Neo Hutiri (Founder, Pelebox) Neo Hutiri, the South African entrepreneur who created Pelebox (a smart locker dispensing system that enables people living with illnesses, like HIV or AIDS, to collect their repeat chronic medication in under 30 minutes – instead of waiting hours in queues at healthcare facilities) has won a major award for African engineering. After pitching to a group of six judges at a Royal Academy of Engineering ceremony in central London, Hutiri was awarded £50,000 ($63,000) by the Academy , as well as a medal, which was presented by King Charles III’s sister Princess Anne during a…
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Benita Obasuyi (Founder, Benny’s Beading) Founder of Benny’s Beading, Benita Obasuyi, used to play with African beads in Nigeria when she was a teenager. As she got older, the 23-year-old noticed how her skin would negatively react to certain jewelry metals, convincing her that beads, with their uniqueness, durability, comfort and extraordinary colour range, were a better jewelry option. Two years after moving to Indianapolis to be closer to her family, Benita made a bracelet for a friend, whose friends in turn requested to purchase the same bracelet. That was all the motivation she needed, and in early 2022, Ms.…
Olamide Olowe (Founder & CEO of Topicals) Nigerian-American entrepreneur Olamide Olowe has turned the beauty industry on its head in just four short years and even made history in 2022 as the youngest Black woman to raise $10 million in funding. After spending much of her childhood coping with chronic skin conditions like hyperpigmentation, Olamide founded the groundbreaking dermal company Topicals in August 2020 to offer safe, effective products for all skin types. But her early entrepreneurial journey started in 2015 when she co-founded the beauty brand SheaGIRL in partnership with SheaMoisture, which was later acquired by Unilever in 2017. Esthetician-approved Topicals has…
If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, resident in Lagos State (Nigeria), aged between 18 and 35 years, and your business is both sustainable and solving local challenges in the Circular Economy, Agriculture, Health, Tech and Water solution sectors… then, Orange Corners Nigeria has this extraordinary opportunity for you. The Orange Corners Nigeria six-month incubation programme offers the following; 1.Enterprise Development knowledge and capacity building2. Funding of up to 40,000 Euros3. Access to local and international markets4. Access to industry experts and peer learning opportunities5. One on one mentoring To find out more and to begin your application, click on this…
Experienced marketing and communications specialist, Efeturi Doghudje, is thrilled to announce that TGComms, her full-service marketing and corporate communications, is open for business. Serving as Chief Brand Strategist at TGComms, she has the creative oversight of developing innovative and effective marketing strategies for businesses across various industries, helping them reach their target audience and achieve their marketing goals. Efeturi emphasises: “Specialising in crafting and executing powerful marketing and communication strategies, we are ready to elevate your brand”. Ms. Doghudje is armed with extensive experience in marketing, public relations, digital marketing , and branding that span diverse industries including broadcast media,…
Tosin Eniolorunda (Co-Founder & CEO, Moniepoint) 📸Tosin/ Instagram The story of Moniepoint (an all-in-one digital financial services platform for businesses in emerging markets) started, according to Noor Sweid (Founder and Managing Partner at Global Ventures – a UAE-based, growth-stage venture capital firm), in 2015 when Tosin Eniolorunda set his sights firmly on delivering ‘financial happiness’ to businesses and customers across the African continent. 🎥 NoorSweid Says Ms. Sweid: “Initially, he thought that by providing optimised digital infrastructure for banks, he could dramatically improve the banking experience for the range of the bank’s clientele. At the time, Nigeria’s banking system suffered from…
(L-R) Arnelle Ansong and Erika Hairston (Co-Founders, EdLyft) In 2019, Arnelle Ansong and Erika Hairston created Edlyft to support Black university students and adults enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses. Edlyft provided students access to group tutoring and study groups in order to excel in computer science courses. On January 29, 2024, Edlyft announced that Edlyft AI Tutor, its generative AI platform, had been purchased by Google – a purchase that will help the startup scale the number of students it can reach. The news comes after Edlyft first partnered with the tech giant in 2022 for Google Tech…
Josephine Philips (Founder, SOJO) 📸Vogue Josephine Philips launched SOJO in 2021 as the UK’s first clothing repair and alterations app. The London-based fashion-tech platform is re-inventing the clothing repair and tailoring industry, and has recently returned to Oxford Street’s Selfridges on a permanent basis. Says Josephine: “We’re back! SOJO has now launched permanently in Selfridges! Powering clothing repair for this iconic department store. It’s so exciting to be championing repair, alterations and a slower approach to fashion in the heart of one of the biggest shopping destinations. Come find us on Floor 3 and bring any clothes that need some TLC – old, new and…
(L-R): Fola Adeola (Chairman & Founder, FATE Foundation); Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Fola Laoye (Co-Founder & CEO, Iwosan Investments) 📸 Fola Laoye The state-of-the-art hospital at Iwosan Lagoon Hospitals, Victoria Island, was inaugurated on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 – Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu cutting the tape. Says Lola Laoye, Co-Founder & CEO of Iwosan Investments (owners of Lagoon Hospitals): “We have invested in medical infrastructure, technology, and staff development, with our team of hundreds of dedicated professionals committed to world class service. At Iwosan Lagoon Hospital VI, empathy meets cutting-edge technology. Our Centre of Excellence for cardiovascular care…
Eli Pollak (Founder & CEO, Apollo Agriculture) Leading agri-fintech startup, Apollo Agriculture, has secured a US$10 million investment from Swedfund and ImpactConnect to fuel its rapid expansion, enabling increased earnings for farmers, faster adoption of sustainable practices, and increased food security across Africa. Enthused about the partnership, CEO of Apollo Agriculture, Eli Pollak says, “This collaboration with Swedfund and ImpactConnect is a significant milestone for Apollo Agriculture. The investment positions us to rapidly scale our operations, enabling more farmers to access the essential products and financial services they need to feed their families and communities and adapt to climate change.…