Strategic Partners

VC4Africa would not be possible without the support of its partners. We work with a growing number of organizations, but especially in close collaboration with our founding partners Hivos and DOEN.

Hivos – Hivos firmly believes that people are well capable of shaping their own futures if they are given the resources to do so. Hivos also has a specific interest in Green Entrepreneurship and the individuals working on sustainable social/environmental solutions.With business development support, Hivos offers training and advice and thereby increases employment by encouraging professional entrepreneurship. Influencing national policies of developing countries to improve access to financial services, particularly for the poor and marginalised, is another goal.

DOEN – DOEN Foundation, which was established by the National Postcode Lottery in 1991, promotes a liveable world in which everyone has a place. DOEN believes that in order to make economies more sustainable and more socially conscious, they need to be redesigned. To achieve this DOEN focuses on initiatives of fledgling, sustainable entrepreneurs and on organisations that create change within economic structures.

 

Technology Partners:

  • Zinger Systems – Zinger Systems is a full service web and mobile software development firm based in Buea, the capital of the southwest region of Cameroon.  Our team has strong competencies in projects ranging from Java, PHP, .NET, Web Frameworks, Content Management Systems and interactive platforms for the desktop, web and mobile.  We are owned and staffed by Cameroonians and pride ourselves on delivering technical solutions of the highest quality for clients at home and abroad.
  • ExtendedBits – ExtendedBits is an international enterprise with the headquarter in the Netherlands and a software factory in Somaliland. Their business model is providing Dutch and later European companies with (extra) IT-resources. The office in Somaliland employs young IT-professionals and offers them valuable on the job training. ExtendedBits does Software testing for the VC4Africa platform.
  • Lunatech Ventures – Lunatech Ventures is an IT investment company looking for young and talented entrepreneurs who want to build remarkable companies. As seed investors, their main focus is the Internet and Interactive media technologies. They prefer investment as equity (shareholding) and invest working capital, human resources, or a combination of both.
  • 1%Club –  The 1%CLUB is the online market place for development projects where you can directly offer 1% to a project of your own choice. You make it work! If everyone would offer 1% of their time, knowledge and income, we can structurally solve poverty. With this idea the 1%CLUB was founded.
  • Webclusive – WEBclusive was founded in 2003 as one of the first Internet specialized technical agencies. Since we are still leading the research into new technologies and how we can best use in the business. Some key words that describe our approach are knowledge, reliability, innovation, professionalism and flexibility.

Network Partners:

  • ActivSpaces – ActivSpaces is a unique community / collaboration space in Cameroon for startups, freelancers, designers, entrepreneurs (esp. internet entrepreneurs) and independent thinkers. ActivSpaces is dedicated to contributing to the growth of an indigenous, high-tech startup community in Cameroon.
  • CTIC Dakar – CTIC Dakar supports companies ICT, Information Technology and Communication, and project leaders in the creation, development and growth. At this stage, CTIC is adapted to support a thirty companies annually.
  • District Egypt – The District is an inspiring workspace for Cairo’s entrepreneurs and freelancers. With social capital at the core of its operation, The District aims to stimulate innovation and productivity by giving the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded individuals.
  • Enviu – Enviu starts companies that are aimed to create a positive social and environmental impact. They believe in the power of the crowd, crowdsourcing and co-creation. Enviu recently launched a new hub in Accra, Ghana.
  • Growth Hub Nairobi – The Growth Hub incubates and accelerates East African start-ups to deliver sustainable business growth, create employment and contribute to social progress.
  • Ice Addis – Ice Addis is Ethiopia’s leading technology innovation hub, incubator, coworking space that aims to accelerate the country’s youth by promoting market-driven solutions.
  • Ice Cairo – Ice Cairo is a place for action, creation and collaboration. They seek to leverage, support and enable Cairo’s vibrant community of innovators and growing number of entrepreneurs.
  • Innoventures – Innoventures has a mission to turn the creative ideas of our entrepreneurs into successful businesses that change the world. Located in Cairo, Egypt they are key to supporting the country’s growing class of innovators.
  • Mara Launchpad – Mara Launchpad is an entrepreneurship centre in Kampala, Uganda. It exists to provide young businesses in Kampala a professional office space, mentorship and access to capital.
  • Meltwater Institute of Technology – MEST is a not-for-profit NGO funded by the Meltwater Group through its non-profit Meltwater Foundation. They run a 2 year academic program on entrepreneurship and manage an incubator for graduates from the program.m:lab – m:lab supports growth-oriented start-up enterprises in the mobile applications space and provides world class business and technical training.
  • Nailab – Nailab is a Business Incubator that lowers entry barriers for young entrepreneurs to successful start and scale their business in Kenya. The Nailab vision is to support entrepreneurs and turn good ideas into a profitable and sustainable business.
  • SeedEngine – SeedEngine accelerates entrepreneurs to develop their ideas, business skills and ambitions towards successful and sustainable commercial realities.
  • Wennovation Hub – Wennovation Hub is a Lagos based accelerator that mentors and invests in classes of 25 entrepreneurs. They seek to launch the country’s most promising new startups.

Event Partners:

  • DEMO Africa – DEMO Africa is the leading launch pad for new startups. DEMO’s track record of success, scholarship opportunities, turnkey services and exposure to the entire tech ecosystem of VCs, investors, IT buyers and the global IT press make DEMO the premier launch option.
  • EMRC – EMRC is an international non-profit organisation that promotes African sustainable development through the growing of business partnerships. They run a leading series of conferences and events.
  • Mobile Web Africa – Mobile Web Africa is a series of events that look to harness the potential of the web and applications for mobile. They run regional gatherings and pan African conferences for sector professionals, innovators and investors.

Content Partners:

  • VentureBurn – VentureBurn is a leading source of news and information about emerging market startups. They are based in South Africa.
  • TechCabal – TechCabal is Nigeria’s leading technology blog with various thought leaders contributing. If you are interested in the Nigerian tech scene, you have to follow Techcabal.
  • HumanIPO – HumanIPO is a top pan-African technology news site, with journalists based in all the continent’s major hubs covering Africa’s technological revolution.
  • Ventures Africa – Ventures Africa showcases the business aspects of Africa to the world, chronicling the success stories of Africa’s greatest entrepreneurs and business leaders.

Associate Partners:

  • Lions Africa – Lions Africa (Liberalizing Innovation Opportunity Nations) Partnership is a new public-private alliance to enhance and deepen the startup and innovation ecosystems of targeted fast- growing African economies.
  • African Venture Capital Association – AVCA is the association for venture capital and private equity firms. They organize an annual congress, initiate sector led research efforts and are an important lobby for sector specific issues.