As a co-founder and CEO of Faithful, a startup established in 2020, Mbiapa has leveraged his technical skills to create cutting-edge digital platforms and applications that aim to improve access to services and drive economic growth in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and beyond.

His work spans various industries, from education to fashion and finance, with a central focus on building digital infrastructure that enhances daily life for Africans.

Faithful’s core mission is to use technology to solve everyday problems that hinder development across Africa.

Under Mbiapa’s leadership, the company has created a number of innovative solutions tailored to local needs.

One of their flagship products is Newmed, a software that simplifies the registration process for medical entrance exams at the University of Kinshasa, ensuring a more efficient and streamlined experience for students.

Another notable creation is Lata, a social network dedicated to fashion. It allows users to connect, share, and promote fashion trends across the continent.

In addition, Faithful developed Smart Couture App, which helps tailors manage orders, products, and deliveries with greater ease and organization​

In 2021, Mbiapa co-founded Express App, a mobile application that allows users to access mobile banking and financial services without an internet connection, targeting areas with limited or no internet access.

This innovation is particularly significant in regions where financial inclusion remains a challenge due to infrastructure gaps.

Express App has made a meaningful impact in the DRC and Central Africa by enabling users to perform essential transactions like mobile money transfers, thereby contributing to economic empowerment and greater access to financial services​

Mbiapa also ventured into secure communication technologies by co-founding Masolo, a free instant messaging app that offers end-to-end encrypted services.

This app provides users in the DRC with a reliable and private platform for messaging, voice calls, video calls, and file transfers.

Masolo’s commitment to ensuring communication confidentiality resonates with the growing need for digital security across Africa​

With an extensive background in law, governance, and strategic management, Victoria has built a reputation for driving innovation and creating meaningful change in Africa’s agricultural, renewable energy, and climate resilience sectors.

She began her career in the legal sector, where she honed her skills in governance, regulatory frameworks, and corporate affairs.

She joined AECF, initially serving as Legal Counsel and Corporate Affairs Director, a position where she played a critical role in shaping the organization’s strategic direction and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

Her understanding of legal frameworks allowed her to effectively bridge the gap between governance and the organization’s broader mission of reducing poverty and empowering African enterprises.

As the CEO of AECF, Victoria leads a team dedicated to providing catalytic funding to private sector businesses across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Under her leadership, AECF has significantly scaled its operations, impacting over 30 countries and benefiting millions of rural households.

The organization focuses on supporting businesses that address critical social challenges, such as food security, access to renewable energy, and climate adaptation, particularly in marginalized and underserved communities.

She is passionate about fostering innovation in the private sector to create scalable, sustainable solutions that drive socio-economic development.

Victoria’s leadership is driven by a deep commitment to solving pressing issues such as poverty, food insecurity, and lack of access to sustainable energy.

Through AECF, she aims to drive Economic Empowerment by funding small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that operate in rural and underserved areas.

She is also committed to gender inclusivity, ensuring that women-led businesses and initiatives are given the resources and support needed to thrive.

Under Victoria’s leadership, AECF has recorded impressive milestones, including supporting over 400 enterprises across Africa, with investments totaling more than $356 million.

Her leadership and contributions to sustainable development in Africa have seen her win numerous accolades, including being listed among the Top 100 Most Influential African Women by the Avance Media Group.

With over a decade of experience in economics and finance, Tunji has become a respected figure in the Nigerian financial ecosystem for his ability to communicate complex economic concepts in a relatable and accessible manner.

He is dedicated to solving critical socio-economic challenges in Africa, primarily through increasing financial literacy and creating inclusive financial solutions.

Tunji’s journey into economics and financial advocacy began with his academic background in economics.

He developed a passion for financial empowerment early in his career, realizing the massive gap in financial literacy across Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

As he gained experience in both the private and public sectors, he became increasingly focused on addressing the barriers that prevent many Africans, particularly in the informal sector, from accessing financial services and securing a stable financial future.

Andrews is the co-founder of Awabah, a fintech company that provides pension solutions tailored for Africa’s informal workforce.

In Africa, over 80% of the working population is employed in the informal sector, where traditional pension schemes and social safety nets are largely inaccessible.

Awabah was created to address this significant gap by offering flexible pension plans for informal workers, ensuring they can save for retirement despite their irregular income streams.

Through Awabah, Tunji is working to bring financial security to millions of Africans who have been historically excluded from formal financial systems.

By leveraging digital technology and developing easy-to-use platforms, Awabah enables informal sector workers to plan for their retirement, making it possible for more people to achieve long-term financial stability.

Beyond financial literacy, Tunji is also an advocate for economic policy reforms that promote financial inclusion and sustainable development.

He regularly participates in discussions on Nigeria’s economic future, engaging with policymakers, financial institutions, and the private sector to advocate for reforms that support a more inclusive financial system.

