Cameroon - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Engels Consulting is a social enterprise that guides young entrepreneurs through their start-up development and fundraising efforts free of charge, while encouraging them to adhere to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

Engels Business Consulting will be an online peer-led consulting firm run by young leaders who are committed to creating the change they want to see by equipping young Cameroonian entrepreneurs at the seed phase of their business lifecycle with the business skills and ESG awareness they need to turn their projects into successful and scalable ventures that have a positive impact on the Cameroonian society and the world. Our value proposition includes pre-launch services ranging from ideation support to proposal elaboration and preparation of a winning pitch deck, as well as post-launch services including financial, legal, sales, partnership building, marketing and ESG guidance. Our pre-launch package consists of a four-month incubation program segmented into free fortnightly masterclasses and one-to-one mentoring, and our post-launch package consists of fortnightly one-to-one advisory services starting with two free months for returning clients and one free month for new young clients.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

In 2023, the population of Cameroon was estimated at 28 million people, of whom 60% were considered to be young people (Saidu, 2023; Mbwoge, 2024). However, 28% of Cameroon's youth and adult population was considered economically inactive, while another 20% of the same population worked in poverty, earning less than 2.15 USD daily, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO, 2023). UNESCO echoes these figures by stating that a child born in Cameroon will reach only 40% of its potential due to learning poverty. (UNESCO, 2024) Cameroon faces a grave problem of inequality of access to educational and professional opportunities linked to socio-economic background, gender and disability. The result is that the rich human capital of the country, represented by its youth, is being wasted. Aside from the immense economic loss, this predicament exacerbates poverty and a sense of discontent that ultimately lead to a brain drain of young people to destinations such as Canada.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your project intends to provide (at least 3).

Entrepreneurship is the only way to unlock one's potential, regardless of the person's background. Engels Consulting will equip Cameroonian youth with the tools they need to build a better future for themselves in the country by providing them with access to business development knowledge, funding and networking opportunities. Our venture will enable them to access quality services offered by experienced peers who understand the young African entrepreneurial experience in today's global context, all by harnessing the potential of IT. By keeping our incubation program free and prioritising women-led projects and projects run by people with health conditions through price discount in our post-launch package, we are committed to advancing the fight against social inequalities. Our emphasis on ESG practices will help improve the Cameroonian business market and society as a whole, one business at a time.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your project is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

Our niche market is young Cameroonians between the ages of 15 and 35, with or without previous business development experience, who are interested in starting or already own a business in Cameroon and have a clear willingness to abide by ESG standards. Our target clients have at least a GCE Ordinary or Brevet d'Etudes du Premier Cycle (BEPC) or an equivalent qualification and have regular access to a laptop and internet connection. Our Fit clients can express themselves in either English or French or both. Engels Consulting reserves the right to accept clients on a case-by-case basis, especially female entrepreneurs and those living with a health conditions.

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2024-01-01

01.06 How many other partners are associated with your business venture?

7

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

4

01.08 Please describe the profile of each of the other partners (skills, experience, etc.)

Our team is composed as follows: Legal consultant = a male College graduate with a Bachelor's in Law and Legal Practice. Business Development Analyst and Founder = a third-year female university student pursuing a Bachelor's degree with a major in International Economics. Financial analyst = a third-year male university student pursuing a Bachelor's degree with a major in Finance. Marketing analyst = a third-year female university student pursuing a Bachelor's degree with a major in Marketing, Communication and Sales. Partnership-building analyst = a third-year male university student pursuing a Bachelor's degree with a major in Business Administration. Fundraising analyst = a third-year female university student pursuing a Bachelor's degree with a major in Business Administration. Sustainable Development Consultant = a female fourth-year College student with a degree in Architecture and Urbanism. Engels Consulting's in-house consultant is a certified professional Coach and Speaker.

01.09 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link here:

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

Other: Business Consulting

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

Engels Consulting will contribute to SDG N°1, No Poverty, by enabling the Cameroonian youth to decently earn a sustainable and continuous source of income as well as valuable business skills and knowledge by harnessing their intellectual potential. Our free pre-launch program enables underprivileged groups to take advantage of international business fundraising opportunities. The positive impact of this project goes beyond the individual and extends to families and communities by empowering new breadwinners at no cost to the groups through our incubation programme. In this way, we are creating new sources of income for families in need and giving them the chance to have a dignified livelihood. As a result, this project creates a chain of solidarity that can be extended to others.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

4

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

N/A

02.03.01 My project contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

4

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

N/A

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

Engels Consulting will contribute to SDG N° 4, Quality Education, by providing Cameroonian youth with the theoretical and practical knowledge they need for a successful business development. We also enhance their personal development through the incubation programme and our various mentorship opportunities. This programme offers unique lifelong learning opportunities in the field of business management through its post-launch advisory services, as well as the networking opportunities and guest speaker sessions that will be offered. By proposing our incubation program at no cost to our participants and seeking to create an inclusive environment for people living with health conditions, we also aim to make educational opportunities more accessible to everyone, regardless of background. Our approach to knowledge transfer puts the person back at the centre of the educational experience.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

Engels Consulting will contribute to SDG N°5, Gender Equality, by providing young Cameroonian women with a dignified source of income through project development. We aim to break the status quo regarding women's education and their ability to support themselves financially. This is why we are committed to making our services more accessible to young girls and women by making our incubation program free of charge and giving priority to women-led projects to reduce the cost of our services. Limiting the fees of our services to women at every level of our value proposition increases their source of income and ensures a better future for them and their children. This form of affirmative action is our way of fighting gender inequality, empowering women to contribute intellectually and financially to the development of a better Cameroon, and emphasising the crucial role that women play in our communities.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

2

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

N/A

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

2

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

N/A

02.08.01 My project contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

7 - Strongly Agree

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification

Engels Consulting will contribute to SDG N°8 Decent work and economic growth by providing access to our services and a dignifying means of surviving to all youth, regardless of their socio-economic status and background. Our focus on business development, guided by ESG norms, aims to emphasise the sense of purpose that should always be present in workplaces and create a conducive environment for economic growth at the national level. By offering our mentoring support to young Cameroonians from the age of 15, our project seeks to harness the full potential of Cameroon's youth by targeting the largest segment of the population. Simultaneously, we are keeping our youth away from the plagues of underemployment, fraud or crime. Through our masterclasses, Engels Consulting will create a community of like-minded individuals working towards the development of a better Cameroon for present and future generations.

