TECH STARS (960)
A computer science graduate with a passion for artificial intelligence, he aims to make education more accessible in Africa. He has received numerous awards and honors for his achievements.
George Boateng (photo) is a Ghanaian computer scientist, engineer, educator, and social entrepreneur. He is the co-founder and CEO of Kwame AI, a tech startup focused on democratizing science and technology education in Africa.
Founded in 2022, Kwame AI (formerly SuaCode.ai) specializes in artificial intelligence. The company supports students, educators, researchers, and legal professionals in enhancing their performance and productivity. It offers EsqAI, an AI-powered legal assistant.
Accessible via a web app, EsqAI enables lawyers and law students in Commonwealth countries to conduct legal research. This assistant combines semantic search with generative AI to answer users’ questions instantly, leveraging its database and aggregated content.
Boateng is also a lecturer at ETH Zurich, a renowned Swiss university known for its expertise in science and technology. Before founding Kwame AI, he co-founded the Nsesa Foundation in 2014, a non-profit organization promoting innovation in Ghana, where he served as president until 2022. He graduated from Dartmouth College in the United States, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 2016. He also holds a master’s in computer engineering from Dartmouth’s Thayer School of Engineering (2017) and a PhD in machine learning from ETH Zurich (2022).
In 2015, he interned as a software engineer at Sapho, a U.S.-based software company, and in 2021, he joined Amazon as an applied scientist. During his internship with the Alexa Edge ML team, he worked on multimodal sarcasm detection for Alexa AI.
His career has garnered significant recognition. In 2021, he was named among MIT Technology Review’s 35 Innovators Under 35. In 2022, he was listed as one of IBM’s “New Creators,” and in 2023, he was featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.
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After gaining several years of experience in France, she returned to Africa to contribute to its development. She is passionate about promoting women's inclusion in the tech industry.
Longa Andrea Mbuyamba (photo), a Côte d'Ivoire-based digital transformation consultant based, is the founder of Abidjanaises In Tech, an organization focused on strengthening and promoting women’s participation in the digital sector in Côte d'Ivoire. Established in 2023, Abidjanaises In Tech aims to inspire, connect, and equip women with the skills needed to thrive in the technology field. Positioned as a business network, the organization aspires to build the largest pool of qualified female tech experts in the country.
"Our goal is to create opportunities, enhance digital skills, and spark interest in tech careers while raising awareness across our ecosystem. We reflect the diversity and dynamism of women from all backgrounds in the STEM universe [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] and work with determination toward a more inclusive, balanced digital future," the organization explains.
Abidjanaises In Tech hosts workshops, experience-sharing sessions, and mentoring programs to develop both technical and leadership skills among its members. It also highlights members' achievements on its communication platforms. Currently, the organization has over 280 members, including 38% professionals and 31% entrepreneurs and startup founders. In its first year, it generated more than fifty opportunities for its members.
Before founding Abidjanaises In Tech, Mbuyamba co-founded Panafrican Stories in 2018, a platform aimed at strengthening connections between Africa and its diaspora by sharing stories and insights on the continent.
Mbuyamba holds a State Certificate in Political Studies, specializing in economic intelligence, earned from Sciences Po Aix in France in 2014. She also obtained a Master’s in Management Science from IESEG School of Management in 2017.
Her professional journey began in 2014 as an account manager assistant at South African PR firm Amplicon PR. In 2017, she interned as a marketing assistant before advancing to project manager at Deloitte France. She later joined Accenture France in 2018 as a digital transformation consultant. From 2021 to 2023, she served as Head of Organization and Change Management for financial institution COFINA Group.
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He harnesses technology to address unmet needs in Algeria. He leads two companies, one of which connects individuals to local and international experts.
Kheireddine Boulefa (photo), an Algerian tech entrepreneur, is the founder and CEO of Moustachir, an online consulting platform that connects users with Algerian experts across various fields, both nationally and internationally.
Founded in 2022, Moustachir enables users to engage with high-level Algerian specialists across diverse sectors, including economics, finance, entrepreneurship, and import-export. The platform also offers technical consulting in web and app development, artificial intelligence, networking, cybersecurity, operating systems, data analysis, and robotics.
