Company Name: Baara

NYU School: Stern School of Business

About: Yeli is the Founder of Baara, a company that aims to maximize entrepreneurship incubators & accelerators in French West Africa by equipping program managers with data-driven insights and rewarding entrepreneurs for making progress with their ventures.

As a social entrepreneur, Yeli’s mission is to employ human-centered design to address complex social issues, especially relating to mental and physical health, education, and gender equality. Her ventures, such as the award-winning app 'Seventh', blend innovation with empathy, demonstrating how technology can be a conduit for mental wellness. Additionally, the activewear brand 'Jarabi Fitness' embodies the empowerment driven by a fusion of traditional fashion and modern fitness culture.

Beyond her entrepreneurial endeavors, she is an avid musician, storyteller, and martial artist. Yeli plays the guitar, the kora - a traditional West African instrument, and produces fusion beats. Her creations are an amalgamation of cultural narratives, as showcased in her Scholastic Award-winning novel 'Farafina Tales' and her music channel, 'ivorytypebeat'. Alongside this, Yeli has harnessed the discipline and resilience of martial arts for over a decade and continues to empower others as a NESTA-certified Muay Thai Fitness instructor.

The diversity of her interests and experiences coalesces into a singular vision: to be a catalyst for positive change, fueled by innovation, empathy, and a commitment to social impact. Yeli is constantly exploring, learning, and creating - crafting a global narrative that harmonizes social entrepreneurship, cultural richness, and human development.

Looking ahead, Yeli aspires to delve into the world of Venture Capital, working with Girls Into VC and Black Gen Capital, leveraging her expertise and passion to discover and nurture promising African enterprises that align with her mission of invoking meaningful social impact and empowering the future of Africa.

One of Yeli’s past ventures, the ed-tech app Wing Up was selected as the winner in business and design out of 110 teams who applied and 25 teams who pitched in the November 2023 NYU Designpreneurs Hackathon.

Connect with her on LinkedIn if you'd like to discuss your entrepreneurial and creative ideas!