Africa Day Celebration: Innovations Unleashed

The role of educational institutions in Entreprepreneurship and African Technological Advancement

Date & Time: Time: May 24, 2024, 08:00 AM PST | 11 Am EST | 3 pm GMT

Objective:
This workshop aims to celebrate Africa Day by highlighting the significant contributions of educational institutions and the African Diaspora in driving technological advancements on the continent. Participants will gain insights into how education can act as a catalyst for innovation and how the Diaspora can support and enhance these efforts.

Target Audience:

  • Faculty and students from technology-focused universities, particularly those with partnerships in Africa.
  • Members of the African Diaspora engaged in technological sectors.
  • African tech entrepreneurs seeking collaboration and visibility.
  • Investors interested in technology opportunities within emerging African markets.
Key Takeaways:
  • Integration of Technology in Education: Insights into how cutting-edge technology can be integrated into African educational curricula.
  • Diaspora-Led Initiatives: Examples of successful tech initiatives led by the Diaspora and their impact on education and entrepreneurship in Africa.
  • International Collaborations: Understanding the benefits of international collaborations in advancing technological education and innovation.
  • Networking Opportunities: Building connections that could lead to future collaborations and projects.

Speakers

Stanley Mukasa

Associate Director of Entrepreneurship Carnegie Mellon University Africa

Stanley Mukasa has close to a decade of experience in the design and management of entrepreneurship development programs. Prior to joining CMU, Mukasa was the programs lead for Entrepreneurship and Global Challenges Programs at the African Leadership UniversityStudent Ventures Program at the African Leadership University. He served as a member of the entrepreneurship faculty, head of entrepreneurship, and started the Business Incubation program at Davis College Akilah. Mukasa’s mission is to contribute to making Africa a better place through supporting entrepreneurs to create sustainable ventures that can produce decent jobs for today and for the future. On an average day off work, Mukasa connects with entrepreneurs as a coach and mentor, and enjoys connecting with key stakeholders within the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Driven by passion for entrepreneurial success, Mukasa supports entrepreneurs with business strategy, innovation, market analysis, and fundraising grounded in systems thinking, and design thinking approaches. Mukasa holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration from The Swiss Management Center with a focus on sustainable business practices and entrepreneurship, a Master’s Degree in Economic Policy Management from Makerere with a focus on entrepreneurship, and an iMBA specialization in Strategic Innovation from the University of Illinois.

Grant M. Warner, Ph.D.

Bank of America Endowed Professor of Entrepreneurship Center for Black Entrepreneurship, Executive Director Spelman College | Morehouse College

Dr. Warner is the Bank of America Endowed Professor of Entrepreneurship and the Director of the Center for Black Entrepreneurship (CBE). A collaboration among the Black Economic Alliance Foundation, Spelman College, and Morehouse College, the CBE aims to grow the pipeline of Black entrepreneurs and connect them to investment opportunities. By increasing investment in Black-founded companies, the CBE will ultimately contribute to closing the investment gap. Prior to joining the CBE, Dr. Warner served as the Director of Innovation for the College of Engineering and Architecture and the Office of Research at Howard University. He was the Howard University PI for the Mid-Atlantic NSF I-Corps Hub which is a $15MM effort to catalyze the lab-to-market ecosystem across Mid-Atlantic region. Dr. Warner is also co-PI for the Pathways to Commercialization effort which is exploring the commercialization capacity at HBCUs across the country. Additionally, Dr. Warner has extensive experience in Lab-To-Market commercialization. He has supported the signature Lab-To-Market accelerator in the country, the I-Corps program, across several federal agencies including the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Energy. He has served as an instructor in those programs and helped to develop the curriculum to support “deep tech” innovation. This has also extended to international Lab-To-Market programs where he provided similar support to the Korean Innovation Center KIC-Start program, Innovate Egypt, and GIST programs run by the Department of State. He received a B.S. degree from Cornell University, an M.S. degree from Penn State University, and a Ph.D. from Columbia University all in Mechanical Engineering.

Paul Wilson, Jr.

Founder & CEO Wilson Strategy Agency, LLC

Paul Wilson, Jr. is a visionary entrepreneurial executive with a distinguished career spanning nearly two decades, recognized for pioneering entrepreneurial leadership and driving organizational excellence. He has a proven expertise in devising and delivering top-tier consulting and training solutions across diverse sectors, from small businesses to Fortune 500 corporations. He has a specialized focus on elevating organizational and individual performance through fostering innovation, implementing transformative strategies, and leading high-impact programs to achieve sustainable growth and profitability. Paul recently performed the role of Vice President of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs (RICE). RICE is a business generator established to assist Black entrepreneurs in metro Atlanta in overcoming the unique hurdles they face in starting and growing successful enterprises. His primary responsibility was to promote innovation culture by devising strategies for attracting and cultivating successful innovators and entrepreneurs. He effectively designed high-impact experiential learning experiences which were aligned with strategic growth objectives.

 

Previously Paul served as the Area Director of the UGA Small Business Development Center at Georgia State University. In that role he successfully led a dynamic team that provided consulting services, business solutions, educational training, and market research to startup, growing, and established small businesses that helped them achieve their short and long-term goals.

 

During his entrepreneurial journey, Paul leveraged his Master of Science in Organizational Management and Bachelor of Business in Supply Chain Management to impact several industries and organizations across the United States. Some of his previous client engagements include Southern Company, Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council (GMSDC), Nevada Energy, Vectren, Louisville Gas & Electric, AEP, Edison Electric Institute, Indiana Utility Association, Utility Purchasing Management Group, and NFL teams, including San Diego Chargers, Carolina Panthers, and Minnesota Vikings. He is a passionate champion for minority business development, expansion, and retention in the metro Atlanta region and beyond, and has built strong partnerships and collaborations with several small business development organizations. Additionally, he enjoys using his multi-media talents and skills to create digital content that informs, inspires, and challenges entrepreneurs and leaders to pursue their
maximum potential.

Moderator

Omolayo Nkem Ojo

Omolayo Nkem Oyudo (Moderator)

Director of Programs and Operations, ADN

Omolayo is a multi-lingual strategist and researcher with over ten years experience in international development and has worked with or for African diaspora communities across the US, Europe and Africa to mobilise, impact and advocate for their needs and interests. Omolayo holds an MSc with Distinction in Migration, Mobility and Development from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. Prior to joining ADN, Omolayo was a research manager and gender specialist at DMA Global where she oversaw key projects for organisations such as the World Bank, IOM and others.