To encourage local entrepreneurial scene, Ivorian government unveiled The Startup Act

The Startup Act was unveiled by the Ivorian government as a framework to assist the most successful business people in the nation in achieving their objectives.

Tunisia and Senegal were the first two African nations to enact the first specific startup law in the world, which was passed in Italy in 2012. Many nations, including Mali, Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Kenya, are at various stages of implementation. In October, the Nigeria Startup Act was enacted into law.

The Ivorian Startup Act, which is awaiting parliamentary approval, was recently unveiled. The Ivory Coast has prioritized technological innovation in its national development plan, paying particular attention to high-potential startups. News is the outcome of an investigation started in 2018.

“A meeting with our Tunisian counterparts during a benchmarking study at the end of 2022 accelerated the process,” said Florence Tahiri Fadika, technical advisor in charge of innovation and change at the country’s Ministry of Communication and the Digital Economy. “Tunisia is one of the first countries in Africa to have implemented a Startup Act. Their model is inspiring because it is very operational. The benchmarking mission, organised by the NTF V project, enabled us to benefit from Tunisia’s experience and to identify good practices.”

The Ivorian Startup Act is motivated by a strong political will and seeks to produce tangible results, following the Tunisian model.

“While waiting for the law to be officially voted by our assemblies, we are already working to make the Startup Act a tangible reality. The idea is not to copy the Tunisian legislation but to adapt it to the reality of our economy. A mapping study is underway and should enable us to precisely target the needs of our ecosystem,” Fadika said.

“At the same time, we are developing construction projects for new technology parks and startup campuses. Under the Startup Act, eligible startups will be able to benefit from state-of-the-art infrastructure and numerous amenities in order to succeed both regionally and internationally.”

Startups that receive a Startup Act award will have access to new opportunities in terms of training, financing, promotion, and access to government contracts and international markets.