Call for entrepreneurs Bénin 2027

1. THE OVO APPROACH

OVO serves as an accelerator and investment facilitator for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and non-profit ventures with an entrepreneurial focus in Africa. It provides crucial support that encompasses comprehensive coaching programs to assist these ventures in their growth and development. Recognizing that these businesses often face financial challenges that surpass what microfinancing services typically offer, OVO aims to bridge this gap by offering tailored programs that may lead to investment.
To support these ventures comprehensively, OVO adopts a dual approach focusing on both growth coaching and investment-readiness coaching. The process begins with growth coaching, aimed at assisting businesses in expanding operations, increasing market presence, enlarging sustainability and enhancing overall performance. This phase sets the groundwork for sustainable development and increased impact.
Subsequently, businesses undergo investment-readiness coaching to prepare them to attract potential investors effectively. This coaching ensures businesses have essential elements in place, such as a robust business plan, sound financial projections, and operational readiness.
OVO integrates personalized coaching support with a well-structured system aimed at fostering business growth. This system prioritizes promoting intercultural communication and facilitating knowledge exchange among stakeholders. It acts as a platform for transferring expertise, skills, capabilities, as well as valuable insights and best practices from experienced individuals to those in need of guidance and mentorship. The primary objective of this knowledge transfer process is to cultivate an environment that supports sustainability, drives growth, and encourages innovation within the private sectors of both Africa and Belgium. This systematic approach to knowledge sharing is implemented at various stages to ensure a comprehensive and impactful strategy benefiting all parties involved.
Moreover, OVO distinguishes itself through the establishment of an exceptional international ecosystem that unites dedicated volunteers, reputable companies, critical investors, influential NGOs, cooperative knowledge and educational institutions, and supportive government agencies. These strategic partnerships play a vital role in OVO's successful operations, enabling the organization to effectively tackle challenges within the "missing middle" sector. For example, by leveraging this extensive network, OVO can pinpoint target entities for support. This strategic selection process not only leads to significant cost savings but also accelerates the establishment of trust and collaboration between OVO and the ventures it assists.

2. CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBILITY

The eligibility requirements for the SusTech4Africa Grow Program focus on triple bottom line sustainability, which considers the impact on people, planet, and profit. This means that proposed solutions should benefit society, protect the environment, and be economically viable.

Technology plays a crucial role as an enabler for sustainable development in Africa. It can help address various environmental and social challenges by providing innovative solutions. For instance, technology can improve access to clean water, healthcare, education, and renewable energy. It can also enhance agricultural practices, promote conservation efforts, and support efficient resource management. By leveraging technology effectively, Africa can achieve sustainable development goals while creating opportunities for economic growth and social progress.

Financial Performance

The company operates primarily in Africa and is majority-owned by Africans.
It has been officially registered as a legal entity for at least three years.
The company must have generated a turnover of at least 50 million CFA francs in one of the last three financial years.
The total funding required by the company is between 15 and 100 million CFA francs.
It has up-to-date accounts and a minimum administrative team.

Social Responsibility

The business contributes to social impact through the creation of local employment opportunities and the provision of essential goods and services to vulnerable or underserved populations.
It upholds equitable and respectful relationships with employees, customers, and suppliers.

Environmental Sustainability

The company's value chain embodies, or aims to embody, principles of the circular economy.
It strives to minimize its environmental and human health impacts, surpassing the standards set by current product or service offerings.

Technological Innovation

The company plans to use sustainable technologies in the production facilities.
These technologies represent a significant advancement towards sustainability compared to similar production units.
It has access to a stable internet connection for coaching sessions.

The company participating in the ST4A programme must demonstrate its potential for economic profitability over the repayment period of the loan applied for.

In addition to the above conditions, businesses are eligible to participate in the ST4A programme if they meet at least two of the following criteria:

Have a minimum of three employees, including those on fixed-term contracts, apprentices, contractors and other subsidised forms of employment, for whom the statutory contributions are paid (the payment must appear on the balance sheet)
Have a functioning accounting system
Be able to continue operations for one month in the absence of the business owner.

3. PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Programme :

Candidate selection

The programme begins with the selection of entrepreneurs (between 6 and 12) who are invited to take part in a 3-day Boost Camp.
Selection is based on the aforementioned criteria, an analysis of the required documents and site visits to the businesses. It is carried out by an OVO selection committee.

Boost Camp (3 days): 27, 28 and 29 January 2027 in Benin

During the Boost Camp, our local partner will deliver training tailored to the participants’ needs. In the working sessions, entrepreneurs are guided in their thinking by European and Beninese business coaches, with whom they are paired. The training focuses on understanding the business model and building personal relationships between project leaders and the coaching teams.
The programme also includes visits by the business coaches to the companies they have been assigned to work with.

One-to-one coaching (6-9months)

OVO’s team of experts, with extensive experience in a range of fields, offers holistic support to entrepreneurs in Benin, including guidance from a business coach and specialist experts where required.
Over a period of six to nine months, the entrepreneurs, with the help of their coach, develop an optimised business model, an ambitious yet realistic business plan, as well as a detailed financial plan and an investment implementation plan.

4. SUBMISSION

o submit your project, please complete the Google form by 15 September 2026 using this link: ST4A Benin 2027 – Registration form – Complete the form

Applicants must also submit the following documents:

A brief description of the company, the process, the product/service, the target customers and the business strategy
A few images of the company’s projects and/or facilities
The amount of financial investment required from OvO
A preliminary business plan
A recent presentation (pitch deck) in a PowerPoint or PDF file
Articles of association and company registration number
Company statutes and regulations, if required by the company’s legal form
Financial statements for the last three years, accompanied by the chartered accountant’s report

Please email this information to us at: geoffroy.mele@ovo.be.

Please note that applications without the required documentation will be rejected.

For further information, please contact

Geoffroy Mele: geoffroy.mele@ovo.be

Piero Mancardi: piero.mancardi@ovo.be