Early this year we had a catch up with Joseph, who had taken part in the StartupAfrica Roadtrip program back in 2021 in Kampala.
Joseph was born and raised in Uganda, the country with the youngest population in the world. He describes with passion and optimism a young generation attending the more than 40 universities around the country, getting ready to take up the challenges with their ideas. And knowing Joseph, it is hard to doubt his words!
Joseph attended our program as a Project Manager at Marula Proteen: a startup that converts organic mono-streams into nutrient-dense fertilizer with their one-of-a-kind Supercharged Fertilizer technology. The innovative process starts from the organic waste preparation in a greenhouse to which larvae are added. After 10 days of feeding, the larvae are shredded and the decomposition process starts, followed by a final drying phase. This is how they get to the final product, the “Protilizer”: a completely organic fertilizer, rich of micronutrients, which also regenerates the soils.
“We transform trash into cash” used to be the punchline of Joseph on stage while pitching Marula Proteen! By making farming more productive and more sustainable.
At that time Joseph was fully involved in the certification and validation of the whole process with the Black Soldier Flies and since then, he has also completed his studies of Veterinary Medicine at the Makerere University of Kampala.
In 2024 Joseph launched a startup himself, Anischolar, a platform connecting students to companies (just as happened with him and Marula Proteen).
He recalls (as we listen with a big smile on our faces) that it all started in 2022 when he visited Politecnico di Milano and the Fab Lab during the Startup Africa Roadshow. He was impressed and interested by the projects and connections between researchers, students, institutions and companies, bringing real innovation on the market!
But what’s Anischolar?The startup is filling the gap between students and companies, answering questions such as “What professional would you become?”, “What are the industry needs?”, “How what I’m studying is connected to reality?”.
The first results? 550 students have already joined the platform in less than one year!
In 2024, Anischolar was selected to join the Youth Startup Academy Uganda project, launched by the incubator Hive Colab with the support of the Korea SMEs and Startup Agency. Joseph and his team made it through the 3 phases of the program, ending among the 10 finalists who pitched for success!
What’s next?
Joseph has very clear ideas: seeking investment and entering the pre-seed round, enable scalability by efficient enrollment. The final and long-term vision is to make Anischolar an ecosystem of companies and students to really improve the daily condition, economy, youth condition in general.
Ça va sans dire the scalability of the project in the entire Uganda and potentially the entire Africa could be impacted by Anischolar.
It was good to hear from Joseph again and hopefully his story and insights could be inspiring for others!
A few weeks ago, we had the chance to catch up with Elias Elisante, founder of Smart Darasa, one of the standout participants from the 2023 edition of Startup Africa Roadtrip in Kigali, Rwanda.
Smart Darasa is a Tanzanian EdTech startup committed to making quality education accessible through immersive, offline-first digital learning tools, especially for schools in areas with limited connectivity. During our chat, Elias gave us a glimpse into the Tanzanian startup ecosystem, shared how his journey has evolved since the bootcamp, and offered some advice for founders thinking about applying to the next edition of our program, which will take place in Dar es Salaam from August 11 to 15, 2025.
Before we get into the experience itself, Elias gave us a powerful snapshot of the Tanzanian startup ecosystem:
“Tanzania’s startup ecosystem is undergoing a quiet revolution: resilient, impact-oriented, and maturing steadily. Unlike the unicorn-chasing environments found in other regions, Tanzanian startups often reflect the traits of camel startups, ventures built for endurance in resource-constrained settings, alongside them, a rising wave of zebra startups, purpose-driven ventures that seek to balance profitability with social value, is transforming the landscape.”
In other words, Tanzanian founders aren’t just chasing hype. They’re solving real problems in real communities with models built for the long game.
But it’s not always easy. Capital remains hard to access, and global investors often overlook the slower, impact-driven growth that many Tanzanian ventures embrace. Still, things are changing: local investor engagement is growing, policy is improving, and new hubs like Silicon Dar are rising.
