Industry

Rock is a Malian company specializing in the production of industrial slabs and pavers for indoor and outdoor paving.

The entrepreneur

Rock was founded in 2019 by Mohamed Arbi, a 30-year-old Malian entrepreneur with a solid knowledge of the building and civil engineering sector, who was quick to understand customers' expectations in terms of industrial slabs and pavers. He embodies the vision and determination of Mali's younger generation of entrepreneurs.

Partnership with Zira Capital

Rock is supported by I&P and Zira Capital through I&P Acceleration in Sahel. The aim of this partnership is to :

• Increase production capacity by fully industrializing the production process and reducing lead times
• Increase sales to B2B customers through the implementation of an adapted sales strategy
• Support the company in structuring its key functions (HR, accounting, etc.)
• Equip the company with an accounting management system and an administrative procedures manual

Luxcosmetiks is a company which evolves in the production and marketing of perfumes and body care under the brand Star in Guinea.

The entrepreneurs

Luxcosmetiks was created in 2019 by two entrepreneurs:

• Thierno Boubacar Diallo: Holder of a professional degree in Financial Engineering obtained at the Ecole Supérieure de Direction et de Gestion (ESDG-Rabat) in 2013, he has several years of experience in the cosmetics and perfumery sector in particular.
• Abdoul Hamidou Diallo: He holds a Master's degree in Business Administration and another in Accountability from Kennesaw State University (in Georgia).

Partnership with I&P and MBM Capital

Luxcosmetiks is supported by MBM Capital through I&P Acceleration program in Sahel. The main objective of this partnership is to :

• Improve the performance and productivity of the production unit
• Support the company in strengthening the technical skills of human capital
• Structure the organization and cost management through the implementation of internal procedures
• Rearrange the facilities

Lika Cosmétique is a company specialized in the creation and sale of perfumes and scented care products in Côte d'Ivoire. It offers its customers a wide range of quality products including perfumes, incenses, scrubs, soaps and night creams. 

The entrepreneur

Lika Cosmétique was founded by Ms. Barro Zalika, a young woman entrepreneur with a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering and genetics from the University of Fatih in Turkey and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from HEC Abidjan. Zalika Barro has several experiences in various sectors (cosmetics, communication) and has received several awards including Entrepreneur of the Year from the BJKD Foundation. She is also part of the TOP 15 young Ivorian entrepreneurs who are changing the Ivory Coast according to the magazine “Journal d’Abidjan”.

Partnership with Comoé Capital and I&P

Lika Cosmétique is supported by I&P and Comoé Capital through I&P Acceleration in Sahel. The funding will allow the company to develop a new market segment, especially in local stores and popular markets (mass market) through the production of mini fomats of its flagship products, which are spices and barbecue sauces. This funding will be supported by technical assistance to improve the company's structuring, its quality processes and its marketing and sales actions.

2AD Company is a company producing and marketing sanitary pads in Bamako, Mali. The main mission of 2AD Company is to reduce the taboo around menstruation and to help teenagers and young girls to blossom during their menstrual cycle by offering them adapted and environmentally friendly sanitary pads.

The entrepreneurs

The company was created by Awa and Adam Drabo, two twin sisters who both completed internships at the National Laboratory of Mali and the Institute of Rural Economy of Mali (IER) before launching into entrepreneurship in 2019.  Awa manages the production and the purchase of raw materials, the storage and the management of the relationship with the different suppliers. Adam handles the sales and marketing side and manages the brand's communication on the various social networks. 

Partnership with I&P and Zira Capital

2AD Company is supported by Zira Capital through I&P Acceleration program in Sahel. This partnership has mainly for objective to :

• Improve the production tool and the quality of finished products
• Increase sales to middle class customers through the implementation of an adapted commercial strategy
• Support the company in strengthening the technical skills of human capital
• Structure the organization and cost management through the implementation of internal procedures

Fa Confection by Naty is a young company specialized in traditional and professional clothes and articles in Senegal.

The entrepreneur

Fa Confection was founded by Aminata Ka, a Senegalese entrepreneur with a passion for fashion design. She holds a master's degree in International Business from the American Business School in Paris and has a strong experience in the banking sector in France and in Senegal.  

Partnership with I&P and Teranga Capital

This young company is supported by I&P and Teranga Capital through I&P Acceleration in Sahel. This partnership aims at :

• increase production capacity to meet the growing demand
• strengthen the services offered to customers by developing new value-added business lines
• increase the company’s visibility and ensure efficient business development
• structure the company’s activities on the operational, fiscal, accounting and financial levels

Frija Décor is a company specialized in the fabrication of wood, metal and upholstery furniture in Senegal.

The company operates in Dakar and collaborates with a network of local artisans. In two years of activity, this young company has already achieved a good reputation allowing to build up a portfolio of customers consisting of individuals and companies including restaurants, hotels, etc.

The entrepreneurs

Frija Décor was founded by a couple, David AMEDEKA and Caroline YOUL:

• David AMEDEKA is a young entrepreneur, trained as a lawyer and has had 5 years of professional experience in communication, sales, teaching of law and marketing before starting his own business. He is in charge of the e-comerce platform and the monitoring of KPIs, the planning and implementation of sales and marketing programs, as well as pricing.
• Caroline YOUL studied Banking and Financial Engineering, with experience in financial analysis through internships and volunteer missions. Within the company, Mrs. YOUL is in charge of the elaboration and follow-up of the dashboard, the follow-up of the customers, the management of the suppliers and the quality control.

Partnership with I&P and Teranga Capital

Frija Décor benefits from I&P Acceleration in Sahel implemented in Senegal by Teranga Capital whose objectives are to :

• progressively internalize production to ensure product quality, shorten delivery times and increase production capacity
• support the company in its formalization
• increase the company's market share

Gona Maroquinerie is an Ivorian company specializing in leather goods, particularly in the production of office items (conference folders, diaries), handbags or travel bags, pocket items, watch straps, wallets, and other accessories made of leather and imitation leather.

The entrepreneur

The company was founded by Jean Cyrille Ahoua Gona in 2014.

Autodidact, Mr. Ahoua is now a specialist in leather goods and shoe repair and has more than 33 years of experience in this sector. Accountant training, he began his professional career, far from the craft, as a sales manager in a company of Import / Export. Attracted by the idea of learning a trade, he left the company after two years and started working in the shoe industry.

His talent and his commitment to the leather goods sector have enabled him to win several prizes and distinctions at the national and sub-regional level :

• 2nd prize in the National Competition of Young Ivorian craftsmen (1998)
• 3rd Prize of Excellence of the Best Craftsman (2014)
• 1st Prize for Innovation at the National Exhibition of Social and Solidarity Economy in Morocco (2017)
• 3rd Prize for Circular Economy at the Salon Tournant de l'Economie Sociale et Solidaire in Senegal (2019)
• 2nd Prize at the Ivorian Handicraft Market (2021)

Mr. Ahoua is recognized as an approved trainer by the Fund for the Development of Vocational Training (FDFP) in the framework of Technical and Vocational Training in Côte d'Ivoire. He is also the President of the Union of Shoemakers, Bootmakers, Leatherworkers and Tanners of Côte d'Ivoire and the Vice President of the African Confederation of Leather Industries (Coafric)

Partnership with I&P and Comoé Capital

Gona Maroquinerie is supported by I&P Acceleration in Sahel program, which is implemented in Côte d'Ivoire by Comoé Capital sponsored by I&P. The support will essentially allow the company to increase its production capacity. Gona Maroquinerie will also benefit from the support of several consultants who will strengthen the brand's reputation, improve the production process and the quality of the articles, and revitalize the company's accounting and commercial functions.

DameGreen is a company specialized in the production and marketing of organic fertilizers in Mali.

The entrepreneur

This young company was founded in 2020 by Awa Dembélé an entrepreneur who is passionate about ecology and the environment. Awa held the positions of procurement manager and quality manager from 2018 to 2021 at Elephant Vert Mali, the national leader in organic fertilizer production. She also held the position of Project Assistant at the Institute of Rural Economy of Mali (IER) in 2017.

Partnership with I&P and Zira Capital

Damegreen is supported by Zira Capital through I&P Acceleration in Sahel. The main objective of this partnership is to :

• Increase the production capacity and improve the quality of finished products through the acquisition of more efficient equipment
• Finance the purchase of raw materials and related supplies from local suppliers (manure, organic waste, packaging)
• Support the company in strengthening its brand identity
• Structure the company's organization through the implementation of internal procedures

Zoé Industry is a company specialized in the transformation of local plant leaves, mainly moringa oleifera, into infusion tea in Burkina Faso. 4 flavors of tea mixed with moringa are currently on sale: moringa-hibiscus (bissap), moringa-kinkeliba, moringa-ginger and moringa-citronella.

The entrepreneurs

Zoe Industry was founded by Jacob and and Claudia Ouedraogo in 2016. 

Partnership with I&P and Sinergi Burkina

Zoé Industry is supported by Sinergi Burkina through the I&P Acceleration in Sahel.

The support provided to the company will allow it to :

• Strengthen its production capacity
• Improve the quality of its tea
• Improve its reputation
• Strengthen its structuring

About Sinergi Burkina

Created in 2014, Sinergi Burkina is the first impact investment fund dedicated to financing and supporting SMEs and start-ups in Burkina Faso. Headed by Job Zongo, Sinergi Burkina is the second investment fund sponsored by Investisseurs & Partenaires as part of the I&P Développement 2 fund. The fund network currently includes a fund in Niger (Sinergi Niger), Côte d'Ivoire (Comoé Capital), Senegal (Teranga Capital) and Madagascar (Miarakap).  → To learn more about Sinergi Burkina​

IKALOOK, "your style" in Bambara, is a Malian company specialized in the confection of women's clothing and advocates ethical fashion.  It is the first Malian company to modernize the woven loincloth, a fabric obtained from the artisanal weaving of local cotton.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

IKALOOK was created in 2016 by Fatoumata Namissa Théra SOW, a young woman strongly committed to eco-responsible fashion. With several years of experience in design, this fashion enthusiast since her early childhood started her clothing business in 2013. She designs original models that she makes from wax, bazin and dampé fabrics, a traditional fabric popular in Mauritania, where her mother comes from.

PARTNERSHIP WITH I&P AND ZIRA CAPITAL

IKALOOK is supported by Zira Capital through I&P Acceleration program in Sahel.

The main objective of this partnership is to :

• Increase the company's working capital by providing more raw materials and tools
• Strengthen the team by hiring new staff and improving working conditions (formalization of employment, medical and social coverage)
• Implementation of a communication and marketing strategy to boost sales
• Technical assistance to formalize and structure the organization (e.g. implementation of internal procedures and internal accounting system)
• Increase the supply capacity and quality of finished products