Startup Lions is a joint social venture that builds access to education, creative digital skills and culture in marginalized communities in rural Africa since 2014. Our activities are an essential starting point and corner stone for young Kenyans to tap into the international digital cultural and creative sector to build livelihoods. We fight poverty with digital opportunity! Since our start we’ve provided such opportunities to hundreds of rural Kenyans – many of whom actually come from (semi-)nomadic families -, have won a Google social venture award and been invited to partner with German authorities (Strategische Partnerschaft Digitales Afrika, GIZ refugee education, Bayerische Staatskanzlei). Since 2020, we are the world's first organisation to be able to offer Fair Trade certified digital services around webdevelopment, graphic design and animation. For additional details see www.startuplions.org

We are a social venture that straddles the interface of culture, creativity, com...
Startup Lions is a joint social venture that builds access to education, creative digital skills and culture in marginalized communities in rural Africa since 2014. Our activities are an essential starting point and corner stone for young Kenyans to tap into the international digital cultural and creative sector to build livelihoods. We fight poverty with digital opportunity! Since our start we’ve provided such opportunities to hundreds of rural Kenyans – many of whom actually come from (semi-)nomadic families -, have won a Google social venture award and been invited to partner with German authorities (Strategische Partnerschaft Digitales Afrika, GIZ refugee education, Bayerische Staatskanzlei). Since 2020, we are the world's first organisation to be able to offer Fair Trade certified digital services around webdevelopment, graphic design and animation. For additional details see www.startuplions.org

We are a social venture that straddles the interface of culture, creativity, commerce & development. Startup Lions uses international linkages between people and institutions to deliver our pioneering concept of digital vocational training, creative skills, fair trade outsourcing and job creation that that creates global commercial links in the creative sector for rural Africa.

Our project is targeting rural (youth) unemployment with the connected problems of hopelessness, alcoholism, migratory pressures and urbanisation. In the region of our pilot project – Turkana – 97% of people live in extreme poverty, suffering from unemployment caused by poor infrastructure, limited access to markets, very few formal job opportunities. Turkana has particularly infertile soil that does not support sustainable agriculture.

We are currently in our ramp-up-phase, in which we accelerate our sales through enhanced productivity, higher value services, Fair Trade certification and extending our global partner network of IT service agencies & professionals.
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Employees

Covadonga Coto Segura
Admin
Covadonga Coto Segura
Jan Veddeler
Admin
Jan Veddeler Co-Founder Social Entrepreneurship Enthusiast with Track Record in Finance and Digital Transformation

Join the team

Recommendations

James Ambani

James Ambani

Start up lions is a phenomenal project right in the middle of Turkana. Considering the geographical location, one will just stop to wonder how this social enterprise was set up. With all the IT infrastructure and the benefits to the local community, I can only say Kudos to start up Lions. You have made a huge impact in the region. Keep it up!

Juliana Rotich

Juliana Rotich

I had the honor of being in Turkana when the first cohort graduated in 2016. To say that this is an inspiring project is an underestimation. The stories of what Startup Lions have been able to achieve since are nothing short of fantastic. I have seen several individuals go on to do brilliant work for faith-based organizations around Lodwar, to fulfilling work for multinational companies. Jan and the team have been working directly with various stakeholders to make this a sustainable endeavor with long-term impact and I wholeheartedly endorse them. Do let me know if you have any questions. They are stellar and execute this work in very difficult circumstances.

Felix Hallwachs

Felix Hallwachs Managing Director at Little Sun

I have been following the great Startup Lions Project for a number of years now, and am deeply impressed by the project, the thinking behind it, the execution, and the great team and participants. I have worked closely with two of the founders, one of them spending a year working with me at Little Sun (thanks for that Jan), and learned about the Startup Lions mission in more detail during that time.
I trust Jan and the team, and have seen great results.
Love the new building and campus as well.
Support the team, hire services, donate, fund - it is worth it. A global digital design business based in Turkana, it is the mix of entrepreneurial spirit, curiosity and creativity that I love.

Jay Larson

Jay Larson CEO at Asha.io

Startup Lions is one of East Africa's premier training and work readiness institutions, focusing on some of the most challenging areas. Those challenges are from both infrastructure, education, and economic development. I have been extremely impressed over the past half decade with the leadership team's dedication, depth of thought, and ability to innovate. The people they train also show tremendous growth along numerous lines, from workplace skills, teamwork/soft skills, and caring for the broader community. We have worked closely with Startup Lions over several years — running training programs together, building open source software together, and creating interactive content together — as well as a broad range of other partners in East Africa, so I feel confident in making this wholehearted recommendation.