Dakar, considered one of Africa’s main startup ecosystems attracts buyers
All roads result in Dakar, Senegal for a collection 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 big 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 help 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 presents a novel alternative to fulfill native facilitators and potential enterprise companions. This system additionally gives contributors with useful market intelligence in key areas of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, together with the native enterprise atmosphere 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. In response to the StartupBlink International 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 turned the second African nation to cross a Startup Act and subsequently, President Macky Sall established The Normal 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 equivalent to these have led to a rise in occasions that deliver collectively among 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. “By these occasions, we hope to create a platform for collaboration and progress, in addition to showcase the unbelievable 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 probably the most promising startups from the ASIP Accelerator Program, offering a platform for them to pitch their modern concepts and merchandise to buyers and potential companions. The ASIP Demo Day takes place on Africa Day which is twenty fifth Might. This might be a novel alternative for buyers to find and join with among the most disruptive startups within the African tech business. 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 may deliver collectively entrepreneurs, buyers, and company executives from around the globe to discover the newest tendencies and improvements within the African tech ecosystem. The occasion, which has an overarching give attention to Fintech, Mobility & Logistics might be occurring on the Museum of Black Civilizations and can function keynote audio system, panels, and pitch classes, in addition to networking alternatives for attendees.
After the Summit, AfricArena, in partnership with Startupbootcamp AfriTech, might 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 might be to allow key gamers within the company neighborhood staked in or planning to faucet into tech innovation in Africa to take part in an trade of finest practices and data round methods to efficiently function on the continent to develop new services and products 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 collection of occasions is a sign of how vital it’s to collaborate and be taught from each aspects of the ecosystem. Founding accomplice of the ASIP Accelerator, The Telecel Group, who not too long ago accomplished the acquisition of the Vodafone Group’s Ghana Division might be main the fray of key gamers within the ecosystem.
“We’re extremely happy with all modern startups in our accelerator program, and we imagine that their success is essential to the long-term growth and prosperity of the African continent,” famous Govt Deputy at Telecel and ASIP Mission Director Eleanor Azar. “That’s why we’re at all times by their aspect to offer them with the steering, mentorship, and help they want. Such occasions are a part of our id at Telecel, and we stay dedicated to supporting these startups each step of the way in which.”
The ASIP Program can also be supported by the Dutch Entrepreneurial Improvement 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 supply a tailor-made academic program for delegates searching for to deepen their data of the African tech business. 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 contributors 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 technique to the African Continent to help younger startups whose modern concepts are making a distinction of their communities, exposing them to worldwide organizations, and bridging the data 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 help the creation of market entry and funding alternatives for its ever-increasing neighborhood of founders, angel buyers, corporates, and VC buyers. Designed with a digital strategy in thoughts, AfricArena consists of a collection of funding deal circulate occasions and interventions and an open-source platform for all stakeholders, all based mostly on rules of open innovation and entrepreneurship. The AfricArena model has quickly gained huge 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 primary 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 among 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 challenge funded beneath the European Union’s Horizon 2020 analysis and innovation program designed to deliver collectively core stakeholders from Africa and Europe to be able to help and strengthen the European and African innovation ecosystem. Its most important objectives are to offer capability upgrading and help to incubators and accelerators throughout each areas and facilitate the progress of concepts and profitable outcomes by constructing a powerful neighborhood with a basis within the supply of high quality providers. After the challenge ends, actions and providers might 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 influence in Europe and Africa, utilizing confirmed instruments and methodologies. By its 3 workplaces in France (Bond’innov Europe), Senegal (Bond’innov Afrique), and Morocco (Bond’innov Méditerranée), and its community of nation consultants, Bond’innov deploys its experience to strengthen varied startups and innovation ecosystems. Bond’innov additionally performs a key position in startup funding by means of tailored monetary leverages and investment-readiness coaching applications.
