Announcing our Panelists for the Topic: The Power of Entrepreneurship as a Tool for Sustainable and Inclusive Development.

We are pleased to announce our confirmed panelists for the 2023 YEPI Entrepreneurship Summit for the Topic: The power of entrepreneurship as a tool for sustainable and inclusive development.

Entrepreneurship plays a pivotal role in economic and sustainable development, while tackling poverty and creating jobs and thus offer innovative and effective ways to accelerate a shift towards an entrepreneurship society. The importance of fostering a next generation of sustainable social entrepreneurs is particularly salient. This panel discussion will focus on instruments to promote sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystem for Mombasa, Kenya and Africa as a whole.

Meet our Expert Panel;

CHEPKEMOI MAGDALINE

Chepkemoi Magdaline is a computer scientist with a passion to use technology, entrepreneurship and research to solve challenges in Africa, especially in rural areas. Additionally, she has over 10 years’ experience serving in different technical capacities as a software engineer, network management system engineer, data scientist and educator at different universities. She also loves building innovation and business ecosystems using ICT for development (ICT4D). Chepkemoi is the founder and executive director of EldoHub, EldoHub’s is an education technology platform targeting youth and women, with an aim of preparing them to benefit from the opportunities the digital economy offers and close the skills gap in Africa’s job market.

She is also the current Chairperson of the Association of Countrywide Innovation Hub, a Network of Innovation Hubs from across the country, currently covering 40 counties with a membership of 80+ Hubs. Chepkemoi holds a master’s degree in mobile telecommunications and innovation from Strathmore University and a degree in Computer Science.

OSMAN VARWANI

Founder & Managing Director of the Innovus Group, Osman Varwani is a proven business and technology leader with over twenty years of industry-gained experience. He is a networked tech expert with strategic insight, a mentor, an influencer and a thought leader.

One of the strategic thrusts of the Innovus Group is to foster creative thinking and innovation through collaboration with innovation hubs to identify and promote local skills and talent and to accelerate the growth of business startups for socio-economic and environmental impact.

Osman Varwani is the chairman of the Memon Community Jamaat and also serves the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology under TVET as the Council member of the Kenya Coast National Polytechnic and continues to serve on various other local, regional and international boards and committees serving various causes.

MERCY MUKULU

Mercy Mukulu is the County Coordinator, Kenya Small Businesses Development Center- Mombasa Office. She has been working for Strathmore University since 2015 under various capacities. Through a well-balanced mix of accelerated business development activities, Mercy works with MSMEs to facilitate long-lasting economic impact changes that impact effectiveness, productivity, and satisfaction. Areas of focus include; MSMEs access to markets, MSMEs access to Finances, Policy, Consumer Research and Data Analytics, and Training. Mercy has an undergraduate Degree in Bachelors of Commerce from Strathmore University and is currently pursuing MSc. Project Management at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. She has a badge from UTSA (University of Texas San-Antonio) Center for Global Development: Foundational SBDC (Small Business Development Centers) Model.

MERCY WAFULA

Mercy Wafula is an SME growth professional. She has 11+ years of consulting experience in both the private and public sectors. She has provided strategic advisory to companies/organizations within East Africa. She is passionate about transforming Africa through innovation and sustainable business practices and exploring new approaches for improved service delivery to thriving SMEs within their communities.

This year’s summit will feature an equal focus on entrepreneurship and innovation, sustainability, leadership and even provide opportunities to network with your peers and emerging entrepreneurs! Take it from us: #YESMombasa2023 in March 4th, is the place to be for inspiration, education, and motivation to take your business and career to the next level.

Stay tuned for regular speakers’ announcements, and check our website regularly for new additions.

Registration to the summit is OPEN HERE and will close soon. Reserve your space and learn from our panel of experts at the Seventh Annual YEPI Entrepreneurship Summit this March!