La Plage Factory | La Plage Factory Community update

Welcome to the January-February Edition of the LPF Newsletter!

You might be wondering why we skipped January's newsletter. Well, let's just say January decided to take a little vacation and February was kind enough to bring it back!

This edition will be a little longer as it will cover the highlights of the past 2 months. Featuring our usual “Let’s Meet UP” events, insights from special guests, and the latest trends in global tech. You will also find inspiring stories from our startups, updates on our new mentors, and much more. Dive in to discover all the exciting developments, and don't forget to register for our upcoming events!

Happy reading!

Let’s Meet up highlights - January

We kicked off the year with a great monthly "Let's Meet Up" event, where we welcomed our special Smart Entrepreneurs candidates for the new NSIS cohort. "Smart Entrepreneurs" is the term we use to encompass all innovative entrepreneurs, whether they are startups or SMEs. Our 13 cohort candidates, who have been selected and are now awaiting vetting by the NSIS SteerCo, are the true Smart Entrepreneurs.

We were honored to have the Punch team delegation join us, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to our sponsor for their invaluable support.

The event was graced by special guests including Julien Warlouzé Associate Director of EY Parthenon, Adrien Schwarz from Institut français de Maurice (IFM), Sandra Leblé Co-Présidente at French Tech Mauritius (FTM), and Saad Abdoolah from Mauritius Africa FinTech Hub (MAFH). Their presence and insights added great value to the discussions and networking opportunities.

This meetup set a positive tone for the year, and we are excited to see the innovative ideas and projects that our Smart Entrepreneurs will bring to life.

Let’s Meet up highlights – February

Special Guest

On our February meetup, we had a special guest, Vrigesh Futta, who presented the Mauritius Emerging Technologies Council (METC). METC is a government agency committed to driving innovation, fostering a tech-driven economy, and positioning Mauritius as a leader in emerging technologies. Their goal is to create an environment where technology serves as a catalyst for economic growth, digital transformation, and improved public services.

Vrigesh Futta shared valuable insights on the rise of AI agents. These autonomous systems have the potential to transform industries, streamline services, and enhance citizen-government interactions. Even for a small nation like Mauritius, AI agents could revolutionize digital public services, making governance more efficient, transparent, and citizen-centric.

To fully harness AI’s potential, Vrigesh emphasized the importance of Mauritius embracing this technology at a national level. He advocated for a comprehensive National AI Policy to ensure ethical, inclusive, and responsible AI adoption across sectors. A key pillar of this policy would be a dedicated startup chapter—an initiative aimed at fostering AI-driven entrepreneurship.

Vrigesh concluded his presentation with an invitation for public input on the National AI Policy for Mauritius, encouraging community members to contribute their insights and ideas.

You can check more at METC

Pitching Session Highlights

After the meet up, we had a very intense and rich pitching session, with enthusiastic participation from our community members and guests. The energy in the room was palpable as entrepreneurs took the stage to present their innovative ideas and projects.

The session was a testament to the spirit of entrepreneurship that drives our community. As one of our speakers Jason Delorie aptly put it, “Entrepreneurship is a road of 1000 pitches.” Each pitch brought unique perspectives and solutions, showcasing the incredible talent and creativity within our network.

This event not only provided a platform for startups to share their visions but also fostered meaningful connections and feedback from peers and mentors. It was a powerful reminder of the collaborative spirit that fuels our journey towards tech-driven solutions and sustainable growth.

We look forward to seeing these ideas evolve and make a significant impact in the tech ecosystem. Stay tuned for more updates and success stories from our vibrant community!

La Plage Factory Monthly Highlights

La Plage Factory updates

Cohort Punch: Our journey with the latest cohort has been nothing short of inspiring. This group of diverse projects and entrepreneur profiles is truly exceptional. Our partnership with CJD has been instrumental in fostering collaboration and innovation. The match-making with mentors is going exceptionally well, creating meaningful connections that are driving these projects forward. Check out this post for more details.

New Mentors: We are excited to welcome Edyta Ozbek and Alexandre Chimon to our mentor team. They join our recently added mentors from December: Patricia Louvet, Franck Da Costa, Ronald Laxton, Grant Stevenson, and Daniel de Marassé. These mentors embody the spirit of collaboration and knowledge-sharing that is essential to the success of our startups. Their diverse expertise and dedication are invaluable assets to our community. We thank them for their support towards the next generation of smart entrepreneurs.

