In this edition of the Market Innovation Series, we speak with Korngo Dosoo, a product management professional and community leader whose work spans product strategy, youth training, and building innovation communities in Africa. Korngo has helped shape how young innovators approach product development while also creating platforms for dialogue between founders, regulators, and investors. Her experience reflects the importance of structure, collaboration, and community in strengthening Africa’s growing digital economy.
Interviewer: Can you tell us about your journey into technology and product management?
Korngo: I have always been fascinated by how ideas can become real products that people use in their daily lives. Early in my career, I noticed that many promising projects failed, not because they lacked technical talent, but because they did not match user needs or market realities. That curiosity led me into product management, where I could help innovators bridge creativity with real world impact. Over time, my focus expanded. I moved from working on individual products to creating frameworks, training programmes, and communities that allow many people to innovate more effectively.
Interviewer: What do you see as the biggest gaps in Africa’s startup ecosystem today?
Korngo: The first gap is structure. We have brilliant developers and entrepreneurs, but many lack access to frameworks that guide them from idea to product market fit. The second is community. Too many innovators work in isolation, and that slows progress. The third is visibility. There are startups with strong solutions that never reach investors or regulators simply because they do not have a platform to showcase their work. Much of what I do is motivated by trying to close these gaps.
Interviewer: You have worked with both students and professional communities. What differences have you noticed?
Korngo: Students bring energy and creativity, but they often lack exposure to markets. That is why I introduced structured product training within student developer clubs. We gave them tools for customer validation, MVP design, and product market fit, and I also created a manual that chapters at different universities could reuse.
Professionals are different. They usually have industry knowledge, but what they need is a platform to test new ideas and interact with regulators and investors. I saw this clearly when I worked with a legal innovation community in Accra. By redesigning the programme, we created a space where founders, lawyers, and regulators could sit together. That changed the conversation around legaltech and gave founders more visibility.
Interviewer: Many people describe you as a community builder. What does community building mean to you?
Korngo: For me, community building is not just about organising events. It is about creating systems that last. Communities must be designed for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and recognition. In student spaces, that meant building curricula and manuals that future cohorts could use. In professional spaces, it meant creating playbooks and volunteer structures that other cities could adopt. When communities are built this way, they continue to thrive even after the founders or organisers move on.
Interviewer: What advice would you give to young Africans who want to move from coding projects to building real startups?
Korngo: Start with the problem, not the solution. Too many projects begin with technology, but the real question is who needs this and why. Second, test ideas early. Do not wait to build the perfect version. Talk to users, create a prototype, and adjust quickly. Finally, join a community. Whether it is a student club, an accelerator, or a hub, being part of an ecosystem gives you support and opportunities you cannot find working alone.
Interviewer: Where do you see Africa’s innovation ecosystem heading in the next five years?
Korngo: I think we will see more focus on sector-specific innovation. Fintech and edtech have grown quickly, but I believe healthtech, agritech, and legaltech will become more visible because they touch people’s daily lives. I also expect more collaboration across countries. For example, student innovators in Ghana already learn from peers in Nigeria, and legaltech communities in Accra now connect with teams in Nairobi and Kigali. This kind of collaboration will shape continental networks, not just local ones.
Interviewer: Finally, what keeps you motivated in this work?
Korngo: What motivates me most is seeing ideas come alive. There is nothing more fulfilling than watching a student project turn into a working product or seeing a founder gain visibility through a community event. Those moments remind me why structure and community matter. Africa already has the talent and creativity. What we need are frameworks and communities that allow that talent to thrive. That is the role I see myself playing.
Editor’s Note
Korngo Dosoo represents a generation of African innovators who are not only building products but also building the systems and communities that make innovation possible. Her journey highlights the importance of structure, community, and collaboration in shaping Africa’s digital future.
