TECH STARS (960)
She is committed to making banking services accessible to all while reducing dependence on cash. She heads a startup that harnesses the power of artificial intelligence to understand users' needs and offer them appropriate services.
Matina Gaël Egbidi (photo), a Togolese software engineer and entrepreneur, is the co-founder and CEO of SOLIMI, a fintech startup established in 2020.
Through SOLIMI, she aims to democratize access to banking services and reduce the use of cash. It uses artificial intelligence to analyze customer behavior, predict purchases, and adapt its services to local habits. It designs Visa prepaid cards that are free of charge and can be funded via mobile money. Its cards and its mobile application enable users to make purchases in shops and online.
"We believe that Solimi can have a huge impact on unbanked and low-income communities. By making financial inclusion much more affordable, as well as simpler and more versatile, we can walk together towards a cashless world that works for everyone, at every level of wealth," says Matina Gaël Egbidi.
Operating like an ordinary bank card, Solimi's solution can also be used to withdraw cash from an ATM. On Monday 18 March 2024, the startup was awarded the "Togolese start-up prize" at the Startup Day organized by the Nunya Lab incubator to celebrate the International Start-up Day.
Prior to SOLIMI, Matina Gaël Egbidi co-founded Bassite Innovation and Technology in 2017. Based in Morocco, it is a company that uses the power of the cloud and artificial intelligence to develop conversational interfaces to bring brands closer to their customers. The entrepreneur was the company's COO until 2021.
Matina Gaël Egbidi is a graduate of the Moroccan School of Engineering Sciences. Her professional career began in 2017 at OCTO Technology, where she was an intern. OCTO Technology is a consultancy firm specializing in new technologies and the challenges of digital transformation. Between 2018 and 2021, the Togolese was an e-payment training consultant at HPS, a Moroccan provider of payment solutions and services.
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MEDIANET has become a key player in digital innovation, supporting projects worldwide since its founding. The company operates on multiple continents.
MEDIANET, a Tunisian technology incubator established in 1998, aids entrepreneurs in transforming innovative ideas into thriving businesses. By creating that incubator, the founders, Iheb Béji, Akram Beji, Nidhal Battikh, and Mohamed Mellouki, aim to foster an ecosystem that encourages and enhances innovation and technological transformation.
With over two decades of experience, MEDIANET equips entrepreneurs with the expertise of its technical and business professionals and collaboration opportunities. The MEDIANET Incubator Space provides a workspace dedicated to fostering entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, thereby enhancing the ecosystem of emerging startups.
FoodStart, MEDIANET’s premier incubation program, offers a customized, personalized program that equips foodtech entrepreneurs with technological proficiency and business acumen. The program aims to establish innovative foodtech firms, bolster the foodtech ecosystem in Tunisia, facilitate access to finance, and foster synergies between startups, SMEs, and large corporations.
In addition to being an incubator, MEDIANET specializes in digital transformation. With a presence in 30 countries worldwide, it provides a broad spectrum of digital services to businesses, including web and mobile development services and an e-commerce platform that simplifies the shopping experience.
The incubator also provides community management and SEO services, implements digital strategies for businesses, and assists business leaders in enhancing their performance and maximizing their return on investment through a media buying strategy.
To date, MEDIANET has successfully executed more than 2,900 projects across various sectors and has satisfied 1,000 customers globally.
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A climate tech entrepreneur, she offers ecological and sustainable solutions to the Tunisian population through her company MonSapo.
Sabrine Chennaoui (photo), a Tunisian entrepreneur and co-founder and CEO of MonSapo, is at the forefront of green technology solutions. Her startup, MonSapo, established in 2021, is disrupting the green cleaning industry with its innovative, automated, and remote-controlled machine that recycles waste like used cooking oil and wood ash into natural cleaning products.
“MonSapo distinguishes itself by converting used vegetable oil and wood ash into detergent products, a unique innovation in the Tunisian market,” says Chennaoui. “Our research and development department is committed to continually providing our valued customers with premium products at always reasonable prices.”
On March 19, 2024, MonSapo was selected by the Techstars Sustainability Paris team to participate in its acceleration program, culminating in a demonstration day on June 6.
