Village Capital, in partnership with Norad, the Norwegian development agency, has unveiled the Empowering Sustainable Entrepreneurship Africa initiative. This new ecosystem-building program is designed to enhance the capabilities and effectiveness of Entrepreneur Support Organisations (ESOs) and climate-focused startups in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
Since 2012, Village Capital has been active in Sub-Saharan Africa, administering more than 14 accelerator programs and supporting entrepreneurs across 15 countries in the region. Norad collaborates globally to further the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
The Empowering Sustainable Entrepreneurship Africa program will proceed with a two-pronged approach. It aims to provide community-led ESOs with the necessary technical expertise and resources to drive sustainable organizational growth. Additionally, it will directly support climate-focused enterprises in selected countries, fostering a robust pipeline of scalable, investment-ready startups that offer solutions in vital sectors such as the blue economy, climate adaptation, food security, and renewable energy.
“ESOs are pivotal in the entrepreneurial landscape, acting as primary supporters for entrepreneurs by providing training and facilitating key networks, including investors and talent, particularly in nascent ecosystems,” explained Rachel Crawford, Head of Special Projects at Village Capital. “Often, these ESOs face similar challenges as the startups they assist, primarily lacking the capital required for direct startup investment. Our initiative is crafted to address these challenges through a comprehensive strategy focusing on ecosystem development, enterprise support, and catalytic capital.”
Per Fredrik Ilsaas Pharo, Director of Climate and Environment at Norad, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, emphasizing the critical role of innovative entrepreneurs and startups in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. “These actors often face significant barriers to accessing finance and technical support. By empowering ESOs, we aim to dismantle some of these barriers and enhance the overall impact on innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa across multiple sectors.”
Village Capital will host an information session to detail the program’s objectives and eligibility requirements, tailored specifically for ESOs in the targeted countries. For more information on the program or to express interest in attending the information session, please contact Ahmed Fadl, Programme Manager at Village Capital (ahmed.fadl@vilcap.com).
