Initiated by the World Bank, Afrique Excelle is an acceleration program aimed at connecting fast-growing African startups with mentors and investors from the French-speaking region and the Sahel.
Like other initiatives such as AFD's Digital Africa, the Afrique Excelle program aims to strengthen ties between entrepreneurs on the continent, between the French-speaking and English-speaking parts, while supporting the development of digital ecosystems, particularly in the continent's least developed countries.
Following a call for projects, on March 15 the World Bank unveiled the names of the 20 startups selected to join the program. They are all active in the digital and new technologies sector, already offering a product/service in one or more markets in French-speaking Africa.
In the media world, Star News Mobile is part of the selection. Launched in 2017, this Ivorian startup specializing in video streaming has surpassed the milestone of one million subscribers to its platform. Growing rapidly in Côte d'Ivoire, the young startup has expanded its service to Cameroon and Congo Brazzaville. It now wants to develop in other markets on the continent.
The 20 startups will be invited to participate in a week-long training session organized in Mali from March 24 to 30. This will be an opportunity for entrepreneurs to develop skills, exchange ideas with professionals, and make contact with potential investors. This first training session will end with a pitch session organized during the Francophone African Investor Summit (FAIS). The competition will identify and qualify 10 startups for a second training session to be held in France in May.
The companies will also have the opportunity to benefit from greater visibility as they will be presented at the upcoming Afrobytes conference and the VivaTech trade show, two must-attend events in the global tech world.
Complete list of selected startups:
| – StarNewsMobile (http://StarNewsMobile.com) (Media / Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Coast) | · Lifi Led (https://bit.ly/2kLPIo0) (Clean Technology / Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, CAR, Liberia, Madagascar) |
| · GiftedMom (http://GiftedMom.co) (Healthcare / Cameroon, Ivory Coast) | · AmA (www.AMA.finance) (Financial technology / Senegal) |
| · Paps (https://Paps.sn) (Logistics / Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast) | · LONO (www.LONOci.com) (Clean technology / Ivory Coast) |
| · Tripafrique (www.Tripafrique.com) (Transportation / Ivory Coast) | · Sudpay (https://Sudpay.com) (Financial technology / Senegal, Ivory Coast, Benin, Togo, Guinea) |
| · Firefly Media (http://FireflyMedia.tv) (Advertising, transportation / Senegal) | · Exportunity GBC2 (https://bit.ly/2EZkymT) (Financial technologies, import/export / Mauritius, Benin, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Togo) |
| · Solaris Offgrid (www.SolarisOffgrid.com) (Financial technology, SaaS, solar energy / Benin, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Cameroon, Rwanda) | · SmartOne (https://bit.ly/2UtZvPD) (Big data / Madagascar, Mauritius) |
| · Optimetriks (https://Optimetriks.com) (Retail technology / Mali, Senegal, Niger, Ghana, Kenya) | · CityTaps (www.CityTaps.org) (Water and sanitation / Niger, Senegal) |
| · MaTontine (http://MaTontine.com/en) (Financial technology / Senegal, Ivory Coast) | · Diool (www.Diool.com) (Financial technology / Cameroon) |
| · LAfricaMobile (https://LAfricaMobile.com) (Connectivity, SaaS, API / Senegal, Niger, Mali, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Burkina Faso) | · OniriQ (https://OniriQ.com) (Clean technologies, off-grid energy / Senegal) |
| · Ouicarry (www.Ouicarry.com) (Logistics / Senegal, Benin, Mali, Togo) | · Eyone (www.Eyone.net) (Healthcare / Senegal, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger) |