Addis Ababa - Incubators

Incubator

BIC Ethiopia

BIC Ethiopia, funded by the EU, aims at capacitating business incubators in supporting agri-tech and agri-business start-ups and MSMEs to improve market access, generate higher income and create jobs. BIC Ethiopia will enable existing and new incubators supporting high potential start-ups with an innovative business model addressing market needs and potential in terms of job creation and income generation, and enhance business incubators’ ability to unlock the potential of agri-tech and agri-business by delivering the necessary tools to enable business growth along different stages of maturity. The BIC Ethiopia project will be implemented by sequa gGmbH (lead), Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations, adelphi gGmbH, Growth Africa, ice Hawassa and Stiftung Menschen für Menschen. The project will run until January 2026. BIC Ethiopia is part of BIC Africa. BIC Africa is a regional network that aims to support selected business incubators (BIs). It facilitates capacity building, helps BIs benefit from the exchanges and cooperation with other initiatives, improves the connection between European and African innovation hubs to develop international collaboration, explores business opportunities with European companies, and ensures the quality standards are respected in all supported incubators. BIC Africa is commissioned by the European Union and implemented by EBN. The project will run from 2021 to 2025. Our objectives – Set up a Europe-Africa Coordination Office & Regional Network – Better connection and synergies between actors of the regional ecosystem – Build the capacity of local Business Incubators and their client companies – Improved understanding of the state-of-the-art of the business incubation – Establishing and reinforcing a quality label for African business support organisations – Build a committee of experts overseeing the creation of a certification system – Communication, dissemination and outreach activities to create a strong brand for the Regional Network Our mission Successful start-ups and small companies, need equally strong business support actors to achieve their goals. EACO facilitates the activities of BIC Africa in Angola, Ethiopia, Madagascar and Somalia. We work to stimulate knowledge sharing among the wider incubation ecosystem for business incubators to benefit from cooperation with other initiatives, collaborations between innovation hubs, and shared business opportunities in Europe and Africa. Our Services Facilitation Facilitate capacity-building. Make a better connection Make a better connection between European and African innovation hubs to develop intercontinental collaboration. Awareness Rising Raise awareness about the needs and challenges faced by incubators and advise decision-makers. Quality Certification Label Establish or reinforce a quality label for African incubators and ensure that quality standards are respected in all supported incubators. Explore Business Opportunities Explore business and public/private investment opportunities with local and European initiatives and companies. Exchanges and Cooperation Help you to benefit from exchanges and cooperation with other initiatives.

Incubator

FasterCapital Ethiopia

FasterCapital is an online incubator which is operating in Ethiopia. We can help accelerate/incubate startups in Ethiopia. We usually help by providing work per equity. The work can be technical development per equity or business development per equity. In the Tech Cofounder program, we help the startup build an MVP or build a prototype, whether it’s a mobile app (Android app, iPhone app) or a web app. We provide 50% of the money needed and provide a very cost effective development process. We provide excellent product conceptualization and product design services. In the Raise Capital program, we improve the startup’s pitch deck, business plan and financial operating model and forecasts. We also help startups reach out to angel investors and VCs through warm introductions. We help the team in funding planning phase, i.e. how much money to raise and the valuation of the startup. We finally help them in negotiating and closing deals with angels and/or Venture Capitals. We help startups and businesses in raising capital from angel investors, getting funded by Venture capitals in Ethiopia, other accelerators/incubators (with whom we have partnerships), getting a small business loan for startups in Ethiopia, getting small business grants for startups in Ethiopia, and getting funded through crowdfunding for startups in Ethiopia, government funds, and other funding sources. Below are some of the services that we provide for startups in Ethiopia. You can also check our network of entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, regional partners and representatives in Ethiopia. A list of companies we have helped in our four programs: Raise Capital, Grow your Startup, Tech Cofounder or Idea to Product that are located in Ethiopia. Our Programs Raise Capital Whether you are a startup or a business raising funds, we match you with angel investors, Venture Capitals, government funds, banks, and other funding sources. We can also prepare/review your pitch deck, business plan and financial model. Tech Cofounder You are looking for a tech cofounder, a technical team, or a CTO to build the product. We provide technical support and cover 50% of the costs. We build and/or improve your MVP. We help in software development, UI and UX, integrating AI, others. Grow your Startup You have built your MVP and you are looking to grow your sales, increase your profitability, reach new and global markets, improve your marketing. We help you grow into new markets and scale your business while covering 50% of the costs. Idea to Product For first-timers, validate the idea, write the Business Plan, Pitch Deck and Financial Model from scratch and find investors. We help you get your business off the ground, find the right market and business model, and study your competitors.

Incubator

DOT Ethiopia

DOT Ethiopia is committed to creating a world shaped by young social innovators who have the tools, knowledge, and networks to create opportunities and transform their own communities. We support youth to become innovators and leaders, and to create and apply digital solutions that have positive impact in their communities. We work with youth, the private sector, governments, and community-based organizations towards a collaborative vision of communities shaped by daring social innovators.