Chennaoui, a 2015 graduate of the Mediterranean School of Business in Tunisia with a master’s degree in business administration and management, participated in the Leading with Impact in Times of Change program at INSEAD business school in 2023.
Chennaoui’s professional journey began in 2010 as an intern at the Banque Nationale Agricole de Tunisie. She later served as a corporate marketing manager at Hashtag Agency in 2015, head of the marketing department at Hotel Africa Jade Thalasso in Tunisia in 2018, and a junior expert for the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in 2020.
In 2022, the International Union for Conservation of Nature recognized Chennaoui as one of 20 young change agents. The following year, InspiringFifty named her one of the 50 most inspiring women in technology worldwide.
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With its six divisions, Raizcorp works on a global scale to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem. To date, it has already supported 500 companies.
Raizcorp, a business incubator established in 2000, is dedicated to nurturing entrepreneurs at various stages of their business journey. Founded by CEO Allon Raiz, the organization serves as a hub for learning and guidance, facilitating tangible business success for entrepreneurs.
At the core of Raizcorp's mission is the creation, support, and development of entrepreneurs and the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem. By providing business incubation and acceleration services, the incubator aims to expedite the growth and prosperity of entrepreneurs. It also administers business and supplier development programs on behalf of companies.
Raizcorp extends equity investment opportunities to budding entrepreneurs, while also engaging in educational initiatives to foster entrepreneurial skills among school children. Moreover, the organization collaborates with governments and development agencies to establish robust entrepreneurial frameworks on a national scale.
It operates through six dedicated divisions. Notably, Arize, which offers dedicated support to entrepreneurs, and SEED, focusing on entrepreneurial development strategies in emerging markets like Africa and South America. The Partner Elite division provides scale-up capital to high-growth entrepreneurs in South Africa, while Canden manages non-traditional schools with an entrepreneurial curriculum.
Elixir, another division, assists companies in cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset and accessing relevant markets. It also aids entrepreneurial graduates in launching their own ventures. The Inspire division offers a range of motivational resources, such as books, inspiration packs, and posters, to support entrepreneurs on their journey.
To date, Raizcorp has empowered 500 businesses through its programs and oversees 13 incubators. Currently, 224 children are undergoing entrepreneurial training. The organization's impact extends across multiple countries, including South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola, the United States, France, and Mauritius.
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The fintech sector in Africa is experiencing exponential growth, with South African entrepreneur Paul Kent as one of the actors leading the charge. His start-up, which offers a range of digital payment solutions, already caters to tens of thousands of customers across the continent.
Paul Kent (photo), co-founder and CEO of Adumo, is making waves in the fintech sector. A South African native, Kent completed a management development programme at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2003 and earned an MBA from Spain’s IE Business School in 2015.
His fintech, Adumo, is a growth partner for businesses. It offers a seamless and secure omnichannel approach to accepting various types of payment products. The company’s mission is to help entrepreneurs manage, grow, simplify, and optimize their businesses through superior payment experiences.
It provides several employee incentive solutions and a gift and loyalty platform to enhance customer engagement. Adumo has developed standalone payment card machines and offers access to various types of online and point-of-sale payments. Through Adumo Capital, it provides entrepreneurs with initial business funding.
Currently, Adumo serves over 70,000 active customers in 13 African countries, handling more than 80 billion rand, or over $4 billion, in annual transaction value.
Kent, a certified director of the Institute of Directors in South Africa, is also the founder and director of SureSwipe, a card payment services provider established in 2008. Since 2020, he has served as a director of the Innervation financial company PAN African Payment Solutions. His professional career began in 2001 as an account manager at Healthbridge, a healthcare payment solutions provider.
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As the tech landscape continues to evolve, entrepreneurship in new technologies is gaining prominence. Cyberschool Entrepreneuriat, based in Gabon, is positioning itself as a key player, spurring the youth to tap into the potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).
Cyberschool Entrepreneuriat, a Gabon-based incubator specializing in new information and communication technologies (NICTs), leverages these technologies to foster entrepreneurship and aid young individuals in bringing their projects to fruition. The incubator, established in 2010 by Mve Asseko Simplice, an IT project management master’s degree holder, runs several training and support programs to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset among Gabon’s youth.
