The program pairs business school students with young entrepreneurs to work together on the strategic development of their businesses for a period of one to three months. The “Entrepreneurs Sans Frontières” methodology was developed through the organization of three projects: a pilot project in Bamako, a first edition in Paris, and a first edition in Dakar.
L’ expérience ESF
The experience began with a two-day reflection seminar and will be concluded with a presentation of the various projects before a jury.
In between, the experience intensifies through activities such as group debriefings between mentors and entrepreneurs, thematic workshops on business planning, personalized support for innovators, visits to innovative projects, exchanges with leaders from different sectors, and weekly working sessions between innovators and mentors.
Reflection Seminar
Thematic Workshops
Weekly two-hour workshops aimed at enhancing participants’ skills in a specific area, hosting resource persons whose experiences can enrich the program, or developing sector profiles for the different projects within the program.
Organization Visit
This activity provides a better understanding of the social and economic challenges of Senegal by visiting various initiatives.
Group debriefing
The debriefing consists of developing collaboration strategies on the dynamics and challenges of the program, sharing the difficulties and best practices of each project, and redefining the framework of work if necessary.
Cultural Immersion
To experience other Senegalese socio-cultural and historical realities through discovery outings to various sites of interest in the country. For example, a picnic is organized on Gorée Island.
Our ESF-Senegal alumni
Cherif BASSE
Produits cosmétiques
With 5 friends, he had set up an economic interest group distributing cosmetics and food products using his own funds.
Lassy DJIGUEUL
Ecotours
His entrepreneurial challenge, through EcoTours, is to move away from a purely commercial logic and strike a balance between the social and environmental …
Marie KA
Picture Box
In 2005, Marie took the plunge and set up her own production company, Picture Box. Picture Box supports companies in their communication strategy …
Moussa SEYDI
SOS Immobilier
A few years’ experience in intermediation and brokerage in the real estate sector led Moussa to rebel in the right sense of the word…
Our ESF guides
Aude CHABRIER
ESF-Sénégal
Passionate about social entrepreneurship thanks to the good examples set by social entrepreneurs from the international association Ashoka, Aude recently became involved in the ESF program, Paris…
Damien Van EECKHOUT
ESF-Sénégal
Damien’s passion for social entrepreneurship stems from his belief that a financially self-sufficient project can generate a more lasting social impact than a traditional humanitarian project…
Emmanuel NOIRHOMME
ESF-Sénégal
His future ambition is to build a company based on the alliance of performance and humanism, which shows that it is possible to be ambitious while serving others…
Céline ORJUBIN
ESF-Sénégal
As head of financing for a humanitarian mission in Benin, Céline undertook an original fund-raising strategy by organizing, with a team of 20 people…
Our ESF-Mali alumni
Dr Garba CISSÉ
Assistance Médicale Décentralisée (AMD)
Dr Garba CISSÉ created Assistance Médicale Décentralisée (AMD) to bring the services of various specialized doctors to socially disadvantaged populations…
Souadou Diabaté KONÉ
Association Malienne pour la Promotion des Jeunes Filles et des Femmes
Souadou and a group of women decide to create an association in Burkina Faso to focus on the problems of teenagers.
Alou KEITA
PASECA et CAMIDE
Alou launched the idea of a program to support savings and credit systems in the Kayes region (PASECA), which was launched in 1998 with funding from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD)…
Souleymane SARR
Association Jeunesse Actions
Through AJA (Association Jeunesse Actions), Souleymane aims to create what he calls the new generation of artisans in Mali. He supports artisans, graduates, the unemployed and young people…
Our ESF guides
Bryce
ESF-Mali
Bryce is studying engineering.
He loves to travel, and has already been to Asia and the Americas. Bryce is looking forward to discovering Africa through ESF…
Aziz
ESF-Mali
Aziz’s professional experience includes internships in sales, auditing and finance…
Carole Pourchet
ESF-Mali
Taking part in ESF is both a challenge and a desire to share the studies she has done while living a unique experience in a country she doesn’t yet know…
Sophie
ESF-Mali
For her, taking part in the Entrepreneurs Sans Frontières project is a way of sharing her knowledge while discovering a country through the passion of local entrepreneurs…
For more information on the programme, download the one pager.
Tangible impact and prospects
Find out more about the impact of Synapse’s activities in the Entrepreneurs Without Borders programme.
3
Country
725+
Recipients
325+
Entrepreneurs
400+
Pupils / Students
Previous editions
Edition 2005
For ESF’s first project, Artemisia partnered with Ashoka, an association present in nearly 60 countries that manages a global network of social entrepreneurs, to accompany several of their “innovators” in Mali. Five (5) young graduates from HEC – Entrepreneurs went to Bamako for a month to work in pairs with these social entrepreneurs, whose aim was to generate income for their NGOs.
Edition 2006
The program pairs business school students with young entrepreneurs to work together on the strategic development of the latter’s businesses for one to three months. The “Entrepreneurs Sans Frontières” methodology has been developed through the organization of three projects: a pilot project in Bamako, a first edition in Paris and a first edition in Dakar.
Edition 2007
Edition 2009
Edition 2013
Stories from former participants
Dive into the heart of our training programme through the inspiring stories of those who have experienced it first-hand. Each story reflects a unique journey, challenges faced and opportunities seized. These participants share their experience, their transformation and the impetus they received to realise their ambitions. Their success is our greatest achievement.
Partenaires