In addition, Moustachir provides consultations in social, educational, linguistic, artistic, and media fields. With over 90 consultants, the platform extends services such as business domiciliation, training programs, and coworking space rentals.
Beyond Moustachir, Boulefa is also the CEO of Yinvesti, an Algerian crowdfunding platform that connects entrepreneurs and investors. Prior to founding Moustachir, he launched EURL KHEIROTAXI, a chauffeur-driven vehicle reservation platform, which he led until 2022.
Before his entrepreneurial ventures, Boulefa worked with Oriflame SPO, a beauty products company, joining in 2013 as an agency director in Algeria. In 2017, he became a project manager at BlueGreen Business, a startup incubator, a role he held until 2022.
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He is committed to empowering African youth by providing them with the tools and guidance needed to reach their full potential. Through technology, he has already managed to reach thousands of young people across the continent.
Patrick Ngounou (photo) is the founder and CEO of Student’s Mag, a startup aimed at improving access to education and employment in Africa. A Cameroonian-born, Ngounou envisions making his company an essential partner for African students.
In 2008, Student’s Mag began as a 152-page directory listing training programs available in Cameroon. As demand from parents for educational information grew, Ngounou and his team realized the need for a more sustainable solution. This led to the official launch of the startup Student’s Mag in 2023.
Today, leveraging technology, Student’s Mag connects talent, experts, academic institutions, and businesses across Africa. The platform democratizes access to information and supports young people in their educational and professional journeys. It offers a comprehensive range of school and career guidance services tailored to the needs of African students, helping them make informed choices about their studies and easing their transition into the job market.
Young users can access digital directories of universities, an AI-driven job portal, and scholarship opportunities at partner institutions. Universities, training centers, and companies can also promote themselves through the platform.
"Since our launch, more than 2,000 students have already benefited from our services, finding valuable guidance and resources for their academic and professional paths. This direct impact on the lives of young Africans is the greatest reward for our work," Ngounou told We Are Tech Africa. The startup has already reached over 4,000 young people and lists 1,400 institutions across Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Gabon, and Togo.
Ngounou also has extensive experience in international mobility and entrepreneurship. In 2006, after three years as a junior consultant in international mobility, he founded Advisers Agency, a firm that helps African students pursue studies abroad. In 2012, he expanded his business ventures by launching Advisers Services Sarl, a freight transportation company that has worked with major clients like Guinness, Bolloré, and Fobert Centrafrique.
After completing his baccalaureate, Ngounou studied mathematics for a year at the University of Yaoundé 1. In 2003, he enrolled at Cambridge International College, earning an advanced diploma in finance in 2006. He is currently pursuing a Global International MBA in impact entrepreneurship at the Catholic University of Milan.
An active member of the Junior Chamber International (JCI), Ngounou recently won third place in the 2024 Orange Social Venture Prize for Africa and the Middle East (POESAM) in Cameroon.
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He has over 10 years of experience in industrial operations and digital transformation projects. He leads a startup that leverages technology to revolutionize the agricultural sector.
Amine Derj (photo) is a Moroccan tech entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of Jodoor, an agri-tech startup. Founded in 2021, Jodoor aims to provide Africa and the Middle East with a robust, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural infrastructure to meet the needs of tomorrow's agriculture.
The company offers “turnkey” soil-free farms in Morocco and across the Maghreb region, using technology that reduces water consumption by 80% and enables pesticide-free production, promoting environmentally friendly farming practices. Jodoor supports farmers with sustainable solutions, encourages female inclusion, and also develops agricultural management software and offers technical consulting services.
In addition to Jodoor, Derj is the co-founder and corporate relations lead for the EDHEC Social Impact and Innovation Club, an organization launched in 2018 to advance social impact through innovation. The club collaborates with social organizations to accelerate projects with high social and environmental value.
Derj holds a degree in industrial engineering from the National Institute of Applied Sciences, Centre Val de Loire, obtained in 2013. In 2014, he earned a master’s in project and program management from SKEMA Business School and later, in 2019, completed an MBA at EDHEC Business School in France.
To build his expertise, Derj joined the mobility company Iveco in 2013 as an industrial project engineer. In 2014, he moved to TE Connectivity, where he served as a supply chain analyst for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. From 2021 to 2024, he was head of digital transformation at Infomineo, a firm specializing in outsourcing services such as research, analysis, design, and language support.
