Mouhammad Dieng

Over the past six years, I have worked at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and impact-driven programs. As the Founder of AfroBuilders, I built Senegal’s largest Web3 and AI communities (750+ members), creating platforms for collaboration and knowledge-sharing that have helped local entrepreneurs leverage emerging technologies. My work as a consultant for organizations like the Paris Peace Forum and Synapse Center has further honed my ability to design scalable programs, manage multi-stakeholder initiatives, and implement strategies that drive tangible outcomes. Key achievements include: • Enhancing alumni engagement by 40% at Synapse Center, designing improved cohort management frameworks that strengthened capacity-building programs for women and youth. • Leading a metaverse project for the Paris Peace Forum, coordinating designers and developers to deliver a global governance event while crafting a financial model that secured critical funding. • Co-developing a smart locker system at CONCEPTECH, securing investor buy-in from GIZ and DER and managing a 10-person team to deliver the product in collaboration with HAW Hamburg. My engineering background, coupled with certifications in venture capital (Young African Catalysts, EntryLevel) and entrepreneurial leadership (Draper University/Silicon Valley), enables me to analyze market opportunities, design resilient business models, and drive growth in complex environments. Additionally, my work on Koolute’s NFT real estate solution, connecting African agencies with global investors in the UAE, reflects my commitment to leveraging innovation to create inclusive economic pathways.

Young African Catalysts is a digital university empowering talent to enter & build the African startup & venture ecosystem. YAC leverages data and community to enable young Africans to upskill, find jobs, and unlock investment in the venture capital & startup ecosystem.

Transitioning from Electrical engineering background to deep tech specialist.

I believe in innovation. When I was at university between 2017 and 2020, some professors told me that it was impossible to do R&D in parallel with classes. When 2 classmates and I created our startup in January 2017, we understood that the challenge is enormous, the risk of exclusion high. But we believed in one thing: it was possible to differentiate yourself, to carry out professional activities in parallel with studies. In 2019, after years of hard work, sacrifice, and patience, two of the startup's co-founders graduated and guess how: by supporting the startup project. I led this team, I motivated them, I convinced them that it was possible to go all the way.