Masterclasses with World-Class Experts: Our community continues to benefit from insightful from our experts. Alexandre Chimon, one of our new and very active mentors, delivered a dense and pragmatic session on “Operational Efficiency.” His practical advice and strategies are already helping our entrepreneurs streamline their operations and enhance productivity.

Additionally, Nitin Ramlugon conducted a masterclass on financial management, focusing on the imperative of tight management of revenues and costs. His session provided invaluable insights on how to stay on top of financial management, ensuring that our startups are well-equipped to manage their finances effectively and sustainably.

These masterclasses are a testament to the high caliber of individuals available at La Plage Factory, and we are grateful for the knowledge and support our mentors and experts provide.

Startup Stories

DigitalGo: We are thrilled to share that DigitalGo has successfully raised funds locally and has joined the Turbine Acceleration Program! This achievement underscores the importance of incubators working together as a team, more as colleagues than competitors. Julien's post highlights the collaborative spirit that drives our ecosystem forward.

Dodobird.ai: Thierry and his team are making impressive strides by bootstrapping their startup. They are busy selling to early adopters and securing the references they need to raise additional funds. Their dedication and hard work are truly inspiring. You can find more details about Dodobird.ai in Thierry's post, and his insights from the Investnight event below.

Knowcations: Pr Schmitt (ak “Ulli”) is making significant strides with his Apply Research project Knowcations. He has successfully demonstrated the novelty and feasibility of this digital platform for knowledge co-creation. With the support of the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council (MRIC), the process of patenting the innovative 'Intelligent Templating' approach. This method assists users in creating complex documents and assessments, such as business plans. It has potential and broad applications beyond eLearning. Check Knowcations LinkedIn page and Ulli’s research profile on ResearchGate for more of his works.

These stories are a testament to the creativity and resilience of our innovative entrepreneurs. We are proud to support their journeys and look forward to sharing more success stories in the future!

Ecosystem update

· Assises de l'Innovation et de la Recherche. Held in January, this great event organised by the MRIC highlighted the new pillars of the National Roadmap for Research and Innovation in Mauritius. Min Sukon from the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science & Research praised the intelligentsia but noted the lack of cooperation between institutions and industry-research synergies, emphasizing the need for practical implementations. Min Ramtohul from the Ministry of ITC stressed the importance of developing “technopreneurship”, and the proper regulation of data for AI. Visit the MRIC website or Facebook page to learn more and apply for grants through the National call for innovative projects. We were also joined by Pr Bahorun the Executive director of MRIC.

· Invest Night. The second edition of this event co-organised by La French Tech Mauritius and Mo Angels featured a panel of entrepreneurs who shared their experiences in raising funds. The consensus was clear: raising funds in Mauritius is extremely challenging. This valuable exchange inspired us to advocate for government intervention to address this critical gap in our startup ecosystem. This will be a key topic at our Growth & Innovation event later this month (refer to details below). Check out this post for more information about the event.

Mark your calendars!

We are excited to announce that on 28^th March, we will host the 3^rd edition of our popular Growth & Innovation events series at IFM, Rosehill. This event promises to be packed with insightful sessions and networking opportunities.

Highlights of the Event:

· Official Announcement of the “Punch Cohort”: Learn about La Plage Factory’s exciting partnership with Punch by MCB and its significance for the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

· Showcase of Innovative Projects: Discover the potential of our “Smart Entrepreneurs” and their innovative solutions that align with the “Tech for Good” philosophy.

· Panel Discussion: Engage with industry leaders on the opportunities and challenges for startup growth, including access to market, financial management, and regional cooperation.

Check it out on our official post, and register as soon as possible to secure your spot.

Next "Let's Meet Up”

Due to the G&I event in March, our usual "Let's Meet Up” gathering will be on Friday, April 25, at Coworking Port Louis where we will continue to foster innovation, collaboration, and meaningful connections within our community.

Call to action

Register for the G&I event & pass the message to innovators and ecosystem builders.

This event is designed for smart entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, policymakers, and changemakers passionate about growth, innovation, and smart, inclusive development.

Join our community of innovators

Are you passionate about innovation and eager to make a difference? We invite potential mentors, founders, experts, and sponsors to join our vibrant community. Your expertise, guidance, and support can help shape the next generation of smart entrepreneurs and drive meaningful change.

· Visit our website at www.laplage.io

· Contact us at at hello@laplage.io

· Join us at our next monthly Meet Up at Coworking Port Louis on Friday, April 25 at lunch time!

· Do all three!

“Let's build a brighter future together for Mauritius, Africa, and the world!”