When we asked what Tanzanian startups need most to scale, Elias was clear: access to patient capital, strategic mentorship, and the kind of exposure that builds bridges beyond borders.
In his words, “That’s exactly what programs like Next Generation Africa provide. It’s not just a bootcamp, it’s a doorway to international networks, investors, and a new way of thinking.”
Elias joined us in Kigali as the only Tanzanian founder and described the experience as eye-opening from the very start. “I came in prepared to learn, unlearn, and relearn,” he told us, pointing to one phrase in particular that stayed with him: Think Glocal. That idea of shaping a solution that is locally relevant but globally competitive helped him rethink how Smart Darasa could evolve, not just as a product, but as a platform for impact at scale.
Through workshops, pitch practice, and sessions with both local and international mentors, Elias walked away with key lessons that reshaped Smart Darasa’s path forward: “We had to rethink our go-to-market strategy and the way we approach strategic partnerships. More importantly, we began to expand our vision—from simply building a platform to shaping an entire ecosystem.”
And the results speak for themselves. In June 2024, Smart Darasa launched a new version of its platform with enhanced AR features, new mobile apps, and a free offline learning tool for schools without reliable internet. Even bigger, the startup merged with Smartcore to form Ekima Company Ltd, now reaching over 500,000 students and teachers in 297 schools across Tanzania.
“The bootcamp really sharpened our strategy,” Elias told us, “and helped us move from building a product to building a movement for inclusive education.”
To any founder thinking of applying to the 2025 edition of Next Generation Africa, Elias has just one message: “Don’t wait for perfect. If you’re solving a real problem and open to learning, this experience can shift everything: your mindset, your mission, and your momentum.”
Our conversation with Elias was a reminder of the kind of impact that happens when local innovation meets the right support. From Dar es Salaam to Kigali and beyond, Smart Darasa’s journey is one we’ll be following closely and proudly.
For many people in Africa, waiting until payday to meet urgent financial needs is a huge challenge. That’s where MyWagePay comes in – a fintech startup that’s helping employees access their wages whenever they need them.
It all started with a simple idea: a group of women lending money to each other, pooling resources with a little interest, and helping each other out. From there, the founders realized a bigger need: people don’t just need money – they need it when they need it, not just at the end of the month. This insight turned into MyWagePay’s flagship product: salary advances. This innovation allows people to access their wages before payday, providing financial flexibility and peace of mind.
Fast forward to today, MyWagePay is making a significant impact, with nearly a million in turnover and a clear mission to employ and empower as many young people as possible. But they didn’t stop there. The turning point was surely the authorization from the Central Bank of Africa and launched their own mobile money platform. They have proven their capability of generating money with a strong link to innovation: using AI to make better and more informed decisions.
The synergy of skilled employees, their capability of generating money, and Kenya’s tech-driven culture has allowed MyWagePay to thrive and scale quickly.
Startup Africa Roadtrip Bootcamp played a huge role in helping MyWagePay refine its approach. With the help and mentoring carried out by our volunteers Davide and Pietro, Beth, the founder of MyWagePay, had the opportunity to fine-tune her pitch becoming more and more catchy to investors and partners who are more and more interested in a product that impacts people.
As they continue to scale, MyWagePay is positioning itself to help millions of people across Africa – and beyond – access the financial freedom they deserve.
The long-term vision is to create an impact by teaching financial literacy and helping people avoid the risks of informal lending, which can often be dangerous.
In today’s world, plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental issues we face. With an estimated 300 million tons of plastic waste generated annually, it’s clear that change is urgently needed. Plaveg, a Moroccan startup founded by Meryem El Badaoui, is on a mission to address this challenge by providing biodegradable and sustainable packaging solutions.
Meryem has been an entrepreneur for a few years, reflecting on her journey she shares that her motivation stems from a desire to create meaningful solutions to pressing global challenges, particularly environmental sustainability.
