To foster Angola’s entrepreneurial spirit and create gender equal opportunities, the Orange Corners incubation programme has been up and running in Luanda for the last three years. This programme, supporting young entrepreneurs between the age of 18 and 35 years old, enables them to start and grow their business so they bring innovative good and services to the Angolan market while boosting the economy and creating much-needed jobs.
Supported by the Dutch government and the Dutch embassy in Luanda, the programme is implemented by GP Angola and governed by a non-profit association called Orange Corners Angola (OCA), which was established especially for this purpose. It consists, amongst other things, of an open application round, a bootcamp, pitches to jury members, masterclasses, business development training and a graduation ceremony. It fully prepares the young entrepreneurs from idea stage to a full-fledged start-up.
But then the exciting step into the great beyond happens: the start-ups have to learn to stand on their own feet after completing the incubation programme. The seed has been sown but what they need now more than anything is some TLC in the form of mentoring, seed capital and networks. This is where the Clube Angolano de Investidores Anjo (CAIA) comes in. This recently created network will become the nucleus of and the platform for Angel Investment in Angola. CAIA, enjoying the support of GP Angola, RVO Netherlands and the Dutch Embassy in Angola, will train aspiring angels on the techniques, competencies and ethics around angel investment. The budding young entrepreneurs will consequently get an opportunity to present their daring dreams and bold business ideas to the angels in the hope of finding the perfect match which can elevate them to next level.
Standing on the shoulders of giants, the next generation of innovators and trailblazers will learn and benefit from the experiences and success of these business angels. CAIA, RVO Netherlands, GP Angola and the Dutch Embassy join forces to establish a sustainable hub for angel investment and invest in the Angolan ecosystem. Let’s clarify once and for all: the risk of investing in the next generation of start-ups is massively outweighed by the risk incurred by not investing in them.