Incubator

blueMoon

Two-thirds of Ethiopians are below the age of 25. Twenty million Ethiopians are aged 15 to 24. They hold the future of Ethiopia in their hands. They have ideas, ambitions, frustrations, and dreams. We believe their dreams matter and can transform Ethiopia, and may even change the world. blueMoon is an exciting initiative to discover, nurture, and fund exceptional agribusiness ideas among youth that are innovative, scalable, and have huge transformational potential. We want to discover and grow Ethiopian youth agribusiness startups that can change the world. How it works We believe that exceptional ideas and exceptional founders should be matched with exceptional support. We try our best to discover amazing, out-of-the-box, disruptive, highly innovative, scalable, and potentially transformational ideas from youth interested in Ethiopian agribusiness. Twice a year, we run a national competition and accept a small number of startups (5 to 10) into our on-site 4-month program based in Addis Ababa. Our batches run February to May (Belg Batch) and August to November (Kiremt batch). We require founder teams of 2 to 3 entrepreneurs because we believe that startups have a better chance of success with more than one founder. We also think that it takes more than training and money to create a great company. So, we take a holistic approach to the support we give to our startups. Over four super-intense months in our on-site incubator program in Addis Abab, we do several things: - we provide our startup teams with a place to work alongside other talented and motivated entrepreneurs - we provide training on business skills (“hard” skills) and “soft” skills like leadership, emotional intelligence, ethics, teambuilding, among others we coach our startups to get from an idea to a narrative to a value proposition to a feasibility study to a business model to an operational business plan to a branding and marketing strategy to investment needs and projections to pitch readiness - we support our startups as they register their companies, develop websites, build prototypes, recruit talent, and go through setup activities - we link our startups to top executives and heads of industry (the Lions) - we facilitate access to business support service providers, and - we match our startups founders to one-on-one mentoring with business professionals for 12 months. In addition to the above, we invest seed funds into each startup we incubate. So we only accept startups with ideas we believe have high potential and are investable and have a founder team that we consider to be emotionally intelligent, incredibly hungry for success, and humble enough to take advice and criticism. Most importantly, we look for founders who have the grit, determination, integrity, and passion to execute and to stay through the rocky road of entrepreneurship. We believe that entrepreneurs are born, not made. Our job is to provide the fertile ground where truly innovative, exceptional entrepreneurs can thrive and grow great companies.

Incubator

Startup Factory Ethiopia

Startup Factory Ethiopia was born to solve one challenge: How do you build a successful, scalable and sustainable business in a country with a challenging business environment and nascent entrepreneurial ecosystem? As the first venture builder in Ethiopia, our approach focuses on identifying the best entrepreneurial talent in Ethiopia and providing them with the necessary infrastructure, relationships, mentorship, coaching, operational support and effectively simulating a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem for our ventures & entrepreneurs. Our Vision Our vision is to build the next generation of market leading companies in Ethiopia from the ground up. Our Mission Our Mission is to build innovative, scalable and investable ventures that with exceptional teams. Our Purpose Our Purpose is to bring the necessary experience, expertise, network and grit to get the job done. Our Aim is to identifying & developing talent & matching theme with business challenges worth solving

Incubator

Orbit Innovation Hub

Orbit Innovation Hub (OIH), digital startup incubator/accelerator whose main aim is to reduce the hurdles that one may face during the startup or their own ventures. OIH is a digital innovation ecosystem where local talent can innovate and collaborate to address global issues in a sector- agnostic manner. The Hub will be a platform where incubatees will get to develop and accelerate their business ideas from ideation to product-launch stages. In doing so, the hub will provide young entrepreneurs with the network and resources they need to upscale in their respective ventures. Incubation After a rigorous screening and selection process, the Hub will offer innovative technology-based ideas comprehensive support in business development and strategy. Incubatees will have access to comprehensive training on key aspects of business development, co-working space with full accessories, mentoring & coaching, legal advice, publicity, and startup traction assistance and seed money to fund their ventures. Acceleration Orbit Innovation Hub will provide selected tech-startups with an MVP (minimum viable product) and proof of concept with the necessary tools and knowledge they need to accelerate their business and achieve scaled impact. These startups will have access to a conducive co-working space should they need it, mentorship and guidance, extensive training, expert advice across their field and market integration as well as linkage to industries. Capacity Building Orbit Innovation Hub will offer various training programs for entrepreneurs to develop their soft and vocational skills as well as broaden their networking base. Orbit Innovation Hub will offer its incubatees Seed Funding As part of its incubation and acceleration programs, Orbit Innovation Hub will offer a kick-off grant to selected startup or acceleration programs in order to help finance the business idea across the various stages of development. The hub will additionally coach incubates on grant and equity investment readiness. Co-working Space The Hub will offer its incubatees co-working space that will provide them with all the office space needs including meeting rooms, brainstorming session areas, high speed reliable internet connection, break rooms, and conference space . Mentorship and Coaching Selected Incubatees will have access to mentors carefully chosen to match their respective industries. The hub will also offer tailored one on one coaching to incubatees to ensure success. Business Development Training Orbit Innovation Hub will offer intensive training in a wide range of areas including vocational training as well as soft skills to ensure all our incubates develop vital skills in every aspect of entrepreneurship. Linkage with professionals and stakeholders All selected incubatees will be provided links to their industry professionals and will have the unique chance to widen their perspective as they work along other professionals with eclectic backgrounds in the hub. Legal Advice Orbit Innovation Hub will provide legal advice and administrative facilitation support as selected incubatees navigate due diligence.