Between green economy, digital innovation and creative industries, 48 young entrepreneurs have been officially selected to participate in the Mboa Jeunes Créatifs incubation program in Yaoundé and Douala.
Faced with the persistent challenges of unemployment and increasingly precarious career paths, a new generation of entrepreneurs is emerging, bringing local and inclusive solutions. In Cameroon, incubation is a strategy to support the creation of small and medium-sized enterprises, prioritizing integrated support for project leaders to bring their ideas to fruition. This methodology is at the heart of the Mboa Jeunes Créatifs (Mboa Young Creatives) program, which recently selected 48 young entrepreneurs from among 1,240 applicants in Yaoundé and Douala for an incubation phase in key sectors, including the green and social economy.
For startups in the beef sector, the support techniques are numerous and structured. They begin with advanced entrepreneurial training and personalized mentoring provided by experienced entrepreneurs and industry specialists. The goal is to transform an idea into a solid business by improving the business model and structuring the project. This preparatory phase is crucial for creating a viable and sustainable company. Programs like ENABLE Youth have demonstrated this by training young graduates to view agriculture as an economic activity, thus creating hundreds of agribusinesses. Beyond the technical aspects, incubation fosters integration into a business network, allowing young entrepreneurs to connect with suppliers, potential clients, and experts, as evidenced by the initiatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER).
This skills development is an essential prerequisite for accessing funding, often seen as the main obstacle to transforming incubated projects into viable businesses. The incubation phase thus prepares project leaders for fundraising by helping them develop bankable business plans.
By structuring incubation activities and facilitating access to credit, Cameroon is equipping itself with the tools to make the beef sector a true engine of economic growth, where young entrepreneurs who are trained and supported are the actors of their own success and of the country’s food sovereignty.
