2023 winners

Sokayna Bellam

Morocco

AFRISE Challenge was a remarkable experience. The opportunity to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs, who share our vision of building a better future for Africa, made this experience inspiring.

About Sokayna Bellam

Sokayna is an agronomy engineer whose work on aquaponicsin a closed loop system to find solutions for farmers who face climate change issues.

As one of the Co-Founders and R&D leaders of the startup Jodoor acting as R&D leader, Sokayna is dedicated to democratizing soilless controlled environment agriculture for Africa.

Sokayna’s motivation comes from bettering human conditions by creating constructive and sustainable change for other people.

About Jodoor

Jodoor is an AgriTech startup that seeks to build Morocco's and Africa's climate resilience by democratizing soilless controlled environment agriculture.

Jodoor allows farmers to earn a sustainable income while limiting the impacts of climate change and the drudgery of work, allowing more women to play an active role in the agricultural sector. It aims to scale through a franchise model to maximize impact on farmers & consumers in Africa.

Rukayat Bello

Nigeria

Addressing the major challenges of financial exclusion in Africa by providing access to financial and social services, business support and advisory and creating data

About Rukayat

Rukayat is the founder and CEO of Regxta. She has B.sc degree from Kwara State University where she graduated as one of the best and respected students in the school.

As a member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), she has over 6 years of experience in banking, auditing and finance.

Rukaya has attended several training sessions in sales & marketing, business development & strategy implementation and has exceptional Skills in credit analysis, front engineering and digital marketing.

About Regxta

Regxta is an inclusive digital platform that provides quick, easy and simple access to financial services for the unbanked people and micro businesses in rural and peri-urban communities in Africa, including internally displaced people and refugees. Its mobile app is powered by advanced data science and artificial intelligence that instantly underwrites and disburses loans to people who have no borrowing history.

Amadou Dieng

Senegal

It is an honour to be part of the AFRISE Challenge. Thank you for this extraordinary opportunity.

About Amadou

Amadou Dieng, CEO of Buur Logistics, is a logistics specialist who graduated from Trainmar Centre in Dakar with a degree in logistics and port management, as well as in international trade and logistics development.

He has built up solid experience in companies such as Consortium Sénégalais des Activités Maritime (COSAMA), which manages the Dakar/ Ziguinchor maritime link, DHL, one of the leaders in international transport, and Kamtar, an Ivorian logistics start-up.

Amadou Dieng founded Buur Logistics at the end of 2021, a Senegalese start-up operating in the transport and logistics sector, which won the award for the most innovative supply chain start-up in Senegal.

About Buur Logistics

Buur Logistics is a trucking platform of more than 3000 African service providers of road haulers and shippers on the Maghreb/ West Africa corridors using a network of loading and unloading zones.

Brian Ndege

Kenya

AFRISE has been an incredible opportunity, providing us with invaluable support, mentorship and resources to accelerate our growth and impact in the education sector. Being part of this esteemed cohort has allowed us to gain insights from industry experts, further fueling our commitment to revolutionize education in sub-Saharan Africa.

About Brian

As a child, Brian faced frequent interruptions to his education due to financial difficulties which fueled his determination to overcome obstacles and instilled in him a problem-solving mindset. This has been invaluable throughout his life. With the help of various scholarships, he successfully completed his bachelor's degree in financial economics and further pursued his studies with an Executive Certificate of Proficiency in Insurance.

Beginning his professional journey in the finance department of a pay-as-you-go solar company, he gained a unique perspective on the importance of credit and savings.

As the founder of Karopay, Brian brings together his diverse background in financial economics, insurance proficiency, and real-world experience in the finance industry. He is dedicated to providing innovative solutions that address the credit and savings needs of individuals and businesses alike.

About Karopay

Karopy is an educational technology company in Kenya that is revolutionizing education in sub-Saharan Africa. Products include a mobile app and USSD service enabling parents to save, pay, access credit, and transfer funds for education. Karopay has achieved has won Africa's Talking Hackathon and the Bimalab incubation program.

Olalekan Salami

Nigeria

By giving me the opportunity to connect with business founders from other parts of Africa, AFRISE made me appreciate the entrepreneurial spirit that resonates within us. Africa is on an exponential rise and the youths are contributing largely to it. AFRISE was a great time to exchange ideas, experiences and support one another.

About Olalekan

Olalekan is an accomplished entrepreneur with a passion for innovation and a relentless drive for success. Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Olalekan developed an early fascination for entrepreneurship before completing a degree in Estate Management from the University of Lagos.

As the CEO of OneID Global Technologies, Olalekan has successfully steered the company towards unprecedented growth, forging strategic partnerships and expanding its market presence.

In addition to his professional achievements, Olalekan is a lifelong learner, constantly seeking knowledge and staying abreast of industry trends. He possesses an exceptional ability to adapt to changing landscapes and is unafraid to take calculated risks to propel his business forward.

About OneID Global Technologies

OneID is a cutting-edge technology company revolutionizing identity management and security solutions by ensuring secure and seamless authentication processes in today's digital world. From biometric authentication systems to advanced encryption algorithms, OneID Global Technologies is dedicated to providing robust, user-friendly, and scalable solutions that safeguard data and enhance online trust.