Emerging entrepreneurs changing lives through innovative solutions in Africa

What starts as a mere idea can often become life changing for communities and people who are passionate about making a positive difference. Each year, the Mastercard Foundation in partnership with Arizona State University (ASU) commits to transforming ideas into action by offering seed funding for Mastercard Foundation Scholars and alumni to launch their startups. J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute at ASU hosts an annual Venture Devil competition which has included a track exclusively funded by the Mastercard Foundation for its ASU alumni and Scholars. This year, amongst the many who entered the competition, nine winners were awarded various amounts to help fuel their entrepreneurial ideas and get their ventures off the ground.

From start to finish, applicants are carefully vetted by the Venture Devils team and a panel of prestigious judges including emerging and experienced entrepreneurs in Africa and around the world. John-Paul Matenga, founder and CEO of You-Farm, a platform designed to help grow agribusiness through investments in farming, was one of this year’s judges. As someone who had an entrepreneurial mind from a young age himself, Mantenga’s advice to the young entrepreneurs was to not be afraid to pivot and look at different ideas. Echoing this advice, Mohammed Alhassan, Scholar alumni and budding entrepreneur, advised that “networking is key” and making unlikely connections can be the catalyst for launching an great new idea that has the potential to further socio-economic transformation in the Scholars communities and countries . 

Each of this year’s winners embody the flexibility and passion that it takes to be a successful emerging entrepreneur. However, for these entrepreneurs, success starts with giving back and finding innovative ways to contribute to their communities through their social ventures

Photos from Eugene Ablordeppey, founder of Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services

Masateru Mwambo, a recent graduate,  founded  the Mtendere Library, which is an academic resource center in a rural area. He began his venture in the “hopes of giving a better chance to children and youth in rural areas” from his community by increasing the rate of successful completion of their education.. Eugene Ablordeppey, a Scholar alumni, co-founded Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services (CRS), “a company with the goal to develop low-cost prostheses for people who are amputated and cannot afford prosthetic devices.” Abraham Kudiabor, current Scholar and co-founder of FarmSens, an agricultural technology start-up, aims “to provide smart soil testing solutions while promoting sustainable agriculture and integrating agricultural value chain from end-to-end.” 

Each of these entrepreneurs, along with all of the winning ventures, embody the leadership, spirit of giving back, and innovation that will make a positive impact in their communities. All of the awardees from the 2021 Venture Devils Competition can be found below: