Africa’s young entrepreneurs face numerous challenges while trying to start and operate their businesses. Often, their aspiration is not matched by the availability of opportunities, resources, or institutional support. As a result, most youth entrepreneurs operate necessity-driven, “survival” businesses – often informal micro- or small enterprises with limited growth potential. Creating a conducive environment that enables youth to participate meaningfully in the economy, including through entrepreneurship, is vital. The Promoting High-Growth Youth Entrepreneurship in Africa Webinar explores issues pertinent to a creating a responsive and inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystem for young people, with a focus on the regulatory environment, business development services, skills for entrepreneurship, access to finance, market access, and networks for high-growth enterprises. It aims to 

Key Objectives

• To identify systemic barriers that prevent young entrepreneurs from building scalable businesses, and what solutions can unlock their growth;
• How to bridge the aspirational gap between youth’s entrepreneurial ambitions and the actual opportunities available to them;  
• To identify ways to develop and/or strengthen the capacity of youth-friendly financing services and business development services (BDS) to meet the needs of young entrepreneurs;
• To identify sectors with the potential for scalable, growth-oriented enterprises in Africa and 
• To identify measures that policymakers can/should adopt to create a conducive regulatory environment to support young entrepreneurs in establishing high-growth enterprises;
• To interrogate elements of a conducive regulatory environment that can support young entrepreneurs to establish high-growth enterprises.

Collaborating with the African Development Bank Group, Argidius Foundation, the Ministry of Innovation And Technology- Ethiopia, Google, BunAroma Specialty Coffee, Lersha the discussion will bring together voices from policy, research, investment, and entrepreneurship. 

Zoom Link