The turning point came from a deeply personal experience:
“The idea for Plaveg came to me after a heartbreaking incident on our family farm. A little sheep named Mina died because of plastic in her digestive system. That moment stayed with me. It made me realize the severity of the plastic problem and pushed me to research eco-friendly alternatives. I discovered that biodegradable plastics existed abroad but were not available in Morocco – and I decided to change that.”
Plaveg’s mission is clear: to reduce traditional plastic use and create a lasting impact on the environment. Their work goes beyond offering biodegradable solutions—it fosters a green culture by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution.
Meryem explains how they measure their impact: “We focus on two key metrics: the volume of traditional plastic replaced by our solutions and the number of businesses adopting Plaveg’s packaging. Additionally, we track the reduction of CO2 emissions resulting from this transition.”
By providing eco-friendly solutions on demand, Plaveg is helping businesses reduce their environmental footprint while driving tangible, measurable change.
Like many entrepreneurs, Meryem faced challenges that tested her resolve.
“One of my biggest challenges was convincing my family to support my entrepreneurial journey instead of traditional employment. It was difficult at first, but over time, they became my biggest supporters”.
Moving from idea to reality brought its own hurdles: “Transitioning from ideation to actual implementation was challenging. I overcame this by joining incubators and support programs that provided essential guidance and resources. Another significant challenge was securing financial resources. I tackled this by pursuing grants and participating in competitions, including winning the Impact Beyond Borders prize.”
As one of the standout startups in the Impact Beyond Borders program, Plaveg earned the winning spot, securing an equity-free grant of 10,000 euros and a trip to Italy. For Meryem, the trip represents an opportunity to unlock new growth opportunities:
“I expect the trip to Italy to be a valuable opportunity for networking. It will allow me to connect with potential partners, investors and industry experts who share a commitment to sustainability. I hope this trip will open doors for further growth and innovation.”
DeepLeaf, founded by El Mahdi Aboulmanadel, is revolutionizing agriculture with cutting-edge AI technology that enables the early detection of crop diseases. By combining a deep passion for farming with technological expertise, DeepLeaf is helping farmers reduce pesticides, optimize yields, and improve sustainability.
El Mahdi’s entrepreneurial journey began five years ago, driven by a desire to make an impact: “I wanted to be a changemaker. I don’t want to live a normal life. I can’t let others write my story; I have to write it myself.”
His roots in agriculture played a key role in defining his path. Growing up in the countryside in Sidi Bennour, an agricultural town known for Morocco’s largest souk market, he was surrounded by farmers and his father is also a veterinarian.
“My family has always been close to farming—veterinarians, researchers, agronomists—it’s part of who I am. Building DeepLeaf allowed me to combine my love for technology with my connection to the land.”
Interestingly, El Mahdi didn’t start in agriculture but in music. After successfully selling his work as a freelancer on SoundBetter (later acquired by Spotify), he realized the broader potential of startups and build his own freelance music platform and then transitioned to agriculture: “I began applying my tech skills in agriculture with my dad, which showed me that I could make a greater impact with farmers than in music. I built an AI model to detect crop diseases, starting with 12 anomalies in tomatoes. Now, we detect 686 anomalies in 30 crops, have won four awards, joined many accelerators and incubators and gained global recognition from key agricultural players.”
DeepLeaf’s deeptech solution is driving measurable impact in agriculture. By helping farmers identify crop diseases early, they are achieving significant gains in yields, resource management and sustainability.
Through a $75K partnership with Hivos, DeepLeaf validated its impact:
57 jobs improved through reduced water consumption, optimized pesticide usage, and increased crop production.
39 new jobs created by strengthening networks of suppliers, retailers, and farmers.
Ongoing carbon reduction efforts in their experimental greenhouse, currently being verified with GIZ experts.
Yet, like many startups, DeepLeaf faced a major challenge: funding.
“While I know funding is within reach, raising funds, financial modeling and planning are not my expertise. I’m a tech guy who solves problems through innovation.”
