About Us
We believe in connecting, inspiring, and enabling impact makers in Yaounde.
Impact Makers Worldwide
Jobs Created Since 2012
Our impact journey
2000
Seeds of change
In the year 2000, a group of passionate and idealistic graduates from United World College (UWC) Atlantic in Wales organised a groundbreaking millennium event at London’s Royal Festival Hall. They gathered influential figures, including Nobel Prize winners and even the Dalai Lama by video, to discuss pressing global issues.
2002
Defying Convention
The impact of their event caught the attention of the United Nations World Summit, earning them a unique invitation to organise a side-summit to the upcoming World Summit for Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2003. However, these visionary young Impact Makers chose to reject the traditional workshop format and venue and co-created a people’s summit in Soweto, where they collaborated with local activists who had turned a neglected wasteland into the inspiring Soweto Mountain of Hope (‘SoMoHo’), showcasing the power of community-driven change
2005
The first Impact Hub opens its doors
In 2005, with the experiences of the millennium event and SoMoHo still fresh in their minds and hearts, the group saw a growing need for a physical space where like-minded individuals could come together to connect and collaborate. Fuelled by their vision, they founded the first Impact Hub transforming a run-down London loft. Named ‘The Hub’ initially, this space became the nurturing ground for community-building, sustainable practices, and the perfect blend between activist passion and entrepreneurial ingenuity. The first habitat for social innovators was born.
2018
Tech4Good
Mboa Living Lab operated as a technology hub to develop innovative ideas to solve the most pressing humanitarian issues in Cameroon. Events brought together young IT professionals and change makers to design new systems to deliver financial support to communities in need.
2025
Impact Hub Yaounde
Mboa Living Lab joined the Global Network becoming Impact Hub Yaounde. We held our first events in a renovated office building in Mimboman (Yaounde 4) where we co-created the events with change makers who use business and profit to serve people and the planet.
Ongoing
Vision 2030
As our Network advances into the future, our journey of transformation and impact remains boundless. Fueled by our values of trust, courage, and collaboration, we strive to create more meaningful connections and drive innovative solutions, paving the way for a radically better world. By 2030, we envision being beacons of the business of the future, harnessing diverse forces for good and collectively leading the impact economy to shape our present and future
Meet our team
Gisele Mekuate-Defo
Gisele Mekuate-Defo is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Impact Hub Yaoundé, a platform dedicated to fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development in Cameroon. As a social innovation leader and technology professional, she is committed to contribute to strengthen innovation ecosystem in Cameroon.
She oversees strategic partnerships, organizational growth, resource mobilization, programme design, and the development of services that support entrepreneurs and emerging businesses in overcoming barriers to growth and sustainability.
Alongside her entrepreneurial role, Gisele brings more than 15 years of international experience in digital transformation, humanitarian innovation, data governance, and information systems management. Her career spans leadership positions with the World Food Programme (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), where she has led large-scale digital initiatives supporting humanitarian and development programmes.
A strong advocate for technology as a driver of social impact, Gisele focuses on leveraging digital innovation, entrepreneurship, artificial intelligence, and collaborative ecosystems to create sustainable solutions for Africa’s development challenges. Through Impact Hub Yaoundé, she works to empower entrepreneurs, strengthen local innovation ecosystems, and foster partnerships that contribute to a more innovative, inclusive, and sustainable Cameroon.
Gisele holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science, is ITIL v4 certified, and is fluent in both French and English. She combines strategic vision, operational leadership, and deep expertise in technology and development to support organizations and entrepreneurs in achieving meaningful and lasting impact.
Ryan Carty
10 years experience in leadership/operations/finance with African companies.
Ulrich Tatchum
Emery Ndayizeye
Emma Ndefo
4 years professional experience in business management and IT.
Jessy Tsouboum
Je suis Jessy TSOUBOUM, spécialiste en communication et passionnée par le marketing digital, l’innovation sociale et les projets à impact. Curieuse, stratégique et créative, j’aime concevoir des contenus qui suscitent l’engagement et renforcent les communautés. Heureuse de rejoindre Impact Hub Yaoundé pour apprendre, collaborer et contribuer à des initiatives porteuses de changement.
Join us!
Stagiaire en Partenariats Stratégiques
Stagiaire en Partenariats Stratégiques