1. Malak Bennani

Age: 27
Occupation: Cofounder and COO of LNKO
Nationality: Moroccan-Canadian
Residence: Morocco
Category: Commerce & Finance

Bennani cofounded an eyewear brand with her sister Maha in 2020. Today, the company has 12 points of sale and plans to open three stores in Morocco by the end of 2023. It has over 70,000 clients across 24 countries. LNKO is currently expanding in the West African market and is active in seven countries, including Morocco, Senegal, the Ivory Coast, Guinea, Congo, DRC, and Mauritania. It has raised $1 million in funding from CDG Invest (Morocco's pension fund), Sanabil 500 MENA Seed Accelerator, and Launch Africa.