Dakar, certainly one of Africa’s main startup ecosystems attracts buyers
All roads result in Dakar, Senegal for a sequence of occasions occurring through the Enrich in Africa week which begins on the twenty second of Might with a Studying Expedition held by incubator Bond’innov . Key highlights for the week embrace the AfricArena Dakar Summit, VC UnConference, and the highly-anticipated ASIP Accelerator Demo Day powered by Startupbootcamp AfriTech and based by telecoms large Telecel Group .
Within the days previous the summit, Bond’innov has organized a one-week Studying Expedition to Dakar which is able to happen from the twenty second to the twenty sixth of Might. This particular expedition will assist 15 to twenty international entrepreneurs and SMEs to find the Senegalese market, create lasting partnerships and launch their financial actions within the area. The Studying Expedition gives a singular alternative to satisfy native facilitators and potential enterprise companions. This system additionally supplies individuals with invaluable market intelligence in key areas of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, together with the native enterprise surroundings and finest practices to sort out the native market.
Senegal’s positioning because the window into Francophone Africa has been solidified by means of the nation’s continued success within the expertise startup and innovation area. Dakar has a quickly rising startup ecosystem that’s proving enticing to buyers. Based on the StartupBlink World Startup Ecosystem Index 2022, 93% of Senegal’s startups are based mostly in Dakar’s vibrant startup ecosystem which ranks 4th in Africa.
In 2019, the nation grew to become the second African nation to go a Startup Act and subsequently, President Macky Sall established The Common Delegation for the Speedy Entrepreneurship of Ladies and Youth (DER/FJ), which has partnered with AfricArena, Startupbootcamp AfriTech, and Enrich in Africa in varied capacities.
Partnerships in West Africa essential to constructing Africa’s tech ecosystem
Partnerships reminiscent of these have led to a rise in occasions that convey collectively a number of the brightest minds and innovators in Africa’s tech and startup ecosystem, making a platform for collaboration, studying, and progress.
“We’re thrilled to be internet hosting this in Senegal, which is quick turning into a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa,” stated Henry Ojuor, Program Director at Startupbootcamp Afritech. “Via these occasions, we hope to create a platform for collaboration and progress, in addition to showcase the unimaginable expertise and potential that exists throughout the African tech and startup ecosystem.”
The ASIP Demo Day, which takes place through the AfricArena Dakar Summit, will showcase essentially the most promising startups from the ASIP Accelerator Program, offering a platform for them to pitch their progressive concepts and merchandise to buyers and potential companions. The ASIP Demo Day takes place on Africa Day which is twenty fifth Might. This shall be a singular alternative for buyers to find and join with a number of the most disruptive startups within the African tech trade. Startupbootcamp AfriTech may even be having a gathering of all of its alumni straight after Demo Day.
The AfricArena Dakar Summit is a premier tech convention that can convey collectively entrepreneurs, buyers, and company executives from world wide to discover the most recent tendencies and improvements within the African tech ecosystem. The occasion, which has an overarching give attention to Fintech, Mobility & Logistics shall be occurring on the Museum of Black Civilizations and can characteristic keynote audio system, panels, and pitch classes, in addition to networking alternatives for attendees.
After the Summit, AfricArena, in partnership with Startupbootcamp AfriTech, shall be working an Open Innovation & Company VC Unconference to happen from Friday twenty sixth Might to Sunday twenty eighth Might on the Rhino Resort Resort and Spa in Saly, Senegal.
The objective of this VC Unconference shall be to allow key gamers within the company group staked in or planning to faucet into tech innovation in Africa to take part in an trade of finest practices and information round learn how to efficiently function on the continent to develop new services in partnership with startups.
“Along with Startupbootcamp Afritech and ENRICH in Africa, we’re proud to host the AfricArena Dakar Summit in such a historic metropolis that may be a hub of commerce, funding, and innovation and which positively impacts Africa’s tech and startup ecosystem,” says AfricArena CEO and founder Christophe Viarnaud.
