Founder Magazine (FM): Isaac, thank you for joining us. Let’s start with your background. Can you tell our readers a little about yourself and what inspired your entrepreneurial journey?
Isaac Sesi (IS): Thank you for having me. I grew up in Kumasi, Ghana, and studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering at KNUST. I’ve always been fascinated by technology and how it can be applied to solve real-life problems. My inspiration came when I saw how smallholder farmers, who make up the backbone of Ghana’s agriculture, continue to lose large portions of their harvest due to preventable issues like poor storage and post-harvest management. I wanted to change that.
🚀 About Sesi Technologies
FM: For those hearing about it for the first time, what is Sesi Technologies?
IS: Sesi Technologies is an agritech company dedicated to empowering African smallholder farmers with affordable technology. Our flagship product, GrainMate Moisture Meter, helps farmers measure grain moisture levels to reduce post-harvest losses. We also provide digital solutions for farmers to improve yields and market access.
❓ Interview Questions (Startup Focused)
FM: What problem were you solving when you created GrainMate?
IS: Farmers in Ghana and across Africa lose up to 30% of harvested grains due to mold and aflatoxin contamination, caused by storing grains with high moisture. Large-scale farmers can afford advanced equipment, but smallholders cannot. GrainMate was built to bridge this gap with an affordable, locally made solution.
FM: How does your product differ from existing solutions in the market?
IS: Traditional grain moisture meters are expensive and often designed for industrial farms. GrainMate is tailored for African farmers—affordable, portable, and easy to use without technical training.
FM: How many farmers are currently using your solution, and what has been the impact so far?
IS: As of now, thousands of farmers across Ghana and parts of West Africa have used GrainMate. Farmers report reduced grain spoilage and improved bargaining power when selling to buyers.
FM: Building hardware in Africa isn’t easy. What challenges did you face in bringing GrainMate to market?
IS: The biggest hurdles were manufacturing locally, raising capital for R&D, and building trust among farmers who were skeptical of new tech. We overcame these challenges by partnering with organizations like USAID and the Mastercard Foundation, which helped us with validation and scaling.
FM: Do you see Sesi Technologies as an agritech company or a social enterprise?
IS: Both. We’re a for-profit company, but social impact is core to our mission. Every product we create must meaningfully improve the lives of smallholder farmers.
🌍 Vision for the Future
FM: What’s next for Sesi Technologies?
IS: We’re working on expanding GrainMate adoption across Africa and developing new farmer-centric solutions, including digital platforms for data-driven farming and affordable storage innovations. Our vision is to reach one million smallholder farmers in the next five years.
FM: If you weren’t building Sesi Technologies, what do you think you’d be doing today?
IS: Probably teaching or working on another tech solution. I enjoy sharing knowledge as much as I enjoy building things.
Quick Fire Questions
Book that inspired you most? Zero to One by Peter Thiel.
One Ghanaian startup you admire? mPharma.
Biggest lesson as a founder? Build for people first; funding and recognition follow impact.
Advice for young entrepreneurs? Start small, test quickly, and don’t wait for perfection before launching.
✨ Closing Thoughts
FM: Isaac, your story is a great example of using innovation for real social change. Thank you for sharing it with Founder Magazine.
IS: Thank you. I hope more young Africans will see entrepreneurship as a way to solve problems around them.