TechbyGerald

"A guide to Cotonou's tech ecosystem" Cotonou , the bustling economic hub of Benin and a rising star in the West African tech scene. From vibrant markets to emerging tech startups, Cotonou offers a unique mix of culture, innovation, and networking opportunities for tech enthusiasts. This guide will help you navigate the city's dynamic tech ecosystem while enjoying its rich culture. Why Visit Cotonou?   Cotonou is increasingly becoming a hotbed for innovation in West Africa. With its growing number of startups, tech hubs, and government-backed initiatives like Sèmè City, the city presents exciting opportunities for entrepreneurs, investors, and tech professionals. Whether you're looking to network, invest, or simply explore, Cotonou has much to offer. Tech Hubs & Innovation Spaces Sèmè City Open Park Known for its motto, “Walk in with an idea, walk out with a prototype,” Sèmè City is the government's flagship initiative to drive tech innovation and entrepr...

  "All men must die, but we are not men." — Daenerys Targaryen Yep 2020 happened and just like everyone else I got really burnt, badly! my startup Parkit.ng had just closed a deal to setup a 100 vehicle detailing centers across Africa with an investment firm based in Lagos and  voila!  the EndSars aftermath; state wide looting just having recovered from Covid. Entrepreneurship is really not for the faint hearted, the couple of events will go on to buttress my point... We entered into 2020 really excited and pumped for what the year had for us, we had our goals, strategies, and of course turkey 😜. We were ready! and full of life, we spent the first 2 months trying out new business models, prepping to go full swing. It was the 27th day of February 2020, the first "confirmed" covid-19 case in Nigeria was announced, I remember looking at my partners and wondering what that meant for us especially considering all our outlets were in malls and public places, everything ...

Often times I get this from friends and other budding startup founders "I'm building an app bla bla bla...", I usually cringe each time I hear that cause it almost seems as though the entire journey of creating an experience, a solution, a disruptor revolves around building an App.  It never has, building a business involves creating processes, structures, building networks and relationships long before the idea of an App is introduced especially in a Nigerian or African context. An App in my best opinion is an interface (mobile or desktop) introduced to simplify already existing processes and structures, reach new audiences and acquire new users, Big Chief (Victor Asemota) couldn't have explained this any better in a tweet; He Nailed it! Apps are processes manifested in an Interface, let's make this real, take my company  Parkit  for instance; my approach to taking up this endeavor would never have made sense by simply saying I want to create an app for vehicle w...

the journey of life can be unpredictable It's been a long time since I last published an article on my blog, my last published article was in June 2018 and trust me when I say a lot of things have happened since then Boy! Life as we all know it is a never ending journey, it's our responsibility to keep open heart and eyes to recognize opportunities whenever it presents itself and to also know when to wrap it all up and move on to the next big thing! I started my entrepreneurial journey in 2012 as a 19 yr old boy with my then startup; Wefix (a facility and property management company in Delta State, Nigeria) which eventually pivoted in 2016 to become iFixng.com (an online platform for hiring handy men and artisans) upon moving to Lagos. iFix did tremendously well, creating job and learning opportunities for handymen and artisans in Nigeria as well as making hiring artisans easy for users with well over 500 successful transactions (excluding some crazy transactio...

are we silently growing tech cabals instead of tech eco-systems? I've grown tired of hearing the word "Tech Eco-system" what does it really mean? my friends at bite.tech  helped me understand it better;  "a  tech ecosystem is an interconnected, interdependent network of various players that combine to create innovative products and services in tech. These players primarily include tech startups; more established tech companies; tech company founders; investors and investment groups; mentors and organisations that provide business support.  A successful tech ecosystem allows for many smaller companies to bring innovation to market.  " after reading this it becomes clearer that we're far from having a tech eco-system in Nigeria, though a few people like Mark Essien (boss at hotels.ng ) , OO Nwoye (the Nigerian) and a few others are endlessly trying to build such environments, our inherent nature to have cabals keeps diminishing the efforts of thes...

I have an unconditional love for Mark Zuckerberg (oh Zuck my man, if you've never heard of him, you may now rest in peace) , he's one of our most celebrated Tech Heroes for all his accomplishments and immense contributions to new media and the tech community at large. He's recently taken a philanthropic view with his corporate social responsibility projects at Facebook, Africa included. He Posted this on his Facebook page on the 5th of October, 2015: Zuck's Post about Amos-6; Satellite for Africa on the 5th of October He promised to launch a satellite called Amos- 6 in collaboration with Eutelsat to help beam Internet connectivity to large parts of Africa (especially sub-saharan Africa) so people living in remote regions can equally have access to the internet (and grandma can finally signup on facebook lol). Space X (a rocket company owned by the batman of Tech; Elon Musk) which was contracted to launch this satellite into space so we can start enjoying ...