Located in the heart of the Sassandra region, West of Abidjan, in Côte d'Ivoire, Epices et Essences de Côte d'Ivoire (E'Sens) produces citrus-based essential oils (bigarade, bergamot). This young start-up with high impact potential is supported by the I&P Acceleration in the Sahel program launched in 2019 by I&P, funded by the European Union and implemented by Comoé Capital in Côte d'Ivoire.
Ivoire Beauty Academy (IBA) is a training center for the professions of cosmetics and well-being in Côte d'Ivoire.
Ivoire Beauty Academy delivers certificates of professional qualification (CQP) and certificates of professional aptitude (CAP) after an academic course of 9 months combining theory and practical courses. In two years, the school has trained fifty young girls between the ages of 16 and 30 who have dropped out of the school system or are looking for professional integration and/or retraining.
The entrepreneurs
IBA was founded in 2020 by two young Ivorian entrepreneurs who were convinced of the need to professionalize the training market for the cosmetics and wellness professions, a sector in which the majority of training is done through "on-the-job learning":
Partnership with I&P
IBA is supported by I&P through I&P Acceleration in Sahel program dedicated to education and employment (IP2E).
The funding and support provided to IBA aims at :
In June, I&P gathered in Abidjan the first cohort of entrepreneurship support organizations (ESO) for a second training workshop. This meeting also marked the end of Investment Readiness training, which is the third component of I&P Acceleration in Sahel, funded by the European Union.
Read the press release
Multiservices Agricoles (MSA) is a company in Senegal specialized in the processing of locally grown paddy rice.
Since 2020, the company has specialized in the production of parboiled rice through a process of pre-cooking paddy rice in water, allowing the grain of the cereal to absorb the vitamins and minerals present between the hull and the grain of the rice. The production unit is located in Rosso (northern Senegal), in the Senegal River Valley. In 2021, MSA produced 34 tons of parboiled rice, which is sold in traditional markets, convenience stores, gas station stores, wholesalers, e-commerce sites and to individuals.
The entrepreneurs
MSA was founded by Ibrahima BEYE and Sidy Yeslem CHEIKH SIDY VALL.
Partnership with I&P and Teranga Capital
MSA benefits from I&P Acceleration in Sahel program implemented in Senegal by Teranga Capital, whose objectives are to :
About Teranga Capital
Teranga Capital is the first impact investment fund dedicated to the financing and support of Senegalese SMEs and start-ups. Headed by Olivier Furdelle, Teranga Capital is the third African fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires under the I&P Développement 2 program. The network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Burkina Faso (Sinergi Burkina), Ivory Coast (Comoé Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap). → Find out more about Teranga Capital
MG Lab is a technical training center based in Côte d'Ivoire specialized in learning and capacity building in telecommunications and advanced technologies (fiber optics). The school provides short-term training (5 days to 6 months) targeting young graduates and professionals.
The entrepreneur
MG Lab was created in 2013 by Guy Monney, CEO of MG TELECOM & SERVICES, a company operating in the field of telecommunications since 2011 and represented in 8 African countries (Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso, DRC, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon, Guinea, Togo, Benin). After having noticed a need for training for individuals and companies, he decided to create MG Lab.
Partnership with I&P
MG Lab is supported by I&P through I&P Acceleration in Sahel program dedicated to education and employment (IP2E).
The funding and support MG Lab receives aims at :
Zoé Industry is a company specialized in the transformation of local plant leaves, mainly moringa oleifera, into infusion tea in Burkina Faso. 4 flavors of tea mixed with moringa are currently on sale: moringa-hibiscus (bissap), moringa-kinkeliba, moringa-ginger and moringa-citronella.
The entrepreneurs
Zoe Industry was founded by Jacob and and Claudia Ouedraogo in 2016.
Partnership with I&P and Sinergi Burkina
Zoé Industry is supported by Sinergi Burkina through the I&P Acceleration in Sahel.
The support provided to the company will allow it to :
About Sinergi Burkina
Created in 2014, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap). → To learn more about Sinergi Burkina
Based in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso), Riaskyne owns an attraction park (Andréa Magicland) with several playgrounds (carousel, gyroscope, giant slide, giant trampoline, bouncy castle, bumper cars, mini golf course, train circuit, green spaces for relaxation, etc.),a restaurant "Akadi Foods & drinks", a day care center and a souvenir store.
The entrepreneurs
Riaskyne is the initiative of a couple of doctors, specialists in public health, Hugues and Youl Traoré. Hugues Traoré is a former senior international official of the United Nations and has significant experience in health and development, in management, monitoring and evaluation of health projects.
