Backend by Gerald Black
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© Gerald Black
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BACKEND showcases startup founders building amazing products and companies in Africa, having real conversations on starting, scaling and everything in-between.
24 Episodes
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On this final episode of the Tunisia Tech Ecosystem series, I sit with Mokhtar Fourti, Program Officer at Green4Youth and Co-Founder of Croki, a fast-growing edtech startup in Tunisia.Croki is your go-to platform for personalized tutoring — connecting students with the right tutors to support their learning journeys in a simple, flexible, and effective way. Beyond convenience, it’s helping bridge gaps in access to quality education by making tailored academic support more widely available.Mokhtar shares his journey of building Croki as a student, what it’s like navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship while studying in Tunisia, and what that experience reveals about the realities of building in the country’s startup ecosystem.
In this episode, I sit with Zack Temtem, COO at Open Startup, an organization on a mission to empower and shape entrepreneurial journeys in Africa by developing skills, leveraging networks, and bridging ecosystems.From their base in Tunisia, Open Startup is creating a ripple effect across the continent — uplifting ventures of all sizes, catalyzing tech-enabled ecosystems, and nurturing high-potential startups and human capital. Their work transcends borders, but it’s deeply rooted in strengthening Tunisia’s startup scene as a launchpad for wider African impact.Zack shares powerful insights on what it takes to connect fragmented ecosystems, unlock opportunities for founders, and position Tunisia as both a regional and continental innovation hub.
In this episode, I sit with John Jang, Co-Founder and CEO at Speak Duo a speaking practice platform designed for speed-conversations with real people, powered by AI for smart matchmaking, real-time corrections, and personalized learning journeys.John’s story is one of resilience and relentless pursuit. From navigating personal and professional setbacks to making the bold decision to build his startup in Tunisia, he shares what drew him to the North African ecosystem, and why it’s the right place to build something global.This is a conversation about grit, global vision, and the unexpected power of starting in the right place.
In this episode, I sit with Safa Majdoub, former Managing Director at The Dot Hub, one of Tunisia’s most influential innovation spaces driving tech talent development and startup growth.The Dot Hub has played a pivotal role in shaping the Tunisian startup ecosystem — serving as a launchpad for entrepreneurs, a connector for ecosystem builders, and a key partner for international tech collaborations.Safa shares how The Dot Hub has grown into a dynamic space that empowers startups, developers, and creatives — providing not just infrastructure, but real community support. From capacity-building programs to ecosystem events and founder-focused initiatives, The Dot Hub has become a critical launchpad for tech talent in Tunisia.
In this episode, I sit with Zoubeir Zarrouk, Co-Founder at WaterSec, a Tunisian startup tackling water scarcity with cutting-edge technology.WaterSec is improving water-use efficiency through a real-time monitoring solution powered by IoT and AI. Their platform enables users to track and manage water consumption, helping reduce waste and promote more sustainable usage — whether in agriculture, cities, or homes.Zoubeir offers insight into building deeptech in Tunisia, the urgent need for water-focused innovation, and how startups like WaterSec are leading the charge in climate resilience across North Africa.
In this episode, I sit with Med Khaled Mezghanni, Program Manager at Green4Youth, a startup support program focused on advancing the green economy in Tunisia.Green4Youth provides early-stage startups with access to funding, tailored training, and strategic guidance to help them grow impactful solutions in sustainability and climate innovation.Khaled shares sharp insights into Tunisia’s broader tech ecosystem — from the strength of its talent pipeline to the unique opportunities and constraints founders face as they build in this fast-evolving landscape.
In this episode, I sit with Faten Aissi, Director of Global Partnerships at Flat6Labs, one of the most influential startup accelerators in the MENA region and a key player in Tunisia’s innovation ecosystem.Flat6Labs provides early-stage startups with funding, mentorship, and hands-on support to help them build, launch, and grow. In Tunisia, they’ve backed some of the country’s most promising ventures and continue to play a critical role in nurturing founders from idea to scale.Faten shares how Flat6Labs is building global bridges for local founders, what true ecosystem support looks like beyond funding, and why Tunisia is uniquely positioned to produce globally competitive startups.
In this episode, I sit with Anis Kallel, CTO and Co-Founder at Flouci, one of the most exciting fintech startups in Tunisia redefining access to financial services.Flouci is building digital banking infrastructure that allows Tunisians to open bank accounts and make payments directly from their phones — without needing to visit a physical bank. They're not just making banking easier, they're making it accessible, especially for the underserved and unbanked population.Anis brings deep insight into what it takes to build scalable, compliant fintech solutions in a highly regulated environment — and how startups like Flouci are pushing financial inclusion forward across North Africa.
In this episode, I sit with Sarah Ben Younes, Founder and CEO of V3 Factory, a key force behind Tunisia’s startup momentum.V3 Factory works closely with founders to sharpen their business models, connect them with the right investors, and plug them into a thriving entrepreneurial community.Their work is helping shape a more fundable and founder-ready ecosystem in Tunisia — and Sarah is right at the center of it.
CosmoLAB Hub is an innovation hub based in Benin Republic, founded by Thierry Tchangole. The hub focuses on advancing space science and technology through education, research, and entrepreneurship. It provides a platform for students, researchers, and entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions in the aerospace industry while promoting STEM education. CosmoLAB Hub is committed to fostering a new generation of African space enthusiasts and innovators, bridging the gap between academic research and real-world applications in space technology.
