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HERE'S WHAT
HAPPENED

AT SEEDS THINK TANK 2021

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Nothing can replace human interaction, but the power of online allowed us to bring details of SEEDS activities to the diaspora and share lessons learned from the NABIKO mentoring program 2019/2020 around the world.

The SEEDS network hosted the Think Tank 2021, a live-digital conference held under the theme of “Innovative startup mentoring in Africa from the diaspora”. This event engaged leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and relevant key players as they discussed the bridging factors for sustainable development amid investments in Africa. The conference was held in Munich, March 27, 2021, with speakers joining physically and virtually from different continents.

Thank you for participating in this first edition of the SEEDS´ live-digital events. If you would like to watch the sessions again, the event is available here.

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WHAt we talked 
about

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3 hours, 5 key themes, 3 continents, over 80 participants, discussions, keynotes, and fireside chats facilitated by journalist Liz Shoo to focus on sharing, supporting, empowering, developing, and enabling unleashing potential of African entrepreneurs and leaders. Interactive exchanges through break-out sessions and chats with SEEDS moderators, Thierry Djeumo, Dr Jules Keghié, and Papdo Kouam targeted operating models for the investment in Africa, relevant incentives for better entrepreneurship, and also leveraging mentorship. The results of these exchanges, as well as the interaction through surveys and the panel discussion with Tara Méité (Afrika Verein), Prof. Solomon Agbo (Research Center Julich), Eric Ntonfo (Fiatope), Benjamin Ngongang (O'Botama), helped to collect some important quotes.

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And when it comes to take action, participants mentioned a lot of obstacles that economically prevent from investing in Africa.

Certainly Prof. Solomon Agbo showed his understanding for this problematic thus he said 

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The actual COVID-19 pandemic has unveiled many new business models around the world again supporting the idea that well in the midst of the biggest challenges, innovation can follow and change the course of things provided we take the right steps.

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It was all about MORE

AND ALSO networking,

growing together

Join us @ SEEDS investing with your skills, finances, time as a VOLUNTEER, INVESTOR, PARTNER, or just be part of our network. LETS's GROW TOGETHER!

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Follow us on social media here

- Improving African entrepreneurship should not focus only on mentoring for knowledge transfer between African entrepreneurs and African experts acting locally as well as in the diaspora, but as summarized by Dr Jules Keghié -

- investing in promising businesses in Africa is the key to sustainable development. Due diligence is important, and as Liz Shoo mentioned, investing is definitely about taking risks. But in the end as Tara Méité once again pointed out, -

OPENING REMARKS - SEEDS VISION

© 2021 by SEEDS e.V.

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The boot camp started with a welcome day opened to the public on 24 February 2020 that was attended by young startups, experienced entrepreneurs, university responsibles, social influencers, journalists, entertainers and more.  During the second part of this event, from 25 - 28 February, 10 previously selected startups could see their projects accelerated in closed working sessions with African experts and mentors operating locally in Cameroon and in the diaspora.

© 2020 by SEEDS e.V. - mboamind.com 

WELCOME DAY

Several important actors who planned and realized the NABIKO project were present. These were:

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• Representatives of the CIM-GIZ, the German government's competence center in charge of sponsoring this program, Brice Chuepo

• The-SEEDS.net team, with Steve Pentang, together with Dr. Armel Djeukou, Blandine Nganso, and Dr. Gael Tchoukio

• The O'BOTAMA incubator, acting as the local partner implementing the mentoring program in Cameroon with Raissa Yossa and Benjamin Ngongang

• Most importantly African experts from the diaspora in fields of informatics, healthcare, finances, marketing, transportation, telecommunication and more who serve also as mentors: Papdo Kouam, Dr. Randolf Odi, Evariste Happi, Merlin Tonka.

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Opening the boot camp week at the Welcome day, SEEDS co-founder, Dr. Gael Tchoukio insisted on the main goal of the program focussed on knowledge transfer for accelerating projects of young entrepreneurs in Cameroon particularly and Africa in general.

