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Dakar attracts investors from one of Africa’s leading startup ecosystems
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All roads lead to Dakar, Senegal, for a series of events during Enrich in Africa week, which begins on May 22 with a learning expedition hosted by incubator Bond’Innov. Highlights of the week include the AfricaArena Dakar Summit, VC Unconference and Startupbootcamp, the highly anticipated ASIP Accelerator Demo Day powered by Afritech and established by telecom giant Telcel Group.
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In the days leading up to the summit, Bond’inov has organized a week-long learning expedition to Dakar that will take place from 22 to 26 May. This special campaign will assist 15 to 20 foreign entrepreneurs and SMEs to discover the Senegalese market, build lasting partnerships and launch their economic activities in the region. Learning Expeditions provide a unique opportunity to meet local facilitators and potential business partners. The program also provides participants with valuable market insight into key areas of the entrepreneurial ecosystem including the local business environment and best practices for dealing with the local market.
Senegal’s position as a window into francophone Africa has been strengthened through the country’s continued success in the field of technology startups and innovation. Dakar has a booming startup ecosystem that is proving attractive to investors. According to the StartupBlink Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2022, 93% of Senegalese startups are based in Dakar’s vibrant startup ecosystem, which ranks fourth in Africa.
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In 2019, the country became the second African country to pass a startup act and subsequently, President Macky Sall established the General Delegation for Women and Youth for Rapid Entrepreneurship (DER/FJ), which has partnered with AfricaArena, StartupBootcamp Afritech and Enrich. partnered with. in various capacities in Africa.
Partnerships in West Africa are key to building Africa’s tech ecosystem
Partnerships such as this have given rise to events that bring together some of the brightest minds and innovators in Africa’s tech and startup ecosystem, creating a platform for collaboration, learning and growth.
“We are thrilled to host it in Senegal, which is fast becoming a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa,” said Henry Ozur, Program Director at Startupbootcamp Afritech. “Through these events, we hope to create a platform for collaboration and growth, as well as showcase the incredible talent and potential that exists within the African tech and startup ecosystem.”
ASIP Demo Day, which takes place during the AfricanArena Dakar Summit, will showcase the most promising startups from the ASIP Accelerator Program, providing them a platform to present their innovative ideas and products to investors and potential partners. The ASIP Demo Day takes place on Africa Day on 25 May. This will be a unique opportunity for investors to discover and connect with some of the most disruptive startups in the African tech industry. Startupbootcamp Afritech will also hold an all alumni gathering directly after the demo day.
The African Arena Dakar Summit is a leading tech conference that will bring together entrepreneurs, investors and corporate executives from around the world to explore the latest trends and innovations in the African tech ecosystem. The event, which has a strong focus on fintech, mobility and logistics, is taking place at the Museum of Black Civilizations and will include keynote speakers, panels and pitch sessions, as well as networking opportunities for attendees.
Following the summit, AfricaArena, in partnership with Startupbootcamp Afritech, will run an Open Innovation and Corporate VC Unconference from Friday 26 May to Sunday 28 May at the Rhino Resort Hotel & Spa in Saly, Senegal.
This VC Unconference will aim to enable key players in the corporate community looking or planning to tap into technological innovation in Africa to participate in the exchange of best practices and knowledge that have been used successfully on the continent to develop new products How to work and services in partnership with Startups.
“With Startupbootcamp Afritech and EnRich in Africa, we are proud to host the African Arena Dakar Summit in a historic city that is a hub for business, investment and innovation, and which represents Africa’s technology and Positively impacts the startup ecosystem.” Founder Christophe Virnaud.
Corporate partnerships and bilateral agreements fuel Africa’s booming tech ecosystem
The participation of corporates in the series of events is an indication of how important it is to collaborate and learn from both sides of the ecosystem. The Telcel Group, a founding partner of the ASIP Accelerator, which recently completed the acquisition of the Ghana division of the Vodafone Group, will lead the race for major players in the ecosystem.
“We are incredibly proud of all the innovative startups in our Accelerator programme, and we believe their success is critical to the long-term growth and prosperity of the African continent,” said Eleanor Azar, Executive Deputy and ASIP Project Director at Telcel. “That is why we are always by their side to provide them with the guidance, counseling and support that they need. Events like these are part of our identity at Telecel, and we are committed to supporting these startups every step of the way.”
The ASIP program is also supported in Africa by the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO), DER/FJ, AWS, Google and ENRICH. ENRICH in Africa has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement number 101004709.
The Enrich in Africa Learning Expedition in Dakar will offer a tailored educational program for delegates seeking to deepen their knowledge of the African tech industry. The program will include site visits, workshops and networking sessions, providing attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the African tech ecosystem.
Registration for all events is now open, and interested participants can find out more information and register for the event through the Bond’Innov, AfricaArena and StartupBootcamp Afritech websites.
Book your seat at the AfricaArena Dakar Summit here.
Book your seat for the Open Innovation Unconference here.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
Startupbootcamp Afritech – [email protected]
AfricaArena – [email protected]
Bondinnov – [email protected]
About the Africa Startup Initiative
ASIP is a program set up by Mohd Damush, CEO of Telcel Group as a CSR activity. The ASI program contributes meaningfully to the African continent by supporting young startups whose innovative ideas are making a difference in their communities, exposing them to international organizations, and partnering to bridge knowledge and expertise. allowing them to attract people who can add value to them. startup. For more information about ASIP, visit www.asiprogram.com
About African Arena
AfricArena was launched in 2017 as a platform to create market access and investment opportunities for its growing community of founders, angel investors, corporates and VC investors. Taking a digital approach, AfricaArena comprises a range of investment deal flow events and interventions and an open-source platform for all stakeholders, all based on the principles of open innovation and entrepreneurship. The AfricaArena brand has quickly gained enormous credibility in the tech startup ecosystem with alumni startups raising over $500 million over the past six years. AfricaArena Summit events are divided into three segments: Investor Unconference, Founders Bootcamp and Main Summit Event. For more information about AfricaArena, visit www.africarena.com
About Startupbootcamp Afritech
Startupbootcamp AfriTech was launched in 2017 as the first multi-corporate-backed pan-African startup accelerator. We run world-class accelerator programs, working with some of the most disruptive startups on the continent. We provide access to our global network of corporate partners, investors and mentors. For more details visit: http://bit.ly/sbcafritech
About Enrich in Africa
Enrich in Africa is a three-year project funded under the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, designed to bring together key stakeholders from Africa and Europe to support and strengthen the European and African innovation ecosystem Has gone. Its main goal is to provide capacity upgradation and support to incubators and accelerators in both the sectors and facilitate the development of ideas and successful outcomes by building a strong community with a foundation in the delivery of quality services. After the project ends, activities and services will be continued by Enrich in Africa Centre, which has been recently launched.
About BondInnov:
For over a decade, BondInnov has been supporting innovation with high economic and social impact in Europe and Africa, using proven tools and methodologies. Through its 3 offices in France (Bond’Innov Europe), Senegal (Bond’Innov Afrique), and Morocco (Bond’Innov Méditerranée) and its network of country experts, Bond’Innov strengthens diverse startup and innovation ecosystems deploys its expertise to , Bond’Innov also plays a key role in startup funding through customized financial leverage and investment-readiness training programs.
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