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Expert Sidi Saccoh Shares Insights on the Future of AI and Its Impact on Society.

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Sallu Kamuskay
By Sallu Kamuskay 39 Views 6 Min Read
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Sierra Leone’s development expert Sidi Saccoh had always heard about the potential of AI, but it wasn’t until he came across the story of Shamim Nabuuma Kaliisa, a pioneering African entrepreneur using AI to detect early cases of cancer in women in hard-to-reach places in Uganda, that he truly appreciated its value. He was inspired by her work and the impact it had on people’s lives.

Years later, as the chairman of the AI accelerator hub pitch competition at the London Tech Week: The AI Summit, Saccoh passionately shared the work that entrepreneurs like Kaliisa are doing to ensure that AI improves our lives. He saw many amazing companies pitch, but one startup stood out to him – Ecotone.

Founded by eMalick Njie, Ph.D, Ecotone is poised to leverage AI to better understand hereditary diseases and manufacture medication in record time. Saccoh was struck by Njie’s commitment to developing incredible products that save people’s lives in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Ecotone went on to be crowned champions of the AI accelerator hub pitch competition at the London AI Summit, and Saccoh wished them success in their fundraising. It was an eye-opening moment for him, a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones, but more importantly, a blessing to have a front-row seat to what the future could look like.

Saccoh thanked the judges’ panel for sitting through hours of pitching and the event organizers for the opportunity to chair this year’s pitch. He encouraged the other 30-something startups to keep killing it and urged his investor friends to check out Ecotone. Saccoh left the event feeling inspired and hopeful for the future of AI and its potential to improve people’s lives.

Read what he said

“I have always heard about the great potential of AI. However, it wasn’t until I came across the story of a pioneering African entrepreneur who uses AI to detect early cases of cancer in women in hard-to-reach places in Uganda that I began to appreciate its value.

Fast forward a couple of years later, the entrepreneur, Shamim nabuuma Kaliisa from Uganda, has consistently deployed a variety of AI use cases as she expands her company, Chil AI Group.

Today, as I took the stage as the chairman of the AI accelerator hub pitch competition at the London Tech Week: The AI Summit, I passionately shared the work that entrepreneurs like Shamim are doing to ensure that AI improves our lives.

While many amazing companies pitched today (30+ startups), one startup stood out—Ecoton.

Founded by eMalick Njie, Ph.D, a successful AI founder who exited his previous AI startup (the first AI company from the University of Colombia), Ecotone is poised to leverage AI to better understand hereditary diseases and manufacture medication in record time (AI medicine, as he puts it).

What struck me about Ecotone was the same thing that struck me when I first heard the story of Chil AI. Not only did I foresee a future of healthier living, but I also saw two entrepreneurs who are committed to developing incredible products that save people’s lives in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Congratulations to Ecotone for being crowned champions of this year’s AI accelerator hub pitch competition at the London AI Summit, and I wish you success in your fundraising.

It was an eye-opening moment for me, a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones, but more importantly, a blessing to have a front-row seat to what the future could look like.

To the amazing judges’ panel that sat through hours of pitching, thank you.

Joy Jack, Francesco Perticarari, Sanghamitra Karra, Cian Hughes, Sam Cleary, Craig Massey

To Tosin S. Abdul Ghaniyu. O  S., and the entire team, thank you for an amazing event and the opportunity to chair this year’s pitch.

To the rest of the 30-something startups—keep killing it!

To my investor friends—check out Ecotone!”

Sidi is an empowerment, entrepreneurship development expert, author and speaker who has worked and executed multiple programs in ecosystems across Africa, Europe, and the Middles East.

Sidi has worked closely with international organisations like Seedstars, Cordsid SL, World Bank, World Health Organization, GIZ, Africa Business Heroes, HEC Paris, and Africa Development Bank, in different capacities – ranging from program manager, facilitator, mentor! 

Sidi is a multiple award recipient and nominee and was recently an honourable mention at the Black Tech Awards in the UK and a finalist for the Great British Entrepreneur Award in the category of Entrepreneur for Good Award for the South East Region (GBEA is one of UK’s most prestigious entrepreneur awards that is supported by Sterling Bank).

He currently hosts a highly recommended weekly conversation with some of Africa’s most prominent VCs, entrepreneurs, policymakers and ecosystem builder at #ThePitchRoomAfrica – live podcast on Twitter space and distributed across all major podcasting platforms.

