African entrepreneurship and startup initiatives

In the Republic of Congo, the O-SEED (Student Entrepreneurship for Economic Development) incubation programme launched in Brazzaville on 2 September. Led by the NGO Pratic and financed by the Fund for the Impulse, Guarantee, and Support of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (Figa), the initiative aims to help student entrepreneurs transform academic ideas into viable business projects. The first cohort includes twenty young project holders receiving training in financial management, marketing, customer relations, and business development.

Figa Director General Branham Kintombo stated that support and structuring must precede financing to reduce financial risk. The program targets sectors including digital technology, agriculture, industry, the green economy, and culture, with the goal of directing 15 of the 20 pilot projects toward financing.

Broader entrepreneurship efforts are also emerging in South Africa, notably the SiGMA Pitch Startup Competition 2027. Scheduled for February 2027 in Cape Town, this event aims to provide African startups with international visibility, featuring over 100 participants competing in the technology, gaming, and fintech sectors.