Cameroonian Startup Secures Funding for Local Drone Manufacturing

The Cameroonian start-up company, Will & Brothers, has successfully secured funding amounting to $200,000 (about FCfa 124 million). This news follows a highly targeted fundraising campaign aimed at generating a total of $300,000 (slightly over FCfa 185 million). Though the specifics of this financial milestone remain undisclosed, this funding represents a significant step towards making local drone production a reality.

The ambitious project is spearheaded by William Elong, the visionary behind this startup dedicated to leveraging economic intelligence for technological innovation. According to Elong, the funding will be directly channeled towards the execution of the drone manufacturing venture within Cameroon. In preparation, Will & Brothers have relocated to new premises in Cameroon’s economic heartland while also expanding their team. The workforce has grown to 22 professionals hailing from four nationalities and spread across two continents.

Elong shared his vision for the startup saying, “Too often, young people launch ideas, get buzz, but disappear. We want to inspire others and encourage them to know that we’ve persevered. The light at the end of the tunnel is near, and we’re determined to position our country on the global map of drone manufacturers. We aim to undertake this new venture as swiftly as possible.”

To grasp the potential of this venture, one needs to look at Will & Brothers’ past achievements. For instance, they developed DroneAfrica, an application designed to offer the “first civilian drone service” in Cameroon. This application enables users to remotely pilot a drone equipped with a miniature camera, thereby capturing unique, broad-scale visuals.

According to Elong, who spearheaded the development of DroneAfrica, the drone concept transcends mere entertainment. It has caused ripples of revolution across various sectors. The tourism industry, for instance, can capture unique, visually stunning promotions. DroneAfrica also renders the map creation of mining projects and urban developments cost-effective. Covering large scale events, such as cultural festivals or soccer tournaments, and accessing otherwise impossible-to-reach disaster-stricken areas becomes feasible.

For these unrivaled innovations, Forbes, the influential American magazine, listed Elong in seventh place in the top 30 promising young African entrepreneurs in 2016. At 20, Elong emerged as the youngest graduate of the Paris-based École de Guerre Économique, earning his place among upscale figures like fellow Central African national Mark Doumba, co-founder of Clikafrik Group. Being recognized alongside peers from dominant countries such as Kenya, South Africa, and Ghana speaks volumes about the significance of Elong’s innovations.

This article corroborates the single-minded passion and unmatched creativity transforming the technological landscape across Central Africa and beyond. As the prospects of local drone manufacturing become a foreseeable reality, the next stride for these innovators lies in challenging the bounds of this novel technology.

Source: [Business In Cameroon](http://www.businessincameroon.com/)