GrowthAfrica’s Post

Why is more investment in the African entrepreneurial landscape crucial? 🔸Highest Entrepreneurial Rate: Africa boasts the highest entrepreneurial rate globally, with 22% of the working-age population starting their own businesses. This highlights the immense potential and drive within our continent. 🔸Significant Funding Growth: In 2023, African startups secured substantial funding, with Kenya alone raising $880 million. This influx of capital is a testament to the growing confidence in African innovation and the opportunities available. 🔸Competitive Startup Environments: Africa's largest economies, such as South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya, offer competitive startup environments with numerous incubators, co-working spaces, and a robust economic ecosystem. 🔸Higher Success Rates: Funded startups in Africa have a 72% higher success rate compared to their non-funded counterparts. This underscores the importance of investment in driving business success and sustainability. 🔸Rising Early-Stage Activity: Early-stage entrepreneurial activity in South Africa rose to 17.5% in 2021, up from 10.8% in 2019. This growth demonstrates the increasing dynamism and potential within the African startup ecosystem. Let's continue building the present and future of our great continent, Africa. Together, we can make Africa every global founder's dream destination for entrepreneurship and innovation. How can we do this without you? Are you interested in investing in Africa? Hit my Dm, let's build. #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #VentureBuilding #LeadershipDevelopment #AfricaRising

CALL FOR APPLICATION: ORANGE CORNERS GHANA ACCELERATION PROGRAMME 2024  We are excited to announce that the call for applications of the Orange Corners Ghana Acceleration Programme is now open!  What's in it for you? ✅Tailored & hands-on business acceleration programme. ✅Masterclasses and networking events . ✅Funding opportunity: Grant and low-interest business funding of up to 50,000 Euros. ✅Industry-relevant mentorship and coaching. You are eligible if your business: ✔Is beyond the initial product-market fit phase, and has earned commercial, recurring revenue for at least 24 months. ✔Have recurring revenues equivalent to at least USD 30,000 annually. ✔Have at least one co-founder working in the business full-time and exclusively. ✔Have at least one active co-founder in the business aged 18-35.  ✔Have matured and stabilized enough to employ a minimum of 3 full time employees on a permanent basis in addition to the founders.  ✔Your product/service is solving a clear need that can be identified as delivering on one or several SDG goals.   ✔Your product/service or  business model is innovative (i.e. your approach to supply chain, production or distribution, and sales), and it provides a clear competitive advantage   ✔Women are especially encouraged to apply for this opportunity. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/dvMWFWws  📅 Application deadline: 1st September 2024 The Orange Corners Acceleration Programme, an initiative by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is calling for applications. This programme is implemented by GrowthAfrica in partnership with Fidelity Bank Ghana, Emergent Payments Africa, FrieslandCampina, Vivo Energy, Meridian Port Services Ghana, Koudijs Animal Nutrition - Ghana, People's Pension Holding, and Cargill. #OrangeCornersGH #YouthEntrepreneurship #OrangeCorners #GrowthAfrica #WomenEntrepreneurship #GenderFocus #WomenEmpowerment #Acceleration #Entrepreneurship #BusinessAcceleration #Startups #Innovation #EntrepreneurialSupport #BusinessGrowth #Opportunity #Empowerment #LeadershipDevelopment #Networking #Mentorship #CapacityBuilding #EconomicDevelopment #SustainableGrowth #SDGs #Entrepreneurship #Youth #Startups Orange Corners Netherlands Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken Netherlands Enterprise Agency

Entrepreneurship in Ghana: A Story of Resilience and Innovation_ 🇬🇭💡 Ghana, a country located in West Africa, has a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem. Despite the challenges, many Ghanaians have successfully turned their passions into businesses, creating jobs and driving economic growth. Success Stories:🌟 Orios Group: Founded by Ghanaian entrepreneur, Kennedy Agyapong, Orios Group is a leading provider of IT solutions and services in Ghana. 📊 Jumia Ghana:Jumia Ghana is an e-commerce platform that has revolutionized the way Ghanaians shop online. 🛍️ Farmart: Farmart is an agricultural technology startup that connects farmers with buyers, making it easier for farmers to sell their produce. 🌾 Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST): MEST is a training program that provides young entrepreneurs with the skills and resources needed to launch successful startups. 📚 Challenges:🚧 Access to funding: Many entrepreneurs in Ghana struggle to access funding to start or grow their businesses. 📊 Infrastructure challenges:_l Ghana's infrastructure, including roads, electricity, and internet connectivity, can be a challenge for entrepreneurs. 🚧 Bureaucratic processes: The process of registering and licensing a business in Ghana can be lengthy and bureaucratic. 📝 Limited market size: Ghana's market size is relatively small, making it challenging for entrepreneurs to scale their businesses. 📊 Way Forward:_🌈 Government support: The government can provide support to entrepreneurs through initiatives such as tax breaks, subsidies, and training programs. 📈 Private sector investment:Private sector investment can provide entrepreneurs with the funding needed to start or grow their businesses. 💸 Mentorship and networking: Mentorship and networking programs can provide entrepreneurs with the guidance and connections needed to succeed. 🤝 -Innovation and technology: Embracing innovation and technology can help entrepreneurs to overcome challenges and achieve success. 💡 Conclusion:🌟 Entrepreneurship in Ghana is a story of resilience and innovation. Despite the challenges, many Ghanaians have successfully turned their passions into businesses, creating jobs and driving economic growth. With government support, private sector investment, mentorship and networking, and innovation and technology, the future of entrepreneurship in Ghana is bright. #EntrepreneurshipInGhana #GhanaianEntrepreneurs #SuccessStories #Challenges #WayForward #Innovation #Technology #Mentorship #Networking #GovernmentSupport #PrivateSectorInvestment 🇬🇭💡

