enpact’s work to empower Senegalese startups
At enpact, we work to empower entrepreneurs through a suite of programs and partnerships. Our work in Senegal is no exception. In partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit’s (GIZ) programs for “Women and Energy Senegal”, enpact launched two capacity building programs: the Program Designers’ Lab (PDL) and Train the Mentor (TTM).
The PDL’s primary goal is to foster connections within the chosen ecosystem. By doing this we aid people and institutions to support their entrepreneurial ecosystem by developing innovative programs that serve their communities. So far, we have worked with four institutions and university incubators in Senegal: École Polytechnique de Thiès (EPT), Gaston Berger University (UGB), Alioune Diop University of Bambey (UADB), and Assane Seck University of Ziguinchor (UASZ).
Over the course of more than a year, ending in October 2021, we supported these institutions in designing and preparing implementation plans for project ideas to promote women’s entrepreneurship and strengthen their roles in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. By applying “Design Thinking”, participants discovered new methodologies and working practices as well as concretized their project ideas with the support of professional mentors and experts throughout the program.
In order to provide greater support to the participants, we trained experts from the renewable energy sector and consultants from the general business sector as mentors in our Train the Mentor (TTM) program. As a result of this ‘train-the-trainer’, 12 people received a multi-month training focused on the values, techniques and practices of mentoring as advocated by enpact. An important outcome of the training was the creation of a community of mentors who will promote mentoring in Senegal.
Finally, through our partnership with SenStartup we have been able to create better visibility of the entrepreneurial dynamics in Senegal. Our aim is to pool our experiences and develop our respective missions of startup support and ecosystem integration. Through this strategic collaboration, we will be able to provide more comprehensive support services for startups in Senegal. The collaboration comprises three key aspects: providing comprehensive ecosystem data for entrepreneurs, investors and policy makers, organizing training events and workshops for early-stage startups in Senegal, and leveraging enpact’s international network with SenStartup’s community in Senegal to build strategic cross-border collaborations and address key challenges in the ecosystem.
This publication serves to meet that first key aspect: to analyze the ecosystems of the major cities in Senegal. We are looking forward to working together to further develop the startup ecosystem in Senegal.
