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Africa’s Agrifood Entrepreneurs Called to Action: Applications Open for the US$100,000 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition

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2 years ago

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GoGettaz Agripreneur

This year’s competition will recognize and celebrate African entrepreneurs whose business solutions address the pressing need for efficient local production of nutritious food

KIGALI, Rwanda, April 10, 2024/APO Group/ — 

The 2024 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition (https://GoGettaz.Africa) invites agrifood entrepreneurs from across Africa to showcase their startup business ventures. Judges will be looking for innovative founders and co-founders aged 18-35 with the vision to establish sustainable scalable businesses, drive resilience, increase food security, and create jobs in the agrifood sector. Applications are open from 8 April to 10 June 2024 at https://GoGettaz.Africa.

This year’s competition will recognize and celebrate African entrepreneurs whose business solutions address the pressing need for efficient local production of nutritious food, with business models that embrace scale and innovation, while also helping to mitigate climate and broader environmental challenges. The top competitors selected this year will have the opportunity to shine at the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize final pitch competition, set to take place during the prestigious Africa Food Systems Forum in Kigali, Rwanda, from 2 to 6 September.

Two grand prizes of $50,000 each will be awarded to the most promising and impactful female and male agripreneur-led businesses. The judges will also be looking to award ventures that make a significant impact in one or more of the following areas: rural livelihoods, nutrition, climate, digital technology, gender, natural resources, and job creation.

Against the backdrop of extreme weather events plaguing Africa’s agrifood sector, the continent’s young agripreneurs are emerging as catalysts for change. With their innovative solutions and products, they are pioneering ventures that hold the key to addressing these pressing issues head-on. Now, more than ever, Africa’s agripreneurs are called upon to showcase their ingenuity and resilience by entering the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition. The GoGettaz partnership platform offers an avenue for recognition, networking and support, and fast-tracks the development and implementation of groundbreaking solutions essential for the sustainable transformation of Africa’s food systems.

“I continue to be impressed by the tremendous efforts of the young entrepreneurs we meet in the GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition,” remarks Svein Tore Holsether, President and Chief Executive Officer of Yara International and GoGettaz co-founder. “The way they leverage technologies and innovative business models exemplifies the potential in the agrifood sector and the crucial role of entrepreneurship in driving sustainable development. As we embark on the campaign to find our agrifood stars for 2024, we are motivated by the greater impact to create jobs, uplift communities, and nourish Africa’s growing population.”

According to United Nations forecasts, by 2050 one quarter of humanity and at least one third of the world’s youth population ages 15-24 will be African. Today more than 70% of sub-Saharan Africans are under the age of 30, making Africa the continent with the youngest population globally. The continent also has one of the highest rates of entrepreneurship.

“Some fear a potential ‘youth quake,’” observed GoGettaz co-founder Strive Masiyiwa, Founder and Chairman of Econet Group, who served as Chair of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) for several years. “However, we see huge opportunities and promise if the right support is given and enabling environments created for our youth who are filled with creative energy and ideas. Africa’s GoGettaz entrepreneurs are not passive bystanders! They are already seeing and seizing the moment, embracing technology, and working to revolutionize the agrifood industry,” he said.

As we embark on the campaign to find our agrifood stars for 2024, we are motivated by the greater impact to create jobs, uplift communities, and nourish Africa’s growing population

“Since we launched the first GoGettaz Africa competition in 2019, we’ve discovered young entrepreneurs from across the continent building an amazing array of innovative agribusinesses, both traditional growers and very high-tech AI-driven ones. At the same time, they’re growing the prosperity of their families and nations, and the food security of Africa! These dynamic young entrepreneurs deserve both our recognition and support. That’s why we launched GoGettaz,” he said. 

The 2024 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition welcomes a broader pool of African talent, as the competition expands support to address food systems issues affecting communities at country and regional level. This year, GoGettaz is excited to extend support to French-speaking entrepreneurs, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility across linguistic boundaries.

