A bold new initiative to transform Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape was officially launched on Thursday in Nairobi, as Bridge for Billions unveiled the Conecta Africa program. The initiative seeks to strengthen early-stage startup ecosystems across the continent by connecting entrepreneur support organisations (ESOs), policymakers, funders, and corporate leaders.
Unveiled at the Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club, the launch capped a three-day summit and retreat attended by more than 100 stakeholders from Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and South Africa. Over 25 ESOs collaborated during the event to chart strategies for sustainable, inclusive entrepreneurship support, particularly for women, youth, and rural innovators.
“Entrepreneurs are resilient and resourceful, but they shouldn’t have to take unnecessary risks just to succeed,” said Julie Murat, co-founder of Bridge for Billions. “We believe that, like education, entrepreneurship support should be a public good—accessible, equitable, and systemic.”
Through data-driven programming and long-term partnerships, Conecta Africa aims to dismantle the structural barriers that hinder access to essential business support. Key to the initiative is building resilience among ESOs, enabling them to collaborate, share resources, and drive impact in underserved communities.
Findings presented in collaboration with the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) identified five critical challenges facing Africa’s entrepreneurship landscape: limited funding for ESOs, weak collaboration infrastructure, lack of inclusion for marginalized groups, insufficient data sharing, and fragmented support networks.
Despite these challenges, there was a shared sense of optimism. “Too many organisations are doing great work in isolation,” noted Chaitali Sinha of Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). “This initiative offers a shift from short-term aid to sustainable support tailored to African realities.”
Speakers at the summit called for a reset in how entrepreneurship is financed. Funders were urged to broaden their focus beyond high-growth tech startups and invest in sectors with deep societal impact—such as healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, and housing.
Dr. Maxwell Okoth, Chairman of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) Nairobi County Health Sector, emphasized the power of homegrown innovation. “We’ve engineered medical infrastructure locally at a fraction of import costs. We have the talent—we just need to believe in and fund our own solutions,” he said.
Ian Minjire, COO and co-founder of Melanin Kapital, echoed this, cautioning against overdependence on venture capital. He advocated for business models grounded in sustainability rather than rapid scaling.
The government’s support for the initiative was reinforced by Hon. Susan Mang’eni, Principal Secretary for MSME Development. In her keynote, she aligned Conecta Africa with the national bottom-up economic transformation agenda and invited Bridge for Billions to partner on digital learning tools for small businesses.
“Our youth need more than encouragement—they need real tools to create jobs,” she said. “This initiative has the potential to connect viable MSMEs with the capital and technical support they need to grow.”
Yann Huguenard, Senior Business Development Manager for Africa and Europe at Bridge for Billions, highlighted the broader mission of the initiative. “Conecta Africa is about empowering the organisations that empower entrepreneurs,” he said. “By strengthening local support systems, we’re laying the groundwork for a thriving, self-sustaining entrepreneurship ecosystem.”
In its first phase, Conecta Africa aims to support 1,500 SMEs by enhancing ESO collaboration and capacity. The program will prioritize healthcare, youth enterprise, and women-led businesses while building policy, research, and investment alliances.
The initiative is supported by several partners, including IDRC, Strathmore University, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), JP Morgan, and the KNCCI.
