African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Innovation Lab ESO360 Program – Capacity Building for Entrepreneurship Enablers in Africa

December 21, 2021

Application Deadline: January 2nd, 2022

Are you running a business incubator, accelerator or fund that supports businesses to start up and grow? Are you interested in growing your entrepreneurship support organization to the next level? Do you want to boost the quality of your programs, engage more effectively with your community, and sustain your work and impact?

Announcing the launch of the ESO360 Program to strengthen entrepreneurship support organizations (ESOs) across Africa. We invite eligible business incubators, accelerators and fund managers to apply for this capacity development and support program.

ESO360 is an initiative of the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Innovation Lab, and is implemented by The Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Common Good Company and VC4A. This first phase of the program will focus on ESOs in Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.

SO360 works with your ESO to strengthen organizational sustainability and the quality of entrepreneur support services you offer. The Program uses a unique and tailored approach, that considers the development of your ESO from multiple angles through a 360-degree assessment and support, for the holistic growth of your organization. We first understand the needs and priorities of your ESO, and then develop and deliver a combination of training workshops, guidance, and best practices as needed.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants based in Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria or South Africa
At least two years of business activities and audited accountsHaving grown to a team of 5+ full-time employees (including founders)
At least two finalized incubation/ acceleration programs implemented with at least 20 supported and/ or 10 companies invested in
At least one member of the executive team is available to participate for virtual training and support between April and June 2022

Benefits

Through the Program, you will:

Self-assess – Assess your strengths and capacities in entrepreneurship support service delivery
Strengthen your support to entrepreneurs – Strengthen and improve entrepreneurship support and BDS services and skills; training topics could include but are not limited to: Investment readiness (for entrepreneurs and ESOs), business planning, developing fundraising programs, etc.
Get certified – Certification provided by Frankfurt School of Finance and Management.
Improve your fundraising strategy – Assess your strengths and capacities in organization sustainability, communications and fundraising.
Individualized growth planning and capacity development – Leverage the Hub Collective to develop your own growth plan to boost your ESO’s communications and fundraising preparedness and capacities. Training topics could include but are not limited to: Grant fundraising strategy, revenue and income source planning, donor and private sector engagement, etc.
Gain experience – Gain practical experience and best practices through tailored support and active engagement with other ESOs.
Leverage the VC4A startup academy – Use top business courses of the VC4A Startup Academy for blended learning sessions within your startup support programs.
Gain access to VC4A partner tools – Be onboarded and get access to VC4A application and selection tools to manage your venture pipeline in a smart way.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the ESO360 – Capacity Building for Entrepreneurship Enablers in Africa

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