“The GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition stands as a beacon of hope, rallying Africa’s brightest minds to pioneer transformative solutions and drive meaningful change with the bulk of youth to accelerate the SGDs achievements by 2030,” says Amath Pathe Sene, Managing Director of the Africa Food Systems Forum. “Africa stands at the forefront of innovating for resilience. I cannot wait to see what ground-breaking climate solutions come from the 2024 GoGettaz contestants. The grand prize winners for 2023 both placed sustainable, nature-positive production at the forefront of their ventures by actively promoting agroforestry among suppliers and by preventing further deforestation through tech-enabled supply tracing. As soaring temperatures and erratic weather patterns threaten food security, the continent’s agripreneurs are rising to the occasion. With determination and ingenuity, they are reshaping agricultural practices, embracing sustainable technologies, and spearheading climate-smart solutions. The GoGettaz competition serves as a platform to incentivize these innovative minds to share, collaborate, and catalyse revolutionary climate action that will shape Africa’s future.”

The 2024 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition offers exciting opportunities and rewards for African agrifood entrepreneurs. Beyond the competition, GoGettaz finalists can look forward to ongoing support to advance their leadership and impact in the agrifood sector. Top contestants will be invited to apply for the exclusive 6-month GoGettaz Africa Leadership Program, designed to empower emerging leaders with the skills and network to grow themselves and their businesses. Selected entrepreneurs will benefit from personalised support, engaging in individual coaching, peer-to-peer sessions, and workshops led by thought leaders, fostering continuous growth and development even after the GAPC competition period concludes. As the 2023 Cohort is currently reaping the benefits of this transformative program, the 2024 competition promises to offer numerous growth opportunities for the next generation of agrifood innovators.

All African agripreneurs are welcomed and encouraged to join the GoGettaz community and check to see if they qualify to take part in this year’s GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition. With the unwavering support and expertise of its co-founders and partners, the GoGettaz team looks forward to thousands more youth from across Africa enjoying the benefits of membership in our growing community of visionary changemakers.

To join the GoGettaz community, apply to compete in the 2024 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition, and to discover ways you can contribute to our vision of a greener, more prosperous, and more sustainable future for Africa and beyond, you can find out more here: https://GoGettaz.Africa.

To stay updated and inspired, please find us @GoGettazAfrica on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube!

The application deadline is 10 June 2024.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of 2024 GoGettaz Agripreneur Prize Competition.

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Africa Launches the First Pan-African Pact for Insurance Inclusion

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17 hours ago

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June 23, 2026

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Africa

400 decision-makers gathered in Cotonou to accelerate access to insurance and contribute to doubling insurance penetration by 2040

DAKAR, Senegal, June 23, 2026/APO Group/ –Faced with a major paradox representing nearly 19% of the world’s population while accounting for less than 1% of global insurance premiums African insurance stakeholders are mobilizing.

 

From July 6 to 8, 2026, the Federation of African National Insurance Companies (FANAF) will organize the General Assembly on Insurance for All at the Sofitel Hotel in Cotonou, Benin, a major pan-African gathering dedicated to inclusive insurance.

The event will bring together nearly 400 African decision-makers from governments, regulatory and supervisory authorities, insurance and reinsurance companies, financial institutions, development banks, technical and financial partners, as well as professional organizations from across the continent.

The ambition is clear: to foster a shared vision and concrete commitments aimed at accelerating access to insurance for African populations while strengthening the sector’s contribution to the continent’s economic and social development priorities.

The discussions will culminate in the adoption of the Pan-African Pact for Insurance Inclusion and a 2026–2030 Strategic Action Plan, designed to structure collective action around an ambitious objective: contributing to the doubling of insurance penetration across the FANAF region by 2040.

An Economic, Social and Development Imperative

Within the CIMA zone, insurance penetration remains below 1% of GDP, compared to more than 6% globally.

As a result, millions of households, farmers, entrepreneurs, SMEs and informal sector actors remain deprived of essential protection mechanisms against health, climate, economic and social risks.

For FANAF, this reality now constitutes a major development challenge.

