Impact Stories from Entrepreneurship Policy Area

Fellow(s): Ichraf Jarray

Country: Tunisia

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Fellow Joins Blackbox Elevate Experience in Brussels

Fellow Ichraf Jarray (Tunisia, 2022), founder of Hive 12 incubator, recently participated in the Blackbox Elevate program in Brussels, Belgium. Held this September, the event convened 20 MENA region directors and more than 15 speakers for a series of discussions centered around collaboration, innovation, and ecosystem growth.
Established in Palo Alto, California in 2011, Blackbox is a platform dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs globally. The Blackbox Elevate initiative, funded by the European Commission with collaboration from nongovernmental organization SPARK, is an exclusive, invitation-only program for leaders of startup organizations. This year’s program welcomed participants from accelerators, incubators, co-working spaces, and universities in Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Tunisia, providing access to expert knowledge and insight from seasoned entrepreneurs and industry specialists.
“The energy and relationships formed during these four days will have a long-lasting effect on our work moving forward,” Ichraf reflected.

Report Date...: 09/23/2024

Fellow(s): Imane Berchane

Country: Morocco

Cohort: 2020-2021

Policy Area(s): Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Fellow selected as 2024-25 Obama Foundation Scholar

Fellow Imane Berchane (Morocco, 2020-2021), co-founder of Robots & More and LOOP for Science & Technology, was recently named a 2024-25 Obama Foundation Scholar at Columbia University.
A tech social entrepreneur and passionate advocate for STEM education, Imane has dedicated her career to promoting gender and social equality across Africa. Through her organizations, Imane has equipped underserved students with future-proof skills by increasing access to STEM education. Her efforts have included partnerships with Morocco’s Ministry of Education and international sponsors, which have helped introduce STEM programs to more than 180 schools, train 500 teachers, and increase girls’ participation in these programs to over 50%. To date, her initiatives have impacted over 21,000 people.
“As the first Moroccan person to be selected for the program, I hope to pave the way for many more and inspire future generations to dare make a change,” Imane shared in a recent post.

Report Date...: 09/16/2024

Fellow(s): Tofara Lindsay Chokera

Country: Zimbabwe

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Fellow appointed to board for COMESA women in business

Fellow Tofara Lindsay Chokera (Zimbabwe, 2022), CEO and Founder of Tofara Online Trust, has been appointed a board member for the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB) Zimbabwe Chapter.
Tofara’s role involves supporting women entrepreneurs and SMEs in adopting digital marketing and tech-driven solutions for business growth. In her capacity as a board member, Tofara aims to encourage the use of technology to unlock new opportunities and drive business efficiency.
COMFWB acts as a forum for the exchange of ideas and experiences among women entrepreneurs across the COMESA (Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa) region.
“Let’s continue to empower, inspire, and transform the business landscape for women in Zimbabwe,” Tofara shared in a recent post.

Report Date...: 09/09/2024

Fellow(s): Basma Ibrahim

Country: Egypt

Cohort: 2023

Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Fellow-founded startup, Trace Education, participates in 3-day bootcamp by Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship

Fellow Basma Ibrahim (Egypt, 2023), CEO and Founder of Trace Education, recently participated in a 3-day bootcamp in Alexandria organized as part of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship in partnership with EdVentures. The event followed a competitive selection process that began in April, drawing applications from 210 startups aiming for a spot in the mentorship program, with 12 finalists ultimately chosen to compete for significant funding. While Trace Education was not among the top 12, it was selected alongside 19 other startups for the bootcamp.
“The mentorship we received during this boot camp was a game-changer, providing us with tools and knowledge that are now integral to our growth and success. We left Alexandria more motivated and better equipped to tackle the challenges ahead,” Basma shared in a recent post.
Trace Education focuses on providing interactive education programs for students aged six to 18, aimed at equipping them with essential skills for today’s job market. The bootcamp offered intensive mentorship and resources that Basma described as pivotal for Trace Education’s development. The experience represents a significant step for Trace Education as it continues to develop solutions that prepare young learners for future challenges in the rapidly changing job landscape.

Report Date...: 08/26/2024

Fellow(s): Solange Kalema

Country: Rwanda

Cohort: 2017

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Fellow moderates Center for a Re-imagined Africa’s Public Sector Symposium with African Leadership University

Fellow Solange Kalema (Rwanda, 2017) recently moderated the Public Sector Symposium, organized by The African Leadership University through the Center for a Re-imagined Africa. Held on July 25, 2024 with the theme “Government Entrepreneurship: Building Africa’s Most Important Products”, the Public Sector Symposium convened industry stakeholders and experts to share insights, best practices and case studies on leveraging leadership, digital technology, and public trust to deliver products that improve the lives of African citizens through government services.

“My key takeaway was the concept of the trust economy and the realization that Africa must move beyond reliance on natural resources,” Solange shared in a recent post. “Instead, we need to focus on building capacities, investing in human capital, especially in developing advanced technology skills, and embracing innovation to strengthen our economies.”

Solange is a business analyst for the Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA) who specializes in data analytics, agile planning and software development, scrum, requirement engineering, and product and service development. She was recently admitted into the entrepreneurship and product innovation program at One League, a global education institution that seeks to equip high-potential changemakers from across the world with an affordable or free ivy league-based curriculum.

