Twenty promising youth entrepreneurs from African technology ventures and enterprise support organizations have embarked on a two-week study tour of the Republic of Korea, seeking investment and insights from the country's innovative tech ecosystem. The African Development Bank Group's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab selected these young entrepreneurs from 133 ventures that participated in last month's Africa Tech Startup Forum.
Held under the auspices of the Lab's Leveraging the Entrepreneurial and Innovation Success of Korea to Strengthen African Enterprise Support project, the Forum selected entrepreneurs who pitched the best business models during the weeklong virtual market access and acceleration program preparing, training, and connecting technology ventures with opportunities.
Representing eight African nations -- Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda - the delegates span diverse technological sectors, including agritech and health. Their ambitious itinerary includes visits to prestigious institutions such as
Global Startup Centre, LG Science Park, the Korea Software Technology Association, unicorn companies with valuations exceeding $1 billion and the Global Digital Innovation Network, a foundation supporting the expansion of South Korea's tech startups.
Uche Ezadinachi, the founder of Kenya-based health technology venture Zuri Health, expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity. "I am excited to go to Korea because the country has made serious technological developments. The [country] is a technology-driven society, and this tour is an opportunity for me to see how we can bring such technology to Africa," she said.
"We will share experiences with our Korean counterparts; they will learn from us as much as we learn from them," she added.
The delegation, which is more than one-third women and entirely composed of entrepreneurs aged 18 to 35, will participate in several high-profile events, including, K Startup Grand Challenge, an accelerator program supported by the South Korean government, Africa Innovation Networking Gala, and COMEUP Korea, an event connecting Korean startups with global investors, corporations, and media.
David Chen, co-founder of Rwandan health data venture Kapsule, highlighted the tour's potential for relationship-building. "This is an opportunity for us to have face-to-face interactions and build relationships. This trip will help us link with other health technology companies operating in Asia," he said.
Financially supported by the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation Trust Fund, the Africa Tech Startup Forum is part of the African Development Bank's broader Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy.
Martha Phiri, the Bank's Director of Human Capital, Youth and Skills Development, underscored the program's significance.
"This is a pivotal initiative that plays a crucial role in enhancing the skills of young entrepreneurs. These skills will empower young entrepreneurs to expand their ventures, which leads to significant employment creation," she stated.
Ndeye Absa Gningue, Innovation Platform Officer, managing the Bank's Innovation and Entrepreneurship Lab, said: "Platforms like the Africa Tech Startup Forum provide young people with the opportunity to nurture their potential. We will continue to work with them so they can blossom."
