The Grinders Table
When Revolution Meets Innovation: Dr. Houda Ghozzi's Journey from Academia to Ecosystem Builder
Published: 18 May 2025 at 18:00 Europe/London
Listen on
Episode notes
Dr. Houda Ghozzi, founder of Open Startup (OST), shares her journey from professor to pan-African ecosystem builder. Following Tunisia's revolution, she transformed uncertainty into opportunity, now helping young entrepreneurs across 19 African countries develop through "hope, skills, and exposure."
Houda discusses entrepreneurship as a common language that transcends borders, the evolution of OST into the "Y-Combinator of deep tech," and why Africa's innovation story requires patience rather than just focusing on exits.
Her insights on cross-border collaboration, AI opportunities, and policy frameworks reveal a compelling vision for Africa's entrepreneurial future—one in which young people build solutions to local problems with global relevance.
