The global Enablis Entrepreneurial Network is to expand into Africa following a further R27.6 million donation over the next five years from Accenture and Telesystem.
The donation was announced at the Business Action for Africa Summit in the UK organised by the Commonwealth Business Council and Commission for Africa, in tandem with the G8 Summit in Gleneagles.
Enablis says it has grown substantially since its launch in SA last year.
"Total funding for the Enablis programme to support information and communications technology (ICT) entrepreneurs now exceeds R166 million," says Martin Feinstein, Enablis SA`s chief executive.
"The new funding will help Enablis expand from its current operating base in SA to new countries in Sub-Saharan Africa."
Conceived at the 2002 G8 Summit, Enablis was founded by Accenture, HP, Telesystem and the Canada Fund for Africa to support entrepreneurs in developing countries who adopt ICT as a significant part of their growth strategy.
Enablis member entrepreneurs benefit from a range of business support and training services as well as preferential access to finance.
"This year marks a key turning point for Enablis as we move from our prototype in SA to the establishment of new regional hubs and then country operations throughout Africa. We are now looking for the critical backing and funding of government donors, which will give us the platform to raise matching funds from the private sector and host countries Enablis will operate in," says Charles Sirois, chairman and CEO of Enablis.
Share
