is the Founder & Innovation

Influencer at the African Innovation Foundation, whose stated

purpose is to increase the prosperity of Africans by catalyzing
the spirit of innovation.

Jean-Claude is of Swiss-Angolan heritage, having been born and

raised in Fribourg, Switzerland. His affinity for entrepreneurship
saw him enter the startup scene while he was still in university with
a micro-mergers and acquisitions business that specialized in the
evaluation, due diligence, acquisition and sale of small enterprises
in the hairdressing, beauty and carpentry space.
“I’ve always believed that innovation-led entrepreneurship
is crucial to Africa’s growth and development", Jean-Claude
explains. "It drives economic opportunity and has the
potential to equalize wealth distribution across all segments
of society, and it holds the key to speeding up economic
diversification and job creation, which is a priority for many
African nations where youth are the predominant
demographic.”
1. The African Law Library, a free one-stop online portal and database for resources in business, government, and
civil society.

2. The Innovation Prize for Africa, which rewards African innovators for the work that they are doing to grow the
ecosystem. Applications for the 2017 prize are currently open.

3. The Social Impact Program for Angola, which was set up to solve pressing social problems via socially
responsible solutions and collaborations.
“Innovation is vital to the overall economic divergence
mix for African nations", Jean-Claude says further.
"There are many layers to this. Some schools of thought
believe that technology and leapfrogging can't work in
Africa because of poor infrastructure, and concentrating
on building this infrastructure will divert vital funds
required for more basic needs such as healthcare,
education, water, and food supplies.”
“In Angola", he continues, "we built Fábrica de Sabão, the country’s first hybrid innovation
hub on land owned by a subsidiary of the Angolan sovereign wealth fund (FSDEA). It
comprises of incubator and accelerator hubs, co-working and maker spaces, a cultural
exchange platform, local radio station and a residence program for visiting mentors and
artists. Fábrica de Sabão is an ecosystem to foster innovation-led education, creativity,
and entrepreneurship among Angolans, including marginalized slum communities who
are highly resourceful and eager to learn.”
Jean-Claude says that his dual heritage has had a significant
influence on the work he does. “My background has been a major
influence on who I am today", he explains. "Growing up as a Swiss-
Angolan, I’ve experienced a culturally rich upbringing and inherited
many traits from both sides of my family. A combination of African
wisdom and Swiss ambition have shaped my business and
philanthropic goals."

"My late Angolan grandmother was a great pillar of support", he

says in conclusion. "In fact, the African Innovation Foundation,
which I founded in 2009, is a result of a promise I made to her to
give back to Africa when my time came. Now when I look back, I
see that I am fortunate to be able to use the success that I’ve
worked hard to achieve, to play a part, however small, in Africa’s
progress.”