April 29 – 30, 2025
09:00 – 17:00 (GMT+1)Overview
Cameroon, like much of Sub-Saharan Africa, faces a rapidly growing population of youth and women aspiring to participate in economic growth through entrepreneurship. Female entrepreneurs represent 24% of Africa’s workforce, with the continent boasting the highest percentage of female entrepreneurship globally, surpassing regions like Southeast Asia and Europe. Despite this, Cameroon, ranked third in Africa for female entrepreneurship, faces numerous challenges preventing the full realization of youth and women-led businesses’ potential.
Objectives
The 2025 SBEC Forum aims to catalyze the expansion of youth and women-led SMEs in Cameroon by creating a supportive ecosystem that addresses existing challenges and promotes sustainable business practices. The specific objectives are:
- 1Assess the effectiveness of current policies that support women and youth entrepreneurship in Cameroon.
- 2Advocate for policy reforms that create a robust and sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem for women and youth.
- 3Promote public-private partnerships to enhance the entrepreneurship ecosystem and stimulate inclusive economic growth.
- 4Recommend policy solutions to improve access to finance, streamline the tax burden, and increase formalization of SMEs in Cameroon.
Who Attends?
Entrepreneurs
Banks
Government
Civil Society
Media
University / Experts
Agenda
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Day 1: April 29, 2025
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Day 2: April 30, 2025
April 29, 2025
| Time | Details | Agenda |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00-09:00 | Arrival, registration of participants, and coffee stations available to foster early networking | Welcome and Networking |
| 09:00-09:15 | Dr. Denis Foretia – Introduction to the forum’s goals and theme | Welcome remarks |
| 09:15-09:45 | "Scaling Up: Transforming Youth and Women-Led SMEs into National Growth Engines." | Opening Keynote |
| 09:45-11:00 | Entrepreneurship in Action: Tackling Barriers to Growth in Cameroon. | Plenary Panel Discussion 1 |
| 11:00 -11:15 | Group Photo | |
| 11:30–12:30 | Topic 1: "Unlocking Local Markets: Leveraging Large Distribution Chains for ‘Made in Cameroon’ Products." Topic 2: "Building an Entrepreneurial Mindset: Key Traits and Strategies." | Breakout Session 1 |
| 12:45-13:45 | Lunch and Networking | |
| 14:00-15:00 | Creating an Enabling Ecosystem for Youth and Women-Led SMEs: Policy, Partnerships, and Innovation. | High-level Conversations |
| 15:00-16:00 | Enhancing Access to Funding: Strategies for SMEs in Cameroon." | Plenary Panel Discussion 2 |
| 16:00-17:30 | Topic 1: "Sustainable Business Practices: Balancing Profit and Impact." Topic 2: "Navigating Public Contracts in Cameroon: Overcoming Barriers for Young Entrepreneurs." | Breakout Session 2 |
April 30, 2025
| Time | Details | Agenda |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00-09:00 | Participants arrive, register. | Welcome and Networking. |
| 09:00-09:30 | Technology Innovation as a Catalyst for SME Performance and Growth. | Keynote Lecture 2 |
| 09:30-10:30 | "Catalyzing Job Creation for Youth: Leveraging Global Commitments and Local Innovations." | Plenary Panel Discussion 3 |
| 10:40-11:40 | Topic 1: "Strengthening SMEs’ Competitiveness in Cameroon Through Quality Standards and Resilient Policies." Topic 2: "Transforming Education to Drive Youth Entrepreneurship in Cameroon." | Breakout Session 3 |
| 12:00-13:00 | Participants connect one-on-one with business leaders, investors, and policymakers for rapid advice and networking. | Speed Mentoring Session |
| 13:00-14:00 | Lunch and Networking | |
| 14:00-15:00 | From Innovation to Enterprise: Transforming STEM Skills into Scalable Startups. | Plenary Panel Discussion 4 |
| 15:00-16:30 | Topic 1: "Mastering Branding and Sales for Youth and Women Entrepreneurs Topic 2: "Winning Over Investors: Strategies for a Compelling Pitch Deck." | Breakout Session 4 |
| 16:30-17:00 | Closing Ceremony Remarks by Dr. Denis Foretia Final reflections and announcements for future initiatives. | Closing Ceremony |
| 17:00-17:30 | Group photos and media interviews. | Wrap-Up and Farewell |
SBEC 2024 In IMages