Report Date...: 08/12/2024

Fellow announces pre-seed funding round for pwron.ai

Fellow(s): Tatyana Plotnikova

Country: Kazakhstan

Cohort: 2019

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Fellow announces pre-seed funding round for pwron.ai

Fellow Tatyana Plotnikova (Kazakhstan, 2019) recently announced a pre-seed funding round for pwron.ai, an AI-driven market research startup that she co-founded just 6 months ago.
Offering automated insights, expert support, and data visualization, pwron.ai has made significant strides in its first year. The company pivoted in August, launched its minimum viable product in October, and secured its first U.S. sale in January. Based in Delaware and supported by Astana Hub and Silkroad Innovation Hub, pwron.ai has participated in accelerator programs including Draper University’s Hero Training and BetterFuture AI by DOMiNO Ventures. The team is now preparing pilot projects in multiple countries and seeking long-term investors and partners.
In addition to prwon.ai, Tatyana is the founder of PowerOn.space, for marketing and IT professionals.

Report Date...: 01/13/2025

Fellow-mentored Technovation Girls Kenya team is spotlighted in WEF Global Shapers video for app that battles FGM

Fellow(s): Dorcas Owinoh, Asha Panyako (2022, 2023)

Country: Kenya

Cohort: 2022, 2023

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Entrepreneurship

Technovation Girls Team Almasi from Samburu, Kenya, mentored by Fellow Dorcas Owinoh (Kenya, 2023), have recently been spotlighted by the World Economic Forum’s (WEF’s) Global Shapers for the development of their mobile application, End Cut, which simultaneously educates girls on the dangers of female genital mutilation (FGM) while also providing them a global platform for economic empowerment through artisanal sales. App co-creator Rosilla shares her story of being rescued from child marriage at age nine by a doctor from the Samburu Girls Foundation who enrolled her in school. This journey led her to Technovation Girls Team Almasi and the creation of End Cut. This application teaches Samburu girls the health dangers of FGM, which is practiced in part to increase the dowry price of a bride at the negotiation of marriage. The app also provides a global marketplace for the sale of the Samburu’s highly-skilled bead work jewelry, which offers an opportunity to supplement the potential household income losses incurred when sending a girl to school instead of marriage. Dorcas is an eight-year mentor and a regional ambassador for Technovation Girls, a global network of chapters and clubs that unite girls with mentors and ambassadors to solve community problems through technology. Fellow Asha Panyako (Kenya, 2022) also serves as a Technovation Girls mentor and has been key in the development of the Technovation Girls presence in Kenya and Samburu, leveraging funding and support from Global Shapers as a member and past curator of its Nairobi Hub. Global Shapers is a constituent community of the WEF composed of globally-funded networks of young people driving community change through over 500 local hubs worldwide. TechWomen Mentor and Strategic Partnerships Advisor Anar Simpson is Technovation Girls Global Ambassador.

Report Date...: 08/05/2024

Fellow named in Africa’s Top 50 Business Heroes 2024

Fellow(s): Salma Bougarrani (Morocco, 2020-2021)

Country: Morocco

Cohort: 2020-2021

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

Fellow Salma Bougarrani (Morocco, 2020-2021) has recently been named one of Africa’s Top 50 Business Heroes for 2024. Salma is founder and CEO of Green WATECH, a wastewater management company that provides eco-friendly and affordable soil-based filtration and agricultural repurposing systems for decentralized areas. A leading program of the Jack Ma Foundation, the Africa’s Business Heroes competition spotlights and supports African entrepreneurs creating significant community impact and a more inclusive economy for the future. 2024 Emerging Leader Eya Hammouda has also been named. She is managing director of HK Consulting, which specializes in building information modeling (BIM), bridging engineers and stakeholders construction.

Report Date...: 08/05/2024

Fellow named a TED Fellow 2024 for health tech work

Fellow(s): Norah Magero

Country: Kenya

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Public Health

Fellow named a TED Fellow 2024 for health tech work

Fellow Norah Magero (Kenya, 2022), co-founder and CEO of Drop Access Limited, has been selected as a TED Fellow 2024.
Drop Access developed VacciBox, a cold chain solution for delivering heat-sensitive medications to rural communities.
The Ted Fellows Program recognizes professionals who have identified solutions to world changing ideas. They described Norah’s contribution as “connecting the dots between technology, medicine and energy to revolutionize vaccine deliveries in rural Africa” in their selection announcement.
Through the Ted Fellows Program, Norah will have access to tools and training, present her ideas and contributions through TED Talks, and be connected to the TED community.

Report Date...: 04/29/2024

Fellow addresses Kazakh British Technical University

Fellow(s): Chinwendu Nweke

Country: Nigeria

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

Fellow Chinwendu Nweke (Nigeria, 2022) recently delivered a lecture on her journey as a female agricultural entrepreneur at the Kazakh British Technical University (KTBU) in Almaty. She shared her experiences overcoming obstacles faced by women in Nigeria’s agricultural sector—including limited access to resources, land ownership and decision-making processes—to found Bridge Merchant, a successful social enterprise dedicated to connecting smallholder farmers with diverse markets. “During our recent event at KBTU,” an event organizer shared in a recent post, “Chinwendu Nweke enthralled the audience with her remarkable story, unveiling the challenges she faced and the continuous process of learning and unlearning that kept her vision and passion for Bridge Merchant alive.”

Report Date...: 04/22/2024

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