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

2

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

N/A

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

Engels Consulting will contribute to SDG N°10 Reducing Inequalities by supporting every youth, regardless of their background, through their personal and business development. We will not only contribute to providing them with a source of income, but we will also give them the confidence they need to be valuable contributors to Cameroonian society. At Engels Consulting, we see education not only as wealth but also as power. We want to give power back to those who have lost it due to social constructs. By dividing our niche market into different personas, representing categories of accessibility to our program, we are able to tailor our services to reach those who need us most. Our special offerings for women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs living with a health condition challenge stereotypes of the entrepreneur prototype. Our focus on ESG standards will also help create profitable ventures that reduce harm to unprivileged groups.

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

2

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

N/A

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

2

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

N/A

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

6

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

Engels Consulting will contribute to SDG N°13, Climate Action, by raising awareness on the environmental benefits of applying ESG standards to business practices. We aim to engage the Cameroonian youth in environmental protection, by only supporting projects that respect ESG standards during our incubation program. In addition, our post-launch package offers the services of a sustainable development consultant with experience in renewable energy, sustainability and project management in developing countries. Our aim is to encourage the creation of more sustainable businesses using environmentally friendly methods of production and service delivery. In addition, by providing our services online, we aim to harness the potential of IT through the use of artificial intelligence management platforms, which will enable us and our clients to carry out our tasks efficiently, at a reduced cost to the environment and ourselves, while pushing the boundaries of knowledge sharing.

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

2

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

N/A

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

2

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

N/A

02.16.01 My project contributes to the Peace justice and strong institutions goal

3

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

N/A

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

Engels Consulting will contribute to SDG N°17, Partnerships for the Goal, by engaging Cameroonians in the global momentum to develop and implement sustainable and efficient practices that protect the environment and communities in the long term. Our focus on ESG practices will encourage Cameroonian youth to create innovative projects that have the potential to change the world. Our one-on-one mentorship programs will empower our clients to think bigger to deliver scalable projects whose positive impacts will go beyond Cameroon's borders. We aim to cement Cameroon's place as a development hub, particularly in Central Africa. By using an online platform as our main work medium, we will enable Cameroonian youth to benefit from knowledge and opportunities from around the world. This will foster the creation of a global community working for the betterment of the world.

05.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

4

05.02 The product/service we envision creating represents an entirely new type of product/service.

5

05.03 The product/service we envision creating could be described as a new technology.

1 - Strongly Disagree

05.04 The product/service we envision creating is an improvement on an existing product or service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.05 The product/service we envision creating could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

5

05.06 The product/service we envision creating responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.07 The product/service we envision creating is a new version of an old product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

05.08 Justification

Engels Consulting's unique value proposition lies in its social focus. We will be the first youth-led management consulting firm to offer free peer-to-peer consulting services. As former tutees and scholarship recipients, we recognise the importance of a chain of solidarity and strive to contribute to the betterment of the African continent and the world. We want to give back using our knowledge and skills. By incorporating ESG concepts in the development of ventures, we bring a novel approach to the Cameroonian business consulting sector, as we aim to create not only financially sustainable businesses but also socially and environmentally impactful businesses. Our main working medium is online. Unlike any other business consultancy in the country, we will be able to transcend the boundaries of space and time and create a strong database for our clients. Our aim is not to recreate the business consultancy sector but to revolutionise it.

05.09 Who are your main potential competitors and what makes you stand out from them?

Our main competitors are The Index Cameroon, Africa Venture Lab, Amzyll, Mabiala and Partners and Nesken Consulting. Much like us, these companies were set up to address the need for business advice for small and medium-sized enterprises and to provide holistic consulting solutions. Some of them even tackle the issue of integrating sustainable development considerations into the business world. However, Engels Consulting is the only company that will go one step further, earlier in the development process, by accompanying projects at the ideation stage. Not only do we accompany entrepreneurs through mentorship, but we also offer them master classes, all at no cost to them. This is because, unlike our competitors, we are a social enterprise. Therefore, our primary niche markets are not seasoned players but rather young entrepreneurs, and we place a huge emphasis on supporting women-led businesses and businesses led by people living with health conditions.

10.06 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Young Cameroonian girls and women from unprivileged socio-economic backgrounds, with or without disabilities, are a special client target for Engels Consulting. Our value proposition is designed to provide them with free theoretical and practical knowledge on business development and ESG practices during our incubation programme as well as one-on-one mentorship sessions with our analysts. In addition to our free trial period, our post-launch package offers young Cameroonian women the opportunity to benefit from fee discounts. This will enable them to achieve financial independence, contribute to the development of Cameroonian society and build their self-confidence. It will amplify the voices of young women in Cameroonian society. We want to empower them to be the agents of change in the way society views entrepreneurs. We wish to see them extend the help they have received to other women in Cameroon and around the world.