Dakar, considered one of Africa’s main startup ecosystems attracts buyers 

All roads result in Dakar, Senegal for a sequence of occasions taking place throughout the Enrich in Africa week which begins on the twenty second of Could with a Studying Expedition held by incubator  Bond’innov .  Key highlights for the week embody 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 Could. This particular expedition will help 15 to twenty overseas entrepreneurs and SMEs to find the Senegalese market, create lasting partnerships and launch their financial actions within the area. The Studying Expedition affords a singular alternative to satisfy native facilitators and potential enterprise companions. This system additionally supplies members with worthwhile market intelligence in key areas of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, together with the native enterprise surroundings and finest practices to deal with the native market. 

Senegal’s positioning because the window into Francophone Africa has been solidified by way of the nation’s continued success within the know-how 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 primarily based 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 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 reminiscent of these have led to a rise in occasions that carry collectively a number of the brightest minds and innovators in Africa’s tech and startup ecosystem, making a platform for collaboration, studying, and development.

“We’re thrilled to be internet hosting this in Senegal, which is quick changing into a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa,” stated Henry Ojuor, Program Director at Startupbootcamp Afritech. “By way of these occasions, we hope to create a platform for collaboration and development, in addition to showcase the unbelievable expertise and potential that exists inside the African tech and startup ecosystem.” 

The ASIP Demo Day, which takes place throughout the AfricArena Dakar Summit, will showcase essentially 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 Could. This can 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 will 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 carry collectively entrepreneurs, buyers, and company executives from around the globe to discover the newest traits and improvements within the African tech ecosystem. The occasion, which has an overarching deal with Fintech, Mobility & Logistics can be taking place on the Museum of Black Civilizations and can function keynote audio system, panels, and pitch periods, in addition to networking alternatives for attendees. 

After the Summit, AfricArena, in partnership with Startupbootcamp AfriTech, can be working an Open Innovation & Company VC Unconference to happen from Friday twenty sixth Could to Sunday twenty eighth Could on the Rhino Resort Lodge and Spa in Saly, Senegal. 

The objective of this VC Unconference can 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 alternate of finest practices and information round learn how 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 sequence of occasions is a sign of how essential it’s to collaborate and be taught from each aspects 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 can be main the fray of key gamers within the ecosystem. 

“We’re extremely happy with all modern startups in our accelerator program, and we consider that their success is essential to the long-term improvement and prosperity of the African continent,” famous Government Deputy at Telecel and ASIP Challenge Director Eleanor Azar. “That’s why we’re all the time by their facet to supply them with the steerage, 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 best way.” 

The ASIP Program can also be supported by the Dutch Entrepreneurial Growth Financial institution (FMO), DER/FJ, AWS, Google, and ENRICH in Africa. ENRICH in Africa has obtained 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 information of the African tech trade. This system will embody website visits, workshops, and networking periods, offering attendees with a complete understanding of the African tech ecosystem. 

Registration for all occasions is now open, and members can discover extra data and register for the occasion by way of the Bond’innov, AfricArena, and Startupbootcamp AfriTech web sites. 

E book your seat on the AfricArena Dakar Summit right here. 

E book 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 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 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 method in thoughts, AfricArena consists of a sequence of funding deal circulate occasions and interventions and an open-source platform for all stakeholders, all primarily based 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 previously 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 international 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 undertaking funded beneath the European Union’s Horizon 2020 analysis and innovation program designed to carry collectively core stakeholders from Africa and Europe with the intention to help and strengthen the European and African innovation ecosystem. Its predominant objectives are to supply capability upgrading and help to incubators and accelerators throughout each areas and facilitate the development of concepts and profitable outcomes by constructing a powerful neighborhood with a basis within the supply of high quality providers. After the undertaking ends, actions and providers can 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 impression in Europe and Africa, utilizing confirmed instruments and methodologies. By way of its 3 workplaces 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 position in startup funding by way of tailored monetary leverages and investment-readiness coaching applications.