With 70% of its population under the age of 30, Africa is the youngest continent in the world, and its growth is reflected in the dreams and ambitions of the successful young entrepreneurs that make up its growing population. From Nigeria to Ethiopia, Angola to South Africa, a new generation of young disruptors are building successful businesses and social enterprises from the ground up.
The 20 young disruptors featured in this report are all under the age of 30, but what unites them is not simply their youth. Against a multitude of challenges, such as lack of access to finance and underdeveloped infrastructure, they are building businesses to tackle some of Africa's most pressing problems from low agricultural productivity to unreliable healthcare. Many are solving problems they understand intimately because they have lived them and experienced them firsthand.
To read Part One, click here. Parts Two, Three and Four will be published this week.
Many grew up within the communities where they are building their businesses. Asaph Ankunda watched his farming family struggle with poor market access before building a company that buys directly from smallholder farmers and helps them earn more for their produce. Samson Alemu transformed university research into biological fertilisers that improve soil health while reducing farmers' reliance on expensive imported chemicals. Others are expanding access to affordable healthcare, renewable energy and digital tools, creating and growing businesses that generate not just financial returns, but also measurable social impact.
Originally published by African Business.