Another year has almost passed and we are quite proud of what we have achieved. The community has grown, the VC4A platform has improved, and the startup communities in Africa and Latin America have found a way to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with a record-breaking number of financing deals as a result!
Time to take a moment to look back and share these achievements with you. Also to explore how you can leverage your VC4A membership in 2022 – by listing your next fundraising campaign, taking courses on the Startup Academy, or connecting with mentors and various startup opportunities. As a partner, explore how you can host your own learning materials online, promote your calls for applications, and engage the VC4A team for support. Together we continue our shared efforts to develop a pipeline of outstanding high-growth high-impact ventures from across Africa and Latin America!
VC4A in numbers in 2021
Top programs of VC4A partners
Check out the most exciting programs we supported in 2021 at a glance:
? The United Nations Food Systems Summit Competition “Best Small Business – Good Food for All” – Check out the 50 winners here.
? AWS Africa Startup Connect – Women Founded & Led – Check out the campaign here.
? Impulsa tu Empresa / Boost your Business by Technoserve – More info here.
? Where to stop? VC4A has hosted the application and selection processes for many programs in 2021, such as GoGettaz by Generation Africa, Pitch AgriHack by Heifer International, Responsible AI Innovation by Villgro Africa, AICCRA Zambia by CGIAR, Mobilizing More for Climate by WWF Cameroon, and many more.
Scroll down for open programs and to host your next call on VC4A.
VC4A Venture Showcase
After hosting the first 6 editions of the VC4A Venture Showcase, including XL Africa, and Afrique Excelle, we took a closer look at the impact for the participating 78 ventures of 2017-2020 and comprised the results in this report.
How much money have they raised, how has the program contributed to the overall growth of their companies, and what is their ability to create jobs?
Total amount raised by the participating companies:
Top 3 sectors:
VC4A partnerships update
We have exciting partnerships lined up for 2022, and will be working with many great partners to implement exciting new programs and initiatives to further develop startup ecosystems!
ESO360
This initiative of the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Innovation Lab, and implemented by The Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Common Good Company, and VC4A works to strengthen organizational sustainability and the quality of entrepreneur support services of innovation hubs in a tailored approach.
AEDIB|NET
As part of this program, VC4A will establish 3 online marketplaces with virtual communities, connecting startups with each other and to external resources and opportunities needed to help companies scale, drive innovation, and learn through engagement. A pan-African pipeline of ventures wishing to collaborate with peers, business, and finance partners.
Boost Africa
Boost Africa aims to empower young African entrepreneurs and their startups to become globally competitive. The program includes a fund manager component and a portfolio enterprise component. Boost Africa works to support a new generation of Africa-focused fund managers and the portfolio of ventures they support.
Ventures Lifecycle Support Program with FMO
Thanks to this partnership, VC4A will work with its partners in Ghana, Morocco, and Tanzania to further develop investible pipelines of ventures, putting a spotlight on the innovation coming up in these markets, and expand the VC4A Mentor-Driven Capital approach.
More mentorship
#mentorshipmatters is our motto at VC4A. In 2021, we completed 3 Mentor-Driven Capital programs – in Egypt, Nigeria, and Somalia – giving 39 business professionals the opportunity to kickstart their engagement as mentors for promising early-stage startups. For the coming cohorts in Egypt and Somalia, applications are still open for a few more days.
VC4A is also in the process of developing its Mentorship Marketplace V2 which is going to be an exciting addition to the platform. Keep your eye out for this announcement!
More relevant resources
We are continuously adding new free online business courses on the Startup Academy. But most excitingly, you can now host your own learning materials on VC4A and get real-time insights about your course participants, their progress, and interactions with the content. View the course manager guide to find out more about hosting online courses on VC4A.
Course manager dashboard
Did you know that the Academy features courses relevant for any type of organization, such as the Gender Mainstreaming or the Leading with Data courses? Check them out and enroll with your team now.
#AESIS2021 – for investors, by investors
To kick off this year’s Africa Early Stage Investor Summit, together with ABAN and local partners in each city, we hosted 13 investor #meetups!
Did you miss parts of the summit? All expert keynote, panel discussions, startups pitches, and more have been recorded for you to relive #AESIS2021 and learn about the latest industry updates and trends in the African VC ecosystem. For a taste of the event, watch the aftermovie.
ES2 Latam update
ES2 Latam, the network of Latin American entrepreneurs continues to grow, now including more than 3600 members, 1900+ innovative businesses, over 320 partners providing startup programs, and 80 investor organizations.
Latam startup opportunities
Currently, there are over 25 startup opportunities listed on ES2 Latam, and we are excited to share the news, that we will be replicating the proven model of the VC4A Venture Showcase for startups in Latin America. Stay tuned for the #VentureShowcaseLatam
New design on partner & campaign pages
Did you see that all partner and campaign pages recently got a facelift? We have just launched a design update, to make your campaign pages look even sleeker. Check this out by visiting one of the startup opportunities currently open for applications:
- ASIP Accelerator by Startupbootcamp and Telecel Group,
- Making More Health by Ashoka and Boehringer Ingelheim
- GIZ-SAIS Investment Readiness Program (francophone) by GIZ
- Fintech Startups Seed Challenge – Egypt by Orange Ventures
- ACTIV’INVEST by Enabel and Deloitte Senegal
- Home Grown Solutions for Pandemic Resilience, by AUDA-NEPAD & BCG
- Standard Chartered Women in Tech by Bongohive
Ready to launch your next campaign on VC4A?
Discover the VC4A application and selection tools and reach the extensive entrepreneurial audience on VC4A. Help startups get discovered and track their progress over time. Contact us to plan your 2022 campaigns.
More partner programs we have been supporting
Congratulations, you made it to the very end of this way too long update – thank you! :)
All of us at VC4A wish you a Merry Christmas?, a peaceful and joyful time amongst your loved ones, and a great start to the new year. And from my side, also a heartfelt thanks to all of my wonderful colleagues at VC4A who make it happen each and every day.
We are overly excited for what is coming and look forward to continuing our collaborations and in our shared mission to connect high-growth high-impact startups to the opportunities and resources needed to scale!
Looking forward to a bright and productive 2022?