By NDUMBE BELL GASTON
One of MTN Cameroon’s sponsored start-ups called Innovative Clan was selected among a short list of ten contenders at a digital technology competition called the Daikim Samurai Incubate Ideathon Airtech Bootcamp Africa, that recently ended in Nairobi Kenya. In over 160 young African companies competing, I-Clan represented Central Africa.
The MTN Cameroon release has it that I-Clan started developing their company as they were about ending their university studies and later won the applications developers contest organised by MTN Cameroon within the platform of the MTN Foundations “21 Days of Y’ello Care” for integrating mobile money as payment method on websites among a participation of 35 students from seven Cameroonian universities.
Speaking about MTN Cameroon’s support, Ako Joelle, I-Clan CEO declared, “We launched our own startup, Innovative Clan. With assistance from MTN Cameroon we are learning a lot in various sectors of activity: marketing, business etc. even within the computer science domain which is our field of expertise; we are mentored by highly skilled individuals. It is an amazing experience for us.”
MTN Cameroon’s Chief Technology and Information Systems Officer Shayinka Shodunke reacted affirmatively “We do not only develop the competences of our employees. We also ensure that we reinforce the capabilities of other actors in the digital ecosystem especially students and computer application developers in the country” as he explained the incubation process.
I-Clan’s performance was applauded by Cameroon’s Prime Minister Dion Ngute. Before the event that saw other participating countries like Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania, I-Clan that develops digital products and services in the Fintech domain, had been invited to take part in the launch of the Youth Connekt Africa initiative last October in Rwanda. They were also present at the Google Sub-saharan Africa community summit.