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Dialogue: Young African Changemakers – what can young founders learn?

21 October 2026

2pm – 3pm CAT

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Objective

To give young African entrepreneurs practical inspiration, insights and advice by sharing the real experiences of three young founders and hearing directly from an accelerator/incubator and investor/funder about what it takes to develop, finance and scale a promising green business.

The discussion will highlight real journeys, honest lessons and practical steps that young entrepreneurs can take to move their own ideas forward.

It will put three young African founders at the centre of the conversation, sharing the real stories behind their ventures.

One founder from Southern Africa, one from East Africa and one from West Africa will take us through their journey from identifying a problem to developing an idea, building a business and creating impact.

Joining them will be an early-stage investor/funder and an accelerator or incubator, providing practical insight into what it takes to develop an idea, become investment-ready and ultimately scale.

Moderator

• Elize Hattingh, Senior Sustainability Expert for Africa

Young Changemakers

• Ulaya Mwale, Group Chief Executive Officer, SWIFT, Malawi
• Andy Onyango, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer, Zen Carbon, Kenya
• Mathias Charles Yabe, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, AkoFresh, Ghana

Speakers

• Rest Kanju, Executive Director, Indalo Inclusive
• Tracy Dusabimana, Venture Growth & Investment Associate, African Impact Initiative
• Aaron Sotunde-Adesina, Scouting Associate, Antler

What can young founders learn?

The investor/funder and accelerator/incubator will bring their own experience to the conversation, helping young entrepreneurs understand what it takes to move from an idea towards investment and scale.

For the accelerator/incubator

• You meet many young entrepreneurs. What separates the ideas that go somewhere from those that don’t?
• What are the most important things a young founder needs to do before seeking investment?
• What common mistakes do young entrepreneurs make, and what can they do differently?

For the investor/funder

• When a young founder comes to you looking for funding, what makes you think, “This one is worth backing”?
• What does a founder need to demonstrate before you will invest?
• If you don’t have a track record or collateral, what can convince an investor to take a chance?