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This is just were CIM's representative, Brice Chuepo, took on to recall their reasons for sponsoring the NABIKO project.

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Towards the day, keynote speakers addressed the startups, offering advice and valuable insights in entrepreneurship. The first keynote was given by 'Les frères Bélibi' from the startup PNEUPUR showcasing their journey as entrepreneurs in Cameroon acting at an innovative, international level. They were followed by the speaker Rollin Foko, business development expert and promoter of M2B Conseils in Douala. In a short time, he could highlight the added value of experienced local entrepreneurs for coaching. 

Later, keynote speaker, Papdo Kouam was interacting with the audience on how to pitch. He brilliantly delivered one of the most important key messages of the NABIKO boot camp in just four letters. This is what every entrepreneur should always have in mind when presenting his idea.

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Finally, the day ended with an informal drink with finger food and a chance to network.

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ROLLING UP THE SLEEVES THROUGH THE WEEK

The rest of the week was devoted to an intensive schedule of presentations, workshops, and inspirational talks. All material was carefully designed to help startups get the most out of their time in the boot camp. The 10 selected startups were: BABYCARE, BOOKBOOKSHOP, MUYANG CORNER (MC), DJAM TECHNOLOGIES, YEMA, OUICARE, GENERAL BIOTECH, ETS GLORIA, YABAIN, CHAMELEON.

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Mentors acting as expert professionals in top tech companies around the world got the chance to learn more about the Cameroonian entrepreneur's ecosystem.  Dr. Randolph Odi operating as a mentor from Switzerland mentioned:

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And for him, as a native from Cote d'Ivoire, coming to Cameroon for the NABIKO boot camp just showed that AFRICA IS ONE.

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Different themes were tackled, including internationalization, funding, mindset, marketing, security, law, and exits. It was a tiring week, but well worth it. Startups came away with a solid knowledge base, skills, and connections to help them accelerate their projects. In the words of one startup:

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The rest of the startups agreed. Participants were asked to fill out a survey – necessary to get their feedback on the value of this approach and guaranty constant improvement.

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Startups and mentors met each other for the first time on Welcome Day. So one of the prior well-communicated goals of the boot camp week was also to help startups get a better version of their projects and themselves as entrepreneurs. They had to use the gathered knowledge to better “sell” their startup idea — they had already been selected for the program, after all — but rather had to demonstrate what, exactly, their startup does. Thursday afternoon, startups gave their final pitches. Beginning from PowerPoint presentations and market projections, they had the possibility to show off dashboards, give live demonstrations, and reveal the day-to-day of their product.

So during a mentor unveiling ceremony, that we thought should be one of the more dramatic moments of the week - but it was not, rather very funny - 6 startups ready for acceleration were assigned to mentors for 8 months and 4 of them ready for incubation could directly start in the program of O'BOTAMA.

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At the end of the week, the boot camp rates were very positive, meaning for us the startups took away a lot of value from technical notes of mentors Merlin Tonka on the lifecycle of product manufacturing and Evariste Happi on the up-to-date topic of IT-security and cyber criminality.

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Motivational inputs of Ruth Tembe didn't only uplift the natural advantage of women in entrepreneurship but also highlighted the value of mentoring as a key success factor for young entrepreneurs.

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WHAT’S NEXT?

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On the last day, startups hopped on trains or caught busses back to their home cities. NABIKO boot camp program is “delocalized,” meaning that startups don’t have to move to a new place in order to continue the mentoring program. They can strengthen the Cameroonian startup ecosystem without disrupting their local network.

Over the next eight months, the startups will communicate with their mentors via online platforms to set goals, measure progress, and grow, grow, grow!

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The first Think-Tank event of THE SEEDS took place in Douala on 21 July 2018 at ACTIVSPACES in Cameroon. 4 startups actually incubating there pitched their digital solutions to an audience of young entrepreneurs and interested leaders. 

Rebecca Enonchong, CEO of ACTIVSPACES gave a great opening to the Think-Tank session motivating young people to take responsibilities and bring innovative solutions to the problems within their local communities as entrepreneurs and leaders.