This D4D whitepaper examines why Kenya, despite its reputation as Africa's "Silicon Savannah," has struggled to achieve large-scale digital and green transitions. Research found that innovations such as electric mobility, solar irrigation and digital agriculture have si…

Based partly on research with Orange Corners Senegal partners and entrepreneurs, this D4D whitepaper explores how African countries can advance both digital transformation and environmental sustainability through a "twin transition."

Entrepreneurship support organisations collect extensive data, but it is often used mainly for reporting rather than deeper learning. Orange Corners shows how monitoring and evaluation data can be transformed into research to improve entrepreneurship programmes. By comb…

Entrepreneurship support in low-income countries often applies a Silicon Valley model designed for high-growth startups, despite most entrepreneurs being innovative SMEs that grow incrementally and address local challenges. This mismatch can lead to unsuitable training,…

Over the past two decades, agri-entrepreneurship training programmes for smallholders have expanded across Africa. While these programmes are well intentioned, their impact on livelihoods has often fallen short because their design and delivery do not align with evidenc…

Originating in South Africa, Orange Corners now plays a central role in strengthening entrepreneurial ecosystems. Together, the insights and recommendations from this ecosystem mapping provide a roadmap for enhancing Orange Corners’ impact in South Africa: deepening eco…

This Orange Corners Nigeria/FATE Foundation report presents the findings of a national mapping study of Nigeria’s youth entrepreneurship ecosystem. Covering eight states (Lagos, Ogun, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kogi, Edo, Abia and Rivers), the study provides a data-driven, field-te…

In November 2025, Orange Corners Benin Programme Advisors Rachel van der Pol and Ward Karssemeijer travelled to Benin to conduct an ecosystem mapping ahead of the opening of our two new programmes, the Orange Corners Benin training programme and the Orange Corners Innov…

This research project focuses on how inclusive business entrepreneurs deal with tensions between financial sustainability and social/environmental impact when scaling their businesses within Orange Corners' programmes in Angola, South Africa and Mozambique.

At Orange Corners, we believe in the transformative potential of entrepreneurship. That’s why our research isn’t just about improving our own programmes – it’s about shaping the future of entrepreneurship theory and practice on a global scale. Our research agenda shows…

The first step towards successfully launching a new Orange Corners programme is always an in-depth ecosystem mapping. In May 2023, our programme advisor for Burundi Milou toured Burundi together with a colleague specialised in private sector development and an embassy c…

How can we support and scale the impact of young innovators in fragile settings? This study, initiated by Orange Corners in collaboration with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, INCLUDE and the African Studies Centre Leiden (ASCL), explores the role of youth entrepreneur…