HEC Paris Program Helps 117 African Entrepreneurs Thrive

When HEC Paris launched Challenge+ Afrique in Abidjan five years ago, they bet on a simple truth: talent is everywhere, but the frameworks to help it flourish are not. Today, that gamble has paid off spectacularly for 117 entrepreneurs across Ivory Coast and Senegal.

The program has supported 93 distinct projects since 2021, providing high-growth startups with structured mentorship and solid economic fundamentals. According to an impact report released at the program's fifth anniversary celebration, 95% of participants would recommend it to others.

The results speak for themselves. Aziz Daïfi and Thibaut Cathenoz launched Leya, a fintech company using AI to help mobile money agents manage cash more efficiently across a market worth $1.1 trillion. Tchancia Yoro built Maison Abylou, a luxury fragrance house that won the 2024 Impact Prize after the program helped her transform her vision into reality.

"Challenge+ Afrique was a decisive accelerator," Yoro explained. "It allowed me to refine my strategic vision and access an influential network."

Professor Etienne Krieger, who founded the original French version in 1990, sees immense potential in Africa's entrepreneurial surge. "The challenge is no longer to prove that talent exists, but to provide the frameworks and networks necessary for it to scale," he said at February's anniversary celebration.

The Ripple Effect

The program's influence extends far beyond individual success stories. The newly welcomed fifth cohort includes 26 entrepreneurs leading 24 projects across energy, healthcare, agribusiness, luxury, and real estate. Remarkably, 46% are women—a higher rate than the original French program and proof that women are leading the continent's economic transformation.

Challenge+ Afrique draws on 35 years of global experience, with the original program helping create over 1,000 projects and facilitating more than €1 billion in private investment. That expertise is now tailored to West African markets, creating resilient startups deeply rooted in local realities.

Alexis John Ahyee, Director of HEC Paris West and Central Africa Office, captured the program's philosophy perfectly: "African entrepreneurship does not require compassion—it requires method, confidence, and committed allies." By providing exactly that, Challenge+ Afrique is helping build an ecosystem where ambitious ideas become enduring enterprises, one founder at a time.