“You can’t fake influence” – KDot 2025
A Night to Remember at the Communitech Startup Bootcamp Showcase
Some moments in life are exciting and emotional, this was one of them. Stepping onto the stage to present KintraceAI for the first time at the Communitech Startup Bootcamp Showcase was a moment I won’t forget. The room was full of energy, with founders and an engaged audience. You’d never guess it was freezing outside.
My presentation started smoothly. I talked about KintraceAI, our mission, and the work we’re doing. But as I reached the end, I got to the most personal part, why this project means so much to me. KintraceAI isn’t just about technology; it’s about keeping memories alive, starting with my late father’s story. We’re using KintraceAI to create his autobiography so that his experiences and wisdom live on.
At that moment, emotions took over. It became hard to speak. Just when I felt overwhelmed, the clock saved me. I had run out of time and had to step off the stage.
The night was full of emotions, pride, gratitude, and reflection. But more than anything, I feel thankful. Thankful for the chance to share KintraceAI, for the amazing founders who shared their visions, and for the startup community that keeps pushing forward.
A big congratulations to every founder who participated, and a special shout-out to the winners, Dimitri Njila and Adanna Amechi. This is just the beginning. There’s a long journey ahead, but we’re building something truly meaningful.
To everyone who has supported me, thank you. Your belief in this mission keeps me going.
Here’s to keeping memories alive and shaping the future. Let’s keep building.
Now, seeing it on the merch, I’m convinced we made the right choice. The design just pops!
See if you can interpret the logo. There are at least two visual representations in it—Bonus points if you get the third one that recently emerged (because good things always work in 3’s 😉).
Special thanks to my friend CAN LIAO for making this happen. Your support means the world!
Also, I’m thrilled to say that 2025 is off to a flyer – exciting things are already in motion, and the Kintrace journey is just getting started. 🚀
Stay tuned for more updates from the Kintrace community. Let’s make this year unforgettable!
When I shared my story about having a “toxic relationship with entrepreneurship” early this year, I didn’t expect it to become a transformation catalyst. Yet here we are, with Kintrace officially incorporated and a community of 3,000+ followers joining our mission to ensure no story is lost.
Key moments that shaped our journey:
→ Successfully completed the Communitech Startup Bootcamp
→ Spoke at the 1st UN Tourism Africa & Americas Summit
→ Advanced through the MBET program at the University of Waterloo
→ Built Kintrace from concept to incorporated company
→ Grew LinkedIn community by 150% (mostly on days when nothing seemed to happen)
Three posts that resonated deeply with our community:
“Toxic Relationship with Entrepreneurship”
On the courage to start again in a new country
“After over a decade of hard work, I was exhausted. I felt like I had little to show for it regarding success…”
https://lnkd.in/gGPtC8sR
“Loss, Love, and Legacy”
On honoring my father’s memory through purposeful work
“My father was the embodiment of integrity, compassion, and strength…”
https://lnkd.in/gGNK7MG9
“KintraceAI is Now Officially Incorporated!”
On persistence leads to momentum
“Through consistency, I managed to grow by over 150% followers this year…”
https://lnkd.in/g6AM9dpf
Looking ahead: 2025 is about scaling Kintrace’s impact while staying true to our mission – helping families preserve their stories and cultural heritage. We’re not just building a platform; we’re creating a legacy.
To every immigrant carrying their story across borders, to every entrepreneur rebuilding after setbacks, and to my father whose legacy guides every step – our stories matter. They deserve to be preserved, shared and celebrated.
Join us: www.kintrace.ai
I’ve got a couple of updates to share!
✨ KintraceAI is now officially incorporated! Whoop whoop! 🎉
Yesterday, we reached out to 75 of our earliest supporters, those who’ve helped shape our product with invaluable feedback. Your input has been crucial, and we’re so grateful for your support!