Company partnerships and bilateral agreements increase Africa’s quickly rising tech ecosystem
The involvement of corporates within the sequence of occasions is a sign of how vital it’s to collaborate and study from each sides of the ecosystem. Founding associate of the ASIP Accelerator, The Telecel Group, who not too long ago accomplished the acquisition of the Vodafone Group’s Ghana Division shall be main the fray of key gamers within the ecosystem.
“We’re extremely happy with all progressive startups in our accelerator program, and we imagine that their success is essential to the long-term improvement and prosperity of the African continent,” famous Govt Deputy at Telecel and ASIP Mission Director Eleanor Azar. “That’s why we’re all the time by their facet to offer them with the steerage, mentorship, and assist they want. Such occasions are a part of our identification at Telecel, and we stay dedicated to supporting these startups each step of the best way.”
The ASIP Program can be supported by the Dutch Entrepreneurial Growth Financial institution (FMO), DER/FJ, AWS, Google, and ENRICH in Africa. ENRICH in Africa has acquired funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 analysis and innovation program beneath grant settlement No. 101004709.
The ENRICH in Africa Studying Expedition in Dakar will provide a tailor-made academic program for delegates looking for to deepen their information of the African tech trade. This system will embrace web site visits, workshops, and networking classes, offering attendees with a complete understanding of the African tech ecosystem.
Registration for all occasions is now open, and individuals can discover extra data and register for the occasion by means of the Bond’innov, AfricArena, and Startupbootcamp AfriTech web sites.
Guide your seat on the AfricArena Dakar Summit right here.
Guide your seat for the Open Innovation Unconference right here.
For media inquiries or extra data, please contact:
Startupbootcamp Afritech – jocelyn.nyaguse@startupbootcamp.org
AfricArena – jngwenya@methys.com
Bond’innov – ikhoukhi@bondinnov.com
About Africa Startup Initiative
ASIP is a program based by Moh Damush, Telecel Group CEO as a CSR exercise. ASI Program contributes in a significant method to the African Continent to assist younger startups whose progressive concepts are making a distinction of their communities, exposing them to worldwide organizations, and bridging the information and experience to permit them to draw companions that may add worth to their startups. For extra data on the ASIP, go to www.asiprogram.com
About AfricArena
AfricArena was launched as a platform in 2017 to assist the creation of market entry and funding alternatives for its ever-increasing group of founders, angel buyers, corporates, and VC buyers. Designed with a digital strategy in thoughts, AfricArena consists of a sequence of funding deal move occasions and interventions and an open-source platform for all stakeholders, all based mostly on ideas of open innovation and entrepreneurship. The AfricArena model has quickly gained monumental credibility within the tech startup ecosystem with alumni startups elevating over $500 million up to now six years. The AfricArena Summit occasions are damaged into three segments as follows: Investor Unconference, Founder’s BootCamp, and the principle Summit Occasion. For extra details about AfricArena, go to www.africarena.com
About Startupbootcamp AfriTech
Startupbootcamp AfriTech was launched in 2017 as the primary multi-corporate-backed pan-African startup accelerator. We run world-class accelerator applications, working with a number of the most disruptive startups on the continent. We offer entry to our world community of company companions, buyers, and mentors. For extra data go to: http://bit.ly/sbcafritech
About ENRICH in Africa
ENRICH in Africa is a three-year mission funded beneath the European Union’s Horizon 2020 analysis and innovation program designed to convey collectively core stakeholders from Africa and Europe with a purpose to assist and strengthen the European and African innovation ecosystem. Its essential objectives are to offer capability upgrading and assist to incubators and accelerators throughout each areas and facilitate the progress of concepts and profitable outcomes by constructing a robust group with a basis within the supply of high quality providers. After the mission ends, actions and providers shall be continued by the ENRICH in Africa Centre, which has not too long ago been launched.
About Bond’innov :
For over a decade, Bond’innov has been supporting innovation with excessive financial and social affect in Europe and Africa, utilizing confirmed instruments and methodologies. Via its 3 places of work in France (Bond’innov Europe), Senegal (Bond’innov Afrique), and Morocco (Bond’innov Méditerranée), and its community of nation specialists, Bond’innov deploys its experience to strengthen varied startups and innovation ecosystems. Bond’innov additionally performs a key function in startup funding by means of tailored monetary leverages and investment-readiness coaching applications.