Sayfullah Ammar
Computer Science Student, University of Tripoli, Libya and Cohort 2 participant
As a computer science student, I usually spend my time writing code, building software, and thinking about the technical side of things. The Entrepreneurship Exchange gave me the perfect opportunity to step back and learn how to turn those technical skills into real, practical businesses that can generate income and help people.
One of the best parts of the program was the focus on real-world action. We did not just read about business, we actually built a project. Working with three teammates on our business concept, EduRoam, pushed me to think about market research, user needs, and how to pitch an idea effectively. EduRoam is designed to bring solar-powered mobile classrooms to children in remote North African communities. We learned how to navigate the challenging process of building a sustainable business-to-business model to fund this mission, which taught me that having a working product that generates income is much more important than just having a good idea on paper.
I grew the most in my teamwork and communication skills. As the person handling the technical architecture and AI tools for the project, I had to learn how to explain complex tech ideas to my team. We learned to listen to each other and use everyone’s unique strengths. By discussing our ideas openly, we were able to combine our different viewpoints into a working project that aims for a break-even point in 18 months.
The program also gave me a much wider view of the world. Talking with peers from different backgrounds helped me understand how other markets work. Hearing how my teammates approached problem-solving made me realize that a good business solution needs to be inclusive and think about the community, not just the technology. This experience showed me how important it is to be open-minded in a global work environment.
Finally, the mentorship sessions were incredibly motivating. Listening to experienced entrepreneurs talk about their real struggles and successes was exactly what I needed to hear. They were honest about the fact that building a business is hard and that failure is part of the process. This gave me a lot of confidence to trust my instincts and keep working on my own startup ideas.
This program helped me build a strong entrepreneurial mindset. I now know how to look at a problem from both a technical and a business angle. I am excited to use these lessons to build practical, successful projects in my professional career and continue working with people from all over the world.