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He aims to transform small businesses' access to capital and make financing easier for them. To achieve this, he is relying on technology as a key tool.
Luyanda Jafta (photo), a South African investment expert and entrepreneur, is the founder and CEO of The People’s Fund (TPF), a financial company he established in 2017. TPF operates as a crowdfunding platform that helps businesses raise capital to fulfill government or corporate orders, providing the financial support they need to complete their contracts. The platform also allows individuals to support these businesses' growth, improving their access to financing.
Jafta is also the founder and CEO of The People’s Stokvel, a sister company to TPF, which enables South Africans to invest in small businesses owned by Black entrepreneurs.
In addition, Jafta leads Paybook, a digital agency he founded in 2012. Paybook lets subscribers share brand campaigns on their profiles, earning rewards based on unique visitors, leads, or sales commissions generated for the brands.
As a serial entrepreneur, Jafta’s ventures include Whole In One, a student and youth-focused journal he launched in 2010, and Box A Veg, a home delivery service for organic produce founded in 2016. Box A Veg supports small farmers by providing steady income while offering South Africans an easy way to access healthy foods.
Jafta holds a bachelor’s degree in economics, insurance, and investment from the University of the Witwatersrand, earned in 2011.
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She is a key figure in the DRC's tech and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades.
Medi Kebantima (photo), a Congolese telecommunications engineer and tech entrepreneur, is the founder and CEO of INNOV SARLU, an IT company specializing in engineering and technological innovation projects. INNOV SARLU provides technology training and services in home automation, robotics, artificial intelligence, and IT solutions. One of its flagship products is Kisi App, a digital health solution designed to check the authenticity of medications.
Kisi App leverages artificial intelligence to check medicines for authenticity. It includes an electronic device capable of performing molecular analyses on drugs, with results sent to a dedicated application. This tool is mainly intended for pharmacies, laboratories, customs services, and pharmaceutical inspectors.
Beyond Kisi App, Kebantima has launched Jeuneuriat, a program encouraging youth entrepreneurship in Congo through creative, engaging learning experiences.
Kebantima holds a telecommunications engineering degree from the Higher Institute of Applied Techniques in Kinshasa, completed in 2018, and is currently pursuing a master’s in cybersecurity at the Paris School of Technology & Business. In 2022, she won first prize in the Citypreneurs competition, awarded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and was named a TotalEnergies Startupper of the Year for Best Business Project Idea. Most recently, she was recognized among the “50 femmes qui inspirent” (50 most inspiring woment) in 2024 in the Science and ICT category.
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He envisions a future where everyone, regardless of their location or background, can benefit from technology. To this end, he's providing IT maintenance services to people in the Congo.
Erickson Kayembe (photo) is a Congolese programmer and tech entrepreneur. He is the CEO of Lisungi-Tech, a startup offering a range of services to meet the technological needs of its clients.
Founded in 2023, Lisungi-Tech provides in-home tech support for Congolese clients, addressing issues with devices and equipment. With a team of skilled and experienced technicians, the startup resolves a variety of problems, from hardware failures and software issues to Internet connectivity challenges.
"Our company was created in response to a growing need for tech support among older people. We understand that technology evolves quickly and can be hard to keep up with. That's why we’re here to support you and make technology easier," the company states.
Lisungi-Tech technicians visit clients’ homes to assess and resolve their tech issues on-site. The company also offers personalized training services to help Congolese users make the most of their tech products.
In addition, Erickson Kayembe serves as CEO of Congo-Spotlight, an organization dedicated to promoting Congolese talents and entrepreneurs it believes deserve recognition.
Kayembe, currently studying web project management at Leadership Academia University, is also the founder of Vision-X Corp in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Launched in 2020, Vision-X Corp specializes in web development, helping companies, agencies, and organizations digitalize their services.
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A software engineer with years of experience at major tech companies, including Mozilla, he's now an entrepreneur working on his second startup.
Remy Muhire (photo) is a Rwandan computer scientist and tech entrepreneur. He is the co-founder and CEO of Pindo, a startup that enhances digital accessibility, particularly for those with limited literacy or technological skills.