The incubator has initiated a two-week training seminar for project leaders and those seeking to enhance their skills, focusing on business plan creation. To further assist its entrepreneurs, Cyberschool Entrepreneuriat has developed Business Booster, an application designed for business plan creation and project monitoring.
It regularly hosts a digital lunch for IT professionals and organizes development workshops. These workshops offer training in computer programming, software development, and IT project management to young individuals and professionals. The workshops aim to equip participants with the necessary tools to stay abreast of the latest technologies and trends, preparing them to work in teams and tackle the challenges of the IT industry.
Additionally, Cyberschool Entrepreneuriat offers training in graphic design and visual communication. This course enables students to master graphic design tools and software, principles of visual composition, and typography. It equips them with robust technical skills for producing high-quality visual communication media, creating effective graphic designs tailored to customer needs, and fostering the creativity and artistic flair required to design innovative and original projects.
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A serial entrepreneur, she is mainly active in the digital and telecommunications sectors. Her latest innovation is an online platform designed to streamline hotel check-ins.
Franco-Gabonese finance expert and entrepreneur Selena Souah is the founder and CEO of REGCARD, a startup that launched its digital check-in card for express online hotel check-ins worldwide in 2022. The platform, which operates like a travel diary, allows hotels to perform express check-ins and check-outs for their guests at no cost and has a database of over 19,900 travellers.
Souah is also a co-founder and head of business development at International Schools Engineering, a management, investment, and consultancy group in the education sector established in 2013. In 2015, she co-founded Odyssey Education, a global French international education group offering education from nursery to sixth form.
In addition, Souah founded and presides Revolution’Air, a Rwanda-based telecommunications operator and internet service provider established in 2018. The company aims to establish a truly pan-African network and address connectivity and access issues in rural areas. Since January 2024, Souah has been a board member of Institut Aspen France.
Souah, a graduate of Maisons d’éducation de la Légion d’honneur in France, earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce and international business in 2008 and a master’s degree in general finance from ISC Paris in 2012. She began her professional career as a credit analyst at BGFIBank Gabon in 2011 before joining the French branch of Portuguese banking institution Banco Espírito Santo in 2012.
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The tech entrepreneur specialized in education founded Nyereka Tech to provide innovative educational tools for African students and teachers. The company aims to play a significant role in the continent's educational and technological advancement.
Rwandan tech entrepreneur Shadrach Highflyer (photo) is the founder and CEO of Nyereka Tech, a startup that supplies experimental kits. Established in 2019, Nyereka Tech focuses on education and technology, specializing in the development and supply of innovative educational tools like IoT kits, STEM hardware, and robotics equipment.
The company offers a range of training services in areas such as IoT or microcontroller coding, circuit design, testing, electricity, electronics, software design, and robotics. These services are available to individuals, schools, companies, and centres.
"Nyereka Tech is a company founded on the purpose of resolving the pain points that our future and current innovators are experiencing. We’re collaborating with some of the top technology businesses on the planet to deliver the latest goods and ideas to more people all around the world in order to establish the ICT Innovation Journey. We’re constructing the company that will serve as the continent’s innovation hub," Highflyer explains.
Since 2022, the tech entrepreneur has been a mentor at The Cortex Hub, a British incubator for ICT companies in Rwanda. He also serves as an ambassador for Arm, a company that specialises in the construction of IP solutions.
Highflyer, a holder of two degrees in electrical and electronic engineering from Tumba College of Technology (2017) and the Institute of Information Science and Technology in Kobe, Japan (2019), served as a business mentor for the OIP Mentoring Program in August 2022, a program that supports young entrepreneurs in developing their startups.
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After her studies and several years working as a software engineer in the United States, she returned to Kenya to help her community by establishing an education organization to help children learn about technology.
Nelly Cheboi (photo), a Kenyan computer scientist and entrepreneur, co-founded TechLit Africa, a non-profit organization aimed at promoting technological literacy in Africa. The organization, established in 2018, provides basic computer skills education to Kenyan students aged 5 to 14.
“Digital skills provide global opportunities,” Cheboi said in 2023. “These kids are doing so much. They have Zoom calls with NASA. They are so open to the world.”
TechLit Africa facilitates the establishment of computer labs in African schools by distributing recycled and refurbished computers. It currently serves 4,000 students across 10 computer labs and plans to construct an additional 100 labs to accommodate 40,000 more students.
