Village Capital and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) Impact Programme have opened applications for VilCap Communities Africa, a programme to equip entrepreneur ecosystem leaders across sub-Saharan Africa with the tools, resources, and connections they need to catalyze impact investment.
Applications are now open for entrepreneur support organizations (ESO’s) to take part in forums on September 24-28 and November 12-14. Applications for the second group of ESO’s later this summer.
The programme will cover :
- How to attract funding for your program
- How to stimulate investment capital in your ecosystem
- How to recruit and select high potential ventures
- How to help prepare entrepreneurs to become ready for investment
- How to improve certain aspects of your ecosystem that need development, such as corporate partnerships, mentor networks, angel networks and access to venture capital.
The deadline to apply for the first cohort is July 6. The second cohort will have a deadline later this summer.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to apply, you must be currently or looking to be focused on supporting early-stage impact enterprises addressing countrywide or regional problems, such as financial inclusion, agriculture, healthcare, environmental sustainability and others affecting those in poverty.
You must fall into one of the following categories:
- Accelerator or incubator of early-stage companies
- Seed stage or early-stage venture capital firm
- Association or network of entrepreneurs
- SME business advisory firm
- University incubator
- Think tank
You are welcome to apply jointly with other entrepreneur support organisations from the same country, region, trade zone, common market or with an organisation which shares your social agenda.
THE FORUMS
We’ll host three forums in the most developed Sub-Saharan African ecosystems Lagos, Nairobi and Cape Town in order to share learnings and best practices with ecosystem stakeholders.
- VilCap Communities Africa, Cohort One: 24-28 September 2018
- VilCap Communities Africa, Cohort Two: 22-26 October 2018
- VilCap Communities Africa, Forum: 12-14 November 2018
For any questions contact Brenda Wangari on brenda.wangari@vilcap.com