To tackle this, he focused on building a multidisciplinary team with skills in finance, management, tech, marketing and sales. By combining diverse skills, DeepLeaf strengthened its foundation and positioned itself for growth.
But another key and distinctive factor contributing to the startup’s success is its origin: Morocco. As a Moroccan founder, El Mahdi believes Morocco has a unique competitive edge: “Morocco is the 3rd largest global exporter of tomatoes and the 1st in blueberries. Its strategic location as a gateway between Europe and Africa makes it an ideal hub for scaling innovative solutions.”
With Africa holding 60% of the world’s arable uncultivated land, Morocco is at the forefront of agricultural innovation. DeepLeaf is already making strides across the continent by building partnerships in countries like Tunisia, Tanzania, and Qatar, with plans to expand further.
As one of the top three startups in the Impact Beyond Borders program, DeepLeaf secured a spot at the upcoming Italy Roadshow following a successful 4-day bootcamp in Casablanca.
El Mahdi shares their goals for this milestone opportunity: “We aim to connect with governmental agricultural agencies, farming companies and major agricultural players. Our goal is to expand into the Italian market and support farmers in identifying crop diseases and pests early.”
As they say, ‘Software is eating the world,’ but I say, ‘DeepLeaf will feed the world.’” boldly states El Mahdi.
2pi Learning, a Moroccan EdTech startup, is transforming the way children in developing countries learn STEM subjects. Founded by former teachers, the startup is on a mission to make math and science education fun, accessible, and effective for children aged 8–11. By combining interactive videos, quizzes, and games with proven teaching methods like Singapore Math, 2pi Learning is turning classrooms into exciting learning adventures.
But what sparked the idea for this startup?
The idea was inspired by the founders’ experiences as teachers in a system that struggles to deliver results. Watching students lose interest in learning pushed the team to find a better way to engage and inspire young minds.
2pi Learning is driving measurable social impact by making STEM education engaging and effective. “Through gamified lessons and animated content, we help children develop strong foundational skills while staying motivated,” shares Nabil.
The startup tracks its success through student progress, retention rates and feedback from both parents and teachers, ensuring their solution delivers tangible results.
By transforming how children learn math, 2pi Learning is equipping the next generation with the skills they need to thrive in the future job market.
But despite being driven by the best intentions and ambitions, being an entrepreneur in Morocco means tackling a dynamic yet challenging environment.
“We’ve been on this journey for two years, but the early stages were tough. The local ecosystem is still in its infancy, which makes it difficult to get funding,” explains Nabil Makboul, co-founder of 2pi Learning. “Things began to shift when we joined programs like Impact Beyond Borders, where we found valuable mentorship and guidance.”
As Moroccan founders, the team believes their country offers unique advantages for startups aiming to scale across Africa and beyond. “Morocco’s cultural diversity, its strategic position as a gateway to Africa, and its strong regional relationships provide a unique opportunity to scale solutions tailored for African and global markets,” Nabil states. “The competitive advantage of Moroccan startups lies in their ability to understand complicated local and regional challenges, which proves to be a unique opportunity to scale solutions that resonate both locally and globally.”
After participating in the 4-day bootcamp in Casablanca, 2pi Learning emerged as one of the top three startups from the Impact Beyond Borders program, earning a prize trip to Italy to connect with international networks and explore new opportunities.
The Italy Roadshow represents more than just an international trip—it’s a bridge to connect Africa’s emerging educational solutions with the European innovation landscape. The team hopes to gain insights and resources to help refine their growth strategy and accelerate their journey into new markets:
“We’re excited to meet organizations who share our passion for impactful education. This trip is an opportunity to learn from the European innovation ecosystem, build strong partnerships and bring our solution to a wider audience,” Nabil explains.
Recognized as one of the top startups in the Impact Beyond Borders program, the team is ready to bring engaging STEM education to children everywhere. With plans to expand beyond math into other disciplines, 2pi Learning is shaping a brighter, more accessible future for education in Africa.
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