Romain Sion

Entrepreneur · Impact investor

FR

Let’s meet

Tag: Tech

  • Frederic Is Leading A Team of 600 Water Entrepreneurs In Cambodia

    Frederic Is Leading A Team of 600 Water Entrepreneurs In Cambodia

    👋We had the chance 🍀to cross paths🚶 with Frédéric Dubois 👨, who leads a team of 600 water 💦entrepreneurs🚀. In rural areas⛏️, water contamination is the leading cause of disease🤒 and death ☠️. Does the association 1001 fontaines ring a bell?📣 An exciting 😃adventure around access to drinking water 💦in rural areas!

    They build👷‍♂️ turnkey water kiosks, which are donated 🎁to the villages. The kiosks are run by micro-entrepreneurs🚀, who handle the production and home delivery of water bottles🍶. Their system is 100% sustainable🌳 while providing quality water💧 at an unbeatable price💰: $0.40 for 20 liters!

    Every day☀️, 500,000 people 🏆✌️access drinking water through their network of 200 kiosks. Their goal🎯 is one million beneficiaries by 2020.

    🌟🌟🌟At Our Own Pace And Scale, Everyone Can Aspire To Change The World🌟🌟🌟

  • Friends International Is Convinced About The Benefits Of Tech and Aims At Being Fully Digitalized

    Friends International Is Convinced About The Benefits Of Tech and Aims At Being Fully Digitalized

    👋After completing our mission 🚀at Friends International, which was to support 🤝the identification and implementation of a recruitment platform to ensure the matching 🔥/ tracking🔎 of hundreds of beneficiaries👦👧, we shared our report📄. We recommended the implementation of two integrated solutions🖥️: Oscar and Salesforce. What we really appreciated was their genuine desire to digitalize all their programs. We had interesting conversations about the implementation of these solutions, team training, the recruitment of their future IT lead / CTO💻, cost 👛optimization…

    In general, we have noticed that many NGOs see digitalization as a powerful 💪way to create a sustainable 🚀competitive advantage (centralized data💿 collection, automated reports📄, real-time information ℹ️…). At the same time, the range of available solutions is growing📈. Companies like Salesforce have created specific packages for NGOs, startups are developing dedicated SaaS solutions, and some NGOs have partnered 🤲 to share the costs of developing a 🌠common tech solution…

    Friends International Cambodia 7
    Romain Sion Friends International Cambodia 2
    Romain Sion Friends International Cambodia 3
    Romain Sion Friends International Cambodia 5
    Friends International Cambodia 4
    Romain Sion Friends International Cambodia 6

  • Digitalization As A Powerful Tool To Make NGO’s Operations More Efficient

    Digitalization As A Powerful Tool To Make NGO’s Operations More Efficient

    👋Convincing a donor to🌠 support an 👨‍🏫educational program is much more concrete and attractive 🧲than asking them to finance 💰office rent or IT 💻software, which are just as important. Many NGOs are therefore forced to under-staff or✂️ cut certain key expenses, particularly administrative ones.

    To our knowledge, 3 levers can help cover these costs:
    1) Securing unrestricted funds that are not tied to specific projects 📝(e.g. EPIC Foundation)
    2) Launching self-financing 🌀 activities to cover part of the budget
    3) Digitalization🖥️, by integrating a range of IT solutions into their activities

    This summer☀️, our mission 🚀at Friends International is part of their digitalization strategy, which aims to set up a central 🎯information system. Who would not dream of collecting data💾 in real time or automating reports? For some NGOs, a single report can take up to a week to consolidate. Our goal 🚀is to help them identify and implement a recruitment👨‍💼👩‍💼 platform to ensure the matching / tracking of hundreds of beneficiaries of their Vocational Training Programs with companies seeking to recruit. The stakes are many: cost💰, integration, UX, security, internal resources, API… A few more days ☀️of work and we will provide them with our report.

    Romain Sion Friends International Cambodia
    Romain Sion Friends International Cambodia
    Friends International Cambodia

  • Moussa Trains the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs To Fight For Social Integration

    Moussa Trains the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs To Fight For Social Integration

    ✌️In sensitive 💥urban areas in France🇨🇵, the unemployment rate is twice📈 the national average. For Moussa, economic integration is the cornerstone of social success🚀. In 2015, Moussa launched Les Déterminés, a mission-driven🌠 NGO🌠 that supports entrepreneurs from sensitive💥 urban and rural areas.

    Self-taught👨‍🏫 and resolutely audacious, Moussa started his career as an entrepreneur in the telecom ☎️industry at 21. Without support 💁or a network🕸️, he discovered how hard⛰️ it was to create a company. At the same time, he saw countless young talents👦 full of ambition and energy 💪but lacking the skills, knowledge and network to launch a successful business.

