You can also help entrepreneurs directly with funding and with your expertise. Sustainable Technology for Africa and the OVO Acceleration Fund are the the levers.
Would you like to cooperate with OVO to stimulate entrepreneurship in countries where it isn’t that much in evidence? You can do so as a volunteer, as a business and as an ambassador.
In the Ugandan capital Kampala, the OVO club exists exactly one year this month. "This could be the best business club in Uganda", says chairman Douglas Karugaba, CEO of Innovex.
Interested African diaspora entrepreneurs and starters can submit their project until 31 January. Twelve projects will be selected and will have a chance of extensive knowledge transfer and a social loan of up to 50,000 euros. Sustainability, innovation and social impact are the key words.
For our SusTech4Africa campaigns we can always count on the support of the Flemish Institute for Technological Research, in short VITO. But the organisation also helps Belgian start-ups with innovative ideas, for example as a partner of the Start It @KBC platform.
With a loan from Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs (OVO), Imani Academy is building new classrooms for 300 students in a slum in the Ugandan capital Kampala. "Without affordable quality education, children remain trapped in poverty," says founder Ivan Agaba.
As a laureate of the Ugandan SusTech4Africa campaign 2019, the start-up Rena Beverages is no longer unknown in OVO circles. But also the members of UNIZO were recently introduced to 'Mama Hibiscus'.
OVO has won the European Business Award for the Environment 2020-2021. This is a recognition from the European Commission for companies that play a pioneering role in the transition to a sustainable economy.
“Meeting the right people at the right time, that's what matters." Speaking is Maureen Duru, born in Nigeria, but living in Belgium for more than 20 years. Maureen has been present at the inception of SusTech4Africa, the campaigns within which OVO supports African entrepreneurs to compete for a start-up loan to support their sustainability projects subsequent to an intensive coaching program.
In April 2019, the OVO Acceleration Fund was launched. A year and a half later, we proudly present the African start-ups that were able to start up and grow thanks to the fund.
Akaboxi, a project on financial inclusion,
wins the 'Digitization for Development' award."
It is an initiative by and for the local population",
the jury praises the winner, who is financed and supported
by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs and Close the Gap.