Launched in 2018 by French President Emmanuel Macron during Vivatech, Digital Africa aims to rethink the relationship between Africa and its international partners by strengthening the capacity of African digital entrepreneurs to design and deploy disruptive innovations on a large scale in the service of the real economy. In this dynamic, the Digital Africa initiative has a range of partners of all nationalities committed to African digital entrepreneurs.
During its first five years, the initiative acted on several segments. From capacity building and direct technical assistance to digital startups to the search for funding, through the support of public policies favorable to innovative digital entrepreneurs in Africa, Digital Africa has a more than satisfactory record. The approach has enabled the emergence of innovative entrepreneurial projects which, in the short term, will be able to transform the daily lives of Africans and strengthen the competitiveness of African digital industries internationally.
“Digital Africa calls for a union without borders between entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, governments and citizens”
In order to broaden the range of choices and to have enough resources for Startups, Digital Africa has surrounded itself with strategic partners.
“For the past 5 years, we've been committed to working alongside the continent's champions, who create and deploy technological solutions to serve people and the real economy. We are convinced that tech Made in Africa is deeply transforming the continent and is a source of inspiration for the whole world," said Isadora Bigourdan, CEO of Digital Africa. We are committed to building the capacity of these digital champions to design, develop and deploy disruptive innovations that benefit the real economy. We are here for those who use technology to design, invent and innovate to improve access to essential services, while creating value for their communities.”
“Digital Africa today is five years of concrete actions, five years of challenges and five years of achievement. And we are very determined to do even more!”
Having found that 80% of African start-ups cannot obtain a bank loan and 87% of them have absolutely no access to financing. Digital Africa and its partners have worked to set up the seed fund by Digital Africa. Thus, 15 million euros have been made available to young African digital companies by mobilizing a network of partners covering a total of 45 countries on the continent. The financing capacities are accessible in different formats (loan, interest-free loan, grant) and can range from 25,000 to 300,000 euros per company depending on the case and the project. It relied on the expertise of six ecosystem operators to develop training programs for incubators and seed funding for start-ups in 45 African countries.
“We want to give scope and visibility to the dynamics underway on the continent thanks to digital technology, through a strong alliance alongside the doers who are making technology a powerful lever for transformation" continues Isadora Bigourdan before inviting : Africa is the continent of entrepreneurship. And Digital Africa calls for a union without borders between entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, governments and citizens.“Digital Africa today is five years of concrete actions, five years of challenges and five years of achievement. And we are very determined to do even more!”, promises the Institution