One year of bold ideas, big wins & brilliant people

Hello there,

I am Sena, the curious and passionate spirit behind Future Media, the voice of Future Studio. Through our newsletters, I highlight the ideas, projects, and talents that are shaping innovation in Africa.

Future Studio turns 1 today, and we’re feeling a little nostalgic and grateful…and it’s no coincidence that it falls on our country’s Independence Day.

Building Future Studio has always been about more than just startups. It’s about freedom:

The freedom to create.

The freedom to lead.

The freedom to imagine new possibilities for ourselves and our communities.

In the past year, we’ve launched ideas, hosted changemakers, tested bold concepts, and built a community that inspires us every single day. So, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what we’ve done together.

Our Community: The Real MVPs

You showed up. You built. You collaborated.

Here’s what that looked like:

10+ entrepreneurs supported directly

3000+ curious, driven people in our workshops and programs

60+ unforgettable community initiatives

Programs & Events That Brought the Noise

These weren’t just events. They were energy.

Some of our standout moments:

CAF — Conversations worth having
Innovation Week 2024 — A full week of future-thinking
Senum — Discussion surrounding digitalization in Benin
SENIA — Empowering African-led innovation

Ideas Turned Real-World Solutions

When ideas meet execution, magic happens:

Hackathon FIC — Tackling digital trust
Hackathon AFG — Future-proofing finance
AgriHack — Reimagining food systems
ACL Hackathon — Building for African communities
Game Jam with Teddy Kosoko — Play meets purpose
Design Think with Société Générale — Problem-solving with a twist

Entrepreneurship That Dared to Go Big

We’ve backed founders who are dreaming wide and building fast:

Start Up World Cup — Representing Benin on the world stage
Gitex — Global stage, local stories
EIP 2025 — Planting the seeds for the next wave
START — A launchpad with heart

Partnerships That Powered Us

MTN Innovation Lab - we’re proud to be building with partners who believe in talent, grit, and possibility.

The Bigger Picture: Ecosystem Impact

This past year went beyond programs, it was about changing the culture.

We’ve seen a shift. More collaboration. More curiosity. More belief in what’s possible when African founders and builders take the lead.

And on this special independence day, we’re reminded: the future belongs to those who build it.

What’s next?

This newsletter is our next chapter. Your go-to for ecosystem news, founder stories, tech events, insights, and more.

We’re not just reflecting. We’re reloading.

Thanks for being here, let’s build year two together.

P.S.: We’re inviting you to be part of Founders Live Cotonou

Founders Live is an opportunity for Beninese startups to connect with the tech scene and international investors and it’s launching on the 8th of August 2025 from 18h at Epitech. If you’d love to be a part of this event, sign up here. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Bye for now.