Investments in French Speaking Africa

Since being set up by the Campus AFD (French Development Agency) in 2017, the Social and Inclusive Business Camp (SIBC) has helped scale-up nearly 200 African entrepreneurs with a strong social impact. The SIBC aims to support entrepreneurs and create long-lasting connections with a wide range of ecosystem stakeholders through innovative training sessions and networking with other companies, mentors, and potential financial backers. Selected entrepreneurs will have access to a three-dimensional programme to get them ready for their next development stage. It offers 3 months of online learning with peer-to-peer coaching and live virtual classes, a one-week in-person boot camp in Marseille, France, and a mentoring journey where participating entrepreneurs benefit from one-to-one meetings with mentors. In addition to the training offered, the SIBC offers access to a pan-African community of alumni and creates funding opportunities during the boot camp and the EMERGING Valley summit.

Bpifrance and Rwanda ICT Chamber have signed an agreement to accelerate the connection between innovative Rwandan companies and the French and European investors and businesses, through the EuroQuity digital platform. Bpifrance provides finance for companies – at every stage of their development – with credit, guarantees and equity. French public investment bank Bpifrance plans to more than double its annual lending in Africa over the next 3 years, a senior executive. Bpifrance, which manages French state shareholdings, has extended more than 700 million euros since 2015 in export credits to help African governments and businesses buy French products.