How to make the most of YES!
With the 2025 Youth Energy Summit (YES!) fast approaching, three participants offer advice on how to turn conference connections into academic and professional opportunities
The world’s largest gathering for young people in the energy sector takes place in Cape Town between 18 and 20 June this year. It’s an opportunity to learn from the best, meet recruiters and pitch ideas to investors. But if you’re attending for the first time, the sheer size of the event and choices available can seem daunting. Three former participants share their tips on how to prepare for the Summit and make it work for you.
The entrepreneur
Madalitso Chimpeni, co-founder of Mpepu Energy, Malawi
YES! changed my perspective on Africa’s energy landscape.
I’m the co-founder of Mpepu Energy, a start-up centred on developing wind microgrids to power rural communities in Malawi. We’ve designed a helix wind turbine that’s specifically tailored to perform in Malawi’s low wind-speed conditions.
I’ve always been someone who enjoys starting projects on my own and I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur. After university, I wanted to do something that would have a meaningful impact for my country.
The YES! conference in Nairobi popped up in my LinkedIn feed at a critical point for our start-up back in 2023. We were looking for funding to set up a pilot project – a village microgrid to test how well the turbines worked, whether they performed efficiently in real-life conditions and whether they could generate enough electricity to distribute to households.
My main goal in attending the Summit was to find a sponsor. I did a lot of networking. I talked to international development agencies, the African Development Bank and companies that might be interested in my line of work. I was willing to talk to anyone who might be a source of funding to help me develop the microgrid.
The Summit changed my perspective on Africa’s energy landscape. I met so many young people and companies that are working towards improving energy access across the continent. It was really exciting. I realised I was not alone in wanting to make an impact and that I could work with others and share resources to achieve my vision.
I remember asking a question at a session on funding for young entrepreneurs. I wanted to know why start-ups in Europe have it so much easier getting funding for prototypes and pilot projects even before they start earning any revenue. I wanted to know what made the continents so different.
I didn’t get a clear answer, but after that session a renewable-energy expert approached me and put me in touch with the IEEE Smart Village Africa Working Group, an organisation that provides seed funding for renewable-energy businesses in rural communities. It has a rigorous vetting process, but we were successful and secured a $25,000 grant. We hope to get started on our pilot in June. It will have seven turbines and will power a village of around 120 households and businesses.
My advice to young entrepreneurs is don’t be shy to put yourself out there. You need to approach as many people as you can – you never know who might help.
The scholar
Haruna Inuwa, PhD student at Oxford University
Be open, ask questions and make the first move. Attending YES! broadened my understanding of the energy landscape and enabled me to connect with industry professionals – connections that ultimately played a role in securing my admission to the University of Oxford.
In 2023, I was working as a business technology consultant at Africa’s largest conglomerate when I received an email about a YES! conference in Nairobi. I applied and YES! paid all my expenses to attend.
It’s a big conference with many panels and talks happening at the same time, so you need to come with a clear idea of what you want to achieve. At the time, I was thinking about going back to school to study for a PhD and had drafted a research proposal. It was about the energy transition in Nigeria and Africa as a whole: how to make it more resilient.
YES! gives you access to so many energy professionals, from young start-up entrepreneurs to academics and top decision-makers, so you need to be proactive in reaching out. I decided I was going to speak to as many people as possible and explain what I was hoping to do.
At the Summit, all these brilliant minds come together to talk about energy. Their insights ultimately played a role in me securing admission offers at the University of Oxford and University of Cambridge at my first attempt. I chose Oxford University because I wanted to focus on energy systems as a whole and there was a professor there who was keen to do something related to Africa, based on my proposal.
I used to be shy when I met people. Attending conferences like YES! helps to build confidence in approaching people and being approachable yourself. You need to be intentional about connecting with professionals who align with your interests and future goals. And you shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions or ask for advice. In our field, where there’s so much yet to be achieved, there are no stupid questions.
The young professional
Imo-Obong Utoh, minigrids business development officer, Engie
The energy industry is very competitive and the sector is changing fast. At YES! you get to meet people at the top of their game.
Conferences like YES! are a great opportunity to learn, to get up to date with what’s happening in the energy industry and to find mentors. Everyone needs to start somewhere and good mentors help you grow professionally.
I studied petroleum engineering with the idea of working in oil and gas, but then the opportunity arose to work in sustainable energy. I joined ENGIE Energy Access as a trainee and I’m now helping to bring renewable energy to communities in Nigeria – reaching more than 5,000 people – in my role as a minigrids business development officer.
My mentor was the head of the minigrids business unit and she was the one who shared the YES! application form with me and supported me to attend the conference in Nairobi in 2023. It was my first international trip and one of the best experiences of my life.
The energy industry is very competitive and the sector is changing fast. At YES! you get to meet people at the top of their game. You can attend seminars to know the latest trends in your sector, you get to ask questions, meet people and learn a lot. And if you really pay attention you can pick up other skills as well: for example, how to give a strong presentation or speech. Most of us are not trained in public speaking, you watch others and learn from them – and at YES! you learn from the best.
I recently completed a Future Female Leaders in Energy Programme delivered by the African Management Institute in collaboration with the University of Cape Town. These experiences have encouraged me to expand my horizons. In future, I’d like to take part in more international events and even attend United Nations conferences on climate action. I feel I’ve been very lucky in my career so far and would like to become a mentor myself. I find genuine fulfilment in supporting and guiding others. It’s time to give back.
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