwe's brother in 2018. "My brother passed away from uncontrolled hypertension at age 36. He went to bed and never woke up, leaving a wife and two children behind. If my brother had gotten screened for hypertension, I think he would still be alive" Njongwe explains on the reasons behind the platform.
Njongwe holds a degree in computer information systems and entrepreneurship, earned in 2013 from Mount Royal University in Canada. He began his professional career the same year at Hitachi Solutions Canada, an enterprise application consulting firm, as an IT consultant. In 2014, he became a software developer at Evans 2 Design, now E2 + Associates, a company specializing in housing construction and land development. In 2015, he was hired by Shopify as a product manager. From 2019 to 2021, he served as an executive-in-residence at Connection Silicon Valley, an organization that helps Canadian companies collaborate, innovate, and establish partnerships within the Silicon Valley tech ecosystem.
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Driven by a passion for both art and culture, he sees technology as a powerful tool to tackle challenges. He has created a platform that connects African artists across the continent.
Seydina Mouhamed Sene (photo), a Senegalese tech entrepreneur and passionate artist, is the founder of Welfin Sarl, a tech startup specializing in event communication.
Launched in 2022, Welfin aims to simplify and speed up the organization of professional events using artificial intelligence to offer unique, personalized experiences tailored to each company's budget.
One of Welfin's flagship solutions is Teralma, a platform dedicated to the cultural and creative industries. The platform lists and networks engaged artists across Africa, encouraging them to participate in sustainable development programs initiated by non-governmental organizations and associations on the continent.
Prior to founding Welfin, Sene co-founded Circus Morocco in 2016, a startup dedicated to recycling electronic waste from businesses, households, and rural communities. In 2019, he also co-founded Bsensei, a fintech startup developing solutions for financial institutions.
Sene graduated from the Faculty of Legal, Economic, and Social Sciences (FSJES) Ain Chock in Casablanca, where he earned a bachelor's degree in management economics. Since 2016, he has been a member of the international MakeSense community, which helps social entrepreneurs tackle their challenges.
His entrepreneurial efforts have been recognized with several awards. With Circus Morocco, he won the Orange Social Entrepreneur Award in Africa and the Middle East in 2018 in Morocco. With Bsensei, he received first prize in the Open Innovation organized by BNP Paribas in Africa in 2018 and first prize at the Africa Blockchain Summit organized by Bank Al-Maghrib and Paris Europlace in 2019. In 2021, he secured second place in the Free Innovation Xperience Challenge launched by the telecom operator Free.
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Driven by a passion for crafting technological solutions, especially in the financial sector, he tackles challenges within his community. He's a seasoned entrepreneur, having founded and invested in several African companies.
Paul Kwesi Damalie is a Ghanain serial entrepreneur and investor. In 2023, he founded Damalie Innovation Holdings Group (DIH Group), an investment company dedicated to improving the lives of one billion people by investing in key sectors and creating exponential value.
DIH Group focuses on areas such as health technologies, the sports value chain, family entertainment and games, urban infrastructure, urban development, integrated commerce and finance, and climate resilience.
As an angel investor, Damalie supports the startup DrDoGood, founded in 2023, which aims to revolutionize access to and delivery of primary healthcare through a web and mobile application that facilitates interactions between patients and healthcare providers.
In 2013, Damalie co-founded Wordstreem, a social audio streaming app for Christian ministries to engage their communities, serving as its CEO during the first year. In 2016, he co-founded Loystar, a digital loyalty and commerce platform that enables merchants to sell and retain customers, serving as the Director of Business Development and Operations for a year.
Also in 2016, Damalie co-founded Inclusive Financial Technologies, a company developing digital infrastructure for Africa to make financial data globally accessible, serving as CEO for two years. In 2018, he founded Appruve, a startup that facilitates identity verification for individuals and businesses across Africa, where he was CEO until 2023.
Damalie graduated from Radford University College in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in finance and strategic management. To gain experience, he worked for several companies, including serving as the country head of Next Money in Ghana in 2015, joining the advisory board of the Financial Inclusion Forum Africa in 2018, and becoming an angel investor for Moneex, a fintech startup that helps freelancers, businesses, and diasporas in Africa, in 2023.
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