Tunji has been involved in multiple forums and roundtable discussions aimed at addressing the challenges of Nigeria’s economy, including unemployment, inflation, and the impact of fiscal policies on everyday citizens.

His work has garnered recognition both within and outside Nigeria.

He has received awards for his contributions to financial literacy and fintech innovation, particularly for his efforts with Awabah in bringing pension solutions to Africa’s informal workforce. Some of his notable achievements include:

In 2022, he was feted with the Financial Inclusion Award for his work with Awabah in providing pension solutions to informal workers across Nigeria.

He is the co-founder and CEO of Kumulus Water, a company that develops innovative solutions to address the global water crisis by converting air into clean drinking water using solar-powered technology.

His work aims to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of the modern era: providing sustainable access to potable water, particularly in regions facing severe droughts and water stress, such as North Africa and the Middle East.

Born and raised in Tunisia, Iheb was acutely aware of the impacts of water scarcity, as the region suffers from periodic droughts and a growing demand for water resources.

His passion for solving real-world challenges led him to pursue an extensive academic career.

He earned his Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley, and prior to that, he studied at the prestigious École Polytechnique in France, where he specialized in mechanical engineering and economics.

Before founding Kumulus Water, Iheb built an impressive career in the fields of consulting, finance, and renewable energy.

He began his professional journey at The Boston Consulting Group, where he worked on strategic projects across various industries.

His experience in private equity spans nearly seven years, during which he specialized in renewable energy and infrastructure investments across the Middle East and Africa.

As executive Director at Swicorp, he oversees sustainable infrastructure investments, particularly focusing on developing and operating assets in the energy and water sectors.

Iheb also served as an advisor to the Tunisian Ministry of Energy and played a key role in shaping renewable energy policies.

In 2021, Iheb co-founded Kumulus Water with the mission of delivering a groundbreaking technology capable of providing safe, clean drinking water by extracting moisture from the air.

The startup’s flagship product is a solar-powered atmospheric water generator that captures air, filters it, and condenses the humidity into drinkable water.

The machine produces 20 to 30 liters of water per day, and its reliance on solar energy makes it highly sustainable and ideal for remote or off-grid areas.

This solution addresses critical challenges in both water access and climate change by reducing the need for plastic water bottles and eliminating greenhouse gas emissions from water transportation.

Kumulus Water’s technology has attracted attention for its potential to serve millions of people globally who are living in water-scarce regions.

According to UN estimates, over 2 billion people worldwide experience water stress. Iheb’s innovation presents a concrete, scalable solution to one of humanity’s greatest challenges.

Iheb’s leadership and vision have earned him several accolades. In 2021, he was recognized by the Choiseul Institute as one of the Top 100 Young African Leaders, a prestigious honor highlighting his contributions to innovation and sustainability.

His company has also gained international recognition, securing substantial funding to scale its operations.

A graduate of the University of Nairobi, where he earned a degree in Development Communication, Oyamo is committed to using innovation to solve global problems, particularly those related to sustainability and waste management in the textile industry.

At Rethread Africa, Oyamo and his team are working on creating sustainable, bio-based synthetics from waste products like sugarcane and corn.

These agricultural by-products, which are often discarded, are transformed into high-performance textile fibers.

The fabrics produced by Rethread Africa are biodegradable, meaning they naturally decompose, significantly reducing their environmental impact compared to traditional synthetic materials like polyester.

This approach contributes to the circular economy by repurposing waste, reducing reliance on non-renewable resources, and lowering carbon emissions by up to 80% while using 99% less water than conventional cotton production.

Oyamo’s work addresses critical issues in the fashion industry, which is notorious for its high environmental impact, particularly in terms of water use, pollution, and waste.

By offering sustainable alternatives, Rethread Africa seeks to reduce the fashion industry’s ecological footprint and promote planet-positive solutions.

Oyamo’s innovative approach has garnered significant international attention and accolades.

In 2023, he was named one of the winners of the Global Change Award, an initiative by the H&M Foundation that supports groundbreaking innovations aimed at transforming the fashion industry.

Additionally, in 2022, Rethread Africa was one of the 13 winners of the Make It Circular Challenge, an innovation competition organized by What Design Can Do and the IKEA Foundation.

Oyamo is driven by a passion for sustainability and social impact. His vision for Rethread Africa is not only to reduce waste but also to create new economic opportunities, especially for small-holder farmers who supply agricultural waste to the company.

As the founder and CEO of Kosmotive, a social enterprise established in 2014, she has dedicated her career to addressing critical issues related to menstrual hygiene and women’s health access in Rwanda.

Born and raised in the northern province of Rwanda, Blandine’s journey into social entrepreneurship was shaped by her personal experiences with the challenges women face regarding reproductive health.