Founded in 2020 by Muhire and Eugène Rwagasore, Pindo aims to revolutionize communication in Africa through voice-based artificial intelligence (AI). Their technology enables businesses to reach and engage millions of people in their native languages. Pindo’s AI solution converts written text into a natural-sounding voice in Kinyarwanda, Swahili, and Luganda.
Muhire is also a member of forLoop Africa, a network of software developers and tech enthusiasts across the continent. Before founding Pindo, he co-founded Exuus Ltd in 2016, a company specializing in big data. He served as Chief Technology Officer there until 2018 and remained on its board until 2020.
A computer science graduate from the University of Rwanda, Muhire began his professional career in 2012 at Digital Creations, a creative agency, where he was lead software engineer. In 2014, he became a senior software engineering consultant at Oxfam, the nonprofit dedicated to combating poverty.
In 2018, he joined Progate, an online coding education platform, where he managed growth and community engagement across Africa. In 2020, he was recruited by Mozilla, the technology company, to serve as a community manager specializing in voice technology—a role he held until 2022.
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She has over 10 years of experience in digital marketing and data management. As an entrepreneur, she strives to help organizations deliver the best services to underserved communities.
Sandra Awilli (photo) is a Ugandan serial entrepreneur. She is the founder and CEO of ShareCARD, a startup that leverages digital technology to support vulnerable populations across Africa.
Founded in 2022, ShareCARD aims to enhance the effectiveness of development projects by providing real-time data, accountability tracking tools, and impact mapping services. The platform enables users to streamline processes, optimize resources, and make well-informed decisions.
ShareCARD simplifies data collection, verification, and analysis, giving organizations up-to-date insights on beneficiaries' access to programs, which allows for swift responses to identified needs.
Before ShareCARD, Sandra Awilli founded Boldite Ltd in 2016, a digital marketing and creative agency that helps African businesses expand into online markets. In 2017, she launched PADShare Uganda, a tech startup focused on improving access to essential menstrual hygiene products.
Sandra Awilli holds a certification in social media training from Kyambogo College School, earned in 2012. Her career began in 2013 as a digital marketing manager for beverage brands Bell Lager and Smirnoff, as well as for Centenary Bank. From 2021 to 2022, she worked as a project manager for Africa 118 in Uganda, a Canadian company specializing in digital marketing, website design, and data services.
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He has over 25 years of experience in developing digital services in Africa. His innovative solutions have earned him numerous awards and distinctions, both nationally and internationally.
Jil-Alexandre N’Dia (photo) is an Ivorian entrepreneur and the co-founder of Weblogy, a fintech and digital media group that aims to accelerate digital transformation across Africa.
Founded in 1998, Weblogy provides digital services primarily in French-speaking Africa, creating websites, mobile applications, and online marketing campaigns that deliver commercial advantages for businesses and brands. The company’s mission is to support African nations' development by integrating new technologies.
Beyond digital activities, Weblogy also offers consulting services and provides co-working spaces for startups to help them develop their projects. It is also committed to promoting financial inclusion and meeting the growing need for fast, secure payment solutions. Since 2016, it has offered Abidjan.net-branded prepaid VISA cards, designed in partnership with VISA and local banks. These reloadable e-wallets do not require a bank account. To simplify online payments, Weblogy also launched an application called APAYM, a portal that enables users to manage their Abidjan.net cards along with other domestic and international bank cards.
To date, Weblogy has completed more than 3,000 web and mobile projects for a portfolio of over 700 international clients. The company operates an independent ad network covering 48 countries, reaching over 20 million unique visitors per month, and is present in 11 countries through six offices and six commercial representations.
Jil-Alexandre N’Dia is also the president of the NGO J’aime Jacqueville, which promotes financial inclusion in rural areas, the spread of new technologies, and health and wellness initiatives. Additionally, he serves as vice president of the Kaydan Foundation. Founded by a group of Ivorian entrepreneurs, this organization seeks to foster a strong entrepreneurial culture in Africa, particularly in Côte d’Ivoire.
N’Dia holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Systems Management from Indiana University Bloomington, earned in 1999. He was honored with the Ivorian President's Youth Entrepreneurship Excellence Award in 2013 and received the second prize for Communication Development in 2019.