After earning her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics from Augustana College in the U.S. in 2016, Cheboi joined New World Van Lines, a U.S.-based domestic and international household goods removal company. She held various positions, including business analyst and software engineer, between 2016 and 2018.
She later took on multiple software engineering roles at companies such as logistics firm ShipBob, children’s coding program Kodable, and User Hero, a tech company that assists businesses in conducting and organizing user research.
Cheboi’s contributions through TechLit Africa have earned her several accolades. In 2021, she received the Richard Swanson Humanitarian Award from Augustana College and was named in the Forbes 30 under 30 list for her social impact. In 2022, she was honored with the CNN Hero Award.
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The Senegalese entrepreneur leverages robotics to streamline operations for businesses and institutions. He leads a company that enables users to remotely control autonomous robots from any location.
Senegalese innovator, education expert, and serial entrepreneur Sidy Ndao (photo), born in 1987, is the founder and CEO of Caytu, a startup specializing in participatory assisted teleoperation for autonomous robotics.
Established in 2021, Caytu provides a participatory robotics platform that enables autonomous robots to be remotely piloted by outsourced pilots worldwide. The platform assists companies in task creation, robot assignment, deployment management, and fleet data analysis. Its software can integrate any robotics hardware or application through its API.
Caytu also offers a virtual training platform to cultivate a global workforce of autonomous robot operators. The digital platform equips operators with the necessary skills to operate robots safely and efficiently.
Ndao is also the founder and president of the Dakar American University of Science and Technology. Established in 2017, the university offers teaching and research opportunities in engineering and technology for undergraduate and graduate students, aimed at developing technological solutions to address Africa’s societal needs and challenges.
An education consultant with the World Bank Group, Ndao founded the Pan-African Robotics Competition in 2015. The competition brings together robotics teams from colleges and high schools across Africa and its diaspora.
Ndao earned his master’s degree in mechanical engineering from The City College of New York in 2007. He is also a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he defended his doctoral thesis in mechanical engineering in 2010. He spent a year (2011-2012) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a postdoctoral associate. From 2012 to 2021, he served as an assistant professor and then associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
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Last Wednesday, Guinea's President Mamadi Doumbouya reshuffled his cabinet. Rose Pola Pricemou, previously Minister of Planning and International Cooperation, was named Minister of Posts, Telecommunications, and the Digital Economy.
Guinean IT expert and politician, Rose Pola Pricemou (photo), has been appointed as the country’s Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and the Digital Economy, taking office on March 16, 2024, under the chairmanship of Benoit Kamano, Minister and Secretary-General of the Government.
“In the continuity of progress, my team and I are determined to continue the efforts undertaken by my predecessors,” Pricemou said in her inaugural speech.
Pricemou pledged to continue the digitization of public services for increased efficiency and to bolster the security of electronic transactions. She also plans to ensure the safety of public and private information systems to foster a secure and resilient Guinean cyberspace. Additionally, she aims to expand the services of the Guinean Post for broader national coverage, with a focus on financial services and e-commerce.
Before her latest appointment, Pricemou served as the country’s Minister of Planning and International Cooperation since November 2022. She joined the government in 2021 as Minister of Information and Communication, and from August to November 2022, she held the position of Minister of Trade, Industry and SMEs.
Pricemou, a graduate of the University of Montreal, Canada, earned a master’s degree in computer science in 2008. She also holds a master’s degree in information technology management from Laval University in Quebec City, obtained in 2010.
Pricemou’s professional career began in 2009 at the Ministry of Revenue of the Republic of Guinea as a functional analyst. In 2010, she joined Nurun, an IT services and consultancy company, as an IT systems development and integration consultant. She also served as the director of the strategy and development office of the ministry responsible for investment and public-private partnerships from March 2019 to January 2022.
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TIEC is committed to fostering innovative ideas that positively transform the country. It offers training programs and collaborative spaces essential to the growth and success of entrepreneurs.
The Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC) is an innovation center affiliated with the Egyptian Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. Since its inception in September 2010, the center has been dedicated to catalyzing innovation and entrepreneurship, driving tangible impact across Egypt.
