Overview

Kader Iboudu has been passionate about entrepreneurship since childhood, thanks to his father, an entrepreneur in public infrastructure. He's thrilled by his ability to use his creativity to solve problems that impact communities and create tangible value for people. This desire to make a difference pulled him from Burkina Faso to join SFAN's Student Entrepreneurship Week in 2019.

Challenge

Improve entrepreneurship skills to launch a startup in a high-growth industry.

"As a young graduate, I was about to start my business and sought tools to strengthen my business skills. When I saw the Student Entrepreneurship Week event I knew it was an opportunity to see real entrepreneurs, make connections, and get advice. So I traveled from Burkina Faso to Ghana. I want to be a sponge and keep absorbing as much knowledge and opportunities as I can from my surroundings." — Kader Iboudo, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Solution

A growth-focused startup event with budding entrepreneurs learning from investors and entrepreneurs from Africa, Silicon Valley, and beyond.

"Before Student Entrepreneurship Week, I was a student with ideas. Now I have started my business and won some prizes and contracts. And I am focused on growing my company.

Student Entrepreneurship Week was a great and successful experience. It allows students to interact and seek advice from real entrepreneurs, businesses, and support agencies. It also brought together top thought leaders to share their amazing stories of success, growth strategies, and innovation insights. They taught me how to avoid making the same mistakes they made.

The event provides a great opportunity for any student focused on building and sustaining a growing business to learn how to do so. I won the most outstanding participant award from SFAN, which allowed me to participate in a Spain-based incubator program. When I returned to my country, I won a $100,000 contract with some government institutions to supply agricultural products. My team also won a $10,000 COVID-19 Innovation Challenge by UNDP Africa."

Results

• $10,000 award won
• $100k in contract value won
• Incubation program participation in Spain
• Networking opportunities with peers and mentors in 15 countries
• New business launched, 20 projects delivered to 9 clients so far – with 14 partnerships secured