Groundbreaking Initiative Brings West African Tech Startups to Silicon Valley

In a landmark initiative, a group of West African startup founders have traveled to the U.S. for a fully immersive program in Silicon Valley to accelerate their ventures.

Ten Ivorian startups are participating in a rigorous program in partnership with the top-ranked university, UG Berkeley. The founders will be in and around the Valley for eight jam-packed days, Feb 21-28, for networking, pitch practice, hands-on workshops, and investor meetings.

Hosted by the Ivorian Ministry of Digital Transition and Digitalization, in collaboration with several heavyweight cross-border institutions, Africa Gate to Growth is the first-of-its-kind project to position West Africa, particularly Francophone Africa, as a global tech hub. The goal is to generate interest and investment in this emerging, often overlooked, French-speaking ecosystem.

“Africa is powered by innovation, resilience, and the boundless ambition of its youth,” said Lassiney Kathann Camara, President of Africa Gate to Growth 2025. “Those who seize this moment will not only profit but also define the future of global growth.”

Lassiney Kathann Camara, President of Africa Gate to Growth 2025, speaking at the AGG on Feb 21, 2025, at Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley ( photo credit: photographer Xinyang Chen courtesy of Africa Gate to Growth Forum)

The two-part event aims to bridge ecosystems between West Africa and the U.S., fostering collaboration in finance, technology, and innovation. The dynamic agenda combines a high-impact forum with an immersion learning experience, ensuring the founders gain invaluable insights and practical tools to scale their businesses.

The talented leaders, based in Côte d’Ivoire (although some originate from neighboring West African countries), were handpicked after a highly competitive selection process. Their startups serve various sectors, including fintech, health, and AgriTech. 

On Friday, the day started with a Pitch & Greet session at Berkeley’s eHub. The founders presented their ideas to a room filled with startup experts. “It is our pleasure to support entrepreneurial initiatives such as the Africa Gate to Growth Forum,” said Dawn McGee, Executive Director of the eHub at Berkeley, who participated in providing pitch feedback.

Founder Rory Assandey, co-founder of La Ruche Health, with Berkeley’s eHub staff and startup experts after presenting his pitch 2nd R

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Insights and Inspiration,  Keynotes and Panels

The official program kicked off with a daylong forum at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.  This high-octane event brought together industry leaders, policymakers, tech innovators, and academic minds, all committed to promoting economic growth and business success in West Africa.

After a morning of exploration at exhibitor booths, the official program began with opening remarks from Lassiney Kathann Camara. He outlined the forum’s bold vision for Francophone Africa to become a thriving business and technology hub.

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“This forum is more than an event,” he said during his powerful speech. “It is a gateway, a bridge to connecting West Africa’s dynamic business environment to the global economy.”

Meanwhile, Professor Alexandre Mas of UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business extended a warm welcome. He emphasized the university’s unwavering commitment to global business education and innovation. “The future of global business will be driven by diverse perspectives and cross-border collaborations, ” he said during his speech. ” Today, we are not just exploring ideas but building long-term partnerships that will accelerate the African continent.” 

Dignitaries Grace The Stage

Notably, H.E. Mr. Inza Camara, Consul of Côte d’Ivoire in New York and CEO of SPECI, took the stage. He highlighted Côte d’Ivoire as a key gateway to West Africa’s growth markets. His presentation flowed seamlessly into the official opening address by H.E. Ibrahim Kalil Konaté, Minister of Numeric Transition & Digitalization of Côte d’Ivoire. The minister discussed Africa’s evolving and influential role in a digital-first global economy. His insights reinforced the continent’s potential to lead in digital transformation.

H.E Inza Camara, Consul General of Côte d’Ivoire in New York (center) with speakers and attendees at AGG (credit AGG)

Another highlight of the day was the captivating keynote speech by Dr. Isaac Bayoh, founder and Chief AI Officer of FuturAfric. His presentation, titled ‘Anticipating The Future: Seize Africa’s Various Business Opportunities,‘ truly mesmerized the audience. His thought-provoking insights sparked lively discussions. “In five years from now, don’t tell anybody you didn’t know,” said Bayoh during his keynote. “In 2025, bet on Africa; if you don’t in 2030, you’ll regret it.”

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Several sessions, including a talk by Esaïe Diei, CEO of Afrinovatech, followed this. “Francophone Africa is the new frontier unlocking potential for investors, startups, and partners,” he said during his speech. “AGG is transforming ecosystems and positioning Francophone Africa as a global tech hub. This initiative is the first step in shaping Africa’s innovation landscape.”

Joy Ajayi, MBA Candidate at UG Berkeley, Haas School of Business (l), with UrbanGeekz Founder Kunbi Tinuoye (r), who both participated in the ‘Unlocking Funding Opportunities for African Tech Companies’ panel discussion at AGG

The final leg included founder presentations and insightful panel discussions with industry experts such as Serge Doh, Alex Tsodo, Spectra Adoaro Asala, and our very own UrbanGeekz founder, Kunbi Tinuoye. “There are so many opportunities for new ideas to solve local, real-life problems in Africa,” said Tinuoye during her panel titled, ‘Launching a Tech Startup in Africa & Strategies for Success.’

Dynamic Fully Immersive Learning Program

The following week, the founders dived into the immersion program. This included workshops, practical sessions, company visits, and Q&A discussions with top-tier tech firms.

Selma Ouiguini, CEO of PUSH Côte d’Ivoire, is one of the founders. “The AGG initiative is a fantastic opportunity to connect African entrepreneurs with the Silicon Valley ecosystem,” said Ouiguini. “We are incredibly proud to have been selected among the most promising startups from Côte d’Ivoire. Showcasing our work and the impact we create for the Ivorian population, particularly within the agricultural sector, is truly extraordinary.”

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In fact, Francophone Africa has had some notable success stories. Launched in 2018, Senegalese mobile money platform Wave is Africa’s first francophone unicorn. Y Combinator-backed Ivorian fintech company Djamo is another winner, with a customer base of over 500,000 users and more than $30 million in global investment.

AGG speaker Spectra Sdaora Asala with attendees (photo credit: Xinyang Chen courtesy of Africa Gate to Growth Forum)

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Still, data clearly shows the investment gap and scale of the opportunity. Of the $2.4 billion invested in Africa in 2023, only 8% of that funding reached Francophone Africa despite representing 40% of Africa’s population.

Organizers and attendees at AGG (photo credit: Xinyang Chen courtesy of Africa Gate to Growth Forum)

With Africa’s youthful population, smartphone penetration, and recent unicorn success stories, the continent is ripe for innovation and unprecedented growth. However, today, the ‘big four’ (Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, and South Africa) take center stage, receiving the vast majority of VC funding. AGG aims to put Francophone Africa on the map for investment, scalable innovation, and strategic cooperation.

The Africa Gate to Growth 2025 forum is hosted by the Ivorian Ministry of Digital Transition and Digitalization in collaboration with SPECI, CLKA Law Firm, and the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business African Business Club.

Main Image: Speakers at the Africa Gate To Growth Forum 2025 (photo credit: photographer Xinyang Chen courtesy of Africa Gate to Growth Forum)