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Mitchell Prather, CEO of global public relations firm Djembe Consultants, has made a clarion call for African media to play a stronger role in telling the stories of young entrepreneurs, particularly those driving innovation across the continent.
Speaking at the grand finale of “Accelerate with Djembe” on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, Prather emphasized the media’s role in scaling up entrepreneurship through strategic storytelling and visibility.
“African media needs to understand the innovation ecosystem. It’s not just about having a story, it’s about getting it out there. The media has a huge role in making that happen,” said Prather.
“There’s massive potential in these young African innovators, not only to solve pressing challenges but also to create new opportunities.”
“Accelerate with Djembe” is the first communications-focused accelerator in the MEA region.
Organized by Djembe Consultants long-time communications partners for innovators and entrepreneurship ecosystems across Africa and the Middle East the program empowers Scale-Ups with storytelling, branding, and investor relations.
The 2025 edition featured 10 promising ventures from countries including Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Lebanon, Egypt, amongst others pitching their projects to a global network of funders and stakeholders.
Winners Unveiled
Following rigorous assessment by an international jury, four standout Scale-Ups emerged:
1st Place: YY ReGen (Lebanon) – Innovators in agritech and renewable energy, focused on sustainable solutions for water, power, and agriculture.
2nd Place: Stemaide (Ghana) – An education startup producing STEM kits for children aged 8 through university, offering practical tech learning tools tailored to African realities.
3rd Place (tie): Saving System (Egypt) – A cleantech leader focused on energy efficiency and cost-saving tech; and Mzuri Organics (Kenya) – A social enterprise providing biofertilizers and sustainable animal feed through community-driven waste transformation.
Benefits for Individual Winners
Djembe awarded a tiered package of dedicated communication and fundraising support:
12 months for the first-place winner, including strategic partnerships, digital and media support, and grant access.
6 months for the second-place winner.
3 months for the third-place winners.
Prather however reaffirmed that “regardless of the prize tier, Djembe remains committed to supporting all participating Scale-Ups beyond the finale.”
Panel Discussions: Bridging Entrepreneurs and Media
The event included a high-level panel discussion on “Made in MEA Innovation: New Media as a Growth Ally,” featuring leading industry players including Digital Marketing Strategist Yaa Essuamaah Afran-Okese and Hubert Allah-Mensah, Founder of Brif Africa.
The session was expertly moderated by Gilles Ametepe, Head of Djembe Innovation.
Discussions centered on how new media can better serve entrepreneurs.
“Learn how to tell your stories,” urged Afran-Okese, highlighting the importance of speed and content quality in today’s digital world.
Empowering the Ecosystem Through Partnerships
The event was hosted in partnership with ALX, a pan-African initiative fostering youth entrepreneurship. Investors and funders included the Mastercard Foundation, Orange Corners, Bet9ja Foundation, UNICEF, and Berytech, among others. Djembe Consultants’ own innovation arm continues to drive visibility for entrepreneurs across Africa through other platforms like MEST Africa and Djembe Innovation.
Mitchell Prather, whose over 35-year career spans Global Investor Relations, Public Relations and Media Strategy, closed the event reiterating that his outfits “job is to change the African narrative by empowering young entrepreneurs and telling their stories to the world. The future is in young Africans, and Accelerate with Djembe is our way of giving them the spotlight they deserve.”
