Project description
Building partnerships between European and African innovators
The EU is committed to reinforcing cooperation and strategic partnerships with countries in Africa, and digital innovation is one area of interest. Specifically, the aim is to strengthen existing digital innovation hubs (DIHs) in Africa and facilitate the collaboration between EU and African DIHs. In turn, this will result in strengthening a common EU–Africa innovation and start-up ecosystem. In this context, the EU-funded AEDIB|NET project will develop key infrastructure and build strategic cooperation mechanisms. Moreover, it will encourage bridging activities on technical capacity building and technology transfer between African and European innovators and start-ups, private sector actors, academia, local governments and investors.
Objective
In the scope of the ICT-58 call, AEDIB|NET has the objective to strengthen a common African European digital innovation ecosystem by supporting local digital innovation and start-up ecosystems in Africa and facilitating the collaboration between European and African DIHs. AEDIB|NET aims to build on the experience of European DIHs, and adapt the approach to the African context in order to facilitate synergies and collaboration potential. This includes developing and strengthening key infrastructure such as a Pan-African network of DIHs, as well as building strategic cooperation mechanisms and facilitating bridging activities on technical capacity building and technology transfer between African and European innovators and start-ups, SMEs, private sector actors, academia, local governments and investors. In addition, AEDIB|NET will foster the development of an enabling environment that is reinforced by conducive local policies. The African consortium partners are the cornerstones of the African digital innovation ecosystem and have the strength of bringing together relevant policymakers (i4policy, SAS), supporting innovators and start-ups in Innovation Hubs (AfriLabs, Digital Africa) and investors (ABAN, VC4A). Their expertise is core to successfully building networks on the continent and beyond. The European consortium partners contribute experience in fostering innovation, entrepreneurship and investment, as well as the establishment of and networking between DIHs (FundingBox, Steinbeis, EBN, EBAN, Civitta). Thereby, in the scope of AEDIB|NET, these partners ensure full access to the European innovation ecosystem, DIHs and experience of the efforts made by the EU in the past.
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IA - Innovation actionCoordinator
65760 Eschborn
Germany