Founder
Eddie Francis
A young African entrepreneur, builder and emerging leader whose work sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship, leadership, innovation and opportunity.
Founder, Frankly Impact Lab
- Studying at African Leadership Academy (ALA)
- Alumnus — Nova Pioneer Tatu Boys
- Convenor — Frankly Impact Club
- Host — Youth Entrepreneurship & Leadership Summit, HQ House
Eddie Francis is currently studying at African Leadership Academy (ALA) and is an alumnus of Nova Pioneer Tatu Boys.
He founded Frankly Impact Lab after recognising a recurring gap among young people with ambitious ideas: the ideas were there, but the structure, access and support required to build them were not.
Rather than waiting for someone else to create that structure, he began building it himself.
A defining moment
Youth Entrepreneurship & Leadership Summit
On 21 March 2026, Eddie Francis brought his vision for youth entrepreneurship to life by convening the Youth Entrepreneurship & Leadership Summit at HQ House, Tatu City.
The Summit brought together young entrepreneurs and emerging leaders alongside influential voices from Africa's entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem, including Mwenda Thuranira, the Burns Brothers, GirlCode, Forge Labs, Quest and Nova.
At the heart of the Summit was a Shark Tank-style competition, giving young founders a platform to pitch their ventures, receive direct feedback and connect with experienced entrepreneurs and leaders.
For Eddie, the Summit marked more than an event. It was proof that he could turn an idea into a platform, convene an ecosystem and create opportunities for the next generation of African builders.
Why he builds
Talent is everywhere. Access is not.
Eddie believes young Africans should not have to navigate the journey from potential to entrepreneurship alone.
Frankly Impact Lab is his response: a platform designed to help young builders find the people, tools, experiences and opportunities needed to move forward.
What he is building
- A path a young person with an idea can actually walk.
- Mentors who answer.
- Programmes that produce outcomes.
- Rooms that create opportunity.
- Ventures that outlive the pitch.