The German economic development organization Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and its Make-IT in Africa initiative have joined forces with the US-based venture capital firm 500 Global to launch the Bootcamp for Accelerator Managers (BAM) program, which will assist African accelerators in their efforts to support the region’s talented entrepreneurs.
In Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Senegal, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Ghana, Egypt, South Africa, and Kenya, the BAM initiative is intended to have a greater influence on high-potential accelerators. It will employ a project-based learning approach and incorporate real-world examples from 500 Global’s expertise in managing more than 80 accelerator programs globally and Make-IT in Africa’s experience assisting national and pan-African entrepreneurial ecosystems in strengthening their resilience.
On November 14, BAM will begin in Nairobi, Kenya, with a five-day bootcamp for chosen accelerator managers from throughout Africa. This will be followed by a 12-month virtual program that will go further into best practices for managing a top-notch accelerator.
“500 Global is thrilled to be working alongside GIZ to ensure that African accelerators have the tools they need to support startups. 500 has been investing in companies in Africa for a decade and continues to be excited about the growth of the African tech ecosystem. We believe that the next phase of this evolution will be led by homegrown accelerators, like the ones joining BAM,” said Mareme Dieng, 500 Global’s Africa lead.
“This programme represents another cornerstone in Make-IT in Africa´s efforts to support African innovation on a local, pan-African and global scale. Together with our partner 500 Global, we use a hands-on approach to bring together African accelerators with seasoned coaches, while simultaneously building bridges between African and international networks. Beyond the scope of the programme, African entrepreneurs and startups can benefit from the best practices applied by accelerators across the continent,” said Matthias Rehfeld, head of Make-IT in Africa.
