Village Capital has announced the selection of five exceptional ecosystem builders to advance in its Empowering Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Africa program, supported by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad). This initiative focuses on scaling the impact of entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs) that drive climate-focused solutions across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Building on the success of its first phase, which supported 14 ESOs across five countries, this next stage seeks to enhance the capacity of these organizations to deliver investment-readiness programs and allocate direct funding to 30 startups addressing critical climate challenges.
The chosen organizations exemplify a broad range of approaches to empowering entrepreneurs within their local ecosystems. Catalyst Fund in Kenya invests in tech startups providing climate adaptation solutions to bolster community resilience. Ghana’s Reach for Change Foundation supports local social entrepreneurs who tackle pressing community needs. Ennovate Ventures in Tanzania fosters innovation among early-stage businesses, while Emerge Livelihoods in Malawi creates opportunities for self-reliant communities through impactful entrepreneurial initiatives. Mozambique’s IdeiaLab, with its 14 years of experience, continues to nurture entrepreneurial potential and develop transformative businesses.
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Furthermore, each organization will receive up to $260,000 to enhance their operations, deliver workshops for climate-focused startups, and offer re-grants to local ventures. This funding will also facilitate the development of tailored accelerator programs designed to meet the specific needs of climate-focused entrepreneurs.
“We are committed to reimagining capital deployment and building a more connected entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said Susan Nakami, Africa Region Lead at Village Capital. “This program empowers ESOs to play a vital role in facilitating access to capital and delivering scalable solutions to climate challenges.”
Finally, as these organizations progress into the next phase, the program underscores Village Capital’s dedication to fostering sustainable entrepreneurship and addressing climate challenges across Africa. This initiative highlights the pivotal role ecosystem builders play in creating a more inclusive, innovative, and resilient entrepreneurial landscape.