Why is more investment in the African entrepreneurial landscape crucial? 🔸Highest Entrepreneurial Rate: Africa boasts the highest entrepreneurial rate globally, with 22% of the working-age population starting their own businesses. This highlights the immense potential and drive within our continent. 🔸Significant Funding Growth: In 2023, African startups secured substantial funding, with Kenya alone raising $880 million. This influx of capital is a testament to the growing confidence in African innovation and the opportunities available. 🔸Competitive Startup Environments: Africa's largest economies, such as South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya, offer competitive startup environments with numerous incubators, co-working spaces, and a robust economic ecosystem. 🔸Higher Success Rates: Funded startups in Africa have a 72% higher success rate compared to their non-funded counterparts. This underscores the importance of investment in driving business success and sustainability. 🔸Rising Early-Stage Activity: Early-stage entrepreneurial activity in South Africa rose to 17.5% in 2021, up from 10.8% in 2019. This growth demonstrates the increasing dynamism and potential within the African startup ecosystem. Let's continue building the present and future of our great continent, Africa. Together, we can make Africa every global founder's dream destination for entrepreneurship and innovation. How can we do this without you? Are you interested in investing in Africa? #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #VentureBuilding #LeadershipDevelopment #AfricaRising

As a social entrepreneur and founder of Let's Create Africa 🌍, I've had the privilege of witnessing the transformative power of entrepreneurship 💡 in our communities. However, the journey 🛤️ is not without its challenges. Today, I want to shed light 💡 on these hurdles and share some solutions that can help us navigate this path more effectively. One of the most significant challenges we face is : ° Access to (affordable) capital 💰. Many brilliant ideas 💡 never see the light of day due to lack of funding. Solution: To overcome this, we need to foster a culture of impact investing 💸 and encourage local investors to support social enterprises. ° The lack of mentorship and guidance 🧭. Many social entrepreneurs are charting unknown territories 🗺️ and could benefit from the wisdom of those who have walked the path before. Solution: Establishing mentorship programs and creating platforms for knowledge sharing 📚 can be a game-changer in this regard. ° Lastly, we grapple with policy constraints 📜. In many cases, the regulatory environment is not conducive for social enterprises. Solution: Advocacy for favorable policies and regulations is crucial for the growth and sustainability of social entrepreneurship. Despite these challenges, I remain optimistic 😊. The resilience and creativity of African entrepreneurs are unmatched. We have the potential to drive significant social change and create a better future for our continent. I invite you to join me in this journey 🤝. Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, policymaker, or someone who believes in the power of entrepreneurship, your contribution matters. Let's work together to create an enabling environment for social entrepreneurship in Africa. Remember, every challenge is an opportunity in disguise 🎭. Let's seize these opportunities and create the Africa we want to see 🌍. #LetsCreateAfrica #SocialEntrepreneurship #AfricaRising 🚀 #ImpactInvesting #EducationForAll #FutureOfEducation #CommunityEngagement #SustainableDevelopment #WaihigaKMuturi #WaihigaIsImpact #CreatorOfOpportunities #SerialSocialEntrepreneur #DigitalStoryteller #SocialConnector #ProfessionalMediator #LetsCreateAfrica #JobsInAfrica #TheFutureOfWork #WorkInAfrica #IkoKaziKE #SOKO @letscreateafrica #KYRAfrica Startinev

GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEEK 🌍 Entrepreneurship is for Everyone! We are thrilled to see our Founder and Executive Director, Mr. Friday Wisdom Chamfya representing Aim-Higher Youth Cooperative - Zambia during this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Week at the U.S. Embassy Zambia Centre for Leadership. Under the inspiring theme “Entrepreneurship is for Everyone,” this event underscores the importance of creating inclusive pathways for individuals from all walks of life to engage in and benefit from entrepreneurship. The training directly aligns with our commitment to empowering young people through entrepreneurship and skills development, fostering innovative solutions that drive sustainable growth and economic empowerment. At Aim-Higher Youth Cooperative - Zambia we believe that entrepreneurship is a powerful tool for transforming lives, creating opportunities, and building resilient communities. Our participation reflects capacity building on our staff and our ongoing dedication to equipping youth with the skills, knowledge, and resources they need to succeed in today’s dynamic economy. 💡 Let’s continue to champion entrepreneurship as a catalyst for change and a foundation for a self-reliant Africa. #GlobalEntrepreneurshipWeek #USEmbassyZambia #EntrepreneurshipForEveryone #YouthEmpowerment #SkillsDevelopment #Leadership #StartUp #AimHigherYouthCooperative #Zambia

🤝 🇨🇭 SDC invests in social and impact entrepreneurship as a key driver of sustainable economic development, empowering migrants, and enhancing socio-economic #inclusion. This new partnership with Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation reflects SDC’s approach to scaling private sector engagement, with great potential for replication across different countries and sectors. #SwissContribution #SustainableDevelopment

Today, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, through the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), announced it has awarded a catalytic grant to DRK Foundation to accelerate the growth of social impact entrepreneurship in Africa. Over the next four years, the Foundation and its partners, The Amahoro Coalition and GrowthAfrica Foundation, will find and support a total of 140 new social impact entrepreneurs over the next four years across six African countries. This partnership builds upon DRK’s existing impact in Africa: In 2024, more than a quarter of DRK Foundation’s portfolio organizations reported serving constituents in countries across Africa, and collectively, these organizations have impacted more than 130 million lives across the continent. "Africa stands on the brink of substantial global growth,” says Kanini Mutooni, DRK’s Senior Managing Director for Africa. “This project embodies our commitment to fostering transformative change and expanding support for local founders across Africa who are tackling some of the continent's toughest challenges. We are now poised to not only champion emerging social entrepreneurs but also foster impactful collaborations that will undoubtedly reshape the future and the trajectory of the continent.” Learn more: https://lnkd.in/ga_KMRUr

We're having an incredible time at the 7th Annual Africa Conference on Social Entrepreneurship #AACOSE7, immersing ourselves in enlightening panels, dynamic discussions, and meaningful connections with fellow change-makers! Here are some key insights from the past 2 days: 🔷 Human Capital Development: Shaping the Future of Human Capital in Africa 🔹 Universities play a pivotal role in building talent for society, emphasizing the need for deliberate investment in students' skills and providing opportunities for experimentation and learning. 🔹 Institutions of higher education must recognize the distinction between education and schooling to intentionally focus on skill-building. Integrating both formal and informal learning is essential for a holistic approach to developing talent. 🔶 Legal and Policy Framework for Social Entrepreneurship in Africa 🔸 Ambiguity surrounding social enterprise formalization highlights the need for clear categorization and support determination. 🔸 Challenges faced by social enterprises are linked to government policies, necessitating a unified voice and stakeholder engagement for effective policy advocacy & development. 🔷 Innovative Financing Models for Social Entrepreneurs 🔹 Social entrepreneurs encounter challenges in accessing good financing solutions firstly, due to a lack of clarity and focus on personal motives over social impact and secondly, unable to speak on both impact and finances together.  🔹 Sustainable impact requires social enterprises to critically assess intentions and outcomes of their business We're also thrilled to announce that Pollinate Impact takes the stage today to host a session on 'Purpose and a Paycheck: Careers in Impact Incubation and Entrepreneurship'. Featuring panellists Astou Dia (Impact Hub Abidjan), Zawadi Kitsao (Ongoza), Snider Mugese (Villgro Africa), and @Loise Macharia (WYLDE International), loise Ngugi (founder of E-tiba) the session will explore: 🔺 Career pathways in impact entrepreneurship and the vital support from incubators and accelerators. 🔺 The pivotal roles in impact incubation and the essential skills required to empower entrepreneurs. Join us to hear inspiring stories from entrepreneurs and incubation managers, unveiling their journey and the invaluable support they receive, and gain profound insights into the pivotal role of entrepreneurship in addressing global challenges. Secure your spot here: https://lnkd.in/dwEK2E25 Check out the poster for more details! We can't wait to see you there! #AACOSE7 #ImpactEntrepreneurship #ImpactIncubation #SocialEntrepreneurship #Africa #ImpactInvesting