We Inspire
We light a fire in young people… by training them to see opportunities that others miss, giving them the confidence to view themselves as entrepreneurs not employees and job creators instead of job seekers. We do it by delivering a best-in-class leadership and entrepreneurship program.
We Invest
We go all in … by providing a full life-cycle of support to the most promising entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small businesses. We do it through tailored coaching, skills building, expert mentorship, seed funding, and facilitating connections within and across industries.
We Transform
We go big … by positioning young entrepreneurs to tackle tough problems in key sectors and channeling their talent into innovative, private sector-led solutions. We do this through the Kosmos Innovation Center’s distinctive focus on commercial solutions and local knowledge.
Ghana
Established in 2016, Kosmos Innovation Center Ghana is helping to breathe new life into agriculture, transforming it into an engine of growth and job creation.
Mauritania
Launched in 2018, the Kosmos Innovation Center Mauritania is helping young, entrepreneurial Mauritanians develop the skills to turn ideas into reality.
Senegal
Kosmos Innovation Center Senegal is helping young business leaders in Senegal develop the technical skills needed to grow successful and sustainable businesses.
Kosmos Innovation Center
The Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) invests in young entrepreneurs and small businesses who have big ideas and want to see their country grow.
Friday FAQ: Why is Mobile Money the Most Important Infrastructure for Young Entrepreneurs Right Now?
This week marks World Telecommunications and Information Society Day #WTISD #DigitalLifelines. For young entrepreneurs across Ghana, Senegal and Mauritania, it is worth stopping to understand what mobile money actually means for your business, beyond simply receiving payment.
Here is the practical reality. If a customer pays you in cash, that transaction disappears. If a customer pays you through mobile money, it is recorded. Do that consistently for six months and you have something a bank or lender can look at. You have evidence that your business exists, that customers pay you, and that money moves through your hands regularly. That record is what separates a founder who can access a loan from one who cannot.
Many young founders running small businesses, whether that is a hairdressing service, a food stall, or a delivery operation, are sitting on months of financial activity that proves their business is real. But because it happened in cash, none of it counts when they walk into a bank or apply for finance.
Start asking every customer to pay through mobile money. Not because it is more convenient, but because every payment is building a case for your next opportunity. After all, as most experienced entrepreneurs will tell you: your business history is only as strong as the records that prove it.
We don't like to use the F word at Kosmos Innovation Center, but sometimes it's important to address is head on: so what makes start-up businesses *whisper it* fail?