Abubakar Abdullahi

I am Co-founder and Executive Director at the Emerging Young Entrepreneur Initiative (EYE Africa); a pan-African nonprofit inspiring a generational shift in African business through improving access to training, mentoring, incubation, and financial support for students of public institutions.

My work is driven by a passion for building indigenous companies that will provide meaningful jobs for the growing youth demographic, develop local technologies and build expertise toward ensuring shared prosperity for all.

Over the last decade, I have founded/co-founded businesses in IT outsourcing, social entrepreneurship, shared workspaces, and formal menswear. I leverage this experience to mentor undergrads and facilitate sessions on entrepreneurial mindset and motivation, opportunity analysis, value innovation, business models, and the customer validation process. Most recently, I have spent time sharing knowledge with startup founders on programs by the African Business Angel Network (ABAN), Venture Capital for Africa (VC4A), Hult Prize Africa, and Founder Institute.

I believe new founders and the startups they lead can derive immense benefits from deep learning, networks, investment opportunities, and strategic partnerships that my past experiences and connections can afford them. I also believe that a steady stream of this mentor-driven capital is essential to growing the pipeline of successful startups on the continent.