To promote a culture of African investors investing locally, Orange Corners is supporting two business angel networks, CAIA from Angola and CBA from DRC, and 24 of their emerging angel investors. They will participate in a learning and networking programme called the African Angel Academy. The academy is designed and implemented by Viridian and partners.
The African Angel Academy and Orange Corners offer training and a networking programme to emerging angel investors from Angola and the DRC.
Introducing the first Orange Corners supported African Angel Academy programme, starting in February 2022!
Startup entrepreneurs often struggle to emerge, due to a lack of investors, access to networks, and guidance from trusted advisors. They’re in need of successful professionals, entrepreneurs and business leaders, who have the potential to significantly contribute to the growth and success of local economies by investing their time, money and expertise in talented local entrepreneurs. That is why angel investors are essential for well-functioning entrepreneurial ecosystems.
CAIA and CBA are both dedicated to supporting startups in their countries, both recently founded. 12 Angel participants of each network will take part in the online 13-week programme. Both groups will also receive mentorships from experienced heads of angel networks to support and develop the capacity of the network groups themselves to become active Communities of Practice to teach and inspire new generations of angel investors to come.
The African Angel Academy is a virtual programme developed by experienced angel investors, and has trained close to 300 individuals from 10 African countries over the past two years. Many of the alumni in the network have formed their own angel groups and are actively investing into local startup ecosystems. The African Angel Academy is delivered as a partnership between Viridian, Viktoria Ventures and the African Business Angel Network (ABAN).
Alexandra Fraser, Director African Angel Academy, said:
“The African Angel Academy is the first online programme for new and aspiring African angel investors delivered by African angels and experts. The value that the AAA programme provides beyond the online content, are the masterclasses, discussions and connection between angel investors across the continent. We are only able to do this by partnering with great programme sponsors like Orange Corners who are committed to building ecosystems, but also with local champions. Adding 24 new angels from CAIA and CBA to our community, and expanding the programme to Angola and the DRC, not only helps to expand our network of angels, but also to connect investors to local players within these emerging ecosystems.“
Richard van Hoolwerff, Private Sector Development Advisor at Orange Corners, said:
“At Orange Corners we take an ecosystem approach. This means that we carefully analyse startup ecosystems in the countries we work in with local experts and stakeholders and assess where we can make the most impact. Witnessing the great potential of the startups we support in our incubation programmes and finding the angel investment scenes in both DRC and Angola in a fledgling phase we instantly understood that supporting CAIA and CBA would have a massive impact on both startup ecosystems. We couldn’t be more proud and happier than having found such a competent and experienced team as Viridian to offer the African Angel Academy to CAIA and CBA. They are motivated, flexible and professional. These are three essential ingredients for the implementation of any successful programme. I believe that with the African Angel Academy, the startup ecosystems of DRC and Angola will be tremendously boosted, offering great support to young entrepreneurs in both countries”.
About the programme:
This customised programme is delivered over 13 weeks from the end of February, ending with virtual startup showcase events in May 2022. Through this programme, they will learn about the angel investing process from the continent’s top angel investors; design their personal investing strategy; and meet promising local startups from Angola and the DRC. The live masterclasses will cover topics relevant to the network’s stage and region – ethics and values, legal formats, local ecosystem mapping and strategies for recruiting new members.
Importantly, they will build a confident network of African angel investors for collaboration and co-investment opportunities through engagements with investor focused events.
Orange Corners aims to increase job prospects for youth between the ages of 18 to 35, in Sub Saharan Africa and the Middle East. The programme strengthens ecosystems for young entrepreneurship and youth employment. Furthermore, Orange Corners stimulates the entrepreneurial mindset of young people. It offers incubation, acceleration, access to finance, training and challenges, with a strong involvement of Dutch Embassies and partners from the private sector. Orange Corners actively contributes to creating sustainable and inclusive economic growth and decent work for all (SDG8). With this new initiative, Orange Corners takes the next step in providing access to finance to young entrepreneurs.
On completion of this programme, the participants will join a growing alumni community of angel investors from across the continent.
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About ORANGE CORNERS
Orange Corners is managed by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency at the request of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Each Orange Corner is initiated by a local Dutch Embassy and in close corporation with local partners. Orange Corners aims to increase job prospects for youth, through building ecosystems for young entrepreneurship and youth employment.
Orange Corners DRC and Orange Corners Angola are an initiative of the respectively Dutch Embassy in Kinshasa and Luanda. More information: www.orangecorners.com
About the African Angel Academy
The Academy was established in early 2020, as the first online training platform for new and aspiring angel investors developed by Viridian and Viktoria Ventures, with the endorsement of the African Business Angel Network (ABAN) and with seed funding from the Southern African Innovation Support (SAIS) Programme. The academy has trained over 294 angel investors since its launch in 2020, from over 10 countries and mentored multiple angel groups.
To find out more about the Academy, you can visit www.africanangelacademy.com/
Contact information:
Orange Corners: [email protected]
AAA: [email protected]