Now, let’s dive into something I’ve been reflecting on: Has my LinkedIn activity paid off? 🤔
At first, I said “Yes” without hesitation, but I decided to back it up with data. Here’s what I found:
📈 I’m about to hit 3,000 followers (up from 2,994 when I started drafting this post). While that might not sound huge, over 1,200 followers joined this year alone, averaging 100 new followers per month.
What’s fascinating? Most days, I gained zero followers. But through consistent posting, I grew by 150% this year, proving that persistence pays off.
This mirrors the entrepreneurial journey, with lots of ups and downs, but with steady effort, growth is inevitable.
But beyond the numbers, LinkedIn has opened incredible doors for me:
🌍 A private conversation with the Chief Brand Officer of one of the world’s most valuable companies, a surreal moment.
🎯 Found a reliable assistant after years of struggling with recruitment. A true game-changer.
Here’s the kicker: I’m not a LinkedIn guru. I’ve simply committed to posting at least once a week (sometimes more, sometimes less). Imagine if I developed an actual strategy. That’s definitely on my 2025 to-do list.
So, yes, LinkedIn has brought both quantitative and qualitative benefits. Thank you to my 3,000+ followers for being part of this amazing journey. Here’s to the next 3,000 and beyond!
🚀 Join our waitlist if you haven’t already: www.kintrace.ai
At Kintrace, our journey has been anything but straightforward. What began six years ago as a simple hypothesis has evolved into an AI-driven storytelling platform redefining how families preserve their heritage.
Our path has been marked by persistence, pivots, and a deep commitment to solving a fundamental human need: keeping family stories alive. We underwent a critical reset after relocating to Canada and enrolling in the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business. Our focus shifted entirely to customer validation, ensuring that our platform meets the needs of families wanting to document their unique narratives.
We’re proud to embrace an African proverb that resonates deeply with our mission: “It takes a village to raise a child.” At Kintrace, this isn’t just a saying it’s our operational philosophy. Our growth is a collective effort, supported by a community of storytellers who believe in our vision.
Recently, we experienced a significant milestone that validates our approach. A family channel, already experienced in documenting stories, chose to migrate their entire network of storytellers to our platform. This 43.33% community growth is more than a number, it’s a testament to the trust families are placing in Kintrace to preserve their most precious memories.
We’re building more than a platform. We’re creating a future where no story is lost, and where every family narrative is cherished and preserved through cutting-edge AI technology. Our commitment is simple: empower families to document, share, and protect their unique histories.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be showcasing the transformative power of Kintrace. We invite you to be part of this exciting movement. Join our waitlist and help us ensure that your family’s stories continue to inspire generations to come.
Together, we’re keeping stories alive.
After an incredible 6 weeks, I’m thrilled to share that I’ve completed the Communitech #StartupBootcamp! The journey concluded with Storytelling Pitches to an amazing panel of experts:
From pitching KintraceAI at the University of Waterloo (8 pitches, 10 minutes each) to this 3-minute, no-slides challenge. I’ve grown immensely (even if I went 6 seconds over 👀).
The bootcamp was a game-changer, thanks to:
✅ Top-notch programming and curriculum
✅ Brilliant growth coaches and advisors
✅ Unparalleled support from Communitech
Special thanks to Angela Bruce and Justine Leblanc for their stellar leadership, and to my incredible cohort—you’ve set the bar high!
💡 Can’t wait for our January pitch event with family and friends. Stay tuned!
Here’s to building community and pushing boundaries. Here’s to Communitech! 🙌
At Kintrace, we believe that inspiration for storytelling can be found in the most unexpected places. Recently, our journey of discovery led us through a day of meaningful exploration that reinforced our mission to preserve family narratives.
To commemorate our 6th anniversary, we embarked on a journey through Waterloo’s rich tapestry of stories. Our day began in a local bookstore, where we encountered Yahaya Baruwa, author of “Struggles of a Dreamer” – a powerful novel chronicling an immigrant’s journey. Baruwa’s own story is remarkable; his family emigrated to Canada in 2001 when he was 12, and his novel has resonated with over 55,000 readers.
