[By Invitation Only] — Supporting Entrepreneurship: Building Ecosystems to Scale Champions
May 11, 2026 | 10:30 AM EAT - 11:30 AM EAT
Closed Door
Description
In partnership with:
- Bpifrance
- Groupe Agence française de développement (AFD)
Entrepreneurship is a central driver of economic transformation in Africa. However, many public support mechanisms for start-ups and SMEs remain fragmented, diluting resources and limiting the impact of existing initiatives. Strengthening entrepreneurship requires improved access to finance for start-ups, microenterprises, and SMEs.
This Closed-door session will explore how to better align existing tools to create an effective continuum of support and financing across all stages of business development. It will examine the conditions for effective public–private collaboration, appropriate financing instruments (grants, loans, guarantees, equity), ecosystem gaps, and impact metrics to ensure that investment translates into sustainable growth and meaningful inclusion of local entrepreneurs, enabling the emergence of African champions. Discussions will also focus on the catalytic role of the private sector, the mobilisation of financing across growth stages, and the public policies needed to support regional and global scale-ups.
The session will bring together entrepreneurs, investors, public institutions, and international partners to explore how to move from fragmented public programmes to integrated platforms capable of supporting business growth and mobilising talent from across the continent and its diaspora.
