Young Nigerian Entrepreneur Turned Down Bill Gates To Start Slatecube & Its Changing Lives

Date: 06-12-2016 12:44 pm (7 years ago) | Author: CLARA JANCITA
- at 6-12-2016 12:44 PM (7 years ago)
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When, in August, 23-year-old Nigerian college graduate Chris Kwekowe met Bill Gates, he didn’t press the founder of Microsoft Inc. for business advice or a possible job offer. The meeting took place at a forum for Africa’s brightest young entrepreneurs.  

Rather Chris told Bill Gates during the forum that featured some of Africa’s brightest young entrepreneurs,  how he had turned down a software engineer role at Microsoft.
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“Gates was really intrigued, and he smiled,” says Kwekowe, "After the program, all the directors were like, ‘Dude, you mean you actually turned down a job at Microsoft and had the guts to tell Bill Gates?”

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The young entrepreneur was extremely confident in his abilities and had a great reason to decline the job offer. Chris was creating his own startup company, Slatecube, which helps other young Nigerians who graduated college find jobs. Slatecube seeks to solve that problem by nurturing the graduates through digital internships.

Chris Kwekowe graduated from college in Lagos, Nigeria with a degree in computer science. Along with his brother Emerald, 20, they started Slatecube in October 2014. The brothers financed their fledgling company by freelancing as web designers and operating a software solutions firm.

So far, Slatecube has an 80% employment rate for its users. Companies that have used the platform, have saved over $100,000 in 2015 by hiring skilled, ready to work employees. The interns that have used Slatecube so far, say it gives prospective employers a more realistic understanding of the Nigerian labor force.

Chris recently won the 2015 Anzisha Prize, a Pan-African award given to the continent’s best young entrepreneur. The prize came with a $25,000 check. He is currently spending almost four-months per year seeking investors and potential employers to use Slatecube in America. He is now in talks with Google and Microsoft in regards to using his platform.

The company is expecting to open offices in Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa in 2017. When asked where his tenacious spirit to compete in the business world comes from, Chris said,
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“If you can do business in Lagos, you can do business anywhere in the world."



Posted: at 6-12-2016 12:44 PM (7 years ago) | Hero
- james987 at 6-12-2016 12:52 PM (7 years ago)
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Good job..
Posted: at 6-12-2016 12:52 PM (7 years ago) | Hero
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- concentrate at 6-12-2016 01:43 PM (7 years ago)
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This is self discovery amounting to self believe. It's about knowing who you are. when you come to the knowledge of who you are, you can't settle for less.
Posted: at 6-12-2016 01:43 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- 1marviz at 6-12-2016 01:45 PM (7 years ago)
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nice quote "if u can do business in Lagos...... nor be lie broda o. Grin Lips Sealed Lips Sealed
Posted: at 6-12-2016 01:45 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- Mykie010 at 6-12-2016 01:52 PM (7 years ago)
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Hot brains
Posted: at 6-12-2016 01:52 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- gogoman at 6-12-2016 01:59 PM (7 years ago)
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last week news
Posted: at 6-12-2016 01:59 PM (7 years ago) | Grande Master
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- diutopep at 6-12-2016 03:30 PM (7 years ago)
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quote from concentrate
This is self discovery amounting to self believe. It's about knowing who you are. when you come to the knowledge of who you are, you can't settle for less.


INFACT, YOU HAVE SAID IT ALL!!!
Posted: at 6-12-2016 03:30 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- diutopep at 6-12-2016 03:32 PM (7 years ago)
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Small Big Boy...
More Power To Your Elbow!
Posted: at 6-12-2016 03:32 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- 419BigBoy at 6-12-2016 04:41 PM (7 years ago)
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respect and super success to him
Posted: at 6-12-2016 04:41 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- SOGaiya at 6-12-2016 08:22 PM (7 years ago)
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Wish u the very best
Posted: at 6-12-2016 08:22 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- kison at 6-12-2016 08:30 PM (7 years ago)
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JUST CONTINUE TO BE CAREFULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL……………………………….
Posted: at 6-12-2016 08:30 PM (7 years ago) | Hero
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- kacylee at 6-12-2016 08:31 PM (7 years ago)
Online (f)
U KNOW BEST SHA

Posted: at 6-12-2016 08:31 PM (7 years ago) | Addicted Hero
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- donsmoki at 6-12-2016 08:55 PM (7 years ago)
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nice one! now dis is wat is called news
Posted: at 6-12-2016 08:55 PM (7 years ago) | Upcoming
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- EDDYPRINCE at 6-12-2016 09:22 PM (7 years ago)
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Book Brain
Posted: at 6-12-2016 09:22 PM (7 years ago) | Addicted Hero
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- EDDYPRINCE at 6-12-2016 09:22 PM (7 years ago)
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Nice one
Posted: at 6-12-2016 09:22 PM (7 years ago) | Addicted Hero
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- tommy70 at 6-12-2016 09:56 PM (7 years ago)
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CORRECT
Posted: at 6-12-2016 09:56 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- tommy70 at 6-12-2016 09:57 PM (7 years ago)
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DATS MY SON.
Posted: at 6-12-2016 09:57 PM (7 years ago) | Gistmaniac
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- CHRISETTE at 8-12-2016 02:51 PM (7 years ago)
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That's good but didn't get this
Posted: at 8-12-2016 02:51 PM (7 years ago) | Hero
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