Africa cannot build sustainable growth without strengthening protection mechanisms for its populations, businesses and investments

“Africa cannot build sustainable growth without strengthening protection mechanisms for its populations, businesses and investments. The Cotonou General Assembly must mark the starting point of a new continental ambition for African insurance and its role in the continent’s economic transformation,” said Mamadou Koné, President of FANAF.

Beyond Insurance: A Driver of Continental Transformation

For FANAF, insurance is no longer merely a risk coverage mechanism. It is also a strategic lever for economic resilience, savings mobilization, investment security, SME financing, support for climate transitions and the strengthening of financial inclusion.

Through this General Assembly, FANAF seeks to reposition insurance as a key stakeholder in Africa’s economic, social and financial transformation.

A Pact to Accelerate Action

The conclusions of the General Assembly will lead to the adoption of the Pan-African Pact for Insurance Inclusion, a reference framework intended to mobilize governments, regulators, market players, financial institutions and development partners around shared objectives.

The Pact will be accompanied by a 2026–2030 Strategic Action Plan defining priority intervention areas, coordination mechanisms and monitoring arrangements for the commitments undertaken.

A broad mobilization of public, private and financial partners will support its implementation in order to translate commitments into tangible results for African populations and economies.

Cotonou 2026: Building a Shared Vision

Beyond the insurance sector, the General Assembly aims to create an unprecedented platform for dialogue between governments, regulators, investors, financial institutions, technical partners and market actors in order to identify the levers needed to accelerate insurance inclusion across the continent.

Holding this event in Benin reflects the country’s broader economic and financial transformation momentum and illustrates the collective determination of African stakeholders to develop solutions tailored to the continent’s realities.

Through this initiative, FANAF intends to make Cotonou 2026 a defining moment for the future of African insurance and the starting point of a lasting continental mobilization in favor of insurance inclusion.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Fédération des Sociétés d’Assurances de Droit National Africaines (FANAF).

 

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Flat6Labs and International Finance Corporation (IFC) Launch StartAlgeria, a Capacity-Building Program Designed to Empower the Organizations Progressing Algeria’s Startup Ecosystem

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17 hours ago

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June 23, 2026

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Flat6Labs

StartAlgeria comes at a key moment for Algeria’s entrepreneurship landscape, shifting the focus toward improving how the ESOs operate by providing them with international best practices

ALGIERS, Algeria, June 23, 2026/APO Group/ –Flat6Labs (www.Flat6Labs.com) and IFC in collaboration with the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Startups and Micro-Enterprises are launching StartAlgeria, a capacity-building program that puts Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs) at the forefront of Algeria’s ecosystem future. The program is designed to equip Algerian ESOs reinforcing pre-seed and seed-stage startups with the expertise, frameworks, and networks needed to contribute to a stronger, more competitive entrepreneurship ecosystem in Algeria and expand into global markets.

 

StartAlgeria comes at a key moment for Algeria’s entrepreneurship landscape, shifting the focus toward improving how the ESOs operate by providing them with international best practices adapted to each organization’s needs, a community-driven approach that focuses on peer learning, and facilitating connections with investors, policymakers, and key stakeholders.

Algeria’s entrepreneurial community is among the most dynamic and vibrant in the region, and the potential is not just real, it is ready to scale

StartAlgeria will pilot a first cohort focusing on incubators in the capital, Algiers. Following a call for application, the selected ESOs will go through a structured program comprising workshops and masterclasses covering key areas such as startup selection, program design and delivery, and investment readiness. In addition to the core program, participating ESOs will benefit from 6months of post-program mentorship, focusing on areas such as fundraising strategy, partnership development, financial sustainability, and program improvement. This sustained engagement’s goal is to provide a lasting impact in how Algerian ESOs operate and what they’re able to offer the startups they champion.

Yehia Houry, CEO of Flat6Labs, shares “Algeria’s startup ecosystem is demonstrating remarkable potential and a rapidly growing level of maturity, driven by an ambitious new generation of founders, increasing institutional support, and a strong national commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship. The opportunity today lies in further empowering entrepreneurship support organizations to match this momentum by strengthening their ability to identify and nurture high-potential startups, deliver impactful and results-driven programs, and create stronger connections between entrepreneurs and sources of capital. With the right support structures in place, Algeria is well positioned to become one of the leading innovation hubs in the region.”

