#27 Steve Ciesinski - Advisor & Investor - How to Succeed with a Start-Up in Africa

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We recorded this episode with Steve Ciesinski during the DeepTech Summit 2025 organized by UM6P!

Next Wave is the podcast for those building the Morocco of tomorrow.

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In this episode with Steve Ciesinski , we talk about:

- The key differences between startups in Africa and the US

- His advice for African founders

- The 8 pillars of a successful tech ecosystem

- What really made Silicon Valley a global tech hub

And how to apply these lessons to build a thriving tech ecosystem in Africa.

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▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ PLATEFORMES ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/71TB2zh...

Apple Podcast : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ TIMELINE ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

00:00:00 : Introduction

00:01:47 : Who is Steve Ciesinski?

00:07:57 : Key moments in Silicon Valley

00:11:12 : What is Deep Tech?

00:14:38 : Startups: US vs. Africa

00:20:03 : Advice for African founders

00:25:04 : AI's impact on emerging markets

00:28:31 : Building a failure-friendly culture

00:32:31 : Lessons on product innovation

00:35:25 : Choosing startups and founders

00:39:05 : Internet and smartphones in emerging markets

00:43:40 : Exciting technologies today

00:45:58 : Best founder you've met

00:47:08 : Key advice for entrepreneurs

00:48:42 : Mission-driven organizations

00:51:27 : A book that changed your perspective