    To fight for a brighter☀️ future in sensitive 💥areas, Moussa sees entrepreneurship as a powerful weapon. Les Déterminés is a free 🆓program for young entrepreneurs, with an application process 100% based on determination💪😀. It provides personalized training around 2 main pillars: knowledge and network.

    Within 4 years, Les Déterminés has trained 10 cohorts of entrepreneurs across 5 French départements✌️😀. After this successful milestone, Moussa now aims to scale🚀 the program nationally. Do you know why none of the 144 participants dropped out before completion? Because they are Determined🌠!

    🌠🌠🌠At our own pace and scale, everyone can aspire to change the world.🌠🌠🌠

    Moussa Camara Les Déterminés 2
    Moussa Camara Romain Sion Les Déterminés
    Moussa Camara Les Déterminés 5
    Moussa Camara Les Déterminés 3
    Moussa Camara Les Déterminés 6
    Moussa Camara Les Déterminés 4

  • Enkhjin, CEO of GerHub – Innovation to Fight the Most Pressing Issues of the Ger Areas in Mongolia

    Enkhjin, CEO of GerHub – Innovation to Fight the Most Pressing Issues of the Ger Areas in Mongolia

    👋Did you know that every year hundreds of children 👶die ☠️in the Ger areas due to pollution🌫️ & sanitation 🚽issues? GerHub is a non-profit social enterprise that uses innovation 🚀to support local communities in the Ger areas. Their main projects focus on researching🔎 and developing affordable ways to modify and modernize the Mongolian ger 🏠 to meet the housing needs of Ger area residents.

    Almost 40% of the population of Ulaanbaatar lives in Ger areas, which are semi-formal, unplanned housing🏠 areas around the city. Ger is the word for the Mongolian round, tent⛺-like nomadic dwelling. The main identifying factor of the Ger areas is that none of the households are connected to the core infrastructure of central heating🔥🌡️, running water🚿, or plumbing. Imagine what happens when temperatures dip below -40°C🌡️ and there is no public sewer for the toilets. For example, during the winter❄️, when hundreds of thousands of households use their coal heating at the same time, the air becomes so polluted that you cannot even see 15 meters 🌫️in front of you.

    GerHub addresses these issues through innovation 🚀and partnerships with international🌎 universities. For example, they are currently testing a new insulation 🧱method which is easy to install and affordable 💰for everyone. They also put a lot of effort into training the younger generations👧🧒 with programs raising awareness about ways to improve living conditions in the Ger districts.

    Here is an interview with Enkhjin, the CEO of GerHub: Link

    🌠🌠🌠At our own pace and scale, everyone can aspire to change the world!🌠🌠🌠

     

     

    Enkhjin Batjargal CEO Ger Hub 3
    Enkhjin Batjargal CEO Ger Hub 5
    Enkhjin Batjargal CEO Ger Hub 6
    Enkhjin Batjargal CEO Ger Hub 7
    Enkhjin Batjargal CEO Ger Hub 2
    Romain Sion Enkhjin Batjargal CEO Ger Hub 4
    Enkhjin Batjargal CEO Ger Hub 9
    Enkhjin Batjargal CEO Ger Hub 8

  • Mesut Is Disrupting The Scholarship System With a Cutting Edge Technology Platform in Turkey

    Mesut Is Disrupting The Scholarship System With a Cutting Edge Technology Platform in Turkey

    👋Did you know that in Turkey🇹🇷, 40% of young graduates 👨‍🎓👩‍🎓are unemployed? Many promising students work hard ⚒️to make sure they can get a job 👨‍💼👩‍💼after graduation. However, being accepted into a top Turkish 🇹🇷or international🌍 university is not enough. They need to pay💰 the tuition fees, and many of them cannot afford it😟. Every year, hundreds of thousands of Turkish students apply for scholarships.

    A few years ago, Mesut was a brilliant 🌠🌠student at Galatasaray University. His dream🚀 was to become a computer💻 science engineer, but he needed a grant💰. After many time-consuming & inefficient applications, he finally obtained one and successfully attended great 💪universities such as Galatasaray, La Sorbonne and Boğaziçi University😀. During that process, he noticed that every foundation or institution had its own internal process, which was complex and tedious.

    After graduating🎓, Mesut decided to digitize the scholarship system by launching a technology platform called E-Bursum, which seamlessly connects international 🌍donors with the most promising Turkish🌠 students. To make the process more efficient & trustworthy, he integrated artificial intelligence & machine learning. For example, the platform can run full background checks through government databases and calculate precisely how much a grantee really needs…

    ➡️And it works! 🌠300,000+ students are currently registered on E-Bursum. Since 2015, E-Bursum has distributed more than🌠 $5M to thousands of Turkish students. Mesut and his team are now targeting🌠 $10M by the end of the year.

