News Release: AFIF Entrepreneurship Award 2015 Officially Open To All African-Based Entrepreneurs

In order to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa, EMRC will present the "AFIF Entrepreneurship Award 2015”, providing an African existing small-medium business with a financial contribution and exposure/visibility for the winning project.

The award winner, an existing African small-medium business, will receive a US$5.000,00 cash prize, yearlong media promotion support in and out of Africa, free AFIF 2015 participation, including the Training Workshop, and travel expenses to the AFIF 2015 covered by EMRC.

“This year we are boosting the Award, by offering the chance to all those remarkable entrepreneurs based in Africa to submit their business project. We are facilitating their presence which in turn will ensure that SMEs are strongly represented at the event,” Inês Bastos, EMRC Sr Project Manager, explains.

AFIF 2015, entitled “Access to Finance & Entrepreneurship” is organized in collaboration with the European Investment Bank (EIB), DEG (German Development Finance Institution) and in partnership with Agri Academy, ECOWAS-TEN, Pfizer, Rabobank, BlueCloud, ICD (Islamic Corp. for the Development of the Private Sector), IFC (World Bank) amongst others.  The forum will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, from the 24th to 26th November 2015.

An unforgettable moment which receives considerable international press coverage, the Award has been won by a unique group of African entrepreneurs which include: Magloire N’Dakon (2014) awarded the prize for his innovative project, Extended Finance, in Ivory Coast; Marie-Claire Matamba (2013) head of Agrimat Gabon; Anastácio Roque representing CESACOPA (2012) from Angola, Suzanne Belemtougri (2011) head of Sophavet and hailing from Burkina Faso as well as Derek Kwesiga (2009) head of Derekorp from Uganda.

“Participating in the Award brought me visibility. A visibility which is rather exceptional because I present the project to an assembly full of investors and business people who work with and in Africa. I told myself I had to jump on this occasion in particular because I really believe in my project and I worked hard to make it what is today”, highlights 2014 winner Magloire N’Dakon.

“Nothing beats sharing your achievements and your vision to like-minded people who could become eventual partners or investors,” Inês Bastos says.

With an expected 300 people from all over the world, the three-day event will see North & South policymakers, investors and private sector entrepreneurs discuss and find practical business solutions.

The forum brings to the table financiers who are looking to find real projects, investment opportunities and long-term partnerships. There is a spirit to get things done which is demonstrated through the B2B sessions, tailor-made one-on-one sessions, which are organized throughout the forum. A pre-forum training workshop (http://www.apo.af/CDbOK9), will also offer participants professional coaching on how to set up a business plan and target the appropriate funding.

How to apply for the Entrepreneurship Award:

1.  Read the Guidelines and make sure you qualify, click here: http://www.apo.af/H4oWTK.

2.  Fill in the Registration document, click here: http://www.apo.af/e3YtxZ.

Ines Bastos (Sr Project Manager)

Email: ib@emrc.be 

Tel: +32. 26 26 15 15