Founded by Richard Ojrado, AS World Tech is a manufacturer of high-tech gadgets.- Smart glasses- Smart Wrist watches and - ComputersAS stands for Asuka Spirit which means “brave, courageous, not stopping until the goal is accomplished” Spirit and has a With the company motto, “Let’s shine together,” Richard Odjrado is on a mission to empower Africa and African people all over the world with a brand that emphasises what Africans can do when we work hard and work together.
Astrid Serena Enianloko is the Marketing Manager at Gozem in Benin. Gozem. Gozem founded by Gregory Costamagna, Raphael Dana and Emeka Ajene in Togo, is the first super app in Benin, offering diverse transportation services on its platform, including motorcycle-taxis, car-taxis, and tricycle-taxis, as well as complementary food & parcel delivery, financial services, and more, based on the needs of its customers.
Estève Alvin Kassa is a facilitator at the Seme City Open ParkThe SCOP is an innovation park established by the government, which is a part of the Seme City project. The park aims to develop the innovative spirit in the country and hosts several components of the Sèmè City project:X-TechLab - The first platform in sub-Saharan Africa dedicated to the use of X-ray techniques in the fields of agriculture, health, environment and energy. X-TechLab supports African researchers locally or through international collaborations;TechIMA - A collaborative and training program focused on computer-aided design and/or manufacturing (CAD, CAM) and with a fleet of manufacturing and prototyping tools for academic, entrepreneurial, research and development projects. Hobbies;TINIMA - The SCOP houses part of this program of discovery and initiation to new technologies which stimulates and cultivates the innovation potential of 8-18 year olds.IMAStudio – A space dedicated to the creation of multimedia content.Just like Sèmè One, the SCOP stands out for its highly colourful architecture, built from recycled containers.
Gloria Murielle Ahonoukoun is a Program Assistant at EtriLabs in Benin.Etrilabs is a hub for entrepreneurs creating innovative solutions. - Building a sustainable ecosystem through programs and training accessible to all. - Offering acceleration programs and- Promoting digital innovation by providing startups with technology driven solutions.I got to witness first hand, one of their programs called WHISPA - started in 2015, offering digital skills training programs for women such as programming, design and digital marketing.
Stéphane GNACADJA is the CEO of Harnix is a local tech hub run by students from a university in Cotonou. Harnix is a team of passionate students who push the boundaries of technology to create exceptional digital solutions to some of Africa’s biggest problems. The Hub is currently being funded through projects they execute for companies such as website design, mobile app development, software development, etc.The members of the hub are also able to hone their skills through these projects during development.
Yvonne Obike is an accomplished professional with over 10 years of experience in various sectors, including the financial sector, specifically in business operations, strategic partnerships, and educational leadership. Her profile highlights her expertise and achievements, showcasing her ability to drive impactful initiatives and deliver exceptional results.
In her previous role as Co-founder, Chief Operating Officer at Payday, a prominent cross border payment platform, Yvonne built processes and provided quality leadership & guidance to cross-functional teams, overseeing global business operations and processes.
Her extensive experience in operations management and financial planning enabled her to collaborate effectively with the executive team and board members, driving improvements in overall business outcomes.
Yvonne actively worked with other c-suite execs to develop and execute financial/business strategies, aiming for higher profitability, optimised cash flow, and robust reporting and control systems.
Temitope creates Marketing, Growth, Sales, CX Strategies to scale up and grow Technology companies. He is an experienced entrepreneur with 10 years background across Technology, Consulting, Advertisement, Marketing, Agency, VAS/Telecommunication , Social Impact and Print Production helping business define their channels to grow.He enjoys reading about and executing on a lot of Projects and runs a Consultancy Startup focused on SMB to help them scale.
He's passionate about the technology ecosystem and Design.
As a seasoned entrepreneur and product leader with 10+ years of total experience, Chris has dedicated his career to founding and leading innovative, mission-driven product teams. His expertise in product management covers the full spectrum, from ideation to launch, support, and scaling. With a strong focus on data-informed decision-making, he has a proven track record of successfully executing controlled experiments and creating MVPs to test market fit, while continuously measuring and accelerating growth through relevant metrics. His extensive experience managing cross-functional teams allows him to lead and supervise teams of industry specialists effectively and has honed his ability to spearhead successful, market-fit products that offer meaningful solutions to millions of customers globally.
Gerald Okonkwo, popularly called Gerald Black, started his journey as an entrepreneur at a young age — 11 years ago. Running a business as an undergraduate isn’t easy, but Gerald is driven by a passion for problem-solving that he can’t resist. He admits it’s an obsession he can’t seem to avoid.
By 2022, he had successfully launched two startups that began as solutions to his own problems but quickly grew into full-fledged businesses: iFixng, a marketplace for artisans, and Parkit, an on-demand vehicle care service platform. In 2021, Parkit was acquired by Fixit45, a spin-off of Cars45.
Charles Dairo is the Co-founder & CEO of Beezop, he has 12-years experience comprising tech entrepreneurship, business management, website design, digital strategy and product management. He's passionate about the intersection of innovation, design and product strategy.
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