    🌠🌠🌠At our own pace and scale, everyone can aspire to change the world

  • Bulgarian Immigrant and Entrepreneur, Plamen Wants to Change Perceptions About His Country

    Bulgarian Immigrant and Entrepreneur, Plamen Wants to Change Perceptions About His Country

    👉Plamen is a Bulgarian immigrant & entrepreneur 👔who moved back to Bulgaria🇧🇬 with a bold, purpose-driven🚀 project in mind. Born👶 & raised in Bulgaria, he immigrated to Spain 🇪🇸when he turned 16 for family reasons. After his bachelor’s degree, he spent a few years climbing the corporate ladder, where he discovered that he was moving away from his values & from finding a purpose through work.

    After an adverse event in the company, he decided to get a fresh start with a one-year journey in Australia🇦🇺. It was a journey ✈️of self-discovery, about what he wanted to achieve in life. This was one of the toughest periods he had ever experienced, when he felt more alone than ever. However, it made him change his mindset: the fear of failure was replaced by 🌠the drive to contribute🌠.
    He also realized that Bulgaria has beautiful nature⛰️, a rich culture 📚& history, excellent food🍎, long-preserved traditions 🤼and great, hospitable people 💁. Very few of the people he met abroad were aware of this, and he wanted to help change perceptions about his country.

    👉 It became his🌠 mission 🌠and that is how Insaiders was born: an online travel marketplace connecting travelers seeking authentic experiences in Bulgaria with passionate, knowledgeable locals. https://www.insaiders.com/

     

    Plamen Ivanov Insaiders Sofia Romain Sion Bulgaria
    Plamen Ivanov Insaiders Sofia Romain Sion Bulgaria
    Plamen Ivanov Insaiders Sofia Romain Sion Bulgaria

  • Bob – CEO of the largest East African company fighting hard for transparency

    Bob – CEO of the largest East African company fighting hard for transparency

    Hi everyone,👋

    Do you know Bob? 👋Bob is the CEO👨‍⚖️ of Safaricom🛰️, the largest company🏨 in East Africa. I met Bob in Nairobi🇰🇪 to discuss purpose💫, transparency & corruption. He is not only one of the most successful🚀 leaders in Kenya, but also an inspiring activist capitalist. For him, corruption is currently rampant💥 &, in the corporate world, it sets a bad example. Some business leaders😠 do not have the right compass, and success is frequently measured by how many farms🏡 and how many cars🚗 you own… In many ways, bad examples have been set for the younger generations. One of his first actions💡 as CEO was to bring more transparency by disclosing his net assets and income💰. The first year, nobody followed except a close friend👬. Sometimes doing the right thing requires a lot of 💫moral courage💫, even if there is a personal cost. However, those moves create change, and change drives progress. A few years back, there was no law against bribery in the private sector in Kenya. After a hard fight💥 for regulatory⚖️ change, Bob proposed a law📝 which has now been enacted. He said: “As CEO of the wealthiest company in the country, if we wanted to play the stupid corruption game🎲, we could afford to bribe more than anyone else. But the minute🕐 we get into that game, every small business in this country will have a bad future. I have to stand firm! I have zero tolerance for corruption”.

    👉As a role model for the new generation, Bob advocates the 3 Ps: 🌠PURPOSE, 🌠PEOPLE and 🌠PROFIT. “The first thing to do is find your purpose, then find the right people around you, and finally focus on profit, otherwise you will not be able to afford all of that.” Do you know people like Bob?

    Safaricom has been ranked Africa’s Best Employer by Forbes.

    👋

  • Paul Duan — Data Science Genius Fighting against unemployment

    Paul Duan — Data Science Genius Fighting against unemployment

    Hi Everyone👋,

    I had the chance to meet with Paul Duan👨, the inspiring founder of Bayes Impact, the Y Combinator-backed NGO which builds citizen-led public services to create a fairer and inclusive future for our societies. By leveraging data science 💻, they achieved outstanding impacts: 800 police agencies 👮use their tool to reduce violence 💥 in the US 🇺🇲, 150 000 people helped to return to work ⚒️ in France 🇨🇵, -30% of microcredit 💰 fraud to Ghanaian 🇬🇭 entrepreneurs… From the city of Trappes in France where he was born to the University of Berkeley 🎓 in California, he started his career at the well know startup 🚀 Eventbrite as Data Scientist. In the Silicon Valley, he discovered that most of the world brightest data scientists were developing algorithms #️⃣ for privileged people. But what about technology 👨‍💻 at the service of the society for a fairer and more inclusive future? Paul got the courage to quit his job 5 years ago to create a non-profit startup 🚀. Paul is now leading a mission driven team 💪 of 8 people fully dedicated to build Citizen-led Public Services.

    They have one motto: 🌠🌠👉”Empowering people at scale” ! 🌠🌠🤩

    Any thoughts?