“Algeria’s entrepreneurial community is among the most dynamic and vibrant in the region, and the potential is not just real, it is ready to scale. Through StartAlgeria, we are committed to ensuring that the organizations standing behind founders are equipped with the tools, frameworks, and expertise to take them from early ideas to investment-ready ventures. This program is a direct expression of IFC’s long-term confidence in Algeria’s private sector and in the ecosystem’s capacity to produce the next generation of high-impact companies.” underscored Cemile Hacibeyoglu Ceren, WBG Resident Representative in Algeria.

“The launch of StartAlgeria marks an important step in reinforcing Algeria’s startup support ecosystem. By strengthening the capabilities of Entrepreneur Support Organizations, we are investing in the long-term growth, resilience, and international competitiveness of Algerian startups. This initiative reflects our shared ambition to build a dynamic innovation-driven economy and create new opportunities for entrepreneurs across the country,” said H.E Mr. Noureddine Ouadah, Minister of Knowledge Economy, Startups and Micro-Enterprises.

This IFC program is implemented in partnership with the Government of the Netherlands.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Flat6Labs.

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Hong Kong unlocks new opportunities with Central Asia

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18 hours ago

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June 23, 2026

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Hong Kong

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 23 June 2026 – Led by Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), John Lee, a high-level delegation visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan (May 31 – June 5) is already paying dividends, forging fresh opportunities to deepen ties between Central Asia, Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland.

The business delegation comprised over 70 representatives from Hong Kong and Mainland enterprises of various sectors.

During the visit, 96 bilateral memoranda of understanding and agreements were reached, including a total of 15 co-operation documents at the government level between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan respectively.

“The examples of agreements and co-operation are just so abundant that they range from the service sector to heavy industries such as mining and infrastructure development,” Mr Lee said. “I think the sky is the limit.”

The multiple outcomes achieved during the trip demonstrate Hong Kong’s role as a functional platform for the Belt and Road (B&R) Initiative, as the city actively plays its roles as a “super connector” and “super value-adder” to promote broader and deeper co-operation between the two places and establish a hub-to-hub co-operation model.

“Kazakhstan is an important commercial and logistics hub connecting China and Europe. It is also the place where the Belt and Road Initiative was first proposed, and is Hong Kong’s largest trading partner in Central Asia. There are broad prospects for further co-operation,” Mr Lee said, adding that a lot of B&R projects are also being pursued in Uzbekistan.

“For example, Uzbekistan sits in the heart of the corridor of Asia and Europe, so logistical development, railway development, and also how we can complement and supplement each other in cargo handling will be an area for a very wide range of co-operation.”

The Chief Executive also encouraged companies in Central Asia to leverage Hong Kong’s advantages under the “one country, two systems” principle.

“Under this unique principle, Hong Kong has its own economic, social, legal, legislative and judicial systems. We are the only common law jurisdiction in China. We have our own currency, with no capital or foreign exchange controls. We are, as well, a separate customs territory,” Mr Lee said.

Building on the positive outcomes from the delegation’s mission to Central Asia, Mr Lee welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Kanat Bozumbayev, to Hong Kong (June 10) and they both attended the Alatau City Investment Round Table (June 11).

Speaking at the event, Mr Lee said Hong Kong could contribute to the future success of Kazakhstan’s innovative, high-tech Alatau City in three concrete ways: as a gateway to global capital; a gateway to the Chinese Mainland and the Greater Bay Area; and as a partner in talent and technology.

“We share a development vision with Alatau City and Kazakhstan,” Mr Lee said, “Today, right here, right now, is a golden opportunity to bring our two economies closer together.”

He looked forward to Hong Kong and Kazakhstan achieving complementary advantages and co-ordinated development across different sectors and welcomed enterprises in Kazakhstan to make good use of Hong Kong’s premier financial and innovation and technology platforms, as well as its world-leading professional services, to explore more business opportunities.

 

 

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