Senegalese Entrepreneurs Poised to Bring Sustainability Solutions to Market

May 13, 2025

The Suxëtt Entrepreneuriat program has selected five Senegalese entrepreneurs to receive seed funding and one-to-one coaching to help turn their innovative early-stage plans into market-ready business solutions. All five winners share a vision of creating sustainable and scalable ventures that will benefit the wider community—from natural haircare products to improved land irrigation.

Run by the DAI-implemented Kosmos Innovation Center in Senegal (KIC Senegal), Suxëtt Entrepreneuriat equips young innovators aged 18–35 who have a prototype or operational business with the tools, networks, and resources to develop viable, scalable models addressing challenges in the local ecosystem. All participants selected for the course exhibited dedication to these aims through businesses based on concepts including adaptation, the circular economy, climate resilience, and clean tech.

Suxëtt Entrepreneuriat participants meet with Yaye Souadou Fall, founder of tire recycling company E-Cover. Photo courtesy of Kosmos Innovation Center.

The course included workshops and seminars tailored to the needs of first-time entrepreneurs, as well as opportunities to connect with experienced entrepreneurs through mentoring sessions, networking events, and a demo day of business pitches. Specific training on sustainability also familiarized the young entrepreneurs with concepts such as the Sustainable Development Goals, global trends, and policies.

The program equipped all the participants with the skills and know-how to develop their business strategy, hone their management skills, and incorporate sustainability and circularity in their businesses. The five selected winners, profiled below, will now receive additional support and investment to kickstart their ventures.

Video courtesy of Kosmos Innovation Center.

Yass’Afro

Mame Yacine Cissé won first prize for her natural haircare business, Yass’Afro. Cissé developed a specialized formula for haircare products that combines the knowledge of local farmers and expert biologists. Her products—all based on oils extracted from natural, locally available ingredients including plants, okra, and shea butter—leave hair clean, hydrated, and manageable. With Yass’Afro, Cissé aims to simplify haircare for African women and women of African descent while minimizing adverse impacts on the environment.

Acces Energie Solaire

Abdallah Ndiaye and Babacar Dione won second prize for their agritech product to address regional irrigation challenges. Ndiaye and Dione combined their knowledge of renewable energy and engineering to create a smart solar kit that combines Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and a mobile application to create a tailored watering system. The system automates irrigation and optimizes water use, which ultimately reduces energy costs and increases agricultural productivity. Through Acces Energie Solaire, Ndiaye and Dione aim to drive long-term transformation in Senegal’s agricultural communities.

Rema Savon

Mariama Gakou won third prize for her company Rema Savon, which produces solid and liquid soaps made from natural ingredients. All Rema Savon products use local ingredients, like neem and moringa powder, and are chemical-free, making them kind to skin while also protecting the environment. Gakou founded the company and produces the soap products herself, even as she pursues her studies at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar. Her mission with Rema Savon is to promote health, natural beauty, and environmental protection.

Yésal Sopi Djeun

Fourth prize was awarded to Abdoulaye Diouf Tall, who has combined his passion for entrepreneurship and commitment to sustainable development with his training in fish farming and value chain management. Yésal Sopi Djeun supports women’s economic empowerment in Langue de Barbarie in Saint Louis by improving and promoting locally sourced fish products. Deeply committed to his local community, Tall is already collaborating with more than 300 women in the fisheries industry.

BIA Touch

Soukeyna Diaw received the fifth prize for BIA Touch, which designs and produces clothes, shoes, and bags out of recycled fabrics. After completing a master’s degree focusing on safety and environmental management in organizations, Diaw noticed that leftover fabric scraps from sewing workshops were having a negative impact on the environment, so she founded BIA Touch to create sustainable clothing and accessories from the discarded fabric. The company showcases creativity and combats pollution.

Honorable mentions

KIC awarded two more prizes recognizing entrepreneurs and business ideas that charmed the demo day judges. Mariama Dia received the Coup de Cour prize for her company Yummy Food, which provides catering services and food products, all based on locally grown and sustainable foods. The Binôme le plus Assidu prize was awarded to Aminata Diallo Ndiaye for her diligence and hard work throughout the program. A passionate cook, Ndiaye founded Esprit Cuisine 2.0 to produce and sell natural juices, syrups, the traditional Senegalese spice mix nokoss, and balanced meals that celebrate the richness of the local heritage and environment.

Soukeyna Diaw presenting her company BIA Touch. Photo courtesy of Kosmos Innovation Center.

Supporting Entrepreneurs in West Africa

Suxëtt Entrepreneuriat is a pillar of Kosmos Energy’s mission to foster a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in Senegal. Kosmos Innovation Center Program Coordinator in Senegal Anna Sarr said: “Our programs have highlighted the promising number of young people in Senegal who have already taken their first steps towards building their own business and who need further support. Suxëtt Entrepreneuriat is designed precisely for these people.”

DAI also collaborates with KIC Senegal on two successful regional entrepreneurship initiatives, Door Entrepreneuriat and Sama Xalaat Sama Projet in Saint Louis, Senegal, and DAI has designed and implemented KICs in Ghana and Mauritania. The three KICs in Senegal, Ghana, and Mauritania have so far supported more than 7,600 entrepreneurs, awarded over $1.4 million in seed funding, and created hundreds of jobs.