Orange Middle East and Africa has signed a strategic three-year partnership with risingSUD, the regional economic development agency of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, aimed at supporting the growth and international expansion of African startups through the Orange Digital Centre network.
The collaboration is designed to foster stronger ties between innovation ecosystems in Africa, the Middle East, and Southern France. As part of this initiative, African and Middle Eastern startups from the Orange Digital Centre network will gain access to specialized support from risingSUD’s business development experts—helping them establish operations in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region.
Driving International Growth for African Startups
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region is a thriving innovation hub with over 500,000 businesses, ranging from global tech leaders to fast-growing startups. The partnership will offer selected African startups opportunities in this dynamic market—spanning everything from business setup and local integration to investor networking and financing.
“This partnership with risingSUD marks a key step in our ambition to promote African innovation internationally. It is a continuation of the support we offer startups through our Orange Digital Centres. By facilitating their establishment and acceleration in France, particularly in the South region, we are giving young African companies the means to accelerate their growth,”
— Jérôme Hénique, CEO, Orange Middle East and Africa
Expanding the Orange Digital Centre Footprint
The Orange Digital Centre network operates across 17 countries in Africa and the Middle East and eight countries in Europe. It provides a free and inclusive ecosystem combining:
- Digital skills training
- Startup incubation and acceleration
- Support for project development
- Access to seed funding
In 2024 alone, risingSUD successfully supported the establishment of 14 African startups in Southern France—including Guépard, a startup from the Orange Digital Centre in Tunisia, which recently opened an office in Marseille.
Strategic Benefits for African and Regional Innovation
This partnership reinforces Orange’s commitment to the internationalization of African tech ecosystems while providing reciprocal benefits for talent and startups in France. Through access to the Orange Digital Centre network, local French startups and innovators can also explore opportunities in high-growth African markets.
Startups supported through this initiative will benefit from risingSUD’s deep expertise in:
- Market entry strategy
- Regulatory support
- Financing and fundraising
- Strategic business partnerships
As Africa’s startup ecosystem continues to gain global recognition, initiatives like this one position Orange and risingSUD at the forefront of cross-continental innovation and sustainable economic growth.