The TIEC seeks to unleash creative solutions and innovative ideas that have an impact on Egypt. On its website, it says it aims to spur innovation and entrepreneurship in Egypt, fostering a knowledge-based economy. To achieve this, the center develops strategies, provides facilities, and promotes intellectual property frameworks, the website adds.
Under the leadership of its president, Hossam Osman, the center supports research and development in the local ICT industry, finances startups, and promotes Egypt as a relocation destination. It offers one-to-one professional consulting services to startups and companies in areas such as finance, digital marketing, sales, and business development. It also offers a free workspace where technology companies, investors and techstars can meet, work, learn, and collaborate.
The Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center offers several programs to support young entrepreneurs, including InnovEgypt. InnovEgypt aims to turn students and graduates into successful entrepreneurs. It is a training program in innovation and entrepreneurship.
The center also organizes a series of conferences covering various technological topics. Called the TIECnovation Talks Program, this initiative aims to promote technological innovation among entrepreneurs, young professionals, recent graduates and students.
Since its inception, 509,468 people have participated in a training program organized or facilitated by TIEC. The center has supported 13,168 entrepreneurs and 2,206 startups. In addition, 7,425 ideas or solutions developed by individuals or teams have already been submitted to TIEC as a result of its programs, events, and activities. The Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center has also created 71,283 job opportunities.
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He has over 25 years of experience in telecommunications and technology. As head of Benya, he has led the development of award-winning digital products and services.
Ahmed Mekky (photo) is an Egyptian entrepreneur who graduated from Cairo University in 1995 with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, and from the University of Nottingham with a Master's degree in Information Technology. He is the CEO of Benya, a provider of digital solutions and ICT infrastructure in the MEA (Middle East and Africa) region.
Founded in 2017, the company offers a multitude of digital products, services and solutions. Be it telecommunication services, security and cloud solutions, large-scale data centers, manufacturing technology-based solutions and systems integration, Benya operates in various ICT verticals.
"Benya represents a long standing dream which was realized in 2017, and driven by a solid belief that digital transformation is an essential pillar to the advancement of any country. Through our 4 subsidiaries established to cater to different ICT verticals, and with an ultimate goal to provide a complete ICT value chain, our primary geographic focus is Africa and the Middle East," explains Mekky.
The entrepreneur is also a board member of the Endeavor Egypt entrepreneurial community. He is also Chairman of Fiber Connect Council MENA, an industry organization that aims to accelerate the availability of fiber-based ultra-high-speed access networks for consumers and businesses.
Before Benya, Ahmed Mekky co-founded Gulf Bridge International (GBI) in 2008, where he was a board member until 2017 and Chairman and CEO until 2015. GBI is a global provider of cloud, connectivity and content services that owns and operates a fully managed, intelligent service network.
The entrepreneur has received several awards for his impact on digital transformation in the MEA region. He received the Industry CEO of the Year award issued in 2020 by Telecom Review. In 2021, he received the Excellence in Digital Transformation Award from Business Today Magazine and the Merit Leader Award from Telecom Review. In 2022, he received the Embracing Modernization Award from Business Today Magazine.
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Through Yoco, a South African payments company, he aims to simplify processes for businesses and offer tools to boost their growth.
Katlego Maphai (photo), a South African tech entrepreneur and University of Cape Town graduate, is the co-founder and CEO of Yoco, a fintech company established in 2013 and officially launched in 2015. Yoco aims to empower entrepreneurs by providing them with innovative business tools and financial services, thereby creating new markets and avenues for success.
Yoco provides small businesses with accessible payment solutions through its Yoco App. This app enables businesses to track payments, monitor sales, and send invoices directly from their smartphones. Additionally, Yoco offers a card dispenser that can be integrated with a tablet to enhance business sales processes.
“Micro and small businesses make up the majority of businesses that drive the majority of employment in the country and contribute at least half of the GDP. And they’re just not being looked after. We just realized that we could have the highest impact on these customers, and founded the company in 2013. But we actually only launched at the end of 2015,” Maphai explained in 2022.
The tech entrepreneur embarked on his professional journey in 2003 as an intern at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). He later served as a consultant at Accenture, a business services and consulting firm, in 2006. In 2008, he joined Delta Partners Group, a telecommunications consulting, corporate finance, and private equity firm. By 2012, he was part of the corporate development team at Rocket Internet, a venture capital firm and online startup incubator.
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