Global guide for startups calls on entrepreneurs in East, West Africa to submit nominations to be part of comprehensive guide to resources for startups and founders doing purpose-driven business in region.
To all entrepreneurs, innovators, accelerators, experts and co-working spaces across the Silicon Savannah, from Nairobi to Lagos, Kigali to Accra: get your nominations in now and make sure you’re included in the first-ever Startup Guide Africa Series 2020, a project highlighting social impact in four of the continent’s most purposeful cities in East and West Africa!
Startup Guide, which was founded in 2014, is a creative content and publishing company that produces guidebooks and tools to help entrepreneurs connect with communities and resources.
Cathy Smith, Managing Director at SAP Africa, believes that supporting the growth of a thriving startup ecosystem is a powerful means of fostering greater digitisation. “As described in UN Sustainable Development Goal 17, partnership is a vital component to solving some of the defining challenges of our time. By fostering a stronger and more dynamic startup ecosystem in our key East and West African markets, we hope to inspire and equip a new generation of African innovators as the Fourth Industrial Revolution gathers pace across the continent.”
According to Sissel Hansen, founder and CEO of Startup Guide, those wishing to form part of the guides, or who know of a role-player that needs to be included, should submit their nominations now. “We are calling on all entrepreneurs, innovators, hubs, universities, experts and contributors to the thriving startup ecosystems in Nairobi, Lagos, Kigali and Accra to submit their information and become part of an invaluable resource that connects local startups with communities and resources across the East and West Africa regions. In particular, we want to shine a light on the local success stories of companies and creators that are working towards making their cities thrive in impact driven entrepreneurship.”
Startup Guide’s global footprint covers some of the leading startup cities around the world, including London, New York, Berlin, Tel Aviv, and Stockholm. After launching in Cape Town and Johannesburg in 2019, Startup Guide has now shifted attention to the key innovation ecosystem players in Nairobi, Kigali, Lagos and Accra with the support of global partner SAP Next-Gen, a purpose-driven innovation university and community for the SAP ecosystem that connects companies, partners and universities around innovation activities linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Kwena Mabotja, Africa Regional Director for SAP Next-Gen, says the launch of the new Startup Guide Africa Series in 2020 will establish a helpful tool for facilitating the growth and success of the local purpose-driven innovation communities. “The Startup Guides will provide practical information, in-depth interviews and insightful tips to accelerate the growth of local impact startups by connecting them to corporate innovation initiatives, accelerator programs and useful business resources. Our ongoing global partnership with Startup Guide also creates opportunities for local entrepreneurs to tap into the global SAP Next-Gen ‘innovation with purpose’ network including more than 3,800 educational institutions in 118 countries around the world.”
There has been growing investment in building effective startup ecosystems across Africa, with GSM data showing the number of active tech hubs across Africa totalled 618 in 2019, up from 442 in 2018. Nigeria has overtaken South Africa as the country with the largest number of tech hubs with 85, while Kenya (48) and Ghana (25) both have healthy and growing startup ecosystems.
Nominations for the East and West African Startup Guides are now open and will close on the 7th February 2020. If you are a startup, entrepreneur, program, space, accelerator or expert – or know of one – and would like to be included in the book, please visit https://startupguide.typeform.com/to/QyrZzb to submit your nomination.