news - FMO announces its support for the AfricArise program to help accelerate tech startups in Ghana, Morocco and Tanzania

AfricArena, the leading African series of tech events, is thrilled to announce a partnership with FMO Ventures Program, the Rise Open Innovation Challenge, which focuses on accelerating the growth of startups looking to improve the state of Africa and create more sustainable models for positive impact.

On June 14th, 2022, AfricArena turned the most prominent startup incubator in the world, Station F, into the stage of African tech entrepreneurship. Over 45+ African startups from seed to growth stage spent the day pitching to foreign markets and 60+ African startups participated in investment speed dating with over 100+ Investors. In addition, AfricArena announced its partnership with FMO  to support 10 startups through the AfricArise program. 

FMO is in partnership with the AfricArise Annual program, a virtual Pan African start-up investor network platform that connects 80+ start-ups and investors across the African continent. It’s an annual program aimed at supporting start-ups to scale internationally through mentorship, webinars, coaching and investment deal support. The program is dedicated to AfricArena alumni and offers three different packages to help startups Rise, Raise and Scale.

The FMO Sustainable Tech Open Innovation Challenge will support several agri-tech, fin-tech, and energy access businesses focused in Ghana, Morocco, and Tanzania, These ventures will compete in pitch competitions at AfricArena’s North Africa and East Africa regional summits with the winners to be showcased at the AfricArena Grand Summit early November 2022.

“We are thrilled that our long-standing relationship with the Dutch development bank (FMO) is translating into support to the AfricArise program, and in particular its focus on Agritech companies from 3 top African ecosystems. Our team will be working relentlessly to leverage our unique capability to identify, showcase and help connect African tech startups with market access and funding opportunities.” says Christophe Viarnaud, Founder of AfricArena & General partner of AfricArise.”

Marieke Roestenberg, FMO Ventures Program Manager, said: “Our partnership with AfricArena is part of our journey to promote and support the flourishing sustainable tech ecosystem, including agritech, fintech and energy access business models especially in newer tech hubs across Africa. We look forward to supporting AfricArena and collaborating with the broader consortium to accelerate startups in these sectors.”

If you are a startup focused on agritech, fintech or energy access and your business focus in Ghana, Morocco or Tanzania, please apply here and you could attain the following benefits from the FMO Sustainable Tech Open Innovation Challenge in partnership with the AfricArise annual program. 

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For any questions or clarification on this press release, reach out to the Media Lead: Nathaniel@africarena.com.

This partnership is supported by the FMO Ventures Program Technical Assistance Facility, co-funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the European Union. More information about the FMO Ventures Program can be found at the FMO website: www.fmo.nl/venturesprogram. 

This press release was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the FMO Ventures Program and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

About AfricArena:

Cape Town-based AfricArena is the highest impact tech ecosystem accelerator & deal flow platform in Africa. Going into its sixth year, AfricArena has operated in three key spheres that underpin Africa’s economic landscape: tech startups, corporates, and investors (i.e. angel investors, VCs, corporate VCs, and other institutional investors). Through open innovation challenges, in partnership with corporations, AfricArena has brought together these 3 spheres, to foster co-investment and collaboration that can move the economies and people of the continent forward. The 2022 AfricArena Grand Summit, preceded by 4 regional Summits in Johannesburg, Dakar, Tunis and Nairobi, will take place in Cape Town in November 2022. AfricArena aims at creating links and opportunities between start-ups, investors and established companies, but also between the African continent and the rest of the world. AfricArena stands as a bridge between the international and African tech innovation ecosystems. To find out more about AfricArena, please visit: https://africarena.com/