Alternative Funding Sources for Digital Innovation

Access to funds has been a major challenge for startups in the African ecosystem. African Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) have and continue to play crucial roles in enabling startups to become aware of different funding sources available to African startups in the digital ecosystem. New funding sources have emerged yet there is still a knowledge gap about some of these new alternative funding sources (crowdfunding, micro-credit, loans, and grants) for startups leading to slow adoption and maximization of these opportunities.

To address this challenge, AfriConEU, the first Trans-continental Networking Academy for African and European Digital Innovation Hubs in partnership with African Technology Business Network (ATBN) will host a virtual webinar on “Alternative Funding Sources for Digital Innovation”.

The main objective of this webinar is to discuss non-traditional funding sources that are available to digital innovators. It will address the pros and cons of various types of alternative funding sources such as crowdfunding, micro-credit, loans, and grants. The mechanical elements of these funding sources will be addressed, along with their common uses, how they correlate with other funding sources and how projects can position themselves to take advantage of these sources.

Date: Wednesday, 14th December, 2022

Time: 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm CET

Speaker: Angie Madara (Founding GP, Athena Fund)

Host: Eunice Baguma-Ball (Africa Technology Business Network - ATBN)

Topics to be discussed:

1. Traditional Funding Sources (In Brief)

2. Introduction to Non-Traditional/Alternative Funding Sources

3. Uses, Pros and Cons of Non-Traditional/Alternative Funding Sources: Crowdfunding, Microcredit, Loans, Grants

4. How a startup can position itself to take advantage of these sources

Who should attend?

Leaders of DIHs (tech hubs, universities, incubators, accelerators)

Investors

Youth

Start-ups

Entrepreneurs and entrepreneur support network leaders

Digital skills providers

This event is part of the new AfriConEU project to support African and European Digital Innovation Hubs in capacity building, knowledge sharing, networking, collaboration, joint projects, and venture development. The project is being delivered by a consortium of partners including ATBN, INOVA+, Emerging Communities Africa, Youthmakers Hub, Porto Business School, OutBox, Dpixel, Stimmuli, ITC, Buni Hub, and HapaSpace.

For more information, visit our websites: www.africatbn.com and https://africoneu.eu/

AfriConEU project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (GA no. 101016687).