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Sallu Kamuskay is a Sierra Leonean communication strategist, fixer, blogger, youth organiser, event manager, spokesperson, and public relations expert. His work has been regularly referenced and published by national and international media and public policy institutions. Sallu Kamuskay was a child during the brutal war in Sierra Leone. Growing up in the midst of conflict, Sallu witnessed unimaginable abuse of children and gross violations of human rights. The horrors he witnessed during the Civil War had a terrible impact on him at a very tender age. But despite the shock of the war, Sallu never lost hope. He started on a journey of recovery, studying, and working for a better future. At age 15, Sallu entered into the world of activism and advocacy. Sallu Kamuskay was the Vice President of the Young Leaders Organisation, a member of the National Youth Council. The Young Leaders is one of the oldest youth-led organisations in West Africa. The organisation was formed by a group of young leaders, and launched by the then Head of State/President of Sierra Leone. Sallu was part of the group of young leaders who participated in and contributed to the establishment of the National Youth Council. The Commonwealth supported the training for trainers programme with line ministries and youth stakeholders in which key, representatives of youth council, student union and civil society/private sector youth platforms were engaged and empowered in the effective engagement and inclusion of youth. Sallu is co-founder and Executive Director of the Salone Messenger, a global multimedia and public relations firm based In Sierra Leone. Sallu has worked on various developmental and policy issues such as Poverty, Climate Change, Human rights, Child Rights, Education, Health, Gender Equality, Civic Engagement, Government policies, Information Communication Technology for Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, and has also been contributing to various global events and advocacy campaigns. Sallu Kamuskay is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Salone Messenger, a global Multimedia and Public Relations Firm based in Sierra Leone with the latest news and information, on top stories, business, politics, entertainment, and more. Sallu is working with a leading technology company in Africa, Techfrica, that has recently developed and launched a social media, messaging Supfrica with over 150,000 downloads on the Google play store in less than 4 days. He is the Adviser and Media coordinator for the App to give people the platform to connect and communicate to help shape their future with a very fast internet that allows users that live in deprived and hard-to-reach areas with poor internet facility to be able to communicate as it allows and stronger on 2 and 3 G network reception. Sallu has over 9 years of experience in youth engagement, inclusion, and coordination both at local and global levels, giving voice to young people and engaging young people to build a better world. He has served as coordinator for the Wave Alliance which brought together youth-led organisations who attended an international training in South Africa organized by the International Organization – Waves for Change. Sallu is working with the MLT, Waves For Change, and the Government to develop safe spaces for young people, with a view to contributing to the overall development goals of young people including health, as well as to community rebuilding. Sallu is currently the Programme Director for the Wave Alliance, which is a coalition of youth-led and community-based organisations that have successfully introduced evidence-based Surf Therapy programs to young people in communities, with a focus on mental health, peace building and sustainable development. Sallu is currently the focal point and face of Africa’s Faces Social media platform which is a global Social media platform that brings together people from across the world to share their moments, connect, share videos, and interact with friends giving more preference to excluded continents like Africa. Sallu Kamuskay has devoted his time to working for or contributing to a number of national and international organizations and companies, including the Techfrica Technology Company, United Nations, ECOWAS, European Union, Commonwealth Africa Initiatives. This work has led him to travel to a number of countries to contribute to global youth platforms. Sallu is the lead Coordinator for Peace Tour programme, an initiative supported by the European Union, Africa Union, ECOWAS focusing on uniting and empowering young people and local communities. Over the years, Sallu Kamuskay has been using his Techno phone to be able to tell stories, the phone he used to tell the story of Gbessay during Ebola who was admitted at one of the Ebola treatment centers after rumors that she had Ebola when the actual sickness was ulcer, she was almost abandoned at the treatment canter with no medication provided to her. She could have died. Sallu told the story via social media and was able to secure funding from the United Sierra Leone to buy her medication and advocated for her. She was later discharged and taken home, He did the same to a patient that died and was abandoned in the street, Sallu Kamuskay used his phone and shared the message across, the corps was later taken and buried. It could have been more disaster without his voice. The story of late America Stress 3-year-old daughter. The hero’s daughter was abandon after his father's death. He shared her sad story and was able to get a sister who has taken the child as her own and is currently providing her with educational support. The article of America Stress can be read on the link below http://ayvnewspaper.com/index.php/k2-categories/item/7350-america-stress-a-hero-to-recognize. Sallu Kamuskay feels the stories of Gbessay, America stress and that of many others need to be told. The media house we have cannot better tell these stories, they are better reporters than telling human interest stories. He created the Salone Messenger platform and brought together passionate storytellers to be able to tell these compelling stories.