Archipelagos Entrepreneurial Program for SMEs and Entrepreneurs In Africa 2024

OPPORTUNITY DETAILS

Nonprofit organization

Archip Grants

Area

Central and Eastern Europe

Host Country

Czech Republic

Deadline

30 Jun 2024

Opportunity funding

Partial funding

Eligible Countries

This opportunity is destined for all countries

Eligible Region

All Regions

Award or Grant Description $$ varies

Archipelagos is a multi-year international cooperation program developed by Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), the Italian Financial Institution for International Development Cooperation, with the support of the European Commission that aims at supporting the growth of African SMEs and facilitating their access to capital markets.

Through this call for application, up to 1000+ SMEs will be selected across the African continent to join a dedicated capacity-building program designed to strengthen their capabilities and increase their readiness for capital markets.

At the end of this Program, the most promising SMEs will receive specialized support for raising funds in the capital markets through innovative debt instruments, supported by a guarantee facility from the European Commission.

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Eligibility Criteria

To participate in this Program, SMEs should meet 5 pre-requisites:

Be Africa-based (incorporated or with main operations in Africa)
Have an annual turnover up to USD 50 million, with a minimum threshold of USD 1 million to be eligible for the financial guarantee
Be in operation since at least 2 years
Be a for-profit corporate (or other type of for-profit legal person)
Not be subject to any sanction or restrictions

Offered Benefits

Capacity-building program

The Program is structured around 3 core areas – training, mentoring, and networking – and is delivered through a hybrid model, combining both asynchronous and synchronous components to offer a comprehensive and interactive learning experience.

Through the Archipelagos digital platform, SMEs will have access to a vast learning catalogue of online courses, with differentiated learning paths according to the specific needs and stage of development. On top of the asynchronous component, webinars will contribute to make the learning journey even more stimulating, engaging, and interactive.

In addition to training, SMEs participating in the Program will also receive dedicated support and will have access to a community of SMEs and investors providing them the opportunity to make valuable business connections, also at international level.

Inspired by the Team Europe Initiative of Investing in Young Business in Africa (TEI IYBA), also young university graduates / young entrepreneurs will have access to the capacity building platform to enhance their business knowledge and entrepreneurial skills.

Access to capital markets

At the end of the capacity building Program, the SMEs that demonstrate the readiness and potential to raise funds in the capital markets will be provided with tailored support and guided through the fundraising process.

Selected SMEs will in fact receive dedicated mentorship and coaching to best prepare for the interaction with potential investors (e.g., support in preparing a compelling investment pitch).

Finally, they will be supported in the structuring of innovative debt instruments and secure funding at favorable terms thanks to the first-loss financial guarantee facility from the European Commission that will enable attracting other investors.