Ms. Youl Traoré also has more than 10 years of professional experience in management positions at the Ministry of Health. In addition to her basic training as a physician, she has been trained in several areas (business communication, sales techniques, e-procurement and leadership)
Partnership with I&P and Sinergi Burkina
Riaskyne is supported by Sinergi Burkina through I&P Acceleration program in Sahel. The main objective of this partnership is to :
About Sinergi Burkina
Created in 2014, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap). → To learn more about Sinergi Burkina
IKALOOK, "your style" in Bambara, is a Malian company specialized in the confection of women's clothing and advocates ethical fashion. It is the first Malian company to modernize the woven loincloth, a fabric obtained from the artisanal weaving of local cotton.
THE ENTREPRENEUR
IKALOOK was created in 2016 by Fatoumata Namissa Théra SOW, a young woman strongly committed to eco-responsible fashion. With several years of experience in design, this fashion enthusiast since her early childhood started her clothing business in 2013. She designs original models that she makes from wax, bazin and dampé fabrics, a traditional fabric popular in Mauritania, where her mother comes from.
PARTNERSHIP WITH I&P AND ZIRA CAPITAL
IKALOOK is supported by Zira Capital through I&P Acceleration program in Sahel.
The main objective of this partnership is to :
⇒ Increase the company's working capital by providing more raw materials and tools
⇒ Strengthen the team by hiring new staff and improving working conditions (formalization of employment, medical and social coverage)
⇒ Implementation of a communication and marketing strategy to boost sales
⇒ Technical assistance to formalize and structure the organization (e.g. implementation of internal procedures and internal accounting system)
⇒ Increase the supply capacity and quality of finished products
Yellow is the first independent solution for mobilizing their trade receivables in Cameroon.
This young company responds to the difficulties encountered by SMEs in mobilizing short-term resources due to long payment delays.
Yellow relies on transparency, speed in setting up funds, and flexibility to provide SMEs with a response adapted to their needs. To meet this challenge, Yellow has a team of young, solution-oriented, positive, and committed professionals who develop a cooperative model.
The company hopes to relieve many SMEs, have a stong impact on the economy's financing, and become the reference player in alternative finance for SMEs by mobilizing their trade receivables.
THE ENTREPRENEUR
Yellow was founded by Angela NGO NDOUGA, who has 15 years of experience in specialized financing and business management. After starting her professional career in 2011 in France as an account manager in the International Department of Compagnie Générale d'Affacturage (CGA), a subsidiary of the Société Générale Group, she worked for COFACE West Africa service in Douala. She also actively participated in the deployment of factoring projects in Gabon (BGFI), Senegal, and Côte d'Ivoire (Société Générale).
This young entrepreneur co-founded the company Lusis and Co, where she developed the factoring department for five years. She led the negotiation and implementation process of a 2 million euro credit line by the African Import-Export Bank (AFREXIMBANK), thanks to which she assisted 102 Cameroonian SMEs in the mobilization of 8 million euros of trade receivables. After this experience she decided to launch Yellow, which she now manages full time.
PARTNERSHIP WITH I&P
Yellow is supported by I&P through I&P Acceleration in Sahel, financed by the European Union. The partnership aims to support the company in the platform's development for the digitalization of services, the fitting out of premises, and computer equipment and human resources acquisition.
Since 2024, the company has also been supported through I&P Accélération Technology, funded by Agence Française de Développement. The financing and support aims to help the company strengthen its digital services platform (developments, server acquisitions), its human resources and its transformation.
Useful links:
More info on I&P Acceleration in Sahel
More info on I&P Acceleration Technology
The African Institute of Sciences, Technologies and Trades (IASTM) is a graduate school, offering training in Business Law, Taxation, Insurance, Marketing, Agribusiness, Transit-Logistics, Software Engineering, Accounting in Lome, in Togo.
THE ENTREPRENEUR
IASTM was founded by Boris SEGBENOU MENSAH is a Togolese graduate in Political Science, who after a decade of professional career, embarked on educational entrepreneurship by founding in 2015, UASTM in Niger. After the launch of USATM in Niger, he started the first steps of the school in Togo in 2020. UASTM is a global project to develop a pan-African network of higher education institutions and incubators under the brand UASTM/IASTM.
PARTNERSHIP WITH I&P
IASTM is supported by I&P through the education and employment component of I&P Acceleration in Sahel program (IP2E).
The funding and support provided to IASTM aims at :
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