Orange Ventures, the venture capital division of the multinational telecommunications corporation Orange Group, in conjunction with Digital Africa, a prominent organization championing digital entrepreneurship across the African continent, have unveiled a collaborative co-investment scheme aimed at fostering the growth of startups that are part of the “Orange Digital Centres” network.
The Orange Digital Centres are a chain of innovation hubs strategically located across 17 countries in Africa and the Middle East, as well as in eight European countries. These centers are designed to be a nurturing ground for digital innovation, providing a full spectrum of no-cost programs that include digital skills training for young people, incubation and acceleration services for startups, and essential support for project leaders. The overarching goal of these centers is to bolster entrepreneurial talent and spur innovation within the regions they serve.
Digital Africa is already at the helm of the Fuzé investment program, which is dedicated to supporting early-stage startups in French-speaking African nations. Through Fuzé, startups with high potential can access equity investments of up to EUR 50,000 to help them scale their operations.
The formal partnership agreement, which was signed during the Vivatech event by Fayçal Adlouni, Managing Partner of Orange Ventures, and Grégoire de Padirac, CEO of Digital Africa, marks a shared commitment to intensify the support provided to African startups that have emerged from the Orange Digital Centre ecosystem.
Fayçal Adlouni expressed the Orange Group’s unwavering commitment to nurturing the next wave of technological leaders in Africa and the Middle East. He emphasized that the synergy between Orange Middle East and Africa, Orange Ventures, and Digital Africa will strategically pool resources to foster a dynamic and supportive environment for startups to thrive within these regions.
Startups that are keen to take advantage of this new co-investment opportunity are encouraged to delve into the resources available on the websites of Orange Ventures, Orange Digital Centre, and Digital Africa to learn more about how they can benefit from this initiative.
