10 Under 30 Entrepreneurs

Africa’s Best:

Oluwaseun Osewa, 30, Nigeria

• At the age of 23 he started Nairaland.com which has become the most popular website in Nigeria

• Nairaland.com has more than 1 million registered users

• It is the most visited website in Africa as per Alexa rankings

• In 2003 he attempted to start a web hosting business but failed

• Undaunted he opened Nairaland.com in the year 2005

• His approach was to try and provide solution to something you need, or want to be solved

• Nairaland.com was started to address issues in Nigeria

• It was to be a general purpose forum with focus on issues of interest to Nigerians

• Nairaland.com generates revenue through its ad inventory

Ola Orekunrin, 27, Nigeria

• At the age of 21 Orekunrin graduated from the University of York as a qualified doctor

• She was awarded Japanese Government Scholarship and moved to Japan to conduct research

• After coming back to Europe she decided to work for improving healthcare in Nigeria and Africa

• It was the death of her sister due to anaemia which prompted her to take this decision

• She started Flying Doctors Service and also consults government and private agencies on aesthetic and emergency medicine

• Flying Doctors is west Africa’s first indigenous air ambulance

• It offers national and international evacuation services

• They have 4 aircrafts strategically located at 4 major airports in Nigeria

• They also provide health and safety audit services, clinic staffing, telemedicine, and first aid training

Jonathan Liebmann , 28, South Africa

• Liebmann is the Managing Director of Propertuity, a South African real estate development company

• He had started 5 businesses by the age of 24 and Propertuity was the most successful one

• Liebmann found Propertuity in 2007 with which he launched property investments

• Liebmann studied business and accounting from Monash University

• But according to him bulk of education came from hands-on experience and entrepreneurship

• Maboneng Precinct in Johannesburg was his brainchild

• Maboneng is a vibrant urban community with Art galleries, Art museums retails space and offices

• He thinks entrepreneurs need unrealistic optimism, perseverance, design and lifestyle exposure, and passion to do what he does

• “Practice what you preach, Live the vision”, is his advice to all budding entrepreneurs

Lorna Rutto , 28, Kenya

• Lorna after graduating in commerce and accounting started a career in banking

• In 2009 she resigned her banking job and pursued her interest in environmental science

• She along with Charles Kalama, a biochemical engineer, started small business called EcoPost

• To start with it was a small plastic recycling business

• Plastic waste collected across Nairobi was used to manufacture durable and environmental friendly fencing posts and sign posts

• Some of the products are used for building and construction purposes

• Lorna saw opportunity where others saw trash• She won numerous awards like 2009 Enablis

Business Award, 2010 SEED Award, and 2010 Bid Network Nature Challenge Award

Evans Wadongo , 27, Kenya

• This Kenyan engineer is the Chairman of Sustainable Development For All-Kenya (SDFA-Kenya)

• As a child he grew up in rural Kenya and with his four brothers studied using a kerosene lamp

• His eyesight was permanently damaged due to poisonous gas emitted by kerosene lamp

• This experience lead to his development of MwangaBora solar lamp

• MwangaBora was first African designed and produced lamp and was built from 50% recycled material

• He featured on Forbes and CNN as one of Africa’s Best Young Entrepreneurs

• In 2011, Evans launched Just One Lamp, a campaign to raise funding and awareness for MwangaBora lamps

• In 2012 he received the African International Achievers Award

Sizwe Nzima, 21, South Africa

• Sizwe Nzima graduated from Raymond Ackerman Academy of Entrepreneurial Development

• He aspires to eliminate the problem of queuing at clinics and hospitals with his venture Iyeza Express 

• Iyeza Express is a business where chronic medication is transported using cycles from local clinics to doorsteps of residents

• This solution seems to be solving problem by saving time and money for his clients

• This business has managed to employ many young men

• The only skills requirement here are ability to ride bicycle and to know the town well

• Sizwe sees entrepreneurship as a way to combat social issues in South Africa

Andrew Mupuya, 21, Uganda

• It was in the year 2008, at the age of 16 when Mupuya decided to launch his company

• It was a paper bag production company and was a result of ban on plastic bags by government

• Mupuya was only in secondary school when he decided to take up this challenge

• He realized a capital of 36000 Ugandan shillings were needed and it was raised selling used plastic bottles and borrowing from school teacher

• With just $14 (36,000 shillings) he started his entrepreneurial journey

• At the age of 21, he is the owner of Youth Entrepreneurial Link Investments (YELI)

• YELI was the first registered company to make paper bags

• He employs 16 people and have 72 clients

Farai Gundan, NA, Zimbabwe

• Farai is the co-founder of FaraiMedia.com and AfricanTripDeals

• FaraiMedia is an online and mobile advertising platform focused on Africa

• She completed her MBA from The School of Business & Industry at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University

• She guest writes for Forbes and is a leading expert on African women in Media and Technology

• AfricanTripDeals is an end-to-end online marketing and reservation system for African hotel, travel & tourism industry

• She is a producer and a lead anchor of women’s talk show “Point Of View” and “AfroHits Top 10” for Afrotainment Television Channel

• “Don’t be afraid to raise your hand and ask. Let your presence be known.” is her advice to business women from Africa

Mark Kaigwa, 25, Kenya

• Mark Kaigwa is much travelled and recognized IT guru

• He describes himself as a consultant, strategist, and speaker with a liking for solving problems and applying ideas

• He is the co-founder and partner of Afrinnovator• Afrinnovator is a venture to put Africa on the map

by publishing about African innovation, technology, and start-ups

• Kaigwa is also a partner at African Digital Art which is the leading resource for creative design, photography and animation from Africa

• Afrinnovator is selected by CNN as one of the Top African Voices to follow

• In 2007 he led creative direction of video game for Warner Brothers titled Pamoja Mtaani

• Also an Actor and director of live action films• He is the African Ambassador for the Sandbox

Network

Ashley Uys, 30, South Africa

• Uys completed his B.Sc honours degree in Biotechnology and a MAP certificate from Wits University

• Uys started Real World Diagnostics to develop products which are affordable for people who need them

• Reliable and affordable medical kit is one way to a more promising and healthy future in Africa

• He is recognised and appreciated for his efforts in the field of healthcare

• He won the Breweries Innovation Award and was selected among Africa’s Best Young Entrepreneurs by Forbes

• Even today he continues to research on ways to develop new products  

• Uys is a great believer of giving back to the society• Along with Real World Diagnostics, he is also the

Managing Director of Medical Diagnostech and Oculus ID

Mara Foundation’s AmbitionWe enable, inspire and empower ambitious entrepreneurs in Africa. With the support of our Mara Mentors we will:

Inspire millions of young people in Africa to become entrepreneurs.

Teach entrepreneurs new skills.

Enable entrepreneurs to turn business ideas into a reality.

Guide business owners to grow businesses and hire (more) employees.Empower entrepreneurs by providing a platform to showcase their business and build their network.

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