The Waterloo Museum’s exhibition, “Waterloo From Above 200 Years of Change,” offered a profound testament to the power of preserving stories. The exhibition traced the city’s transformation from early Indigenous communities to its current vibrant landscape. One particularly moving narrative was that of Levi Carroll, a Black freedom seeker whose family history is deeply interwoven with Waterloo and Kitchener’s historical fabric.
What struck us most was the exhibition’s innovative approach to storytelling. Historic maps, aerial images, and even LEGO recreations of iconic structures demonstrated the myriad ways we can connect with and preserve our past. It’s a reminder that stories are not just about words, but about creating meaningful connections across time and space.
These experiences reaffirmed Kintrace’s core mission: building a future where no story is lost. Every family has a unique narrative waiting to be discovered, preserved, and shared.
We’re curious: Where do you find inspiration for stories? What narratives in your family or community deserve to be remembered?
At Kintrace, we’re committed to helping you capture and celebrate those irreplaceable moments that define who we are.
This past week was one of the most challenging times in my life, filled with both deep sorrow and unexpected moments of hope.
Sunday morning brought the heartbreaking news of my dad’s passing. Even in grief, life continued. I completed a group presentation on Tuesday, drawing strength from the values my father taught me.
On Wednesday, I attended Communitech Week 2. Charles Plant shared new ways to measure market sizing, and Heather Galt talked about identifying the ideal customer profile. The day’s highlight was meeting Kitchener’s mayor, Berry Vrbanovic. He told me, “I have an Ayo on my team,” referring to Ayo Owodunni. Funny enough, this was the second mayor I’ve met while wearing this turtleneck – maybe it’s my lucky outfit.
Yesterday, my brother achieved something incredible – earning his Master’s degree in Civil Engineering and Construction Management from the University of Derby. His success reflects the hard work and sacrifice our dad always inspired in us.
Sitting here, my heart feels heavy with loss but full of gratitude. My father embodied integrity, compassion, and strength. Knowing him meant understanding what it truly means to live with purpose.
November will always be the month we lost him, but also the month we celebrate his amazing life and legacy.
Thank you for everything, Dad. ❤️
Nigeria’s tech ecosystem has come a long way, but its journey reveals triumphs and missed opportunities. I vividly recall the excitement that swept through the tech community when Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani and Femi Longe pioneered a new era in Nigerian tech education by founding Co-creation HUB (CcHUB).
As a young design enthusiast, I was fortunate to receive an invitation to CcHUB’s inaugural hackathon. The hub’s strategic location in Yaba, nestled between two prestigious institutions – Yaba College of Technology and the University of Lagos – seemed perfect for nurturing innovation. The tech world took notice, with industry giants like Mark Zuckerberg and Jack Dorsey making landmark visits, validating Nigeria’s emerging position in the global tech landscape.
The “Yaba Effect” was immediate. Startups rushed to establish their presence in the area, driving real estate prices skyward. However, this boom revealed a crucial oversight: despite the surge in business activity, there was minimal investment in sustainable infrastructure and community development.
Thirteen years later, the landscape tells a different story. Many startups that once called Yaba home have either ceased operations or relocated, leaving behind unfulfilled potential. This trajectory reflects a broader challenge in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem, as highlighted in a recent feature with University of Waterloo alumnus Iyinoluwa Aboyeji.
The Path Forward
While encouraging, the occasional startup launches, funding rounds, and exits aren’t enough to drive transformational growth in Nigeria’s tech economy. The key to leaping into the future lies in our tertiary institutions stepping up to play a more significant role in tech development.
From my observations, discussions about impact and vision in Nigeria often derail pursuits of personal interests, undermining the broader mission of growth and transformation. For the Nigerian tech ecosystem to truly flourish, we need to shift our focus from individual gains to collective progress.
This isn’t just about creating another tech hub – it’s about building sustainable foundations for long-term growth. The next chapter of Nigeria’s tech story depends on our ability to learn from past experiences and prioritize institutional development over quick wins.
