One year ago, Digital Africa and its partners launched Africa Next. More than a platform, it is a “community” dedicated to accelerating the financing of African startups with high growth potential. Investors who have joined Africa Next speak out.

On the sidelines of French President Emmanuel MACRON’s visit to Kigali that sealed the rapprochement between France and Rwanda through a series of cooperation agreements, a new axis in Franco-Rwandan relations is taking shape. Around digital development.

EuroQuity, a networking platform for companies, investors and support structures was created in 2008 by Bpifrance. It is a founding member of Africa Next. A community of players committed to co-investing in innovative companies in hyper-growth, bringing together French and English-speaking venture capitalists from Europe and Africa – who select projects on the basis of e-pitches. With more than a hundred investors present for the last session, the attractiveness of Africa is confirmed… and diversified. Gilles LE COCGUEN, Director of EuroQuity provides explanations.

Six partners experts in innovative business support were mandated to operate the Seed Fund by Digital Africa. Successful start-ups have emerged after the first year.

Stéphan-Éloïse GRAS, Executive Director of Digital Africa, and Aphrodice MUTANGANA, recently appointed Chief Operations Officer, carried out a strategic mission in Rwanda. The initiation of the continental project is launched. Goals, roadmap, ambitions… Cross interview with the new duo leading Digital Africa.

To support the African startups’ development during what seems to be an investissement market contraction, Proparco, a subsidiary of the French Development Agency dedicated to the private sector, and Digital Africa launched Bridge Fund by Digital Africa.

Africa Next, the new community of financial and accelerators stakeholders for developing the African startup ecosystem, organized on the 3rd of November its second e-pitch session. It is a way to reinvigorate exchanges between investors and entrepreneurs that became complicated with the Covid-19 health and economic crisis.

On the 2nd of October, Digital Africa organized a round table on the theme: Women, Tech & Inclusion, perspectives from Europe and Africa. Attended by five high-level panelists, the debate focused on gender and digital issues, exploring ways to foster women’s inclusion into the real economy thanks to digital tools.

African startups need financial support for their growth and full expansion. The Africa Next Community creates the right environment for this support. An initiative of Digital Africa and BPIFrance.

I4Policy Foundation, in collaboration with its partners, Briter, Digital Africa, GIZ and AFD, launched a continent-wide survey on the impact of the health crisis on African entrepreneurs and to assess the measures and strategic interventions to be put in place to support them. Explanations given by Freda YAWSON, Lead Researcher, Startup & SME Policy Research, Innovation for Policy Foundation.