Sustainable Technology for Africa

OVO wants to support and promote sustainable entrepreneurship in Africa with the 'Sustainable Technology for Africa’ concept (SusTech4Africa). To that end OVO works with formidable organizations like the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Thomas More College and The African Diaspora Projects Initiative. SusTech4Africa helps start-ups, scale-ups and entrepreneurs with African roots to detail their project until it becomes a fully-fledged business plan.

After careful selection, 10 entrepreneurs attend a multi-day bootcamp and workshops on a sustainable approach, financials, marketing and presentation skills. They are coached by VITO experts, ex-business leaders and hands-on experts and economics students from Thomas More. The three winners are rewarded with start-up capital in the form of a social loan and also receive further in-depth coaching with the start-up or further expansion of their business.

“The success, enthusiasm and positive energy generated by this Sustainable Technology for Africa contest shows how important integrated cooperation is between Belgian and African entrepreneurs,” Björn Macauter, general manager at Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs (OVO) explains. SusTech4Africa will then also become the basis for the projects that OVO will follow up on. It is the intention to arrange one or more events every year in Belgium or in those countries where OVO operates.

News

Matunda Ventures has been financed with the support of OVO

The project of Matunda Ventures is financed with the support of OVO. Matunda Ventures is a social business start-up that wants to use the production of fruit snacks to expand the socio-economic opportunities of farmers and young people in the Teso region, known as the fruit basket of Uganda.

MNB is the first project funded by the OVO Acceleration Fund

Moulin du Nil Blanc Ltd' (MNB) from Rwanda is the first project financed by the OVO Acceleration Fund of OVO. "It is a very important step for the OVO Acceleration Fund," says general manager Björn Macauter, who points out that in the near future several African social and sustainable entrepreneurs will be eligible for financing.

ST4A Rwanda 2019 - call for proposals

OVO, Chancen International, Thomas More University and the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO) launch a business model competition for Rwandan start-ups and small scale-ups. Apply before the 7th of July 2019 in order to have a chance to win long-term support by experts of these organizations.

Fantastic turnout for launch of OVO Acceleration Fund

No fewer than 140 stakeholders attended the official launch of the OVO (Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs) Acceleration Fund in Leuven. They also watched presentations of projects by four African start-ups.

Inspiration Tours in Rwanda and Uganda in autumn 2019

Discover in 2019 together with OVO the potential of the private sector in Rwanda and Uganda. Be inspired by African innovative start-ups and entrepreneurs who choose sustainable solutions with a large social impact.

Akaboxi wins second Sustainable Technology for Africa event

Akaboxi, that offers small farming communities a digital system to ensure financial inclusivity, won the first Sustainable Technology for Africa award in Uganda. Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs (OVO) thereby opened access to wider transfer of knowledge and a social loan.

WSE installs first technology kit in Malawi

Pedro Masamuna, who took part in the Sustainable Technology for Africa contest arranged by OVO with Worldwide Solidarity for Education (WSE), has equipped the first school with his technology kit. The Likuni Boys Secondary School in Malawi was the lucky recipient.

Winner of SusTech4Africa: additional income for coffee farmers

The three winners of the Sustainable Technology for Africa event have been announced. MNB won the panel over and walked away with the main spoils. The start-up wants to drive down the import of mushrooms into Rwanda by getting local coffee farmers to grow them using coffee waste as fertilizer. “This will give farmers an income throughout the year and it will complete the coffee cycle.”

Winner of SusTech4Africa: green energy for rural Africa

Solarly is one of the three winners of Sustainable Technology for Africa. Jean-Grégoire Orban de Xivry expends all his efforts on solar power in an effort to find an answer to the tremendous demand for electricity in Africa. For that purpose he developed a handy, budget-friendly power box.

3 start-ups in Africa win social loan and coaching

Three African start-ups from Belgium were lauded during the Sustainable Technology for Africa event. They will receive further coaching, knowledge sharing and a social loan of up to EUR 100,000. It is supported by Entrepreneurs for Entrepreneurs in cooperation with Thomas More, VITO and The African Diaspora Projects Initiative.

SusTech4Africa: the concept

Have an idea for a social project in Africa, or for a sustainable product? Want to flesh it out in more detail but don’t know where to start? SusTech4Africa helps businesses, (aspiring) entrepreneurs, engineers and researchers with an African background to build their idea into a proper business plan and provides the tools to carry on from there. What is more, as winner you will also receive start-up capital in the form of a social loan.