Blandine began her career as an intern at Contact FM radio station and later worked at the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency.

Her background in communication and technology played a crucial role in her decision to establish Kosmotive, aiming to provide sustainable health solutions for women.

Under her leadership, Kosmotive has launched several innovative products, including the KosmoPad—an eco-friendly and affordable sanitary pad that has been distributed to over 54,000 girls.

This initiative helps girls continue their education during menstruation, thus combating period poverty.

In addition to the KosmoPad, Blandine has developed the KosmoHealth App, which offers vital information for pregnant women and connects them with healthcare services.

Blandine’s mission is rooted in the belief that access to reproductive health information and sustainable hygiene products is a fundamental right for every woman.

Through Kosmotive, she strives to tackle the systemic issues of period poverty, which affects many girls and women across sub-Saharan Africa.

Currently, her initiatives aim to produce reusable sanitary pads that not only reduce environmental waste but also provide substantial cost savings for women.

Blandine’s work has garnered significant recognition both locally and internationally. She was named one of the Top 50 African Business Heroes in 2021 and has been a finalist in various prestigious competitions.

He is the founder and CEO of Masseka Game Studio, a pioneering gaming company that creates video games rooted in African culture, history, and folklore.

Kossoko’s mission is to break the stereotypes surrounding Africa in the global tech and entertainment industries by offering authentic, culturally enriched gaming experiences that celebrate the continent’s rich heritage.

Born and raised in the Central African Republic, Kossoko was always fascinated by technology and storytelling.

He pursued studies in computer science in France, where he became passionate about using his technical skills to share African stories with a global audience.

His background, deeply rooted in African traditions, motivated him to create digital products that would serve as a bridge between African culture and modern technology.

In 2018, Kossoko founded Masseka Game Studio with a vision to transform how African narratives are portrayed in the gaming industry.

The studio’s name, “Masseka,” comes from the Sango word meaning “tales,” reflecting his goal to tell African stories through video games.

Kossoko’s studio focuses on mobile gaming, a strategic choice given the increasing penetration of smartphones across Africa.

One of his studio’s flagship creations is “Kissoro Tribal Game,” inspired by one of the oldest strategy games in Africa.

The game highlights the depth of African intellectual tradition, providing a platform for players to experience African strategic thinking while simultaneously learning about African cultures.

“Kissoro” became a breakthrough in the gaming world, receiving acclaim for how it combined tradition with modern gameplay mechanics.

Teddy Kossoko aims to tackle two major challenges: the underrepresentation of Africa in the global gaming and tech industries and the stereotypes often associated with African content.

Through his work, he seeks to change African Representation in Tech and Gaming and empower African creators.

Kossoko has received international recognition for his efforts to elevate African voices in the gaming world.

His work with “Kissoro Tribal Game” garnered attention from both gaming communities and cultural advocates, earning awards and nominations at various gaming and tech conferences.

His innovative approach has also sparked conversations about how technology can be used to combat cultural erasure and promote diversity.

She is the founder and CEO of Ambani Africa, a pioneering technology company that focuses on revolutionizing education by creating digital learning tools aimed at African children.

Lambani’s work centers around solving a significant challenge: the underrepresentation of African languages in educational content, particularly in the digital space.

Born and raised in South Africa, Lambani witnessed firsthand the linguistic diversity of the country and the continent.

Her passion for languages and education was cultivated from an early age, as she recognized the importance of maintaining cultural identity through language.

This realization would later drive her career, inspiring her to blend technology and education to preserve African languages for future generations.

Lambani founded Ambani Africa with a mission to create digital content that empowers African children to learn in their mother tongues.

The company’s platform offers a range of interactive educational tools, including mobile apps, games, and augmented reality experiences.

These tools are designed to make learning African languages fun, engaging, and accessible to children across the continent.

Through Ambani Africa, Lambani has developed educational content in multiple African languages, including isiZulu, isiXhosa, Tshivenda, and more, filling a critical gap in multilingual education.

Her work addresses a key issue: the lack of high-quality, engaging educational resources in indigenous African languages.

Many children in Africa are forced to learn in non-native languages, which can hinder their comprehension and academic success.

Ambani Africa is working to shift this narrative by providing learning tools that help children understand and express themselves in their native languages, thereby promoting literacy, cognitive development, and cultural pride.

Lambani has been recognized for her contributions to education and technology in Africa, winning several awards for innovation in edtech and social impact.

She continues to expand Ambani Africa’s reach, aiming to include more African languages and integrate more advanced technology like augmented reality and artificial intelligence to enhance the learning experience.

Her work is setting a precedent for how technology can be used to solve culturally significant challenges in education, positioning her as a leader in Africa’s growing tech and innovation landscape.