Cameroon - Business creation project

Describe your project or startup in a few words

In an ever-changing changing career world, ensuring that fresh graduates stand a higher chance of securing a job or starting a business of their own successfully is of primary importance to us at NeoSkol.

01.01 Describe your project in more detail

NeoSkol digitzes the study experience of students across Africa. On average, African youths between ages 16-34 spend over 5 hours on their devices and students in colleges and universities spend over 7hrs20mins on the internet on their devices daily. NeoSkol aims to maximize students academic output by digitizing their study experience thus increasing their study time, performance and output. We don't just want to limit students to study and pass exams, but NeoSkol will connect students to industry experts and professionals to learn new skills, strategies, create new networks with other students from different and better campuses all from a single app while giving them access to jobs, internships, etc. NeoSkol is a next generation study and professional tools that will connect students, lecturers, professionals, and corporations in a single platform, first of its kind, globally.

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

A couple of times I was driven in a taxi by drivers who are holders of Masters degrees but couldn't find jobs that could employ pr pay them their worth and so they are limited to day jobs to survive after years of studies. Africa has the largest active young working age individuals yet one of the most unemployed. NeoSkol wants to equipe the next generation work force with the right tools, skills, and opportunities to not just secure jobs but become job creators. Rather than wait to graduate and take extra classes for skill acquisition and what not, NeoSkol gives its users the opportunity to reachout into real world scenarios and create the connections needed for a better life.

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

1. Easily access study materials both on campus and from other Universities 2. Create connections with fellow students and experts from across the continent and beyond 3. Experience real world opportunities and challenges 4. Create a digital culture into African youths for the evolving digital workspace 5. Easy access to job opportunities

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

Students from final year high school to colleges. What we are creating is a solution that will grant our users instant access to study materials in digital form, this means they will have first time access to any information distributed by lecturers or expects in any field of their chosen. If they can study ahead, faster, easier, they will be more productive and obtain better results

01.05 When did you start working on your project?

2023-12-22

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

5

01.07 Among the other partners, how many are female?

2

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

Partner 1: Ndamo Ndamo - Founder, Entrepreneir, Project Systems Engineer and Marketinf Strategist with over 6 years experience 2. Agbor Franklen - Cofounder, Software developer, Ethical hacker, Blockchain developer, over 7 years experience 3. Juliet Limunga - Copywriter, content creator, marketer Alain Michael: Cofounder, software developer, student University of Buea 5. Iris Aisha: marketer

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

https://www.linkedin.com/company/neoskol/

01.10 Which industry best describes your project?

h) IT (digital services, equipment and software)

02.01.01 My project contributes to the No poverty goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification

If our youths are given access to the skill sets which are exploited by those in the est like China, United States, UK, etc, they will if not compete but achieve half the results which will make them financially secure. An 11 year old in the states can earn over $17 million dollars from online meanwhile a 30 year old Cameroonian can't why, primary because the lack of digital skills and digital culture hinders us from benefiting from such opportunities.

02.02.01 My project contributes to the Zero hunger goal

5

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification

I think the more people are better placed financially, the lesser the number of hungry people the would be. Our mission at NeoSkol is to create a new culture across Africa which will allow our youths to have dreams beyond a government job, but to be entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial, to have options that would otherwise wouldn't

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

4

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification

02.04.01 My project contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification

This speaks purely to the mission of NeoSkol. A student might not have 51 million francs to attend Harvard or MIT, but they can afford 5,000 frs to buy a course that will improve their resume. NeoSkol aims to level to educational landscape, to make access to student materials equitable to anyone who desires it not limited by geographic coordinates or race.

02.05.01 My project contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification

Anyone regardless of gender should be able to access opportunities of they are skilled to deliver. NeoSkol creates an ecosystem of equality. Study, work, and be connected to who you want to and take a chance to create a better world.

02.06.01 My project contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification

02.07.01 My project contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

2

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification

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

Three primary goals of NeoSkol are; 1. Digital and increase access to academic and professional materials 2. Create an ecosystem for equitable educational 3. Boost digital culture thereby increasing the earning potential for African youths. The more digitized our youths become, the more opportunities they will have access to which will lead to an increase in their financial status thereby leading to improved economic development across nations. NeoSkol wants to achieve that

02.09.01 My project contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

7 - Strongly Agree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification

Never before has any system be designed to systematically connect students, lecturers, professionals, and corporations together in a seamless manner as NeoSkol. Our innovative solution uses cutting edge and advance technology to build a sustainable infrastructure that is scalable enough to manage any user growth and operation.

02.10.01 My project contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

6

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification

Once it becomes possible for students in Cameroon to have access to study materials from colleges and universities in Nigeria or South Africa, we will see more and more equality than we do now

02.11.01 My project contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

3

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification

02.12.01 My project contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

4

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification

02.13.01 My project contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification

This makes me happy as a founder. During one of our marker research exercises we asked students what would be more comfortable (Study paper materials or Have it sent to their phones), excitedly, most of them 97% prefer having their notes in their devices 24/7 and one of the many reasons was the less paper, the better our climate. Thousands or tons of trees are cut down each year to produce paper with most being used by students, a digital study tool will greatly reduce dependence on tree produced papers and increase sustainable climates across the globe.

02.14.01 My project contributes to the Life below water goal

2

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification

02.15.01 My project contributes to the Life on land goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification

The more dependence our users have on digital tools such as NeoSkol, the better the environment. NeoSkol allows students to access all study materials digitally thereby reducing their dependence on paper. That results to lesser trees being cut down, increase forestation and reduced desertification.

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

5

02.16.02 Peace justice and strong institutions - Justification

NeoSkol ecosystem of services promotes transparency and equality. The more people have access to similar information and data, it makes it easy to converse and increases sustainability and growth. When an ecosystem shares a single point of information, execution becomes hyper active and results are seen from every point, that's the future NeoSkol sees evolving.

02.17.01 My project contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

4

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification

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

7 - Strongly Agree

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.

6

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.

6

05.08 Justification

The idea of accessing study materials online isn't new. But platforms like udemy, coursera etc limits their services to graduates or people who just want to learn a new skill or course. The problem is, these people should already have these skills from their college days. NeoSkol makes sure students even while in college will have industry level experts and professionals teach them skills and techniques which they can apply to their jobs as sort after applicants. NeoSkol is a whole new approach to improving career skills and boosting entry level job speakers resume without any stress on the students oart.

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

part. Coursera Edx NeoSkol is the first platform that will connect students to students globally. Can you right now connect with students in Nigeria, or UK who study same thing as you, the answer is NO. No platform not even Facebook or LinkedIn has come to realize that students connected together will improve their study output. NeoSkol grants instant access to study materials for students connecting them to lecturers and experts globally with advance study tools

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

Yes I am; I guide female software engineers and developers on improving their skills, challenging them