He is an Officer of the National Order of Côte d’Ivoire and of the Order of Ivorian Merit. In 2021, he received the award for Best Fintech in Francophone Africa, presented by Global Technology Partners in partnership with Visa. In 2022, N’Dia was promoted to Commander of the Order of Merit for Posts and Telecommunications in Côte d’Ivoire.
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A serial entrepreneur, he has already founded three companies in the science and technology sector. His latest startup aims to simplify payment processes for businesses.
Mohamed Abdelmottaleb (photo) is an Egyptian serial entrepreneur, managing partner, and founder of XPay, a fintech company focused on digital transformation and financial empowerment.
Founded in 2018, XPay aims to enhance quality of life by offering a suite of solutions to streamline financial management. The platform enables businesses to handle various payment types with ease, providing multiple transaction options and complete control through a unified dashboard.
XPay also simplifies end-to-end event management for organizers, covering everything from event creation to ticket sales and providing unique payment links to facilitate transactions. Its innovative payment gateway is adaptable for businesses of all sizes, enabling a smooth, simplified payment process for online operations.
Before founding XPay, Abdelmottaleb launched SabryCorp Ltd in 2006, a company dedicated to improving living conditions in developing countries through science and innovation. In 2011, he co-founded Trendak, a firm specializing in data analytics and artificial intelligence.
Abdelmottaleb graduated from Ain Shams University with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1997 and earned a Ph.D. in nanotechnology from KU Leuven, a leading multidisciplinary research university in Belgium, in 2002.
In 2004, he joined Chemnitz University of Technology in Germany as a senior researcher, and in 2009, he became an assistant professor at Nile University in Egypt. There, he founded the Nanotechnology Center and led the university’s nanotechnology master’s program for five years.
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Passionate about entrepreneurship, he leverages technology to help farmers grow their businesses. He also provides communities with opportunities to invest in agriculture and livestock sectors.
Ntuthuko Shezi (photo) is a South African serial entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Livestock Wealth, an agrifinance company.
Founded in 2015, Livestock Wealth offers a digital platform that connects potential investors with certified farmers who own cattle, macadamia trees, or farmland. The start-up facilitates investment agreements, ensuring transparency and trust between all parties involved. Through this model, Livestock Wealth recruits qualified farmers who, with the invested capital, manage assets on behalf of investors to achieve expected returns, allowing clients to invest in tangible, sustainable assets.
In 2020, the company introduced the Farmers Club Meat Box, an e-commerce service that allows customers to purchase grass-fed beef through its online platform.
Before founding Livestock Wealth, Ntuthuko Shezi co-founded Imfundo in 2003, serving as CEO until 2007. Imfundo was a math and science school offering supplementary Saturday education to students from Alexandra and Soweto.
Shezi graduated from the University of Cape Town in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in electromechanical engineering. His professional career began in 2002 at Accenture, a global management and technology consulting firm, where he worked as a strategy consultant.
In 2006, he became CEO of Scratch Mobile, an airport-based car panel cutting and spray-painting business. From 2014 to 2016, he worked as a program manager at Connectivity, Entrepreneurship, Energy, and Education for Entrepreneurship (CE3), an initiative aimed at stimulating local economic activity in South Africa.
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After studying finance, he gained several years of experience working in various companies. He now leverages technology to offer financial solutions to communities.
Tshepo Moloi (photo) is a South African entrepreneur and expert in finance and economics. He is the founder and CEO of Stokfella, a fintech startup launched in 2016.
Stokfella was born from the idea of modernizing collective savings and fostering community growth. By combining technology, finance, and cooperative economics, the startup aims to transform how South Africans save and build wealth in groups. Stokfella simplifies the management of rotating savings groups by enabling organizers to create groups, set savings goals, make secure payments, and track collective financial progress. The platform also offers tutorials and expert advice to support users on their shared savings journey.
Moloi holds multiple degrees from the University of Johannesburg. In 2009, he earned a master’s in mechanical engineering. In 2010, he completed a master’s in business management, accounting economics, and corporate law, followed by a master’s in finance in 2018.
His career began in 2008 as a lecturer at the University of Johannesburg. In 2011, he joined South African financial firm Nedbank, initially as a pricing specialist. He went on to serve as manager of pricing initiatives and reviews and later as a strategic analyst.
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