One existing small or medium size enterprise in Africa will receive a US$5.000 cash prize in a bid to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship on the continent.
Under the Africa Finance and Investment Forum (AFIF) Entrepreneurship Award 2015, the award package will also include yearlong media promotion support in and out of Africa, free AFIF 2015 participation, including the Training Workshop and travel expenses to the AFIF 2015 covered by EMRC.
AFIF 2015, entitled ‘Access to Finance & Entrepreneurship’ is organized in collaboration with the European Investment Bank (EIB); the German Development Finance Institution (DEG) in partnership with Agri Academy; ECOWAS-TEN, Pfizer, Rabobank, BlueCloud, Islamic Corporation for the Development (ICD) of the Private Sector; IFC World Bank (IFC) among others.
The forum will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, from November 24 to 26, 2015and ‘brings to the table financiers who are looking to find real projects, investment opportunities and long-term partnerships. There is a spirit to get things done which is demonstrated through the B2B sessions, tailor-made one-on-one sessions, which are organized throughout the forum. A pre-forum training workshop, will also offer participants professional coaching on how to set up a business plan and target the appropriate funding,’ a release states.
“This year we are boosting the Award, by offering the chance to all those remarkable entrepreneurs based in Africa to submit their business project. We are facilitating their presence which in turn will ensure that SMEs are strongly represented at the event,” Inês Bastos, EMRC Senior Project Manager, said.
“Nothing beats sharing your achievements and your vision to like-minded people who could become eventual partners or investors,” Bastos adds.
The award has previously been won by a unique group of African entrepreneurs which include Magloire N’Dakon (2014) awarded the prize for his innovative project, Extended Finance in Ivory Coast; Marie-Claire Matamba (2013) head of Agrimat Gabon; Anastácio Roque representing CESACOPA (2012) from Angola; Suzanne Belemtougri (2011) head of Sophavet and hailing from Burkina Faso as well as Derek Kwesiga (2009) head of Derekorp from Uganda.
“Participating in the Award brought me visibility. A visibility which is rather exceptional because I presented the project to an assembly full of investors and business people who work with and in Africa. I told myself I had to jump on this occasion in particular because I really believe in my project and I worked hard to make it what is today”, 2014 winner Magloire N’Dakon says.
With an expected 300 people from all over the world, the three-day event will see North & South policymakers, investors and private sector entrepreneurs discuss and find practical business solutions.
