Alain Capo-Chichi, if that name doesn't mean much to you, it will by the end of this story. Teacher, entrepreneur, researcher, inventor, Alain is a man of many hats who is revolutionising the education and mobile phone industry in Africa. Today, we take you on a journey to discover this inspiring and talented entrepreneur whose story will make you want to make your dreams come true.
His first steps in teaching...
The story of Dr Alain Capo-Chichi began in 1998 when, at the age of 20, he decided to launch a school support structure for children who had dropped out of school. This is the tip of the iceberg, because behind this decision lies a story and an entire career.
Born to business owners, Alain was quickly introduced to the concepts of entrepreneurship and business. For the first ten years of his life, his family easily provided for his schooling and other needs. Then, a few years later, the father's business collapsed and the young boy, then in the fifth grade, went through difficult times. He was then entrusted to a tutor, with whom, after a year without school, he returned to school as best he could.
It was at this time that he took his first steps into tutoring. Indeed, a parent of a pupil, a neighbour of his tutor, offered him one thousand five hundred CFA francs a month to supervise his two children and give them lessons at home. Very quickly, the news spread in the neighbourhood: Alain gave lessons at home and helped the children to improve their level in class. In a short time, the number of students increased and the teacher found himself with twenty students from his adopted neighbourhood. For logistical reasons, classes are now held in a nearby school and the children keep coming. Alain then solicits the help of other students, his elders, to help him teach his little protégés.
This business, which was initially intended to provide him with a daily lunch, is becoming an increasingly popular concept and is adding value to his surroundings. Capo-Chichi and its small group of "junior trainers" are now being approached by schools and its target is diversifying. After three years of activity, the small business has nearly 3000 students.
In spite of the workload, the young entrepreneur manages to continue his studies and to give tutoring on Saturday and Wednesday evenings. During this period, he realised that the pupils he was tutoring were doing well, but that they were unable to continue their studies at secondary school due to lack of funds. This gave him the idea of setting up a school accessible to all, even those who did not attend school. He started the project at the end of his final year. From that moment on, Mr Capo-Chichi's true entrepreneurial story began.
The meteoric rise of Cerco Group
The plan to create this school was certainly a brilliant idea, but Alain did not have the financial resources or the necessary authorisations to launch it. This obstacle might have been enough for others to give up, but that's not knowing the ambitious young man.
In his search for solutions, he learned that one of his former teachers was about to close his school. The school had not enrolled enough students because the tuition was too high. Alain then offered to let him manage the school. In return, he would pay him one million five hundred thousand CFA francs per year.
Although Capo-Chichi had no funds of its own at the beginning of this adventure, it could nevertheless draw on its experience in school accompaniment, on a financial guarantor, as well as on the personnel it had already mobilised in previous years. In addition, the model it proposed to students and their parents was quite innovative. Indeed, the school offered low-cost training, accessible to all, and the possibility of training in computer science and entrepreneurship.
In six months, Alain and his team managed to enrol no less than 1,125 students. On the strength of this success, he decided not to continue his studies and to devote himself for the time being to his new business. His parents objected and his guardian kicked him out. After three days of sleeping under the stars, Alain was more convinced than ever that he wanted to be an entrepreneur in the field of training. The young entrepreneur persevered and continued his project despite the obstacles. And he was right to do so, because the numbers have only gone up. After five years, Alain had already opened 70 schools all over Benin, computer rooms, cybercafés and universities under the name "Cerco Group". To remain authentic and continue to provide value, its offerings remain innovative and in a continuous improvement approach.
Actions with a strong social impact, titles and distinctions deserved
Six years after the creation of the Cerco Group, in 2004, Alain Capo Chichi received the award for best manager of the year in his native country. In 2005, he was the only African on the list of ten candidates between the ages of 18 and 40 selected by the Junior Chamber International. This is a non-profit organisation of young active citizens who are committed to making an impact in their communities. The objective is to reward and value projects with a high social impact. Cerco Group's initiatives earned it the award. Then, in 2010, he was elected by the CDEAO (Economic Community of West African States) as the best young entrepreneur in the field of innovation.
It should be noted that the young man who had voluntarily interrupted his studies resumed them six years after opening his establishments. He was thus able to obtain his master's degree in information systems engineering with honours and his doctorate in information and communication sciences under joint supervision with the University of Montreal and the University of Paris 8. Today, Alain Capo-Chichi is a lecturer in computer engineering at the University of Paris 8. He is also an associate member of the Unesco Chair in ICT at the University of Bordeaux.
The Cerco Group is present in Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, France and China. This establishment is more than just a training centre. It is a hub of innovation offering B2B digital services ranging from web marketing to copywriting and web communication. Dr Capo-Chichi has come a long way since the fifth grade and it's not over yet!
And today...
Based in Côte d'Ivoire, the serial entrepreneur is behind the "Superphone". This is a smartphone with artificial intelligence, usable at 100 % by voice command and capable of anticipating the needs of its user by adapting to his habits and preferences. The nickname "Superphone" is explained by the fact that for its creator, this new tool is an improved version of the smartphone as we know it.
Its strength lies in its voice command options and in this super application capable of performing more than fifty everyday tasks such as: buying goods and services online or in shops, eating, getting around (carpooling), creating, managing and participating in events and caring for yourself. It also helps you do personalised searches, find pharmacies, hospitals or medicines. This revolutionary phone, accessible to illiterate people, speaks, in addition to English, French and Arabic, more than fifty African languages, including 16 Ivorian languages, with a vision of 1000 African languages by next year.
Mr Capo Chichi also invented and launched a $1 smartphone in September 2022. This is a virtual phone in the form of a card with a QR code that has the super power to turn any smartphone into a "superphone" that talks to you. It can be used when your battery is flat, when your phone is stolen or lost, and even when you don't have a phone. It also has various features such as calls, SMS and WhatsApp. It also allows you to buy phone credit and send and receive money (Orange, MTN, Moov and Wave).
And that's not all, the successful entrepreneur has also partnered with UBA to roll out another project: a cross-network e-wallet service called Open Pay, allowing users to make transactions between MTN, Moov, Orange and Wave networks.
These and other projects of the Cerco group are the result of the creativity of Mr. Capo-Chichi, a man who knew exactly where he was going as early as the fifth grade. There are so many lessons to be learned from Alain Capo Chichi's journey. The most important is probably that nothing is defined in advance, and that having a vision can take you very far, against all odds!
